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Average Customer Rating:

Brilliant book	Customer Rating:
This was a spontaneous grab from the library, but I want to buy a copy as I'm sure I'll want to read it again. The characters jump right off the page and you can't help but care for them. The brothers' relationship is very realistic and I never knew what was going to happen next. A wonderful ride, honest and heartfelt. I was very impressed with this and hope to read more from this author.

Skate Review

Customer Rating:

In this novel written by Michael Harmom, a teenager boy, Ian McDermott, has serious issues, caused by the dangerous environment; his mother is alcoholic, and a drug addict and she brings her love mates to her house, she also spends most of the time on the streets, leaving Ian to take care of his brother. This doesn't help Ian at all. What he needs from the "system" is some help; what he gets is placed on a list of kids who the principal wants out of his school as soon as possible. When he had enough of the "system", he took it out on Coach Florence, and he knows that the principal is not going to help and he can't afford to go to Juvie, because his little, Sammy, needs him. Now its time to skate! Skate to their dad, their dad who left them in the first place. His adventures will change his life! This book shows that everything might not be what you think, because Ian McDermott thought that society was out to get people who did not have a life, but society actually helped him get his life back!

OMG This is the best book ever!!

Customer Rating:

Ok this may be a kids review. But I'm not a kid. This book is a page turner. It took me about 3 days to read the whole book because of homework, school and other things. But i was always iching to keep reading. The lanuage is a litle for an older crowd and the content in the story may not be suitable for readers under the age of 10. But this book has a very good story line. the auother makes you want to keep reading and you never know what is coming next. The outcome of the story is really good. So in conclusion I recomend this book to the older crowd over ages 10. You will love this book !!

Siblings alone	Customer Rating:
Micahel Harmon's SKATE tells of siblings alone: Ian's been raising his brother without his mother's aid, and when trouble hits, Ian grabs Sammy and runs to the one relative they can think of, across the state of Washington in winter.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

Customer Rating:

Fifteen-year-old Ian McDermott already has a tough life: He's never really known his father, his mother is a drug addict and spends most of her time on the streets, and he is left caring for his younger brother, Sammy. What he needs from "the system" is some help; what he gets is placed on a list of kids who the principal wants out of his school as soon as possible. And, when he takes a swing at Coach Florence and breaks his jaw, he knows that the principal is going to get his wish. But, Ian cannot go to juvie--who will take care of Sammy? Their mom is out of the question, and if Sammy goes into foster care, Ian knows they will be apart at least three years, until Ian turns eighteen. There is only one option: They have to find their dad. The last address Ian has for Samuel McDermott is in Walla Walla--quite a walk from Spokane. But they have no choice, so they hit the road before the cops can arrest Ian for assault. Through the cold, the rain, and many nights of hunger, the brothers trudge forward, dodging the authorities, determined to find their father. But, when they finally arrive, will the address prove to be their saving grace, or will their dreams be shattered in this impractical--maybe impossible--quest? Michael Harmon's first novel hits the mark with its realistic portrayal of teen rage, drug culture, and the bond that exists between brothers. He manages to have his characters speak in voices that are both hilarious and heartbreaking, never taking the reader so far down that hope is lost, but also never reaching for solutions which render the story unbelievable: "Samuel McDermott or not, I was Ian McDermott, and the way I saw life was the way I'd live life" (p. 167). Reviewed by: Mechele R. Dillard