Customer Reviews

Shifty

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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I fell head over heels in love with this book. Hazen's descriptions of Soli's experience as a fosterkid, of San Francisco's neighborhoods, of the relationships Soli has with his foster sister and foster mother are heart-shattering and as real as they come.
I came to care for Soli deeply. I rooted for him, and wanted him to get away with all the trouble he creates. Which he does, sometimes. This is a REAL winner.

SHIFTY is the best children's book about a foster kid since THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS (one of my faves - by Katherine Paterson, Newbery Honor winner, 1979). Yanked in and out of foster homes for most of his fifteen years, Shifty has finally landed somewhere he likes with a 'sister' and 'mother' he obviously loves, but circumstances combine with his well-intended but ill-advised behavior to threaten his makeshift happy home. As did Paterson before her, Hazen manages to depict a somewhat grim, grown-up theme -- the instability and uncertainty of the life of a ward of state -- with hope and humor. I loved traveling with Shifty as he navigated the streets of San Francisco and the bumpy roads of foster life. What an entertaining trip -- so glad author Hazen let me come along for the ride!

Soli, called Shifty by the foster care system that has shuffled him around all of his life, doesn't always make the right choices, but sometimes the line is thin between the wrong choice for the right reason and sticking to the rules. Full of twists, turns, and complications, this YA novel features one of the most appealing 'reluctant heroes' I've met in a long time. With the help of his new make-shift family; Martha, his new foster mom with a huge heart and half a missing leg, Sissy, his needy but fierce little foster sister, and Chance, the baby who has barely a chance, Soli begins to recognize the voice of his own good conscience and what it means to care.

Abandoned on a Greyhound bus just days after he was born, Soli has a lot working against him. Luckily, this plucky 15-year-old seems to have found a real home at long last.

His foster mom, Martha, is a shining example of a woman whose heart is in the right place. Though she does not have much money, she dedicates her life to taking care of Soli, a sweet little girl named Sissy, and Thaddeus, a baby boy born addicted to cocaine. Martha has always seen the good in these kids, and she doesn't believe that people should be defined by labels like "foster kid" and "crack baby."

The social workers and people who run the foster care system never give Soli the benefit of a doubt, filling his files with untrue information about how dangerous and suspicious he is. However, Soli doesn't conform to their low expectations. He loves his foster family and never shirks his responsibilities as a big brother and son.

Perhaps driving Martha's van without a license isn't legal, but Soli is a good driver and his intentions are pure - he drives to buy groceries or pick up Sissy when Martha cannot. Still, driving without a license is risky business. Driving home bag ladies, escaping tow trucks, and having tomatoes thrown at Martha's white van are par for the course. Anything to avoid being stopped by authorities, where he might get in serious trouble for driving sans license.

Soli's biggest dilemma right now is Sheila, the new social worker who is determined to shut Martha down. Sheila is just looking for any little slip-up to file a complaint against Martha, so Soli and Sissy are on their best behavior. Martha is the mother they never had and they will do anything to remain living with her. Who knows what kind of family they might be placed with if they are thrown back into the system?

Written with heart and compassion, SHIFTY is a fun and fast-paced read. Readers will be rooting for Soli from page one, indignant at the judgmental people he is forced to put up with and sympathetic to the hardships that he is forced to endure. Lynn E. Hazen reveals a world that most readers could never have imagined, and Soli is an optimistic and courageous character that readers will identify with. After reading SHIFTY, you will want to adopt a foster child yourself, providing a loving home that all children deserve.

Reviewed by: Amber Gibson

Any English/literature teachers out there looking to build their reading lists as the school year starts? If you're looking for books that will engage the boys in your class, Shifty by Lynn Hazen is a terrific choice. Soli (Shifty) is a funny, resourceful, and, in the end, nurturing character. If readers find role models in fiction, then this is a book that will inspire. This novel should be a recommended choice for young readers. It's fun, comical, poignant, fast-moving, and thought-provoking.

Since other people have already told about the plot of this book I won't repeat any of that information. But I used to have foster children so I know the author gives an accurate portrayal of the foster care system and how hard it is on kids. Shifty, the main character in the book, has been through a lot, but his determination to keep trying and his compassion for the other foster kids and foster mother make him a character readers can't help caring about, even though he does a lot of stupid and dangerous things. Young adults who read the book will identify with him. As an adult I hope some of them will even appreciate their own homes and families more as a result.

Title: Shifty
Author: Lynn E. Hazen
Grade: B+
Ideal Audience: Boys & Girls, 12-17, Some Adults

Summary: Soli hasn't had it easy. He was abandoned as a baby, and ever since then has been shuffled through various foster care homes. Now he's living with a woman named Martha, and he's determined to make the right choices so that he can stay for as long as possible with her and his little sister and baby brother, both of which are Martha's other foster kids who he isn't actually related to.

But trouble just seems to follow Soli. He's trying to do what's right, but soon finds himself dealing with things that he can't tell Martha about-- and could potentially get him in trouble. Even if he manages to sort everything out, there's a social worker on knocking on Martha's door, threatening to take away the kids from her.

Will Soli be able to form a new life in his new home... or will this be just another house in a long stretch of memories?

My thoughts: Although there were times when the writing seemed forced, Lynn E. Hazen was often able to speak to and connect with the reader. We empathize with Soli and root for him the whole way through. Hazen also shows that the traditional family isn't the only type of family that there is.

One doesn't need to be connected with foster care in any way to be inspired by Hazen's Shifty. Her writing will only improve, so her next novel is sure to be even better!

I loved Shifty. Loved the characters, loved the must-turn-the-page feel. Loved to learn about the foster world. Great read. Would recommend it to all.

Nowadays YA literature seems to have become a sea of sex and vampires. Enter the extraordinary Lynn Hazen, and her book, SHIFTY. Set in the real world, with real characters and situations, this book is a shining example of a fresh, contemporary YA voice. Soli is the title character, a boy in the foster system, torn between making a home and making off. His struggle is at once humorous and heartbreaking, and his final choices triumphant, but not without sacrifice. We could use more YA like this. A book every teen should read.

Nowadays YA literature seems to have become a sea of sex and vampires. Enter the extraordinary Lynn Hazen, and her book, SHIFTY. Set in the real world, with real characters and situations, this book is a shining example of a fresh, contemporary YA voice. Soli is the title character, a boy in the foster system, torn between making a home and making off. His struggle is at once humorous and heartbreaking, and his final choices triumphant, but not without sacrifice. We could use more YA like this. A book every teen should read.