Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

SKETCHES is about three teens living on the streets. Dana, Brent, and Ashley each have their own personal demons. Those demons drove them away from their families and onto the city streets.

Sexual abuse at the hands of her mother's second husband caused Dana to begin acting out in school and at home. When her mother didn't pick up on the clues, Dana decided the only answer was to leave. Fortunately, Brent and Ashley, experienced street kids, were there to pick up the pieces. Brent has issues that forced him to leave home hoping to find some answers, and Ashley's mother, an exotic dancer, acted more like a sister than a mother. Together these three panhandle and squeegee car windows, hoping to earn enough money to eat and occasionally sleep somewhere with shower facilities.

Things begin to look up when Dana stumbles across a place called Sketches. It is an organization with the goal of providing a creative outlet for street kids. Dana's artistic talents shine through some random graffiti work, and she is noticed by one of the counselors at Sketches. The place offers food and good, solid advice, as well as art supplies and a safe place to create. Once Dana and her two friends get involved at Sketches, they see the possibility of improving their lives.

Rich with details about life on the streets, SKETCHES is an emotional story of desperate kids taking action to regain control of their shattered lives. Eric Walters includes both the harsh reality of homeless living and just the right amount of hope to make SKETCHES a book that will speak to teens everywhere. ( )

This is an emotional, gripping novel by Eric Walters that really opens your eyes. What's really interesting is that this book is based on Sketch, the really art drop in centre in Toronto. Kids and teenagers who are homeless can go there for help and to do art. This book is based on that and it is very interesting!
Eric Walters - yet again - does a great job on the book. That's all I can say. It was great! ( )

Dana, Ashley and Brent are three runaways who have become a street family. They find various means of getting money including begging for change by pretending to need money to get home, selling newspapers they liberated from a newspaper box, being a squeegee kid and decorating a sidewalk. They sleep in a variety of places including a cheap motel, an abandoned building, a clothing drop box, and Tent town. The climax seemed weak. The characters never seem as miserable as I would expect. In the end, the reader is supposed to believe that the scars on her arms plus her art work, allows Nicki to pull it all together and deduce that Dana's little sister might be abused. Dana's stepfather is arrested. A bit too perfect. ( )

Yet again Eric Wlter proves that he is the best at his game. This is a moving book about a girl who has runaway from her family for personal reasons. Its sad how she is forced to live but it is such a good book that its hard to put it down and escape from the truth of it. Highly recommended. ( )