Customer Reviews

Fallout

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
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Fallout by Richelle Putnam is about a boy named Micah who comes with his mother to live with her parents leaving behind Micah's alcoholic father. The only problem is Grandpa is acting strangely and the whole town knows it. The story question becomes then, how Micah can fit in.

My twelve year old devoured this book, finishing in record time, mainly, I suspect, because fitting in is the major question of any kid in junior high. Putnam's Micah was real to him, if a tad too adult to me. Discussions with my son after he read the book proved that he had taken in the issues of family loyalty, popularity, and doing the right thing in a hard situation, which was, afterall, what Fallout was all about. Bottom line: if you are looking for something for your middle school kid to read this summer, Fallout is a winner.

The story is about a boy and his mother whose dad was a drunk. The mum and boy move in with the grandparents to escape from him. I liked the story a lot, my personal opinion was that it was great. The writing was very good too, and the fact that it is written in first person makes it more interesting, more understandable. The book is very interesting, but also very shocking, it shows the feelings of the boy, about what he feels for his grandpa and how he's forgetting about him, and caring more about whether he's going to have one of his panic attacks in front of his friends, and how he considers himself an awful person for even thinking it. It is a short story, but not at all like other books that I've read before. It shows what a real person would have felt or done being in the position that the boy was.

Fallout is a story of a pre-teen and his relationship with his grandfather. I found that the grandfather was a very believable character, with his bouts of panic attacks and how this affected his grandson and the community he lived in. I would recommend this book to pre-teens as I feel they will relate with the feelings of loneliness and not belonging. Also I think teens can relate with the problems that families try to cover and how others react to them.

The kind of book I'd like my 6th and 7th graders to read and discuss in class, both for its history tie-ins and portrayal of almost-teenage Micah's life. Putnam follows Micah's journey from child to young teen by demonstrating his growing awareness -- and -- harder still -- acceptance of the complexities and imperfections of his friends and family.

Many of us grow up looking at others that seem to have everything that the world has to offer, a nice family, friends, etc. We compare ourselves to these people, and we feel lonely, knowing our own misfortunes. Richelle Putnam's book offers a character, Micah, that is suffering through the loneliness created by divorced parents and an alcoholic father. Micah's problems are aggravated when his grandpa's emerging panic attacks further alienate Micah from the rest of the world.

This is a great book for troubled adolescents who think they are alone in the world. It is a great book for the more fortunate youngsters who can't appreciate the difficulties that befall others their own age. Lastly, it is a great book for adults who remember the loneliness of growing up, where problems were so huge, there seemed to be no way out.

Fallout races through its 100 pages to an exciting, emotional climax that is guaranteed to choke up even the most callous reader. Best of all, it leaves us with a lesson that will give hope to all young people that are struggling on their way to adulthood.

A tender, insightful story of a young boy's journey through new and unfamiliar circumstances. Enough action to keep you turning the pages, characters you care about, and lessons in history and life. A well-woven story that shouldn't be missed.

Fallout is a pleasant, entertaining read with a few deeper messages. One is the history: talking about a number of wars, the reasons they were fought at the time, and what we think of them now (a bit simplified, but that was needed for the audience). The book was both interesting and brave in that respect. But what I liked most was the mother's dedication to the truth -- and that the truth will prevail. Certainly it doesn't always, or sometimes it takes a long time for the truth to prevail. But it is a good message to give -- both to the target audience of 9-12 and to adults as well.

Written with the juvenile reader in mind, FALLOUT is a story of courage, forgiveness, and the love that binds a family together. Author Richelle Putnam opens the window in to the every day anxieties of adolescence as she weaves a tale of self-examination and discovery. It is painful and brave, and successfully paints a portrait of a boy bridging his own gap in to young adulthood.

When Micah Knight and his mom move to Quitton, Mississippi to start a new life, Micah discovers that settling in isn't going to be as easy as he initially hoped. The scars his ruthless father left behind are still fresh, and his faith in the world around him is tentative. Even with a loveable, dear, and eccentric old grandpa to help heal his wounds from the past, being the grandson of the craziest old man in town is certain to come between Micah and his new life.

But not everyone thinks there's something wrong with Grandpa. Micah and his buddies start meeting covertly in his grandfather's hand-dug fallout shelter, against the wishes of neighborhood parents. Creating a private club and retreat, the boys soon discover there's more to American history than just dates in a book. Sharing family stories and personal experiences from the greatest wars of the century, Grandpa entrances his young listeners, while educating them at the same time.

The success and secrecy of the Fallout Club seems destined for discovery as Grandpa's health worsens. Then Micah's worst fears are realized when the most unpleasant of all his classmates worms a path in to the group of friends. Feeling the cold fingers of doubt every time school bully Louis Moulds manipulates club members, Micah must do everything in his power to protect his territory and his grandpa. Even if it means walking away from the life of fun and friendship he's always dreamed about.

Parents will appreciate Ms. Putnam's detailed and sensitive explanations of the first and second world wars. Her candor also extends in to the cause and effect of the recent stressful events of the Gulf War, which brought back so many painful memories for our veterans. Children will empathize with Micah as he faces the ridicule of his peers, the torturous health problems of his grandfather, and the troubling challenges of trying to fit in. And everyone will cheer as he finds the courage to stand up for what is right, and stand tall in the face of danger and death. FALLOUT is moving story of letting go of the past, facing trials with valor and faith, and finding love where it matters most. At home.

Danielle Thorne is editor of the manuscript web business, "A GRAIN OF SALT". She is an internet freelancer and has published articles on family, travel, literature, film, writing, genealogy, and hobbies. She reviews for Family Wonder Films and Bookideas.com, and also own a critique service, "A Grain of Salt". She edits for Bookideas.com, Ecards, Whoodoo, and Briefme.com. www.webnow.com/DthoCha, DthoCha@aol.com

As the publisher for this book, I can honestly say as a small press publisher that this book written by Richelle Putnam is one of our bestsellers, as it continues to enlighten and bring inspiration to those who may have found themselves in the type of situation the main character found themselves in. Richelle Putnam is a caring individual who is an inspiration to all children and adults with regard to learning how to substitute a bad situation for a good one....