ALA Booklist (Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2009)

Crutcher fanatics rejoice! Your favorite characters are back. Mr. Nak from Ironman (1995) is holding Angry Management classes with other characters from the Crutcher archives. After a brief intro, each of the three stand-alone stories is preceded by Mr. Nak's file notes on the teen subjects. First up, Sarah Byrnes has a new fat guy: Angus Bethune from Athletic Shorts (1991). They hook up, discover the real reason Sarah's mom abandoned her, and find comfort in their own skin. Montana West (Sledding Hill, 2005) takes on her father and the school board over a censored school newspaper story that she wrote about medical marijuana. And, finally, Marcus James, Matt Miller, and Mr. Simet, from Whale Talk (2001) respond to a pink noose left on gay, African American Marcus' locker. The first novella, in which Crutcher's authorial voice intrudes the least, is the strongest. Teens comfortable with Crutcher's black-and-white take on controversial issues will delight in these stories, and with his best book cover yet, this may draw new fans to the fold.

Horn Book (Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

In this collection of three novellas, Crutcher places his own characters from previous novels and short stories in situations outside their original time and place. The book's conceit--these characters all attend the same counseling seminar--fails to bind the tales together; happily, each stands on its own. Though Crutcher's voice occasionally intrudes, the stories are tight enough to prevent message from overrunning plot.

School Library Journal (Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2009)

Gr 9 Up-Crutcher's fans will relish the reunion with some familiar characters in this collection of three stories set in the Pacific Northwest and thematically united around anger. "Kyle Manard and the Craggy Face of the Moon" takes Angus Bethune ( Athletic Shorts , 1991) and Sarah Byrnes ( Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes , 1993) on a road trip to Reno to confront the mother who abandoned her years before. In "Montana Wild," student journalist Montana West ( The Sledding Hill , 2005) defends her article on medicinal marijuana in a very public shouting match with the right-wing school-board president, who also happens to be her father. "Meet Me at the Gates, Marcus James" unexpectedly binds gay Marcus James, sole black student at his high school, with complexly devout Christian Matt Miller ( Deadline , 2007) and sympathetic teacher John Simet ( Whale Talk , 2001), when racist football players hang a pink noose on Marcus's locker. Subthemes packed into the mix include foster care, sexual awakening, body image, and hope, played out through lively plot and dialogue. Too many stereotypical characters weaken the stories' impact, including blindly bureaucratic school administrators and knee-jerk conservative Christians. The unnecessary conceit that all the characters attend an anger management course led by Mr. Nak ( Ironman , 1995, all HarperCollins) remains undeveloped, and the stories end too abruptly. Despite these flaws, readers will encounter colorful characters and thought-provoking subject matter in a quick read. Joyce Adams Burner, National Archives at Kansas City, MO

Voice of Youth Advocates

Crutcher resurrects characters from previous books and short stories in the three novellas comprising this book, which takes its title from the nickname of a teen counseling group. Misfits Sarah Byrnes, facially scarred by her abusive father (Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes; Greenwillow, 1993/VOYA August 1993), and obese Angus Bethune, who has two sets of gay parents (A Brief Moment in the Life of Angus Bethune, Athletic Shorts; Greenwillow, 1991/VOYA April 1992), find each other and some insights on their respective lives. Liberal-minded Montana West (The Sledding Hill; Greenwillow, 2005/VOYA June 2005) battles her conservative father and the school board, which he heads, over freedom of the high school student press. In addition, she must advocate for her emotionally stunted five-year-old foster sister, whom her controlling father wants to return to the foster care system. The only black and openly gay student in his high school, Marcus James confronts bigotry, primarily in the form of Roger Marshall, whose family has a history of intolerance and violence. He is aided by an unexpected source, fellow student Matt Miller, a devout Christian who barely knows Marcus. There is nothing new here, but that is fine. It is vintage Crutcher, in his inimitable fashion, denouncing bigotry and hatred, advocating for abused children, and promoting Constitutional freedoms. Readers might not remember some of the characters, but that does not matter. The stories are well written, action packed, engrossing, and at times humorous. Readers will root for some characters, despise a few, and feel emotional tugs for others. Characters are portrayed realistically, and not all stories have happy, storybook endings; however, Crutcher infuses the endings with hope. A good introduction to Crutcher, his latest book will certainly please current fans as well.ùEd Goldberg.