The Big Nothing

Starred review from December 1, 2004
Gr 7-9-Pudgy, quiet Justin Riggs, 13, has a lot to say, at least internally. His father leaves home; his mother is so shattered by arguments, put-downs, and suspicion that she withdraws to bed; and his older brother, Duane, has enlisted and is sent to Iraq. His best friend has a girlfriend, leaving little time for him, and he feels abandoned. His coping mechanism is to withdraw into a state that Justin thinks of as "The Big Nothing." However, popular Jemmie just won't let him sit in silence, and the more she interacts with him, the more interested in her he becomes. When her warm and worldly-wise grandmother discovers his talent for playing the piano, he finds a more productive escape. However, the bills keep piling up at home, he may be failing English, and he worries about his brother. Continuing her exploration of a Tallahassee neighborhood and its middle schoolers first introduced in Crossing Jordan (Peachtree, 2000), Fogelin plots a thoroughly engaging story of teen angst, multicultural and political divisions, and a natural desire of neighbors to come to one another's aid. The characters may be doves, hawks, or m langes in between, but they are sincere in their beliefs and yet can find room in their hearts to pull together for Duane. Serious and humorous by turns, this seemingly simple story is actually quite complex but not weighty and will be enthusiastically embraced.-Cindy Darling Codell, Clark Middle School, Winchester, KY

Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2004
Gr. 7-9. Middle-schooler Justin Riggs slips into "The Big Nothing," a kind of spaced-out void, whenever he would rather not be where he is. It beckons more frequently now that his father has bailed, his older brother, Duane, has joined the army, and his best pal only has time for his girlfriend. Gradually, though, a few Big Somethings begin to fill the emptiness: his tough, pretty neighbor Jemmie starts spending time with him (Could she like a guy who looks like the "Pillsbury Doughboy with zits"?); and Jemmie's grandmother teaches him to play the piano, which reveals his gift for music. Fogelin's character-driven narrative may drift too much for some readers, but it speaks of the painful transitions of adolescence with rare humor and honesty. Justin's misery when Duane ships out to Iraq also brings the current circumstances of many American families into sharp relief. Readers familiar with Fogelin's " Crossing Jordan " (2000)" " and " My Brother's Hero" (2002) will recognize Justin's working-class Tallahassee neighborhood, and previously featured characters reappear in roles both minor and major. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)