The Guardian [Hardcover]

Joyce Sweeney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 31, 2009

Hunter has never had anyone to look out for him. His mother gave him away when he was young, he’s never known his father, and his foster mother leaves a lot to be desired in the mothering department. So when a mysterious, benevolent force suddenly starts coming to his aid, Hunter doesn’t know what to believe. Could he really have a guardian angel? Hunter so badly wants someone to care that he’s willing to take a leap of faith, and more. But when he finally learns the truth about his angel, he’ll have to decide whether it’s the best thing that ever happened to him or the worst.

This masterful pairing of suspenseful, fast-paced storytelling with genuine compassion and heart is Joyce Sweeney at her best.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Hunter feels abandoned after the death of his kindhearted foster father. With no respite from loneliness or his abusive foster mother, Hunter resumes praying to Gabriel, an angel Hunter believes visited him as a child. His prayers are answered all too clearly: the $10 needed to escape hazing appears in his locker, and then his antagonistic foster sister is harassed by a wild-haired biker. Confused, Hunter seeks counsel from a priest. Just as Hunter settles in to contemplating the role of divinity in his life, his “angel” reveals himself as his biological father, Gabriel Salvatore, recently released from prison for murdering Hunter’s birth mother. He abducts Hunter, who wants to escape yet relishes the opportunity to fill in the blanks about his past. Though the switch between the first and second parts of the book is somewhat jarring, the effect keeps the pace moving briskly. Hunter’s story finishes on a realistic but hopeful note. Sweeney’s latest is, like many of her previous, a notable choice for reluctant readers. Grades 7-9. --Heather Booth

Review

Praise for THE GUARDIAN:

“Sweeney has convincingly channeled Hunter’s teenage angst, and readers will want to see his story, with its many twists and turns, through to the end.”—The Horn Book

“Hunter is a sympathetic hero, and his honest narration and the plentiful action will pull readers through to the end.”—Publishers Weekly

“Suspenseful and unexpectedly tender, this short, action-packed thriller will be an easy sell to reluctant readers.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Sweeney’s latest is, like many of her previous, a notable choice for reluctant readers.”—Booklist

“Well-paced, and with a satisfying conclusion, this book will appeal to reluctant readers and fans of contemporary realistic fiction.”—School Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); First Edition edition (March 31, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805080198
• ISBN-13: 978-0805080193
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #232,634 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Awww what a great and sad read, March 31, 2009

By 

tvandbookaddict (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Guardian (Hardcover)

Hunter is a 13 year old living with his abusive foster mother and three sisters. Things were going pretty well for him until his foster father dies. His foster mother becomes INCREASINGLY more abusive towards him, the bully at school raises the weekly fee, and because he can't stand it anymore he prays to that guardian angel he saw when he was four. But did he really see him? Is he imagining things or is his guardian angel really solving his problems? But do guardian angels seriously email people and scare a girl half to death? Hmm...curiouser and curiouser don't you think?
I really liked this book! I would say it's a quick, light read, but even thought it's 177 pgs long, there is nothing light about it. It can get intense, unpredictable, crazy, and even pull at your heart strings at times.
Many of the things that happened I just could never have predicted! It was just so surprising and sad!!! I really, really REALLY wanted things to end differently for him, but oh well. You will feel so sad for Hunter and by the time you've read the first ten pages, you'll be cheering for him and wanting him to just be happy. Trust me, it may start out slow but it gets intense then you just don't want to stop reading until you're finished and you find out what will happen with Hunter.
I highly recommend this book so go out and get it now!

Enjoy. :)


From inside the book:

The distant growl of a motorcycle engine wakes me up and I wonder if I'm going crazy. That's something I actually worry about a lot. Dr. Phil did this whole show on what kind of kids are prone to turn out bad and it was my biography.


..but when she says this, it's as if she reached into my chest and grabbed my heart.


YOU WILL ENJOY READING THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE:
-reading about foster kids
-guardian angels
-awesome covers (If you notice on the back there are tire tracks!)
-unforgettable stories
-motorcycles
-California
-Florida
-unpredictable stories
-humor
-psychos
-evil people
-page turners

-tvandbookaddict.blogspot.com

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It will make you think...be careful what you wish for., September 14, 2009

By 

Whatcha Reading Now? (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Guardian (Hardcover)

If anyone needs a guardian angel it's Hunter. His foster father Mike, one of the only people to ever care about Hunter, passes away and this escalates the abuse dished out by his foster mother. When an angel named Gabriel appears in his life, it seems too good to be true.

It is.

This guardian wears a black, leather-fringed jacket, drives a Gold Wing motorcycle and is not what Hunter had envisioned. In THE GUARDIAN, Joyce Sweeney artfully weaves together a 13-year-old's tender hopes with his gritty reality in a fast-paced read many teens are sure to enjoy!
-- Reviewed by Michelle Delisle

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet and Suspenseful!, May 24, 2009

By 

M. Geerling "miamibeachreader" (Miami Beach, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Guardian (Hardcover)

THE GUARDIAN is my favorite Joyce Sweeney novel yet. Hunter is a sweet, sensitive kid in a terrible situation. His courage and loyalty come through on every page, even in a book that is packed with suspense. At the end, he emerges as a stronger, wiser person and although he doesn't get a happily-ever-after, he does get a happier-for-now that is very satisfying and real-feeling. Sweeney has crafted a tightly written page turner that I devoured in one sitting. I highly recommend this book!