shift

I'm starting to read some of the new DCF list titles that students will vote from next year, and my first choice was the book Shift by Jennifer Bradbury. The story is about two high school boys who have been lifetime friends and decide upon their graduation to ride bicycles from Atlanta to Seattle, a feat few believe they can accomplish.

The trip is full of awakenings, and the unlikely friendship between this hard-working Eagle scout and his entitled but unmotivated sidekick, is changing daily. Near the end of their ride, the two square off and say good-bye to their seasoned partnership to finish the trip independently. One goes on with the original plan, and one parts with it, and sets up the mystery that drives this taught story.

This book is a real page-turner. I quickly got involved with the characters and their conflicts, and the back-and-forth chapters that travelled between the past and the present worked well in telling this story. There is palpable tension throughout and you won't be disappointed in this tale of a friendship transformed. Read this one to start your summer with a vicarious adventure.