nickel plated by aric davis
Twelve-year-old unforgettable Nickel is one of the most unusual and magnetic anti-heroes ever to grace the page. A private eye, a dealer, a fighter, a savior to lost children everywhere, and, most importantly, a survivor, Nickel will make you smile, think, and weep for the hurt that adults can, and do, wreak on young people. When beautiful dame Arrow's little sister Shelby goes missing, she hires Nickel to find her, and he sets out to rescue the girl. In the meantime, he launders some money, discovers a new talent for the boxing ring, and manages the various money-making methods that enable him to live on his own. Although Nickel could have turned out to be one of those cute kids playing grown-up, not for a single moment did I doubt his premature adulthood or his ability to pull it all off. I wish I could make the guy dinner. Although this book is marketed as young adult, I would also recommend it to fans of noir thrillers, especially Dashiell Hammett. This is a story that should be on every young adult librarian's reading list, and one can only hope that Aric Davis will grace us with another Nickel book. Don't miss author Gillian Flynn's full review. Grade 8+
