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Lost in the Sun

ebook
2 of 2 copies available
2 of 2 copies available
From the author of A Tangle of Knots and Absolutely Almost, a touching story about a boy who won't let one tragic accident define him.
Everyone says that middle school is awful, but Trent knows nothing could be worse than the year he had in fifth grade, when a freak accident on Cedar Lake left one kid dead, and Trent with a brain full of terrible thoughts he can't get rid of. Trent’s pretty positive the entire disaster was his fault, so for him middle school feels like a fresh start, a chance to prove to everyone that he's not the horrible screw-up they seem to think he is. 
 
If only Trent could make that fresh start happen.

It isn’t until Trent gets caught up in the whirlwind that is Fallon Little—the girl with the mysterious scar across her face—that things begin to change. Because fresh starts aren’t always easy. Even in baseball, when a fly ball gets lost in the sun, you have to remember to shift your position to find it.
Praise for Lost in the Sun:
 
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year!
 
* "Graff writes with stunning insight [and] consistently demonstrates why character-driven novels can live from generation to generation."—Kirkus Reviews *STARRED*
* "Graff creates layered, vulnerable characters that are worth getting to know."—Booklist *STARRED*
* "[A]n ambitious and gracefully executed story."—Publishers Weekly *STARRED*
    
* "Weighty matters deftly handled with humor and grace will give this book wide appeal."—School Library Journal *STARRED*
 
* "Characterization is thoughtful."—BCCB *STARRED*
 
“In Lost in the Sun, Trent decides that he will speak the truth: that pain and anger and loss are not the final words, that goodness can find us after all—even when we hide from it.  This is a novel that speaks powerfully, honestly, almost shockingly about our human pain and our human redemption.  This book will change you.”—Gary Schmidt, two-time Newbery Honor-winning author of The Wednesday Wars and Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy
 
“Lisa Graff crafts a compelling story about a boy touched with tragedy and the world of people he cares about.  And like all the best stories, it ends at a new beginning.”—Richard Peck, Newbery Award-winning author of A Year Down Yonder and A Long Way From Chicago
 
 
Lisa Graff's Awards and Reviews:
 
Lisa Graff's books have been named to 30 state award lists, and A Tangle of Knots was long-listed for the National Book Award.
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    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from March 16, 2015
      Less than a year ago, 12-year-old Trent Zimmerman accidentally contributed to the death of his teammate Jared during a hockey game, after nailing him with a puck (Jared had a “bad heart”). Already prone to overthinking, Trent is overwhelmed by disturbing thoughts, which he draws in a closely guarded book, and very angry. He backs away from his best friend, acts out at school, and clashes with his family. With help from a persistent classmate, who is known as much for the large scar on her face as for her weird outfits, and a similarly dedicated teacher, Trent is gradually able to let go of his intense guilt and regain his confidence. Trent’s barely
      constrained rage is visceral, and the moments when he lashes out, verbally and physically, are as frightening as they are realistic. In an ambitious and gracefully executed story, Graff (Absolutely Almost) covers a lot of emotional ground, empathically tracing Trent’s efforts to deal with a horrible, inexplicable accident and to heal the relationships that have become collateral damage along the way. Ages 10–up. Agent: Stephen Barbara, InkWell Management.

    • Kirkus

      Starred review from March 1, 2015
      When internal anger turns into outward rage, one middle school misfit must find a solution or risk ruining everything that matters.Trent Zimmerman can't help it. It's not his fault that his dad hates him, and his teacher, the old crone, hates him, and his old friends hate him. Only, well, he feels so guilty. Maybe it is his fault. Ever since the accident back in February, when Trent accidentally hit a hockey puck into Jared Richards with catastrophic results, his life has been turned upside down. When middle school starts in the fall, Trent believes it's a chance to start fresh, only it doesn't take long for him to realize that no one has forgotten what happened to Jared-especially Trent. Now his anger is getting bigger and bigger, pushing against his insides and making Trent lash out. If that isn't crazy enough, he finds himself in a bizarro friendship with terribly scarred Fallon Little, who just might be able to teach Trent how to value himself. Graff writes with stunning insight into boyhood and humanity, allowing Trent to speak for himself in a pained, honest narration. Investing Trent with all the tragic frailty of Holden Caulfield, Graff tackles issues of loss, isolation, and rage without apology.Graff consistently demonstrates why character-driven novels can live from generation to generation, and here she offers a story that can survive for many school years to come. (Fiction. 9-12)

    • School Library Journal

      Starred review from April 1, 2015

      Gr 4-8-Trent Zimmerman is consumed by rage. The universe has been manifestly unfair to him and he doesn't know how to handle it. Seven months ago, he struck a hockey puck at a bad angle, sending it like a missile into the chest of a boy with a previously undiagnosed heart ailment. That boy died and Trent feels responsible. And he's furious about it. He can no longer bring himself to play sports (at which he used to excel) since he has panic attacks any time he tries. He's sure everyone hates him, except maybe for his mom and his older brother, and he doesn't blame them. His father and stepmother seem to prefer his brothers and he thinks that's understandable. He tries to expel his morbid, angry thoughts by drawing in a journal. He doesn't know if that makes things better. He feels like a screwup, so he deliberately screws up even more. And makes more people angry with him, which is what he feels he deserves. Into this maelstrom comes Fallon, a fellow sixth-grader whose face bears a large and mysterious scar. For some reason, she seems to like spending time with Trent and-almost against his will-he starts to like spending time with her. Graff takes readers through Trent's gradual process of coming to terms with the tragic accident and his recognition that, while he can't change the past, he can control his present behavior to influence his future. While Trent makes multiple bad decisions and his impulsivity is a constant liability, he's also funny, sensitive, and kind. Fallon is a firecracker and the two of them are a lot of fun together. It's a mark of Graff's skill that readers can easily discern and appreciate complexities behind the behaviors of every character in the novel without having them explicitly delineated. VERDICT Weighty matters deftly handled with humor and grace will give this book wide appeal.-Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Library, NY

      Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Booklist

      Starred review from March 15, 2015
      Grades 5-8 *Starred Review* Middle school is tough, but try getting through sixth grade after accidentally killing someone with a hockey puck. Such is Trent Zimmerman's misfortune. Wracked with guilt and anger, he is never without his Book of Thoughts, the sketchbook where he draws the awful images he can't get out of his brain. Sure that everyone hates him, Trent acts out at school, shuts out friends, and is overcome by sweaty panic at the thought of playing sports again. Life is difficult at home, too, where his parents' divorce has resulted in a contentious relationship with his father. Relief comes in the eccentric form of Fallon Little, a girl with a mysterious scar and an indomitable spirit. But Fallon has her secrets as well. The emotions and motivations coursing through this novel are wonderfully complex. Graff creates layered, vulnerable characters who are worth getting to know and rooting for. Narrated by the moody, sarcastic Trent, the story never buckles beneath his troubles, and it finds wings once he can see beyond them. Pranks, The Sandlot reenactments, sports talk, and doughnuts are in plentiful supply, adding dashes of levity at the right moments. The book's real magic is found in simple acts like watering plants and learning when to listen and when to just tip your head back and scream at the sky.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

    • The Horn Book

      July 1, 2015
      Twelve-year-old Trent Zimmerman mistakenly shot a hockey puck into Jared Richards's chest; Jared, who had a heart defect, died. Now Trent is filled with rage, convinced everyone hates him. After befriending Fallon Little, the "girl with the scar," Trent sees how his actions affect everyone around him. Trent's powerful first-person narrative may resonate with young people who often feel lost in situations beyond their control.

      (Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Formats

  • Kindle Book
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  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • ATOS Level:4.5
  • Lexile® Measure:700
  • Interest Level:6-12(MG+)
  • Text Difficulty:3

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