In the Break [Unabridged] [Hardcover]

Jack Lopez (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 12, 2006

After Juan's best friend Jamie is faced with major family drama, they decide to skip town until the situation cools down and go to Mexico in search of the perfect wave. Joined by Jamie's sister Amber, the three of them embark on a road trip of a lifetime. Filled with love, loss, and surfing, Jack Lopez delivers a story as intense as catching the ultimate wave.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up–Tenth graders Jamie and Juan are best friends who live to surf. When Jamie gets into trouble for beating up his abusive stepfather, his older sister, Amber, runs to Juan for help. Juan decides to drive from California to his aunt's trailer in Mexico, where his friend can stay until things cool down. He steals his mother's car, and the three teens embark on a wild road trip that results in a tragedy that changes their lives forever. Although the writing is uneven at times, the mood and emotions ring true, and the fast-paced plot holds readers' attention throughout. The characters are realistically drawn, and their relationships are complex, even though the dialogue can be stilted at times. Street language and sexual situations are presented in a matter-of-fact manner. Teens will identify with Juan and the choices, both good and bad, that he makes in order to help his friend.–Melissa Christy Buron, Epps Island Elementary, Houston, TX
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

FollowingCholos and Surfers (1998), a collection of personal essays published for adults, Lopez's debut novel for teens is set in the same Southern California surf culture. After his best friend, Jamie, gravely wounds his abusive stepfather in a fight, 15-year-old Juan takes his mother's car and drives Jamie down the California coast. Amber, Jamie's beautiful sister, joins them, and what was intended to be a short trip to gain perspective turns into a wild, soul-searching surfing expedition, running from the consequences of Jamie's actions and toward the perfect wave. This feels like a first novel: flashback scenes aren't always well integrated, and the voice is occasionally self-conscious and uneven. The language is sometimes trash-talk rough, too, as the guys trade off-color jokes. But these details, along with some sex scenes (nongratuitous) contribute to Lopez's authentic view of teen boys precariously balanced between childhood and adult life. The real draw, though, is the surfing, and Lopez, who has surfed competitively, offers a rare awe-inspiring feeling of riding the waves. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers; 1st edition (July 12, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316008745
• ISBN-13: 978-0316008747
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,483,290 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, February 3, 2007

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Break (Hardcover)

IN THE BREAK is a story of friendship, loyalty, romance, tragedy, and the forever search of that perfect wave. In commanding style, Jack Lopez takes readers through the highs and lows of the characters, their feelings and emotions, and in the end leaves us with an unforgettable tale.

After Juan's best friend, Jamie, has a hostile fight with his stepfather, everything seems grim. In a flash of emergence, Juan, Jamie, and Jamie's sister, Amber, flee town on their own for Mexico, to let Jamie lay low for a while until things at home calm down. And while they're at it, they might as well surf as much as possible. Their days of fun surfing and nights of romance lead them to believe everything will turn out okay. But things don't seem to slow down, the ocean isn't calm, and eventually the tide catches up to Juan -- and it's from there that he must decide how to handle things.

Jack Lopez's lyrical and flowing writing style takes the reader away from their surroundings and allows them to be washed away with the current. Lopez's killer command of description and handle of language allows him to communicate truly believable voices and create a narrator with a scope of view not often observed in contemporary literature today. With hands-on description of real big wave surf and the southern California surfing scene, readers will get lost in the words and find themselves plummeting through every drop of loss and heartache, and escaping into an unbelievably well-told story.

Cheers to J.L.

Reviewed by: Long Nguyen

5.0 out of 5 stars Teach me to surf!!!, February 5, 2008

By 

Melba G. (Redwood City, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Break (Paperback)

The descriptions of surfing in this book were incredible. There was edge-of-your seat excitement when the three teenagers are surfing off an island in Mexico. You feel like you are out there, like the dolphins, watching them.

But what really sets this book apart is the story, and how real these characters feel. Mr. Lopez gradually reveals how the friendship between Juan and Jamie has developed over time, over the various ordeals they've had to face. It is a real coming of age story of friendship, loyalty and loss.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read, Sad End, July 15, 2008

By 

Kyle E. Ellis - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In the Break (Paperback)

I really enjoyed reading this novel. This is the first book that I have ever read that made me cry. The book is about a friend, his best friend, and his best friends sister. In the end, there is no fairy tale ending. The book left me in a depressed mood for awhile, but any good book will do that. This is the best book that I have ever read. If you love books about surfing, love, friendships, or sad endings this is for you.

I recommend it highly!