My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Ebb & Flow's story is splendidly written in the free-verse form that can be easily comprehended even by kids below its target audience. It is about Jett, a 12-year old boy who had a rough year and was sent away from the mainland to his grandmother for a vacation. Problems emerged when Jett befriended Junior, a troubled classmate that acts as a bully; Jett behaved like Junior, but he still tried to think straight instead of always obeying Junior. However, he was still included in the troubles Junior did to Alf, Junior's uncle with down syndrome.
Teachers could make this book a recommendation or as a reading assignment, particularly to middle graders. Students will learn a lot from perusing this wonderful book especially on the topics about growing up, peer pressure, bullying, and treating people with special needs.
