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Lost in the Sun
Everyone says that middle school is awful, but Trent knows nothing could be worse than the year he had in fifth grade, when a freak accident on Cedar Lake left one kid dead, and Trent with a brain full of terrible thoughts he can't get rid of. Trent’s pretty positive the entire disaster was his fault, so for him middle school feels like a fresh start, a chance to prove to everyone that he's not the horrible screw-up they seem to think he is.
If only Trent could make that fresh start happen.
It isn’t until Trent gets caught up in the whirlwind that is Fallon Little—the girl with the mysterious scar across her face—that things begin to change. Because fresh starts aren’t always easy. Even in baseball, when a fly ball gets lost in the sun, you have to remember to shift your position to find it.
If only Trent could make that fresh start happen.
It isn’t until Trent gets caught up in the whirlwind that is Fallon Little—the girl with the mysterious scar across her face—that things begin to change. Because fresh starts aren’t always easy. Even in baseball, when a fly ball gets lost in the sun, you have to remember to shift your position to find it.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 26, 2015
262 people are currently reading
6903 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Graff
21 books503 followersLisa Graff is the critically acclaimed and award-winning author of the National Book Award nominee A Tangle of Knots, as well as Lost in the Sun, Absolutely Almost, Double Dog Dare, Umbrella Summer, The Life and Crimes of Bernetta Wallflower, The Thing About Georgie and Sophie Simon Solves Them All. Originally from California, she lived for many years in New York City and now makes her home just outside of Philadelphia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,008 reviews
January 2, 2015
Lisa Graff is another favorite author, and this book is yet another reason why. I put so many post-it notes in this book, you can barely see the book - each post-it marks lovely language I couldn't bear to forget. Even with that, I am going to need to reread this to savor it yet again.
A great middle grade chapter book that both broke my heart and lifted my spirits and soul. A must read!
A great middle grade chapter book that both broke my heart and lifted my spirits and soul. A must read!
October 10, 2016
The book Lost in the Sun is about a sixth grader named Trent. Lost in the Sun is a sad heartening story but very sweet. This boy, Trent, lives in a small town where everyone who lives in town knows each other's faces and names. With parents that are divorced and two brothers, life for Trent is already hard. It was a cold day and Trent's brother had just ran inside the house yelling that the hockey team needed another player out on the ice. Trent put on his hockey shoes and ran outside on the ice to play. The game starts, Trent gets his puck and hits the ball right into another boy's chest. The boy falls down and has to go to the emergency room. Sadly the boy had heart problems and didn't make it. Trent goes through sixth grade with people glaring at him and avoiding him. He always feels guilty for what he did even though it wasn't his fault. Through all his tough times with people glaring at him and his parents being divorced, he still gets through it. All because of a girl named Fallon. She was the one who opened him up to the world and stood up for him. Fallon has this very big scar that goes down the center of her face and doesn't tell anyone how she got it. She always makes up fake examples although it's never the real way she got it. At the end of the story Trent and Fallon learn to trust each other and look out for one another. Lost in the Sun is one of those books that make me want to sit down until I don't have anymore tears to shed. I rated this book a four because I thought it was sad and I'm not a fan of sad stories. This book is filled to the brim with sadness, hope, and love. Fans of Umbrella Summer will enjoy this book too. I hope you like this book because once you start, you'll never want it to end!
January 18, 2021
یک داستان غم انگیز که کلی باهاش خندیدم!
یک راوی، ، با کلی دلیل برای غمگین و عصبانی بودن یا یک زبان طنز عالی. ترنت پسر نوجوانی است که ناخواسته شده فاعل قریب مرگ یک نفر، جرد، و شنیدن این که تقصیر او نبوده هیچ کمکی بهش نمیکند. و تمام مدت فکر میکند اگر مثلا جرد از طناب بند بازی افتاده بود یا ماشین بهش زده بود یا در آتش سوخته بود یا هر چیز دیگری، ترنت دیگر دلیل مرگ جرد نبود و راحت زندگیاش را میکرد.
حتی یک جاهایی از کتاب هم بلند بلند میخندیدم با این که شرایط ترنت خیلی غم انگیز بود.
از نگاه نویسندگی هم بخواهیم به داستان نگاه کنیم، شخصیتها عالی بودند. تلاشهای نافرجام و خامشان برای کمک کردن به همدیگر خیلی واقعی بود. و پدر عوضیای که تا آخر داستان هم عوضی ماند و یک دفعه مثل بقیهی داستانهای نوجوان متحول نشد و شاید فقط گاهی باید اطرافیان عوضیمان را با همهی سختیاش تحمل کنیم.
و این که چطور یک آدم بزرگسال این قدر خوب از زبان یک نوجوان می نویسد؟
و چطوری به فکرش رسیده بود در این چنین شرایطی همهی ذهن ترنت پر شود از حالات مختلفی که میتوانست جرد بمیرد و تقصیر کسی هم نباشد؟
+ خانم امرسن فوق العاده نبود؟ اولش فکر میکردم قهرمانی که قرار است در داستان پیدایش شود تا نوجوان ناراحتمان را از غصههایش نجات دهد، معلم ورزشش خواهد بود. از همان جلسهی اول که تنبیهش نکرد یا مادرش را خبر نکرد ولی قهرمان داستان قطعا خانم امرسان بود. یک پیرزن اخمو و گند دماغ! چطوری یک نفر این قدر بدون این که معلوم باشد میتواند به همه کمک کند؟ همه چیز این شخصیت را دوست داشتم. حتی این که قبلا معلم کلاس خانهداری بوده و هنوز کلاسش پر از فر و سینک ظرف شویی بود. و دوست دارم فکر کنم تمام تحول شخصیت ترنت به خاطر آب دادن هر روزه به گلدانهای خانم امرسن بود.
+ شاید اگر بیشتر از این کتابها بخوانیم تلاشهایمان برای کمک به همدیگر کمتر نافرجام شود.
و این که یک روزی یک داستان خوب می نویسم که یک پدر خوب در آن باشد. یک پدری که درک کند و یک پدری که بلد باشد دوست داشتنش را طوری نشان دهد که آدمها بفهمند!
یک راوی، ، با کلی دلیل برای غمگین و عصبانی بودن یا یک زبان طنز عالی. ترنت پسر نوجوانی است که ناخواسته شده فاعل قریب مرگ یک نفر، جرد، و شنیدن این که تقصیر او نبوده هیچ کمکی بهش نمیکند. و تمام مدت فکر میکند اگر مثلا جرد از طناب بند بازی افتاده بود یا ماشین بهش زده بود یا در آتش سوخته بود یا هر چیز دیگری، ترنت دیگر دلیل مرگ جرد نبود و راحت زندگیاش را میکرد.
حتی یک جاهایی از کتاب هم بلند بلند میخندیدم با این که شرایط ترنت خیلی غم انگیز بود.
از نگاه نویسندگی هم بخواهیم به داستان نگاه کنیم، شخصیتها عالی بودند. تلاشهای نافرجام و خامشان برای کمک کردن به همدیگر خیلی واقعی بود. و پدر عوضیای که تا آخر داستان هم عوضی ماند و یک دفعه مثل بقیهی داستانهای نوجوان متحول نشد و شاید فقط گاهی باید اطرافیان عوضیمان را با همهی سختیاش تحمل کنیم.
و این که چطور یک آدم بزرگسال این قدر خوب از زبان یک نوجوان می نویسد؟
و چطوری به فکرش رسیده بود در این چنین شرایطی همهی ذهن ترنت پر شود از حالات مختلفی که میتوانست جرد بمیرد و تقصیر کسی هم نباشد؟
+ خانم امرسن فوق العاده نبود؟ اولش فکر میکردم قهرمانی که قرار است در داستان پیدایش شود تا نوجوان ناراحتمان را از غصههایش نجات دهد، معلم ورزشش خواهد بود. از همان جلسهی اول که تنبیهش نکرد یا مادرش را خبر نکرد ولی قهرمان داستان قطعا خانم امرسان بود. یک پیرزن اخمو و گند دماغ! چطوری یک نفر این قدر بدون این که معلوم باشد میتواند به همه کمک کند؟ همه چیز این شخصیت را دوست داشتم. حتی این که قبلا معلم کلاس خانهداری بوده و هنوز کلاسش پر از فر و سینک ظرف شویی بود. و دوست دارم فکر کنم تمام تحول شخصیت ترنت به خاطر آب دادن هر روزه به گلدانهای خانم امرسن بود.
+ شاید اگر بیشتر از این کتابها بخوانیم تلاشهایمان برای کمک به همدیگر کمتر نافرجام شود.
و این که یک روزی یک داستان خوب می نویسم که یک پدر خوب در آن باشد. یک پدری که درک کند و یک پدری که بلد باشد دوست داشتنش را طوری نشان دهد که آدمها بفهمند!
January 3, 2015
This book caught me off guard I wasn't sure what to expect with a woven plot around a freak accident in fifth grade. The characters are unique with their own quiet strengths and unique idiosyncrasies. Trent's two teachers although quiet really captured my heart and taught me an important less. Beautifully written.
August 21, 2015
I was conflicted while reading Lost in the Sun. The writing is so beautiful and compelling, but the adult characters are so flawed, I was angry from the first page through the last. Protagonist, Trent, is consumed by guilt over his part in a tragic accident. His personality has changed, he has abandoned his friends, has violent outbursts and is flunking, yet none of the adults in his life get him the help he obviously needs. His parents and teachers all seem to think telling him it was not his fault, a few short lectures, and appropriate punishments will heal Trent's pain and rage. Trent, and his only friend, Fallon, are wonderful characters. They bond over baseball movies and being misfits at school. Fallon embraces her misfit status and strives to be herself, and happy, regardless of the treatment from her classmates. Her wisdom and optimism very slowly have a positive impact on Trent. Trent's brothers are also great characters. They try to be there for Trent in funny, typical awkward boy ways. Even as Trent pushes them away, he knows they have his back, and he appreciates their incompetent loving efforts. Maybe in Lisa Graff's next novel, the adult characters should be taking parenting classes from Fallon, Trent, and Trent's brothers.
April 20, 2022
I am having a hard time reading this week. Major surgery is coming up and I can't concentrate to save my life. I picked this up in the hope I can read it. I have to say it was amazing. Trent accidentally killed a friend when he hit him with a hockey punk. The boy heart was bad which no one knew that it was. Trent can't get over it no matter how hard he tries. He loves his brother and his mother but has a terrible relationship with his father which he tries to avoid at all cost. He doesn't get along with the kid at school until he meet Fallon who won't take no for an answer. Can he trust her and have a relationship with her or will his anger get into the way like it always does? Can Trent get over what happen to him the year before? This book is amazing. Watching Trent suffer and trying to get his life back on track you can't help wanting more for him but can he let himself forgive himself for what he did? If you read this book do it on audiobook, the narrator is amazing! I couldn't stop listening to it so I had a late night but it was so worth it, I highly recommend this book!!
March 7, 2018
This book was awful. Horrid. Terrible. Okay, I take some of that back. The story was actually amazing. But for me an ending can ruin a story and that’s exactly what happened: the ending of this book completely ruined the entire story. First of all, you can’t just spend the whole book embellishing on Fallon Little and her mysterious scar, then never tell us what happened. What’s even worse is when the author finishes the book—seriously, it was the very last scene—with Fallon sitting down to tell us her story. The narrator, our main character Trent, writes, “And she told me the beginning of her story.” Then bam. The book is over. No more. Turn the page, search for an epilogue—nothing. I understand what the author was trying to accomplish with this, but you can’t just build that much suspense and never tell what actually happened. It was very irritating.
If the book hadn’t ended that way, I would write more about the amazing storyline of the book and how realistic the characters are portrayed and how shocking and incredible it was for me to realize that this was, in a way, a spin-off to Umbrella Summer. And to be honest, I still liked everything up until the end. It truly was a beautiful book and a wonderful new work from Lisa Graff. To me, though, the ending just ruined it all. It built up suspense, teased me with partial answers and more questions, and then never tells me the actual answer. On that same note, Trent really never fixes things with his dad. And I get it—the whole point of the story is just his finding his fresh start. But it would have been nice to see a bit more of it, instead of just his life leading up to the fresh start.
Incredibly disappointing.
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If the book hadn’t ended that way, I would write more about the amazing storyline of the book and how realistic the characters are portrayed and how shocking and incredible it was for me to realize that this was, in a way, a spin-off to Umbrella Summer. And to be honest, I still liked everything up until the end. It truly was a beautiful book and a wonderful new work from Lisa Graff. To me, though, the ending just ruined it all. It built up suspense, teased me with partial answers and more questions, and then never tells me the actual answer. On that same note, Trent really never fixes things with his dad. And I get it—the whole point of the story is just his finding his fresh start. But it would have been nice to see a bit more of it, instead of just his life leading up to the fresh start.
Incredibly disappointing.
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This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2015
I liked the short paragraphs sometimes, like "My hamburger" and "Well."
November 19, 2015
Twelve year old Trent loves sports and most of his social world revolves around playing and watching them. But when he mistakenly sort of kills a kid with a hockey puck (freak accident with hockey puck causes death of player due to pre-existing health-conditions), Trent feels responsible, isolated and freaked out. He can't handle playing sports after it happens, but he doesn't really have other ways of connecting with his peers.
Enter Fallon, with her feisty attitude, quirky outfits, movie obsession and fascinating scar. She is strikingly similar to the female characters who befriend gay male characters in all of the gay YA literature I've read recently. In any case, even though Trent gives her little reason to want to spend time with him, she pursues a friendship and eventually they start to connect.
The big question is, can Trent find a way to deal with his guilt and shame, and to keep from getting overwhelmed by fear and anger and doing stupid shit all the time? Or will his bad attitude and lack of self control turn his life into a raging shit storm for the rest of time?
On one hand, this is a beautiful book with great characters and solid dramatic pull. I cared a lot about Trent, though at times it was hard to deal with his behavior. I got a pretty solid sense of his mother and brothers, and his not very socially skilled father, and his friends and his homeroom teacher.
At the same time, I have some serious doubts about the plot structure. I don't know that such a dramatic accident was needed for this book to work and as it is, that event doesn't get adequately or realistically addressed. Castles built with issues in the sand.
Enter Fallon, with her feisty attitude, quirky outfits, movie obsession and fascinating scar. She is strikingly similar to the female characters who befriend gay male characters in all of the gay YA literature I've read recently. In any case, even though Trent gives her little reason to want to spend time with him, she pursues a friendship and eventually they start to connect.
The big question is, can Trent find a way to deal with his guilt and shame, and to keep from getting overwhelmed by fear and anger and doing stupid shit all the time? Or will his bad attitude and lack of self control turn his life into a raging shit storm for the rest of time?
On one hand, this is a beautiful book with great characters and solid dramatic pull. I cared a lot about Trent, though at times it was hard to deal with his behavior. I got a pretty solid sense of his mother and brothers, and his not very socially skilled father, and his friends and his homeroom teacher.
At the same time, I have some serious doubts about the plot structure. I don't know that such a dramatic accident was needed for this book to work and as it is, that event doesn't get adequately or realistically addressed. Castles built with issues in the sand.
September 20, 2015
This is the first book that managed to capture my full attention in quite a while. Graff's characters navigate the adolescent quicksand of friendship, family, and tragedy in surprising ways that are both original and believable. This is a must-read for my tween book group.
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March 7, 2017Lost In The Sun is a heartbreaking but sweet story about a guy named Trent. His Hockey team an extra player on the ice, so they asked trent to go in and play. After a few minutes trent tries to score but hits another player in the chest. The player is rushed to the emergency room. Unfortunately the player already had heart problems and didn't make it threw the incident. Trent is almost 100% sure that everything is his fault. He lives in a small town where everone knows everyone, so that makes matters even worse for Trent. Since everyone knows about his mishap, Trent is left feeling super guilty. He is going into 6th grade, and it couldn't get much worse. Everyone gives him glares and stares at him. But a girl named Fallon, changes everything. With a mysterious scar across her face. ( how it's there, it's a secret she keeps people from knowing). Fallon changes his attitude from baseball to a freshstart. Freshstarts arent always easy, so will he find out to make this year the best. Or will it be a complete disaster. I loved everything about this book! It was something about it that made you never want to stop reading. But one thing I didn't like was how boring it was in the beginning. But by the time you were in chapter 3 it got better. I recommend this book to people who liked I am Princess X because of all of the twists and turns. And because I loved I am Princess X so much, because I couldn't put it down. And you will never find yourself without something to do when reading this. I loved this book, and I hope you do too!
August 9, 2019
I wanted to love this book more than I actually did.
Trent is just going into middle school, and still reeling from a freak accident that he feels responsible for. He can no longer participate in the activities that used to make him happy (sports, hanging with his old friends), and instead is lashing out at everyone around him. He thoroughly expects to hate Fallon, but instead there is something about her that makes him feel ... more like himself again.
There are a lot of heavy themes in this book (guilt, grief, divorce, new sibling, anger and violence), and for the most part I think they're dealt with well. Trent is a nuanced, complicated character I sympathized with and felt frustrated by, all at the same time. I loved his mother, brothers, and grumpy old homeroom teacher. Equally, I hated his father - ugh, who says those things to their 12 year old kid??
So much of this novel is centered around Fallon, but I couldn't get close enough to know her. She's a manic pixie girl with dark edges (and a mysterious facial scar), but just when she really lets go of her wild stories and starts to tell Trent the truth, the novel ends!! Maybe it's just me, but she really felt like a shell of a character.
Trent is just going into middle school, and still reeling from a freak accident that he feels responsible for. He can no longer participate in the activities that used to make him happy (sports, hanging with his old friends), and instead is lashing out at everyone around him. He thoroughly expects to hate Fallon, but instead there is something about her that makes him feel ... more like himself again.
There are a lot of heavy themes in this book (guilt, grief, divorce, new sibling, anger and violence), and for the most part I think they're dealt with well. Trent is a nuanced, complicated character I sympathized with and felt frustrated by, all at the same time. I loved his mother, brothers, and grumpy old homeroom teacher. Equally, I hated his father - ugh, who says those things to their 12 year old kid??
So much of this novel is centered around Fallon, but I couldn't get close enough to know her. She's a manic pixie girl with dark edges (and a mysterious facial scar), but just when she really lets go of her wild stories and starts to tell Trent the truth, the novel ends!! Maybe it's just me, but she really felt like a shell of a character.
June 12, 2015
Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff – Realistic Fiction – 4th grade and up – darn that Lisa Graff for writing another fantastic novel that made me weep.
Book Talk: Could you get over accidentally killing someone? Would you need to talk with people about the situation? What if you had noone to talk to? Would you stay friends with someone who exploded violently when they think something is unfair? Do you think people deserve a second chance? These many questions can be thought about as you read Trent’s experience beginning middle school…
I haven’t read such an innocently thoughtful book about a boy living with guilt that builds to anger and manipulation of those around him for his survival. How he comes thru the cloud of guilt to see from other perspectives and gain some hope for the future with friendships is beautiful and touching. How he proves to others and himself that he is worthy of friendship, happiness and love just about broke me. I loved the family relationships and struggles. I adored the developing best friend storyline so much it made me laugh aloud.
Reminded me of See You at Harry’s and Counting by 7’s. Perfect flawed characters to add to the list of my top books. And to think I wouldn’t love anything more than Lisa Graff’s book Absolutely Almost. Loved this x 20. Great sports and healthy activities mixed throughout as well. Favorite quote: “There’s one less person in the world, all because of me.”
“That’s the day I figured out that no matter how hard you tug at something, no matter how bad you want it, sometimes it just can’t be pried free.”
Book Talk: Could you get over accidentally killing someone? Would you need to talk with people about the situation? What if you had noone to talk to? Would you stay friends with someone who exploded violently when they think something is unfair? Do you think people deserve a second chance? These many questions can be thought about as you read Trent’s experience beginning middle school…
I haven’t read such an innocently thoughtful book about a boy living with guilt that builds to anger and manipulation of those around him for his survival. How he comes thru the cloud of guilt to see from other perspectives and gain some hope for the future with friendships is beautiful and touching. How he proves to others and himself that he is worthy of friendship, happiness and love just about broke me. I loved the family relationships and struggles. I adored the developing best friend storyline so much it made me laugh aloud.
Reminded me of See You at Harry’s and Counting by 7’s. Perfect flawed characters to add to the list of my top books. And to think I wouldn’t love anything more than Lisa Graff’s book Absolutely Almost. Loved this x 20. Great sports and healthy activities mixed throughout as well. Favorite quote: “There’s one less person in the world, all because of me.”
“That’s the day I figured out that no matter how hard you tug at something, no matter how bad you want it, sometimes it just can’t be pried free.”
February 6, 2017
I wavered between three and four stars with this book. I finally went with three... it's my "I liked it" rating. I didn't love the end because it wrapped up too neatly in some areas and left me hanging where I really wanted an answer. Plus, throughout the entire book, I had that "pit in my stomach" feeling. I ached for Trent. He reminded me of so many kids whose anger keeps digging their holes deeper and deeper. I feel helpless with students who won't accept help or advice to get through their hard times. In the end, I hope they'll listen or reach out to SOMEONE before their anger eats them alive. Trent had lots of people in his corner, and because of his choices, without giving anything away, I believe he's going to be OK. I LOVED Fallon. Her courage and strength and humor were my favorite parts of this book. I couldn't put it down, and I'm so glad my students recommended it to me.
July 6, 2015
3.5 stars. I loved Lisa Graff's A Tangle of Knots, so I was looking forward to reading another book by the same author. While this was a good story and the characters were likable (except for the Dad, who was a well-written villain), both were predictable. It didn't have the same magic (not literal magic, but magic in the writing, characters, and plot) as Tangle of Knots. However, I do think it was a useful reminder to me as a teacher and a soon-to-be parent that there is a always a reason why kids act the way they do, and they usually need us to listen to their side of the story rather than go on a power trip of expecting them to act like adults, even when the adults aren't setting a very good example.
August 9, 2015
Trent's voice is strong, and his thoughts and reactions are believable. But I don't think I'm the right reader for this one, because I just kept thinking about how terrible Trent's parents are--that if your son had accidentally hit another boy in the head with a hockey puck, and that boy had died, that most parents with half a clue would've had their son in counseling. But not these parents, because of they had gotten him help, half of the conflict in the book wouldn't have happened. Parts of the book are touching, and I enjoyed Trent--but he also felt like a construction sometimes, instead of a real boy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2015
Loved this book, though a bit of a slow build at first. Trent is a 12yo who was playing hockey at a pick up game when he accidentally hits a kid with a heart defect with a puck which kills him instantaneously. Heavy stuff! This book is about dealing with guilt and not only being honest and vulnerable with others, but also yourself.
The character development is what makes it so fabulous, and Trent's growth and honesty broke my heart and brought it back times over. Loved the complexities of the family and friend relationships. No matter what is going on, be like Trent and speak your truth! Beautiful, heartbreaking, and my favorite juvenile novels thus far for 2015. Highly recommended.
The character development is what makes it so fabulous, and Trent's growth and honesty broke my heart and brought it back times over. Loved the complexities of the family and friend relationships. No matter what is going on, be like Trent and speak your truth! Beautiful, heartbreaking, and my favorite juvenile novels thus far for 2015. Highly recommended.
November 11, 2016
Lost In The Sun is about a boy named Trent. When he was in fifth grade he was playing hockey. When he hit the hockey puck it went flying through the air and hit a boy in the chest. He had a bad heart and died. Then middle school started. He thought it was going to be awfull. He met a girl named Fallon Little. She had a mysterious scar across her face. She helped him get through middle school. I really liked this book because it made me feel sad and very it was very interesting. If you liked the book Out of My Mind I think you will really enjoy this book.
May 9, 2016
For those upper elementary and middle school students who like sad books or kids dealing with issues. In this case, the main kid is having a rough time after a freak accident where a kid died. Then he meets Fallon, a girl with a huge scar on his face and their quirky, sweet friendship pulls them both out. I love how the friendship is portrayed. For fans of Wonder, Okay for Now, See You At Harry's, Fish in a Tree.
March 18, 2015
One worth losing sleep over - I could not put it down. Fantastic story and important read for me as a teacher to get into the mind of a kiddo who presents a lot of challenges. Beautiful story and character arcs
February 14, 2015
A beautiful companion to Umbrella Summer, my favorite Lisa Graff book.
December 17, 2015
4.5 As a parent, my heart was breaking for this kid all while wanting to shake him. He's angry and he's acting stupid and it's so very true. 5th-8th
July 7, 2017
Loved the relationship between Trent and Fallon and how the characters changed and developed. I wish the ending told more - such a cliffhanger! Definitely a 4.5!
April 9, 2018
1.5 stars
Well, this is going to make for an interesting Book Talk.
My three major complaints:
1. Trent's extreme unlikeability. I get it, he lashed out at other people/didn't think he was worth loving because he felt guilty for accidentally killing his classmate. The problem is that we get very little of that thought process in Trent's internal dialogue, and what is there is overshadowed by an excess of anger, entitled behavior, mockery, and straight up disrespect. His bad behavior is excessive to the point where it's really very difficult to feel sorry for him, and even worse, precious little of it is addressed by the adults in his life. He does many, many things with impunity. (eg. beating the crap out of another kid. While he does (temporarily) lose a friendship because of it, his mom never disciplines him beyond getting angry at him and sending him to his room). Which brings me to my second point.
2. The Adults. Not only do they do very little to correct Trent's horrendous behavior, the adults in his life seem oblivious to the fact that he probably needs some help processing what happened. Aside from a few sessions with a school counselor, this kid gets no professional help. We're subjected to an endless stream of disrespectful thoughts about and aggressive behavior by Trent toward his teachers and his father but we don't get anything helpful out of it. His mom reaches out to him a time or two and one of his teachers kind of does too, but that's it. And then we're expected to believe he's able to turn everything around himself based on one piece advice given to him in the last 50 pages of the book by a teacher he spent literally the entire book referring to as a "wrinkled old crone." I'm just not buying it. Which leads me to my last point.
3. Unrealistic Resolution/Loose Ends This kid has severe anger issues, guilt, and what appear to be if not actual panic attacks, at least an extreme physiological/psychological reaction to situations that remind him of the accident that killed his classmate. And yet somehow he's able to resolve all these issues without any sort of professional help. He either does it on his own or, in the case of the panic issue, with a little help from his mom's new boyfriend. And I'm not entirely sure that's the correct message to send to adolescents. Sure, some issues can be fixed with a little help from your friends, but not everything can. And Trent has some pretty big issues.
I thought there were a lot of assumptions that needed to be made with this book, connections from point A to point B that middle-school-aged children aren't necessarily equipped to make. The resolutions that we did get all felt very surface level and a number of the issues raised were never resolved at all.
Bottom line: Judging from this book's rating and the fact that it's a Book Talk selection, I'm in the minority here, but I'm really not okay with the messages this book sends to kids.
Well, this is going to make for an interesting Book Talk.
My three major complaints:
1. Trent's extreme unlikeability. I get it, he lashed out at other people/didn't think he was worth loving because he felt guilty for accidentally killing his classmate. The problem is that we get very little of that thought process in Trent's internal dialogue, and what is there is overshadowed by an excess of anger, entitled behavior, mockery, and straight up disrespect. His bad behavior is excessive to the point where it's really very difficult to feel sorry for him, and even worse, precious little of it is addressed by the adults in his life. He does many, many things with impunity. (eg. beating the crap out of another kid. While he does (temporarily) lose a friendship because of it, his mom never disciplines him beyond getting angry at him and sending him to his room). Which brings me to my second point.
2. The Adults. Not only do they do very little to correct Trent's horrendous behavior, the adults in his life seem oblivious to the fact that he probably needs some help processing what happened. Aside from a few sessions with a school counselor, this kid gets no professional help. We're subjected to an endless stream of disrespectful thoughts about and aggressive behavior by Trent toward his teachers and his father but we don't get anything helpful out of it. His mom reaches out to him a time or two and one of his teachers kind of does too, but that's it. And then we're expected to believe he's able to turn everything around himself based on one piece advice given to him in the last 50 pages of the book by a teacher he spent literally the entire book referring to as a "wrinkled old crone." I'm just not buying it. Which leads me to my last point.
3. Unrealistic Resolution/Loose Ends This kid has severe anger issues, guilt, and what appear to be if not actual panic attacks, at least an extreme physiological/psychological reaction to situations that remind him of the accident that killed his classmate. And yet somehow he's able to resolve all these issues without any sort of professional help. He either does it on his own or, in the case of the panic issue, with a little help from his mom's new boyfriend. And I'm not entirely sure that's the correct message to send to adolescents. Sure, some issues can be fixed with a little help from your friends, but not everything can. And Trent has some pretty big issues.
I thought there were a lot of assumptions that needed to be made with this book, connections from point A to point B that middle-school-aged children aren't necessarily equipped to make. The resolutions that we did get all felt very surface level and a number of the issues raised were never resolved at all.
Bottom line: Judging from this book's rating and the fact that it's a Book Talk selection, I'm in the minority here, but I'm really not okay with the messages this book sends to kids.
December 13, 2016
Lost in The Sun is a book about a kid named Trent Zimmerman. He was starting a hokey game when all of a sudden he hits a kid in the chest (Jared Richards). They realized that he had a bad heart so he ended up dying. He starts six grade and thinks it's going to be terrible, but it ended up with people staring and glaring at him. He loves to play baseball so he go's the park to play and he sees some kids already playing. The ball from the other players accidentally rolls over to him, so he takes it. The kids turn out to be; Jeremiah Jacobson, Noah Gorman and Stig. Trent doesn't want to give the ball back so he keeps it. The guys start to get mad so they take his book of thoughts ( a book he can write all of his thoughts in, because he has so many), and all of a sudden a girl named Fallon Little comes walking by with her dog Squilio. Trent gets mad and Fallon comes over to help him. So the guys give him his book back and Trent gives the ball back. So then he go's back home. His parents are divorced so he has to go to his mom and dads house. He doesn't like his dad and he thinks that he doesn't like him. Trent has two brothers; Aaron, and Doug. He starts his first day of middle school. His home room teachers name is: Ms. Emerson. He makes a really bad impression for her, by being mean to her. When class is over he looks at his schedule and sees that he has P.E. next. He looks more at his schedule and notices that he has Ms. Emerson in almost every class. He go's to P.E and makes another terrible impression on his teacher Mr. Gorman, Noah Gorman's uncle. Trent and Noah aren't friends so he knows this isn't going to go well. They started off playing basketball. Trent caught the ball and was ready to shoot and all of a sudden his arms got clammy and sweaty. It got hard to breath and hard to swallow. The ball got taken out of his hands and everyone started to yell at him. He got the ball back and Noah started to yell "foul". He got really angry and threw the ball across the gym and it smashed right into the rack of the soccer balls. Mr. Gorman got angry, so he took him off of the court, and pretty much threw Trent on to the bleachers. The rest of the day was hard for him, because Ms. Emerson was mean to him. Later in the year Fallon and him hang out and eat lunch together. She had told him that she had dreams where she was never able to scream. So one day Trent takes Fallon to an island on the lake and they screamed. They ended up laughing and screaming till their voices sounded scratchy. Trent has always wondered why Fallon has a giant scar on her face, but she will never tell anyone. I like the part where Fallon helps Trent at the park, because she was being super nice. I didn't like the part where Noah took the ball from him. I didn't like that because Trent was getting nervous and was about to shoot when all of a sudden Noah comes in and takes the ball. The book made me feel sad and happy. I felt that way because, Trent's dad is always so mean to him and people glare and think he's a bad person. It made me feel happy because, he made a friend when he didn't think the year was going to go well. This book is a little bit like Whatever After, because the bad person in the story really isn't that bad and ends up making some friends. I really hope you choose to read this book, it's so interesting and fun. If you like sadness, happiness ad drama you will love this book.
September 20, 2016
The book Lost in the Sun, by Lisa Graff, is an emotional roller coaster that keeps you flipping the pages time and time again. This book really focuses on middle scholars and many of the social injustices they face. Also, it explains through many different situations how everyone deserves a second chance. The author paints a vivid picture of how emotion truly feels and how life is like a puzzle, you need to keep putting the pieces together even if they're still breaking. This book is no utopia, but it has true perfection in the reality of life itself.
The genre of Lost in Sun is realistic fiction and is set in the small town of Cedar Haven.Cedar Haven is quaint and everybody knows everybody. During the beginning of the book, the main character, Trent explains the worst day of his life. He tells the dark story of when he accidentally killed Jared Richards. Trent, Jared, and a couple of other boys were playing pond hockey when Trent hit the puck at a bad angle and it hit Jared in the chest. Trent hit the puck hard, but it wouldn't have killed the average person. But, the problem was that Jared had a bad heart, a birth defect that nobody had known about until he was taken to the hospital. When they fond out, it was to late, the shot had killed innocent Jared Richards. Trent was hated by the whole town of Cedar Haven and all he knew to do was feel horrible about himself. His thoughts about Jared's death got so out of hand that he needed to start drawing them so he wouldn't always be depressed. But, their would be light at the end of the tunnel, when Trent met Fallon Little. Fallon practically saved Trent. She embraced him and most of all, didn't feel bad for him. She didn't care that he killed Jared Richards, she cared that he bounced back from it. This caused Trent to finally and partially break out of his shell, until one fateful day, Halloween. A jerk named Jeramiah Jacobson called Fallon a name and it made Trent's fire rage. He punched Jeramiah until his knuckles were bleeding and Jeramiah was screaming bloody murder. The problem was that this caused Fallon to not trust Trent and their friendship to fall apart. That's when Trent learned "everybody deserves a second chance" and life is what you make it. You can figure out the rest, Trent truly understands what friendship is and wins back Fallon's trust. I learned that sometimes all you need is a friend to help you find your way.
I personally loved this book and would recommend it to any middle scholar. I think all kids need to know the importance of friendship and how to bounce back from tragedy and learn from it. Only then can you shape yourself into the best person you can be. One reason I really like this book is because every chapter has a little life lesson at the end of it or a cliff hanger. Also, I love how Lisa Graff writes the book from Trent's perspective because then you really learn how every little situation effected who he is at the end of the book. In the end I think this book is amazing and that it's message is absolutely perfect.
The genre of Lost in Sun is realistic fiction and is set in the small town of Cedar Haven.Cedar Haven is quaint and everybody knows everybody. During the beginning of the book, the main character, Trent explains the worst day of his life. He tells the dark story of when he accidentally killed Jared Richards. Trent, Jared, and a couple of other boys were playing pond hockey when Trent hit the puck at a bad angle and it hit Jared in the chest. Trent hit the puck hard, but it wouldn't have killed the average person. But, the problem was that Jared had a bad heart, a birth defect that nobody had known about until he was taken to the hospital. When they fond out, it was to late, the shot had killed innocent Jared Richards. Trent was hated by the whole town of Cedar Haven and all he knew to do was feel horrible about himself. His thoughts about Jared's death got so out of hand that he needed to start drawing them so he wouldn't always be depressed. But, their would be light at the end of the tunnel, when Trent met Fallon Little. Fallon practically saved Trent. She embraced him and most of all, didn't feel bad for him. She didn't care that he killed Jared Richards, she cared that he bounced back from it. This caused Trent to finally and partially break out of his shell, until one fateful day, Halloween. A jerk named Jeramiah Jacobson called Fallon a name and it made Trent's fire rage. He punched Jeramiah until his knuckles were bleeding and Jeramiah was screaming bloody murder. The problem was that this caused Fallon to not trust Trent and their friendship to fall apart. That's when Trent learned "everybody deserves a second chance" and life is what you make it. You can figure out the rest, Trent truly understands what friendship is and wins back Fallon's trust. I learned that sometimes all you need is a friend to help you find your way.
I personally loved this book and would recommend it to any middle scholar. I think all kids need to know the importance of friendship and how to bounce back from tragedy and learn from it. Only then can you shape yourself into the best person you can be. One reason I really like this book is because every chapter has a little life lesson at the end of it or a cliff hanger. Also, I love how Lisa Graff writes the book from Trent's perspective because then you really learn how every little situation effected who he is at the end of the book. In the end I think this book is amazing and that it's message is absolutely perfect.
March 30, 2017
4.5 Stars.
Despite a beginning I was a bit unsure of, this ended up being a thoroughly enjoyable, sweet book.
12-year-old Trent is the novel's protagonist, and his life is sort of a mess. He's about to enter Jr. High, isn't a huge fan of his father and pregnant step-mother, doesn't really have any friends, and....oh yeah, thinks he killed a classmate playing hockey the year prior because the boy died after being hit by a hockey puck launched by Trent. It doesn't matter that the boy who died had a heart defect no one knew about - it was Trent's hockey puck that killed him.
Trent is very much in transition in his life, and as the book starts, doesn't quite have the coping skills he needs to sort out his feelings and relationships. His general reaction when he feels uncomfortable is to either lash out or disconnect, which isn't doing much for his relationships. His only outlet at the start of the book is his "book of thoughts," where he draws pictures to try and process things.
Trent undergoes a pretty dramatic change throughout the course of the book, and it was so heartwarming to see happen. His relationship with the (literally) scarred Fallon is sweet and I loved seeing how their relationship progressed, despite Trent's hesitance to befriend her. Trent's relationship to Fallon was one of the main threads of the book, and also one of the highlights. I loved how their friendship grew, and how it caused Trent to grow.
I also really appreciated the way Trent's relationship with his homeroom teacher, Ms. Emerson, developed throughout the course of the book. I loved that she was a solid and clearly very positive presence within his life, but not in a way that was forceful or obvious. She trusted Trent to figure things out for himself, and it was her mere presence and unwillingness to treat Trent in the way he expected or felt he deserved that made such a difference for him.
This was a book about growing up, both figuratively and literally. It was a reminder that we all have things that haunt us. It is up to us whether or not we let our ghosts control us, or if we find a way to control and learn from them.
I really loved this book and pretty much all of the characters by the end of it. I'm glad I dug it out of my endless to-read pile.
Despite a beginning I was a bit unsure of, this ended up being a thoroughly enjoyable, sweet book.
12-year-old Trent is the novel's protagonist, and his life is sort of a mess. He's about to enter Jr. High, isn't a huge fan of his father and pregnant step-mother, doesn't really have any friends, and....oh yeah, thinks he killed a classmate playing hockey the year prior because the boy died after being hit by a hockey puck launched by Trent. It doesn't matter that the boy who died had a heart defect no one knew about - it was Trent's hockey puck that killed him.
Trent is very much in transition in his life, and as the book starts, doesn't quite have the coping skills he needs to sort out his feelings and relationships. His general reaction when he feels uncomfortable is to either lash out or disconnect, which isn't doing much for his relationships. His only outlet at the start of the book is his "book of thoughts," where he draws pictures to try and process things.
Trent undergoes a pretty dramatic change throughout the course of the book, and it was so heartwarming to see happen. His relationship with the (literally) scarred Fallon is sweet and I loved seeing how their relationship progressed, despite Trent's hesitance to befriend her. Trent's relationship to Fallon was one of the main threads of the book, and also one of the highlights. I loved how their friendship grew, and how it caused Trent to grow.
I also really appreciated the way Trent's relationship with his homeroom teacher, Ms. Emerson, developed throughout the course of the book. I loved that she was a solid and clearly very positive presence within his life, but not in a way that was forceful or obvious. She trusted Trent to figure things out for himself, and it was her mere presence and unwillingness to treat Trent in the way he expected or felt he deserved that made such a difference for him.
This was a book about growing up, both figuratively and literally. It was a reminder that we all have things that haunt us. It is up to us whether or not we let our ghosts control us, or if we find a way to control and learn from them.
I really loved this book and pretty much all of the characters by the end of it. I'm glad I dug it out of my endless to-read pile.
October 22, 2016
GRL - W
I listened to the audio book.
I screamed at the end of this book. Not figuratively, quite literally screamed in frustration! I'll add why in the spoiler section later.
This was a good book, I think, I'm still deciding. I think if the author had chosen a slightly different ending I would have at least added one more star.
If you like books with tortured souls then run out to the library or bookstore immediately and grab a copy. This is a very long, sad story. Trent, the main character, pretty much hates himself and believes everyone else does as well. He blames himself for the death of another boy and can't forgive himself. He stumbles through his days and moves from one terrible event to another.
Enter quirky loner girl who befriends Trent. Fallon has a large scar on her face and no one including Trent knows how she got it. Trent and Fallon are an interesting pair to read about. Over the course of the book, their roles shift. Theses are great talking points for clubs. Trent's internal struggle is at the focal point of the storyline.
In the most painstaking slow way, we see Trent begin to fix himself. At first, I was upset with the adults in the book and wondering why they weren't more aware or concerned with Trent's behavior. Clearly, this is a child screaming out for help. In the end, I was satisfied with the knowledge that Trent figured out how to fix himself. I'm not sure that it would have felt as authentic if adults intervened more than they did. This is another great discussion, the transformation and how and why the author chose to construct this slowly over the book.
I will say it did feel real, the strife that Trent felt. His relationship both the good ones and the bad ones felt authentic. However, I felt it took a long time, almost too long. A less committed reader may have jumped ship. Which leads me to my scream.
There is some choice language in the book. I'm trying to think about exactly what it was. It gave me a short pause but I think perhaps it wasn't enough to be a game changer for me. An angry 12 year old boy mad at the world and himself yields some creative language choices.
*****Spoiler Alert*****
I thought after my loyalty I would be rewarded with the knowledge of the big secret that is kept throughout the book. No such luck ***ARGH***! You never do find out how Fallon gets her scar. In the end, Trent figures out that he's been pretty self-absorbed (for good reasons) and that there are others around him who need help.
I listened to the audio book.
I screamed at the end of this book. Not figuratively, quite literally screamed in frustration! I'll add why in the spoiler section later.
This was a good book, I think, I'm still deciding. I think if the author had chosen a slightly different ending I would have at least added one more star.
If you like books with tortured souls then run out to the library or bookstore immediately and grab a copy. This is a very long, sad story. Trent, the main character, pretty much hates himself and believes everyone else does as well. He blames himself for the death of another boy and can't forgive himself. He stumbles through his days and moves from one terrible event to another.
Enter quirky loner girl who befriends Trent. Fallon has a large scar on her face and no one including Trent knows how she got it. Trent and Fallon are an interesting pair to read about. Over the course of the book, their roles shift. Theses are great talking points for clubs. Trent's internal struggle is at the focal point of the storyline.
In the most painstaking slow way, we see Trent begin to fix himself. At first, I was upset with the adults in the book and wondering why they weren't more aware or concerned with Trent's behavior. Clearly, this is a child screaming out for help. In the end, I was satisfied with the knowledge that Trent figured out how to fix himself. I'm not sure that it would have felt as authentic if adults intervened more than they did. This is another great discussion, the transformation and how and why the author chose to construct this slowly over the book.
I will say it did feel real, the strife that Trent felt. His relationship both the good ones and the bad ones felt authentic. However, I felt it took a long time, almost too long. A less committed reader may have jumped ship. Which leads me to my scream.
There is some choice language in the book. I'm trying to think about exactly what it was. It gave me a short pause but I think perhaps it wasn't enough to be a game changer for me. An angry 12 year old boy mad at the world and himself yields some creative language choices.
*****Spoiler Alert*****
I thought after my loyalty I would be rewarded with the knowledge of the big secret that is kept throughout the book. No such luck ***ARGH***! You never do find out how Fallon gets her scar. In the end, Trent figures out that he's been pretty self-absorbed (for good reasons) and that there are others around him who need help.
April 9, 2015
Oh man, this book. Okay, so first of all, I did read Umbrella Summer but so long ago that I didn't not really recall it or connect it with this book. So, it might be a good idea to go ahead and refresh yourself on that one first.
I liked this book. I wanted to find out what happened and if Trent was ever able to deal with his guilt and how that would unfold. But I guess I just found it so crushingly heavy that it was a little hard for me to get through. Like, to me, Trent's misery was so total that I honestly at times wished that he would attempt to hurt himself just as a cry for help, just so someone would recognize what he was going through and HELP HIM. And I feel AWFUL about that.
And I guess that eventually certain adults did recognize that Trent was in trouble and they did step up to help him (in their ways), which maybe was the only way that Trent would actually let himself be helped. Basically, I just wanted to hug Trent and give him massive amounts of therapy.
Maybe if I had reread Umbrella Summer first, the book wouldn't have felt so heavy? And also there's nothing wrong with a heavy book for kids, necessarily, except that I just kept trying to think who I would hand this book to. It's sad, but not in a tear-jerker kind of way, more in a haunting way. Like you're being haunted by sadness (like Trent is, actually). I suppose I would give it to fans of Umbrella Summer.
I liked this book. I wanted to find out what happened and if Trent was ever able to deal with his guilt and how that would unfold. But I guess I just found it so crushingly heavy that it was a little hard for me to get through. Like, to me, Trent's misery was so total that I honestly at times wished that he would attempt to hurt himself just as a cry for help, just so someone would recognize what he was going through and HELP HIM. And I feel AWFUL about that.
And I guess that eventually certain adults did recognize that Trent was in trouble and they did step up to help him (in their ways), which maybe was the only way that Trent would actually let himself be helped. Basically, I just wanted to hug Trent and give him massive amounts of therapy.
Maybe if I had reread Umbrella Summer first, the book wouldn't have felt so heavy? And also there's nothing wrong with a heavy book for kids, necessarily, except that I just kept trying to think who I would hand this book to. It's sad, but not in a tear-jerker kind of way, more in a haunting way. Like you're being haunted by sadness (like Trent is, actually). I suppose I would give it to fans of Umbrella Summer.
May 2, 2015
Chock full of thoughtful, well-developed characters, Graff latest book explores both physical and emotional scars. The book’s central character, Trent, is a sixth grader trying to deal with the aftermath of a tragic hockey accident, in which a young player was fatally injured. Full of anger, guilt, and self-loathing, Trent seems determined to isolate himself from everyone who cares for him, so it seems impossible that he should somehow develop a friendship with his unusual classmate, Fallon. Fallon, who has a facial scar from an unknown event—asserts herself in Trent’s life, in spite of his fairly obvious fences. Although it initially seems as if Fallon has completely reconciled herself to the disfigurement which so strongly marks her as different, it becomes evident that, like Trent, her scars run well below the surface. Together, they slowly dismantle each other’s walls, and discover the healing power of reaching out to others. In Graff’s very skillful prose, Trent’s ire pulses like an angry drum, while Fallon’s affable nature beats a gentle counterpoint. As she demonstrated so ably in Absolutely Almost, Graff’s ability to sensitively reveal the heart of a troubled young man creates a soul-satisfying story.
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