Somebody Please Tell Me Who I Am

This was a surprisingly good read for me. I had been on the search for some better “boy” realistic fiction books and Somebody Please Tell Me Who I Am by Harry Mazer and Peter Lerangirs  hit me pretty deep. I LOVED the fact that it was solely 140 pages and got to the point nice and quick. Without giving too much away, this is the story of Ben graduating high school and grappling with the decision of what to do with his future. It begins with he, his long-term girlfriend, and his best friend staring in their high school’s production of “Westside Story,” which is a future his girlfriend was looking into; one that he too could have faired very well in. But Ben felt as though he needed to make a bigger impact on the world and help out his country in a different way- by joining the army. I liked this book because you see how this affects not only Ben, but his girlfriend, best friend (who is still a junior) and his family that he ultimately leaves behind. A heart-wrenching story about changing relationships, the truths about the army and war, and the after effects of such a decision! A great book for all students and all levels!