Themes: Realistic Fiction, Autism, Bullying, Peer Pressure, Self-Esteem, Teen, Young Adult, Chapter Book, Hi-Lo, Hi-Lo Books, Hi-Lo Solutions, High-Low Books, Hi-Low Books, ELL, EL, ESL, Struggling Learner, Struggling Reader, Special Education, SPED, Newcomers, Reading, Learning, Education, Educational, Educational Books. Ian Taylor lives a secret life. At school he's a varsity football player, dating one of the hottest cheerleaders on campus. At home he's his divorced mother's right hand, helping her to keep his younger autistic brother, Davey, in line. To Ian, Davey is a freak. And no one must ever know about him. But it's a game changer when Davey begins attending a special day class at Ian's school. Undaunted, Ian continues his charade of denying Davey's existence, even when Davey has massive public meltdowns. He internalizes his strong feelings--Screaming Quietly inside--until resentment, anger, and embarrassment force him to burst. But his love for Davey and his desire to man up eventually allow him to overcome peer pressure and fully own his life. Hard-hitting, contemporary young adult fiction is not trendy–it's not dystopia. There are no vampires, no werewolves, no castles. It's real life. It's unflinching. Gravel Road highlights the talent of YA authors committed to creating realistic fiction with emotional authenticity. No topic is off-limits: suicide, homosexuality, drugs, rape, gangs, bullying. Teens live with this reality each day. And they find a way to survive. Each paperback book is 116 to 268 pages.
