Tangerine+--+Edward+Bloor

Paul Fisher has always lived in the shadow of his older brother, Erik the high school football hero. Mrs. Fisher is a workaholic and Mr. Fisher worship his older son (even though he clearly shows signs of being a bully), leaving Paul ignored most of the time. So when Paul, who is legally blind, discovers a talent for soccer while playing on a middle school team of rag tag misfits and migrant workers' children in Tangerine, Florida, he feels like he finally belongs somewhere. But his new found confidence is not enough to help him deal with his older brother, who is becoming involved in something very dark, very dark indeed. As Paul tries to discover what is going on, he begins to have flashbacks of what happened to him as a child -- something to do with Erik and Paul's near blindness....

This is a great read! Part mystery, part sports story, Tangerine is an exciting page turner. The town of Tangerine seems creepy and unearthly, with giant sinkholes suddenly opening up all over the swamp drained area. The soccer team characters are unique and believable in their struggle to not only win on the playing field, but also to prove to the town that they are not just lazy, unmotivated potential dropouts. Paul is a wonderful character, compassionate and remarkably mature for a middle schooler. His brother Erik is the character you "love to hate," a cruel self-centered guy who doesn't seem to have a sense of right or wrong. The parents are well meaning but clueless as they attempt to hold their family together. Once you pick up this book you will want to read it straight through to its unexpected and shattering climax.