Written by Michael Northrop
This book is excellent! It provides a unique view into the life of a boy coping with serious family problems (his father struggles with an addiction to gambling and his mother left), health issues (a progressive spinal abnormality that is becoming more visible and painful every day), and the usual problems of middle-schoolers, like navigating complicated friendships and dealing with bullies.
If you enjoy books like Posted and Restart, you’ll love On Thin Ice. The story is intense enough to keep you on the edge of your seat, yet real enough to give you a strong sense of empathy for the characters – and other people around you. Stories that help us see others in new ways and treat them better are invaluable, and so I highly recommend this one because it does all that while still being a delight to read.
An excellent addition to any library, this is a book you’ll definitely want to share with kids who are dealing with a lot, who feel like the “weirdo” or outsider, who are interested in makerspace projects, or who just enjoy reading realistic fiction that makes you want to be a better person.
Reviewed by Anna Wendorf, Media Clerk, Diamond Ridge Elementary School Library
Review shared in January 2022
Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 3-8
Author Website: michaelnorthrop.net
On Thin Ice
Written by Michael Northrop
Scholastic Press
228 pages
Release Date: July 30, 2019
ISBN: 9780545495905
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
