Numbers- David A. Poulsen

My first experience with this author was Last Sam’s Cage which I found to be excellent. In Numbers, he has tackled a whole new theme, and one that needed to be addressed. Fifteen year-old Andy tends to be a fairly typical high school student. Although he doesn’t fit well in any of the popular groups, and feels that he doesn’t measure up at home, he does hang out with a small group of other misfits. But things improve when he find out that Mr. Retzlaff, the coolest teacher in school, will be his Social teacher. Not only does he make the class fun, but he takes a special interest in the students, which builds Andy’s self-esteem. Gradually, rumours start to surface about Mr. Retzlaff’s teachings on the holocaust. At first Andy thinks he is just teaching them to think for themselves and to question what they see and hear. This is all very admirable, but when it escalates into something more, Andy has some hard decisions to make.

I would be like to be able to house this in the YA section of the library but due to some language and some sexual overtones, I will recommend it for high school only. Please read it for yourselves. It is a powerful and well-written novel.

It seems to be generally recommended for grades 10-12.