Another reviewer says that Deet is in High School - I think he may be as young as 7th grade. Certainly there's nothing in the book to make it too mature for, say, most 5th-graders. For example, Deet's father isn't seedy or abusive or anything - he just wanted some 'help' to give him enough energy for a second job so he could give his family a better life.

It's also not subtle, or dense, or complex - making it a good read for those at a 5th-grade level. Even though it's a little preachy, and even though I don't normally like reading about people who mess up children's lives, I loved it and do recommend it to youth librarians. And I will look for others by the author. ( )

My response to the book: The book was excellent. Having the book available in the library for checkout would benefit those children affected by incarcaration in their personal lives.
Curricular connections: The curricular connections include counseling, jail and incarceration. A school counselor could use this book through a bibliotherapy method to work with a student experiencing this life event. A dually endorsed school counselor/TL could do some amazing things with this book.

MSBA Nominee 2008-2009 ( )

Do Not Pass Go is a real quick read. The print is large, the chapters are digestible, and the main character is a boy named Deet. Three reasons that make it a good book for reluctant readers, especially boys.

Deet has a great relationship with his family, even if he tends to be the mature one. His mom and dad are both pretty impulsive, living moment to moment, paycheck to paycheck. And his two sisters are really two young to be anything but kids. Deet's pretty okay with all of this because for the most part things always gets taken care of, one way or the other.

But then, Deet's dad gets arrested for drugs. Evidently in order to keep up with his two jobs, Dad began to rely on uppers to stay awake. Living in a small town, Deet is terrified his peers will tease him - everything is published in the town paper. Plus, his father was the only source of income, how will they survive.

Everyone in the family has to make changes: Deet understands what it's like to be in his parent's shoes, his folks learn that they have to make some changes in budgeting, and Deet's friends realize that sometimes a bad decision is not the end of the world.

I think that this book was trying to be poignant but bit off more than it could chew. The moral, that just because you make a bad decision doesn't mean you're a bad person, was a little too black and white when we're dealing with people going to jail/prison. I think that it's a heavy topic that needs more substance than what this book was able to give. With that being said, I do believe that some of my students will really love it because their age prevents much abstract thought. ( )

I think the viewpoint of a pre-teen is well expresed as the protagonist deals with a family member going to jail. It is tough specially in a time in once life where everything that happens around you seems to be a bout you and what people think. We as adults have outgrown it, but for a kid Deet's age is only natural. I would put this book as a pre-coming of age story, becuase Deet dosen't come of age. But he still makes a momentous leap in his life to understand that sometimes problems that arise are not the end existence. ( )