This is one of those books that is good on so many different levels. Another teacher recommended the book to me. The gist of the story is this Brent Bishop is in trouble. He caused the loss of another person’s life. He feels he deserves more punishment than he is given. The judge gives the victim’s parents the right to seek restitution. The victim’s mother meets with them and has an unusual request for restitution. Brent is to create four whirligigs and place them in four different states. She has even bought a bus ticket for him. Against his parent’s wishes he accepts. This is a journey that touches many different people and may actually bring about healing. I got to the end of this book and cried. It is that touching. The main character is so well developed that you feel his pain as you read his story. The settings are so well depicted you feel like you are right there with Brent. You feel his pain and want healing to happen for him. I could not wait to put this on my school shelves and recommend it. ( )

Great story of a journey showing how people come together to affect each other in surprising ways ( )

Great story of a journey showing how people come together to affect each other in surprising ways ( )

Driving home drunk after a socially disastrous party, high-schooler Brent tries to end his own life, but ends up taking someone else's, a girl named Lea. For retribution, her mother asks him to build whirligigs and place them at the four corners of the country. In alternating chapters, we follow Brent on his literal and psychological journey and see the lasting effect of the whirligigs on other people who find them.

This is a short book, and a quick read, although not for an impatient reader. The beginning is a bit confusing, as we see people interacting with the whirligigs before we know that Brent is building them. Nonetheless, this is a compelling and thoughtful story about the lasting effects of our actions- both good and bad.

I picked this up again after reading Chris Lynch's Free Will, because I wondered if the whirligigs in that book might be an homage to this one. I enjoyed it every bit as much as I did the first time all those years ago. ( )

This book will make you think of the mark you are leaving as you exhist in this world. Push you to consider what it all looks like through the eyes of others. It was quite beautiful.