The Burn Journals

Starred review from October 11, 2004
Engrossing from first page to last, this book based on Runyon's own adolescent experiences draws readers into the world of an eighth-grader whose life is irrevocably changed the day he deliberately sets himself on fire. Brent, after narrowly escaping death, wakes up in a hospital with 85% of his body severely burned and begins a slow, arduous path to recovery. Rather than analyzing reasons the patient wanted to kill himself, the first-person narrative remains focused on the immediate challenge of survival, incorporating meticulous details of Brent's day-to-day ordeals in the hospital and later in a rehabilitation center. Time, at first, is measured by Brent's fluctuating levels of discomfort and comfort, ranging from the excruciating pain of having bandages removed to the sheer bliss of tasting ice cream for the first time in several weeks. And his repentant apologies to his parents and to Craig, his brother, who discovers Brent immediately after the incident, are wrenching in their honesty ("I hope Craig can love me again"). When his wounds begin to heal, Brent's thoughts turn from the present to the future as he nervously makes plans to return home and re-enter society. Despite its dark subject matter, this powerful chronicle of Brent's journey to heal expresses hope, celebrates life and provides an opportunity to slip inside the skin of a survivor with a unique perspective. Ages 14-up.

Fourteen-year-old Brent Runyon, mad at the world and soon to be busted for an act of arson at school, attempts to deal with his troubles by using gasoline to set himself on fire. Months of hospitals, pain, and therapists result as his body and mind deal with the aftermath of his impulsive suicide attempt. Told in the first person, this true story may be difficult to handle for some listeners. Narrator Christopher Evan Welch superbly captures the depressed, sometimes petulant, regretful, and hormonal tones of this adolescent, an approach that will resonate with younger listeners but may wear thin for adults. After hearing this performance, teens may reconsider impulsive decisions; no listener will soon forget Runyon's harrowing experience. M.H.N. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine