Bystander, by James Preller 226 pages

When Eric and his mom move to a new town he is not sure that he will be able to make new friends easily. One day while shooting hoops before school starts, he meets a bully terrorizing a smaller boy. Griffin threatens to steel Eric's ball, but Eric is able to persuade him not to take it. At school, he discovers the school and adults seem to let Griffin do whatever he wants to. At first, Griffin seems to accept Eric and encourages him to join his lunch table. Griffin betrays his trust when he steals money and a cd when he visits Eric at home. Eric decides that he will not remain a bystander, and will stand up to Griffin and his group of thugs. Preller is the author of the popular Jigsaw Jones mystery series for younger readers. This book for older readers has a depth to it as well as a valuable message. Eric learns to deal with a variety of problems and also realizes the importance of communication. The ending is not sugar coated and one can see that Eric will find the right way to solve whatever problems may come his way.