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Raven Summer    by David Almond Amazon.com order for
Raven Summer
by David Almond
Order:  USA  Can
Delacorte, 2009 (2009)
Hardcover, e-Book

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* * *   Reviewed by Lyn Seippel

A raven leads Liam and his friend Max to a field near town where they discover a baby in a basket beside the river. The baby has obviously been abandoned by someone who loved her. A note pinned to her clothes asks that someone take care of her as she is a child of God.

They take the baby to Liam's dad who works at home as a writer. Liam feels responsible for the child since he found her. When the authorities put her in a foster home, Liam meets Oliver, a refugee from Liberia and Crystal, a troubled teenager. Liam is drawn to Oliver. He begins to learn of worlds beyond his small town in England, where children are less protected and horrible things happen.

When it looks like Oliver will be sent back to Liberia where he will be executed, he and Crystal run away from their foster home and come to Liam for help. Liam is ready to do anything he can to help his friend. Later Liam learns the truth about Oliver's past and he begins to question his own decisions.

This coming of age story is different from any you've ever read. It deals with war, childhood brutality, truth, corruption and conscience. This thought provoking novel is written by Printz Award Winner David Almond.

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