“You think I don’t know what your life is like? You don’t have a clue about my life. How about this? You don’t even know my name.”
I pointed to Dave. “You’re my best friend. What’s my name?”
“Wade. You’re creeping me out, dude.”
“You want to be creeped out? Listen up. My name isn’t Wade. I’m Kip McFarland. I went to school on a mental ward for violent juvenile offenders. I was the youngest and guilty of the most violent crime the Anchorage unit ever had. I was there for almost five years.”
“You’re making this up,” Brett said. “And it’s not funny.”
—From Right Behind You
When he was nine, Kip set another child on fire. Now, after years in a juvenile ward, he is ready for a fresh start. But the ghosts of his past demand justice, and he must reveal his painful secret. How can Kip reveal that he really is—or was—a murderer? Following Kip on his harrowing journey to forgiveness and redemption, critically- acclaimed author Gail Giles addresses a highly controversial topic that is sure to elicit discussion from teachers and teens alike.