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Trouble
A dog, a mountain, and an ancient slave ship are featured in this latest page-turner from a versatile, award-winning author.
Climbing Katahdin, the highest mountain in Maine, is the goal that Henry sets himself when his brother dies following a car accident. Along with his dog, his best friend, and-surprisingly-the Cambodian boy whose car was involved in the fatal accident, Henry experiences a journey that is both physically daunting and spiritually exhilarating. The writing combines breathtaking nature imagery and hilarious comedy, as only Gary Schmidt can.
Climbing Katahdin, the highest mountain in Maine, is the goal that Henry sets himself when his brother dies following a car accident. Along with his dog, his best friend, and-surprisingly-the Cambodian boy whose car was involved in the fatal accident, Henry experiences a journey that is both physically daunting and spiritually exhilarating. The writing combines breathtaking nature imagery and hilarious comedy, as only Gary Schmidt can.
297 pages, Audio CD
First published April 21, 2008
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2392 people want to read
About the author
Gary D. Schmidt
75 books2,168 followersGary D. Schmidt is an American children's writer of nonfiction books and young adult novels, including two Newbery Honor books. He lives on a farm in Alto, Michigan,with his wife and six children, where he splits wood, plants gardens, writes, feeds the wild cats that drop by and wishes that sometimes the sea breeze came that far inland. He is a Professor of English at Calvin College.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 685 reviews
March 4, 2008
You know, as a children’s librarian Gary Schmidt gives me no end of (for lack of a better word) trouble. As far as I can tell, he’s probably one of those authors that doesn’t like to begin writing a book by pigeonholing it for a single age group. If I'm right then it would explain why his oeuvre does a funny dance between children’s literature and young adult literature without the author ever fully belonging to one or the other. Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy? Children’s historical fiction. The Wednesday Wars? Getting up there, but I think 13 and 14-year-olds would enjoy it. Trouble? Oh, Trouble. As I began reading this book I hoped that it would be for the same age range as The Wednesday Wars and that would be the end of it. Yet as I read on and got wrapped up in the story it became pretty clear that Schmidt has probably produced his most mature work of literature to date. Due to its content, this is the first Gary Schmidt book I have read that I would classify as “teen” through and through. Though it may have a tendency to be a little obvious in its overriding themes, Trouble is still a strong addition to the Gary D. Schmidt literary cannon. Just don’t seek it out in the children’s section of your local library.
Seventh grader Henry Smith is the younger brother of school hero Franklin Smith, and that’s pretty much all he’s ever been known for. Franklin’s the kind of guy who does very well on the school’s sports teams, and he is more than happy to make everyone around him aware of the fact. That is, until the accident. Grievously injured by a car while running, Franklin’s accident is the fault of one Chay Chouan. Chay’s the son Cambodian refugees and his arrest sparks racial tensions between the mostly white town of Blythbury-by-the-Sea and the mostly Cambodian town of Merton. In the meantime Henry is convinced that if he climbs Mt. Katahdin (the mountain he and Franklin were going to mount before the accident) he will be able to unlock something in himself. What he doesn’t count on are the companions who help him along his way, or the way in which he helps them.
Praising Schmidt’s descriptive talents sometimes makes a reviewer sound like a broken record. Particularly when you consider that he always describes things well. A person is described as empty, “as if the soul had left his body, and his body understood that it would never come back.” Or simply saying that a sky has turned “opal lavender.” There's a joy that comes from reading a writer that seems to get true pleasure out of writing beautiful things. Schmidt is one of those writers.
The book is split into two perspectives. For the most part you’re getting things just over Henry’s shoulder. Then, occasionally, at the end of a chapter will be an italicized section told from Chay’s. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that it took me 62 pages before I even figured out that these parts weren’t also via Henry. I guess in retrospect it’s obvious. Chay appears to be a difficult character to write, though. I mean, he’s perfect. There is almost no moment in this book when Chay doesn’t do the noble self-sacrificing thing when put to the test. If a saint’s car hit your brother, that saint couldn’t have a shinier halo than the one sitting on Chay Chouan’s head. In a way it’s a problem to have someone this good in a book. On the other hand, the moral implications inherent when a good man kills a guy with almost zero redeeming qualities are always interesting. Do you see why I keep saying that this is a teen novel? Henry, on the other hand, remains a rather opaque hero. While we often don’t know how Henry feels, seeing his actions rather than his thought process. This is both the blessing and the curse of getting all your info in the third person.
The supporting cast in this book was maybe one of the strongest Schmidt has ever produced. I couldn’t tell you the name or personality of the best friend in The Wednesday Wars but Henry’s best friend Sanborn may be in the running for “Best Gary D. Schmidt Character in a Supporting Role”. He’s the kind of friend who routinely grinds our hero’s nose into the dirt, but in an infinitely loving way that you can totally get behind. He serves as the voice of reason for the first half the book and the devil’s advocate for the second. Some might see this as a flaw, but I think it's completely in keeping with his character. Sanborn just likes to get Henry’s goat, even if that means taking the wrong side once in a while. And Schmidt really lets loose when he introduces the character of Black Dog. At one point Henry rescues from the sea a wounded dog of happy disposition and unprecedented destructive capabilities. I’m not much of a dog person myself, and Black Dog’s cheerful/wanton ruination of Henry’s house should probably have made me furious. But Schmidt knows how to make a character twist you around his/her/its little finger and for that I am glad.
I guess that if I have a problem with this novel it concerns the racial tensions in the book. First of all, I think that one of the hardest jobs a writer can undertake is to write racist characters that don’t think of themselves as racist. And Schmidt has an ear for just exactly the right tone of voice when it comes to something like an editorial in a newspaper. “Only those undeserving of the privileges of American citizenship could be responsible.” Pitch perfect. Yet this book plays its hand pretty openly. I would have liked a little more nuance or complexity concerning the whole white vs. Cambodian storyline. You'd have to be pretty dense to miss some of what Schmidt's saying here about white privilege.
For all that, it’s a Gary Schmidt novel through and through. A bit of a slow start in the first chapter, but then once Henry rescues the dog it’s off and running. With its mature subject matter (there’s a mention of a rape that plays directly into the history of one of the characters), beautiful writing, and unique characters, Trouble may have some difficulty finding the right audience. Yet for the teen that does choose to pick it up, there’s a lot here to ponder. A lovely book if a bit loose here and there.
Ages 14 and up.
Seventh grader Henry Smith is the younger brother of school hero Franklin Smith, and that’s pretty much all he’s ever been known for. Franklin’s the kind of guy who does very well on the school’s sports teams, and he is more than happy to make everyone around him aware of the fact. That is, until the accident. Grievously injured by a car while running, Franklin’s accident is the fault of one Chay Chouan. Chay’s the son Cambodian refugees and his arrest sparks racial tensions between the mostly white town of Blythbury-by-the-Sea and the mostly Cambodian town of Merton. In the meantime Henry is convinced that if he climbs Mt. Katahdin (the mountain he and Franklin were going to mount before the accident) he will be able to unlock something in himself. What he doesn’t count on are the companions who help him along his way, or the way in which he helps them.
Praising Schmidt’s descriptive talents sometimes makes a reviewer sound like a broken record. Particularly when you consider that he always describes things well. A person is described as empty, “as if the soul had left his body, and his body understood that it would never come back.” Or simply saying that a sky has turned “opal lavender.” There's a joy that comes from reading a writer that seems to get true pleasure out of writing beautiful things. Schmidt is one of those writers.
The book is split into two perspectives. For the most part you’re getting things just over Henry’s shoulder. Then, occasionally, at the end of a chapter will be an italicized section told from Chay’s. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that it took me 62 pages before I even figured out that these parts weren’t also via Henry. I guess in retrospect it’s obvious. Chay appears to be a difficult character to write, though. I mean, he’s perfect. There is almost no moment in this book when Chay doesn’t do the noble self-sacrificing thing when put to the test. If a saint’s car hit your brother, that saint couldn’t have a shinier halo than the one sitting on Chay Chouan’s head. In a way it’s a problem to have someone this good in a book. On the other hand, the moral implications inherent when a good man kills a guy with almost zero redeeming qualities are always interesting. Do you see why I keep saying that this is a teen novel? Henry, on the other hand, remains a rather opaque hero. While we often don’t know how Henry feels, seeing his actions rather than his thought process. This is both the blessing and the curse of getting all your info in the third person.
The supporting cast in this book was maybe one of the strongest Schmidt has ever produced. I couldn’t tell you the name or personality of the best friend in The Wednesday Wars but Henry’s best friend Sanborn may be in the running for “Best Gary D. Schmidt Character in a Supporting Role”. He’s the kind of friend who routinely grinds our hero’s nose into the dirt, but in an infinitely loving way that you can totally get behind. He serves as the voice of reason for the first half the book and the devil’s advocate for the second. Some might see this as a flaw, but I think it's completely in keeping with his character. Sanborn just likes to get Henry’s goat, even if that means taking the wrong side once in a while. And Schmidt really lets loose when he introduces the character of Black Dog. At one point Henry rescues from the sea a wounded dog of happy disposition and unprecedented destructive capabilities. I’m not much of a dog person myself, and Black Dog’s cheerful/wanton ruination of Henry’s house should probably have made me furious. But Schmidt knows how to make a character twist you around his/her/its little finger and for that I am glad.
I guess that if I have a problem with this novel it concerns the racial tensions in the book. First of all, I think that one of the hardest jobs a writer can undertake is to write racist characters that don’t think of themselves as racist. And Schmidt has an ear for just exactly the right tone of voice when it comes to something like an editorial in a newspaper. “Only those undeserving of the privileges of American citizenship could be responsible.” Pitch perfect. Yet this book plays its hand pretty openly. I would have liked a little more nuance or complexity concerning the whole white vs. Cambodian storyline. You'd have to be pretty dense to miss some of what Schmidt's saying here about white privilege.
For all that, it’s a Gary Schmidt novel through and through. A bit of a slow start in the first chapter, but then once Henry rescues the dog it’s off and running. With its mature subject matter (there’s a mention of a rape that plays directly into the history of one of the characters), beautiful writing, and unique characters, Trouble may have some difficulty finding the right audience. Yet for the teen that does choose to pick it up, there’s a lot here to ponder. A lovely book if a bit loose here and there.
Ages 14 and up.
June 18, 2022
Me to Gary Schmidt: Do not break my heart again sir.
Gary to me: no❤
Gary to me: no❤
August 20, 2019
Wonderful YA book! Henry’s life is pretty golden until his older brother Franklin is hit by a truck, causing him to lose an arm and to be in a coma. The driver is a Cambodian teenager, and despite the law finding him to not have been negligent, the incident leads to racial unrest in the town where Henry and Franklin’s family has lived for generations.
Their friends and neighbors are more outraged with Chay Chouan’s plea bargain than Henry’s family is. The Chouan’s home, business, and vehicle are vandalized, and Franklin sits in his coma, with “indeterminate brain activity”. The pressure builds up until the only thing Henry can think to do is climb the mountain, Katahdin. He was supposed to climb it with Franklin, who was an experienced climber. Now Henry will climb it himself, with the dog he rescued from drowning, as a tribute to his brother.
Gary Schmidt does an incredible job with character development, and he is one of those writers that can take a small phrase and so clearly set the scene and make you visualize what’s happening. He especially does a great job with the scenes with the dog—it is obvious that the author knows and likes dogs, and those scenes were both heartbreaking, and hysterical! In addition to Henry, the characters of Henry’s friend Sanborn (who shows up to climb Katahdin and support his friend--despite Henry’s attempt to go it alone) and of “the enemy” Chay are superbly done. Sanborn and Henry have one of those deep male friendships disguised by constant insults and even fights—the kind of fights where neither gets mad no matter who wins. And Chay has layers that are revealed a small bit at a time. He goes from The Bad Guy of the story to just…human.
I enjoyed every second of this read, and I will absolutely read everything else Gary Schmidt has written!!
Their friends and neighbors are more outraged with Chay Chouan’s plea bargain than Henry’s family is. The Chouan’s home, business, and vehicle are vandalized, and Franklin sits in his coma, with “indeterminate brain activity”. The pressure builds up until the only thing Henry can think to do is climb the mountain, Katahdin. He was supposed to climb it with Franklin, who was an experienced climber. Now Henry will climb it himself, with the dog he rescued from drowning, as a tribute to his brother.
Gary Schmidt does an incredible job with character development, and he is one of those writers that can take a small phrase and so clearly set the scene and make you visualize what’s happening. He especially does a great job with the scenes with the dog—it is obvious that the author knows and likes dogs, and those scenes were both heartbreaking, and hysterical! In addition to Henry, the characters of Henry’s friend Sanborn (who shows up to climb Katahdin and support his friend--despite Henry’s attempt to go it alone) and of “the enemy” Chay are superbly done. Sanborn and Henry have one of those deep male friendships disguised by constant insults and even fights—the kind of fights where neither gets mad no matter who wins. And Chay has layers that are revealed a small bit at a time. He goes from The Bad Guy of the story to just…human.
I enjoyed every second of this read, and I will absolutely read everything else Gary Schmidt has written!!
January 16, 2008
Gary Schmidt is probably my favorite children's writer after the venerable Katherine Paterson. I love both of them as phenomenal people, and admire them both madly as writers. So that's a disclaimer of sorts. That said--I didn't love TROUBLE as much as LIZZIE BRIGHT, and I didn't work on this book, so don't have quite the affection for it that I do for THE WEDNESDAY WARS. And I do see a few wee little problems in the narrative. BUT, they hardly matter b/c I think the heart of this book rises far above the narrative itself.
And there's just so much I did love in this book. I loved Black Dog fiercely. I loved the entirely real portrayl of a brother and sister discovering each other's separate selves--and being both total strangers and absolute mirrors of one another at the same time. I love the inherent capital-T Truth that's always at the core of Gary's books. I loved the line in the last few pages about Trouble and Grace being all that there is. I loved the very final last line that was aching and fulfilling all at once. Most of all, I love how as soon as I finish reading one of Gary Schmidt's books (and this has happened with them all), my first instinct is simply to flip the book back to the beginning, and start reading again all over again, without even looking up, because I'm never quite ready to leave his worlds and his words.
I want to be a writer like Gary Schmidt when I grow up.
And there's just so much I did love in this book. I loved Black Dog fiercely. I loved the entirely real portrayl of a brother and sister discovering each other's separate selves--and being both total strangers and absolute mirrors of one another at the same time. I love the inherent capital-T Truth that's always at the core of Gary's books. I loved the line in the last few pages about Trouble and Grace being all that there is. I loved the very final last line that was aching and fulfilling all at once. Most of all, I love how as soon as I finish reading one of Gary Schmidt's books (and this has happened with them all), my first instinct is simply to flip the book back to the beginning, and start reading again all over again, without even looking up, because I'm never quite ready to leave his worlds and his words.
I want to be a writer like Gary Schmidt when I grow up.
March 7, 2009
I’ve found that some authors make me feel good about my own abilities as a writer. I read their work, and I think to myself, ‘OK, I’m relatively certain I’m at least in the same league with this and such author.’ No such luck with Gary Schmidt. This guy is an absolute pro.
Trouble is a gritty young adult novel about a teenager whose all-star older brother is struck and killed by a truck apparently driven by a young Cambodian refugee. In the aftermath of this tragedy, Henry sets out on a quest to climb Mount Katahdin in Maine only to discover that the one responsible for his brother’s death is headed in the same direction.
There’s no question Schmidt writes from a wealth of life experience. When he writes about lawyers, he knows about lawyers. When he writes about snobby prep schools, he knows about snobby prep schools. I could go on and on. Schmidt is strong in pretty much all phases of the game as he weaves a memorable tale of forgiveness and redemption.
(I’m trying to read as many of the Golden Sower preview books as I can before the end of July in order to be an educated voter. This book has jumped to the top of my list.)
Trouble is a gritty young adult novel about a teenager whose all-star older brother is struck and killed by a truck apparently driven by a young Cambodian refugee. In the aftermath of this tragedy, Henry sets out on a quest to climb Mount Katahdin in Maine only to discover that the one responsible for his brother’s death is headed in the same direction.
There’s no question Schmidt writes from a wealth of life experience. When he writes about lawyers, he knows about lawyers. When he writes about snobby prep schools, he knows about snobby prep schools. I could go on and on. Schmidt is strong in pretty much all phases of the game as he weaves a memorable tale of forgiveness and redemption.
(I’m trying to read as many of the Golden Sower preview books as I can before the end of July in order to be an educated voter. This book has jumped to the top of my list.)
July 22, 2009
(This is my Amazon review) Another amazing coming-of-age novel from Schmidt, plus SO much more. I can't begin to explain how much I adore this book. I thought Wednesday Wars was near-perfect, but having just finished Trouble, I don't know which one I like better. Schmidt is an amazingly gifted writer. His imagery is so evocative, yet tangible. His characters are accessible, likeable and still complex enough to be real. I am a thirty-something mother of three daughters and found this book to be an engaging, believable story of a boy trying to make sense of his emotions when his perfect New England, prep school world comes crashing down around him. Schmidt draws racial and cultural prejudices into question by encouraging the reader to see the human story behind someone labeled as "Other" (i.e. "not like me/us"). And he deftly explores the themes of redemption, forgiveness, and how we deal with grief both collectively and personally. For me, this book is the young adult version of Cry the Beloved Country. This is a must-read for young adults and adults. It will make you laugh, cry, and cheer for what is decent and good in human beings. My favorite line from the book: "And so Henry know something else, too. The world is Trouble . . . and Grace. That is all there is."
October 7, 2018
The road trip portion is the best part of Trouble because we finally get to know Chay. Unfortunately, we only got snippets of the story from his perspective. He's a fantastic character and his story is such a compelling one that it seems a real shame we really only just begin to know him. The trouble stuff felt really ham-fisted and I wish it had been edited out because it distracts from an otherwise beautiful story.
October 24, 2024
Rating: 3.75
A backlist of Gary Schmidt’s books.
Listens aloud with Norah. The audio reader was ok.
This was quite a bit longer than some of Gary’s other books. I can tell he has grown quite a bit as an author since writing this book. He has tons of description of everything and I think has been able to say more with less words in his more recent books.
This book deals with runners, and accidents, refugees, washed up ships, and climbing a mountain. There was tons of different storylines that all come together in a beautiful Gary Schmidt way.
He writes boy friendships so so well. The second half of the book gave me the “Stand by me” movie vibe.
Great characters and always learn stuff through his book pics.
A backlist of Gary Schmidt’s books.
Listens aloud with Norah. The audio reader was ok.
This was quite a bit longer than some of Gary’s other books. I can tell he has grown quite a bit as an author since writing this book. He has tons of description of everything and I think has been able to say more with less words in his more recent books.
This book deals with runners, and accidents, refugees, washed up ships, and climbing a mountain. There was tons of different storylines that all come together in a beautiful Gary Schmidt way.
He writes boy friendships so so well. The second half of the book gave me the “Stand by me” movie vibe.
Great characters and always learn stuff through his book pics.
September 15, 2025
Another beautiful book. Gary D. Schmidt writes the most heartwarming characters, and knows how to break your heart and put it back together.
July 20, 2008
My favorite sentences from this book are:
"He could see pink and white blossoms in nearby orchards, and farther away, the brief yellow of the daffodils, so bright they looked as if Van Gogh had just come from them with his paint-brush still wet in his hand" (pg 108)
"A heart that has lost knows every other heart that has lost" (pg 197)
The first let me see what the author was describing, the second is just a lovely way to say what is true. And comparing a book to a painting is a wonderful way to provide a visual image of what can be difficult to describe. Van Gogh's bright colors can still look freshly painted, but he never paints light without darkness, and this book is about learning to live with the darkness that is Trouble and discovering the light that is Grace.
Henry's father often says 'If you build your house far away from Trouble then Trouble will never find you', only Henry quickly discovers this isn't true and is lost trying to learn to live with Trouble. I like that Trouble is a character in the book. The words describe an idyllic life with day prep schools and school colors and strong, normal young people who go to these schools and live in lovely houses with History. A place that Trouble can't possibly live. Only there is no light without dark and Henry is faced with the darkness very suddenly.
The book also reveals that the highly educated, who are supposed to be more enlightened, are as human as the working classes and have darker attitudes toward immigration than perhaps even they would like to accept. Its fine for Those people to live in That place away from us, but not to go to our schools or date our children. Or participate in Our Sports like crew. America is not a very welcoming place, though it is so often the destination of those without hope.
If the end was a bit too nicely resolved...well, I can forgive a lot when a book is this well done.
If I were planning curriculum, I would use this book to discuss the current immigration debate, to highlight that all of us are immigrants and those with the longest history of squatting on this soil often have the least to be proud about.
"He could see pink and white blossoms in nearby orchards, and farther away, the brief yellow of the daffodils, so bright they looked as if Van Gogh had just come from them with his paint-brush still wet in his hand" (pg 108)
"A heart that has lost knows every other heart that has lost" (pg 197)
The first let me see what the author was describing, the second is just a lovely way to say what is true. And comparing a book to a painting is a wonderful way to provide a visual image of what can be difficult to describe. Van Gogh's bright colors can still look freshly painted, but he never paints light without darkness, and this book is about learning to live with the darkness that is Trouble and discovering the light that is Grace.
Henry's father often says 'If you build your house far away from Trouble then Trouble will never find you', only Henry quickly discovers this isn't true and is lost trying to learn to live with Trouble. I like that Trouble is a character in the book. The words describe an idyllic life with day prep schools and school colors and strong, normal young people who go to these schools and live in lovely houses with History. A place that Trouble can't possibly live. Only there is no light without dark and Henry is faced with the darkness very suddenly.
The book also reveals that the highly educated, who are supposed to be more enlightened, are as human as the working classes and have darker attitudes toward immigration than perhaps even they would like to accept. Its fine for Those people to live in That place away from us, but not to go to our schools or date our children. Or participate in Our Sports like crew. America is not a very welcoming place, though it is so often the destination of those without hope.
If the end was a bit too nicely resolved...well, I can forgive a lot when a book is this well done.
If I were planning curriculum, I would use this book to discuss the current immigration debate, to highlight that all of us are immigrants and those with the longest history of squatting on this soil often have the least to be proud about.
January 3, 2015
I've spoken with my Middle School students about books like this, those written as contemporary fiction but set in the near-past (eg, my lifetime). Any book written/set in the 60s-90s isn't historical enough unless there's a real need to use the past (like, talking about the Vietnam War or Woodstock). Just "because" doesn't interest them. Kids without cellphones or video games or computers seem unreal, and they just don't care.
This book could have, very easily, been written "today" but I suspect that the author is more comfortable writing what he knows, which is, well, the near past. And then there's over exposition, over description, and banging on the head with Important Information.
As with his last book (Wednesday Wars), I think I'll have a difficult time selling this to my kids. And believe me, with the last one, I really, really tried.
This book could have, very easily, been written "today" but I suspect that the author is more comfortable writing what he knows, which is, well, the near past. And then there's over exposition, over description, and banging on the head with Important Information.
As with his last book (Wednesday Wars), I think I'll have a difficult time selling this to my kids. And believe me, with the last one, I really, really tried.
December 3, 2017
I did not like this book. It started slow, but never picked up. There was a few small action parts, but they still did not make the book good and did not flow well. I also disliked the main character. He tried to pick fights, and had almost no personality. I also despised how unobservant and oblivious he was. It was almost to the point of being unrealistic, and while I will not spoil the book by providing examples, it took him FOREVER to figure out the most obvious things. I think this would have been more interesting from Chay's view. Plus, while there was description, there was almost always too much or none. I had no idea what most of the characters looked like. I would not recommend this book.
July 27, 2014
I admit I did have a little trouble getting through the first few pages while Mr. Schmidt spent quite a bit if time describing the setting, the Smith's home in the pretentious Blythbury-by-the-Sea. But then he got to work on creating his characters rather quickly. Henry changes throughout the story who first idolized his bigoted deceased older brother and then slowly came to realize that he was not an American hero. Although this title is realistic fiction, the author weaved in a bit of history which I truly enjoyed. This will make a great book club read for YA.
February 21, 2015
I orginally read this one in a search for something to pair with Touching Spirit Bear in my Language Arts class. This novel provides an interesting look into the family dynamics when dealing with loss, as well as mystery and racisim against Cambodians, something a lot of peoplel don't really think about or are even aware of. Each of the main characters has a heart-breaking backstory, and although they begin as enemies tied together by tragedy, they ultimately find themselves and friendship in each other on their journey to climb a dangerous mountain.
March 1, 2025
Four stars plus one for the dog. Is this novel classified Young Adult because the protagonists are teens? I thought it was a very good story, well written, and with great characters. I recommend it for anyone over 14 who is looking for an involving story with substance.
February 23, 2023
A young adult novel that deals with some pretty mature themes.
It starts very slowly (I was 40% through the book before I felt like the story was really beginning).
There's a distinct feeling of despair and hopelessness at the beginning of the book - when they bury Franklin and Henry realizes that death will come to all so he questions what the point of life is; when his father falls apart and wonders aloud to Henry that if Franklin wouldn't have grown into a "good" person would it be for the best that he had died; when the seeds of bitterness and racism begin to take root in Henry.
But the book is redeemed by the underlying theme that each person deserves respect and that human life matters - comraderie, loyalty, familial love are held out as desirable and to be sought after.
And yet, the book ends with this message:
"The world is trouble and grace, and that is all there is."
... which to me is still filled with a touch of hopelessness and despair.
It starts very slowly (I was 40% through the book before I felt like the story was really beginning).
There's a distinct feeling of despair and hopelessness at the beginning of the book - when they bury Franklin and Henry realizes that death will come to all so he questions what the point of life is; when his father falls apart and wonders aloud to Henry that if Franklin wouldn't have grown into a "good" person would it be for the best that he had died; when the seeds of bitterness and racism begin to take root in Henry.
But the book is redeemed by the underlying theme that each person deserves respect and that human life matters - comraderie, loyalty, familial love are held out as desirable and to be sought after.
And yet, the book ends with this message:
"The world is trouble and grace, and that is all there is."
... which to me is still filled with a touch of hopelessness and despair.
August 27, 2024
As I read the first few chapters, I had to wonder how the title of this book wasn't trauma. It feels like a heavy book for middle graders, but I do like the themes of learning to recognize other people's trauma and fighting racism. This isn't my favorite Gary D. Schmidt book, but it still kept me captivated. I could low-key see all the plot twists coming from a mile off. And I get a little annoyed when fiction books have the main characters meeting all the right people and being in all the right places at the right times. Happy coincidences just don't feel true to life. And let's be honest, ain't nobody climbing Katahdin two days after they've been shot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2018
This book is like many others, it takes time to get started. At most parts, it seems it is dragging on. It took me a while to get interested but after the first couple chapters, it definitely started picking up. The plot is one that leaves you hanging and questioning what's going to happen next. But at the same time, I think some parts are unnecessary. Overall, this was an average book that deserves 3 stars. When you get to parts that are more interesting that's when the book begins to be worth reading. I recommend this book to people that are interested in action and adventure.
June 30, 2020
Gary Schmidt writes wonderful tales, and this one is no different. Henry Smith lives in a sleepy Maine seaside town, far from trouble, but trouble comes calling when his older brother is knocked down in a car accident. The driver of the car is a young man who came to the USA as a refugee from Cambodia (this story being set in the 1970s). Local people are incensed and the book deals with issues of bigotry and racial tension, even as Henry Smith comes to discover there is more to any story than is apparent at first glance.
Beautifully plays on the emotions, like all of Schmidt's stories. The author loves New England and describes it very well, and he sets interesting characters into these rich settings in uplifting stories. There is good reason why this author has earner more than one major award for his books.
Beautifully plays on the emotions, like all of Schmidt's stories. The author loves New England and describes it very well, and he sets interesting characters into these rich settings in uplifting stories. There is good reason why this author has earner more than one major award for his books.
May 23, 2018
This was an average book that lacked in many parts such as its speed and character development. Some of the side characters such as Sanborne have very underdeveloped story lines that if brought up more could be an interesting side story. The speed of the book was very slow and could become very boring at parts. But when the book speeds up it becomes pretty good and makes the whole book worth reading.
February 19, 2025
Another one of my favorites from Gary. Started slower than his others but quickly hooked me a few chapters in. Such a heartbreaking, raw, and honest story. I do wish we got more from Chay's perspective - he was a beautifully complex character and I really would have loved to learn more from his POV. Like many of his other novels, these characters are layered and flawed, which just adds to how much you connect to them. I really enjoyed this and liked how he ended it.
October 21, 2024
This is my second time reading this book, and I loved it even more then the first time reading it!! It’s so fun to see how Gary’s writing has gotten even better over the years! The beginning is a bit slow, but then it picks up and a whole bunch of crazy plot twists happen!! Aghh!! I love this book so much!!
May 23, 2018
I liked this book very much. I like how they incorporated history into it. I believe that black dog was a representation of Franklin because of how black dog had parts of his ear missing and Franklin lost his arm and they were trouble makers and liked to explore.
October 28, 2021
I know this isn't saying much because they're all so good, but I think this is one of Gary Schmidt's very best. He has the rare gift of combining comedy and pathos perfectly, sometimes within the same page, and it's so fitting here in a novel about Trouble and grace.
February 17, 2021
A GOOD READ. I truly saw none of this coming. Thanks for sending this to me @Wes!!!!
April 3, 2025
VERY well written! I broke my heart, and then left it better than it was. Definitely one of my new favorites!
August 4, 2025
Glad I stopped putting it off and read this one. It’s a beauty. A heartbreaker, for sure. But beautiful.
May 24, 2018
What a great story. I loved the author’s style. This is a story I’ll think about for a long long time.
February 4, 2025
I have not read a Gary Schmidt book that I have not loved, and this one was no exception. Highly recommend.
March 11, 2019
Trouble. When I think of the title I think of a book that really connects to the person reading the book. The book Trouble is a book that talks about racism towards Cambodians and how people take it and how people really connect to them without discriminating them. Young Chay Chouan, a Cambodian who lives in Blythbury by the Sea, Main has just gotten into a car crash and has all of these charges against him and is soon going to jail. The young family is now in crisis, they don't know what to do so young Henry sets his goals to climb the mountain Katadhin. I absolutely love this book it has so many cliffhangers and always makes me stay up late and read till my eyes start to get droopy and I fall asleep with the lights on! If you like books that keep you up a night and that have cliffhangers that make you want to stay up till you finish your book then this one is for you!
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