Customer Reviews

Calling Out Your Name

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I found Calling Out Your Name to be an engaging adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of the locations and the character details that White used to transport the reader. A fun, quick read!

Woody Elmont of Ogamesh Georgia has more on his plate, and on his mind, than most sixteen-year-olds. His father abandoned the family when his mother was pregnant with Woody's younger brother. His mom later died leaving her two sons in the care of their Aunt Zee. By the time the story opens, the tables have turned and the aging Aunt Zee is the one who needs to be cared for as her mind and body begin to fail. To complicate things, Woody's younger brother, Tick, is mildly developmentally disabled with little understanding of right and wrong. Woody tries to be the man of the house and handle all these circumstances, but when Tick is sent to a juvenile home for shoplifting, Woody has a guilty sense of relief that at least one burden is in someone else's hands. When Tick disappears from St. Anselm's after a questionable fire at the facility, Woody feels it's his responsibility to bring his "zoo headed brother" back home before he finds himself in even more trouble.

CALLING OUT YOUR NAME by Ned White is an exciting and adventuresome tale of one boy's journey towards adulthood as he makes his way across the country seeking to find and save his brother. The story is chock full of well-developed, believable characters who each, in their own way, teach Woody meaningful life lessons. A unique and surprising twist at the end of Woody's journey helps him to fully understand earlier events in his life and leaves the reader with a satisfying ending. Mr. White writes with an authentic southern voice, placing the reader in the center of the action, thus making for an engaging, enjoyable read. Technically, this book is professionally presented with only a few errors - nothing that causes the reader to become distracted.

Although billed as a "novel for young adults", CALLING OUT YOUR NAME is a story that will be enjoyed by both young and old alike. Mr. White is a talented writer - this is the second of his books that I have reviewed - and I look forward to reading more.

The heart of the main character remains true throughout the book no matter what name he is using. Life lessons, coping strategies and people skills develop as the young man travels across the country. Description and narrative blend seamlessly to create a book that is readable, informative and entertaining. With such vibrant detail, it is easy to imagine this book becoming the basis for a movie with broad appeal.