TAKEN AWAY

A teenage boy struggles with shame, isolation, and the unraveling of his family after his father is imprisoned for arson in Thompson’s YA novel.

Miles’ life starts to unravel the day he sees his dad’s workplace, Lundy’s Barbecue, ablaze on the local news. Things only worsen when it’s revealed that the fire wasn’t a tragic accident—the owner paid Miles’ dad $5,000 to set it in a desperate bid for insurance money. But their plan goes awry when a firefighter is horrifically injured on the scene during the building’s collapse. Despite pleading guilty to the crime, Miles’ father is given the maximum 10-year sentence, more than double what his lawyer predicted. For Miles, any hope that things will blow over soon is shattered. The first thing the verdict affects is his schoolwork. He’s distracted in class, turning in half-done assignments or nothing at all, and his dipping grades may jeopardize his upcoming basketball tryouts. Unable to maintain focus, he’s not doing much better on the court. Broken into short, punchy chapters, the novel uses simple language to take on complicated topics—incarceration, guilt, emotional isolation—with clarity and heart. Miles’ voice is raw and real, unpolished in a way that rings true. Like grief, shame has no script, and the story captures that emotional uncertainty with precision. The writing never overexplains or dips into sentimentality; Thompson trusts the reader to feel the weight between the lines as Miles endures depressing visits at the county jail (“I want to see Dad. But I don’t want to go inside”), conducts internet searches on life in prison, and suffers the ache of watching a parent fall from grace. And yet, there are moments of levity and hope, such as making the basketball team (having friends who remain by his side, Miles slowly learns that he doesn’t have to carry everything alone). Despite some writing that’s a little too on the nose, this is a powerful, well-paced story.

A spare, tightly written exploration of the effects of incarceration on families.