Recommended by Debbie Hipes at her conference this past spring, this book did not disappoint me. Marcelo has Asberger's Syndrome. He is high functioning and is "trained" to recognize aspects of people in the "real" world that he would miss without his training.His dad gets him a job at his law firm for the summer-working in the real world, where he makes friends and has to confront decisions that have moral and emotional consequences.
What I liked best about the book is how Marcelo talks about religion and music (his passions) and the insights gained by applying those thoughts to everyday situations. This book is definitely one of my Top Ten Books for the summer.
I have found lots of favorite quotes in this book. Here is one of them when Marcelo and a Rabbi are having a conversation about God and choices: "It is a messy business, this trying to figure out what His will is...But deep at the bottom of our conflicting desires and confusions there is a sense of what is right and what is wrong...What else can we do but trust that He is the source of what we feel and hope He is the end of what we want to do?" (pg 227)
Young Adult Lit. Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars
