PETE FANNING

First love. Confusing and exciting. Matt is captivated by Lia. By her energy and her uninhibited joy. Matt is headed for high school and navigating his life, including his relationships with the local reverend, his father, his friends, and Lia. All of which seems very confusing. The author has drawn the characters of Matt and Lia so clearly with his imagery and words that you feel part of the story. It is a coming-of-age story, it is a sweet first love story, and it is a boy learning who he show more is and how to have courage in his life. This was a great read! show less

Justice in a Bottle
by Pete Fanning (Goodreads Author)
22612547
Nora Petralli Charles's reviewMay 12, 2020 · edit
liked it

This YA novel introduces us to Nita Simmons, aspiring journalist for her middle school newspaper. In the opening scene of the novel, we find that she has published an exposé which, unfortunately, turned out to lack pertinent facts. Having to submit a retraction, self-doubt sets in as classmates ridicule her in almost a bullying fashion.

In meeting a neighbor, Walter Melvin, show more an elderly man with a criminal past, she is intrigued by a series of journals he had written. Having read the journals and in endeavoring to regain her credibility, she sets off to prove her neighbor's innocence of the crime he was accused of committing and for which he served 20 years in prison.

In seeking out the truth, 13-year-old Nita is assisted by her friend and side-kick, Earnest.whose apparent hobby is dumpster diving.

There are several parts of the book where logic and lack of attention to detail seems to have flown out the window. The first is why did she have an article published without an editor to review the contents for credibility? And, again, Nita is out to exonerate a man whose crime we aren't made aware of until later in the book.

I felt it was a good book for older middle schoolers. There were quite a number of references to segregation and the atrocities that accompany it. There is one that that keeps niggling at me which is the title of the book. Justice in a Bottle? What bottle is author Pete Fanning referencing? Just a reminder that middle schoolers reach for titles that they relate to. My thanks to librarything.com for the opportunity to read and review this advance copy. show less