Inside Out

Trueman, Terry. Inside Out. New York: HarperCollins, 2003.

Annotation: “Wong Gong”, “Gong Wong”, “Wasteoid”, “You need to die!” Zach’s brain doesn’t work so well. If he doesn’t get his medicine on time the Rat and Dirtbag, the tormenting voices inside his head will come back. When the teen robbers enter the coffee shop where Zach is waiting for this mom , Zach is pushed to his limit. He needs to take his meds or risk going over the edge.

Justification for nomination: Wow! What an intense psychological thrill ride from beginning to end. Zach is waiting for his mother to pick him up after school one day. He sits and waits in a coffee shop, knowing that she will be there and then it will be time to take his medicine. Two young teen boys enter the coffee shop with guns and demand money. Zach does not have the capacity to feel so he doesn’t know enough to be afraid of the young punks. This begins a long journey for Zach, the two hoodlums and the rest of the hostages. Trueman takes the reader through two simultaneous crisis situations in a sharp, vivid style. Trueman weaves together inner and outer conflicts, while grounding the reader with references to the here and now. Though the story would have been great without the epilogue, it adds an impact that teens will be able to identify with and hopefully will open dialogue about mental illness and empathy. The story is full of tight, crisp psychological dialogue and suspense with a hero who the reader may know from school or the playground. Zach’s matter of fact thinking makes the dark regions of his mind both real and chilling. This book will appeal to all levels of readers. It is also a pocket book, which is appealing to male readers. The author has created a fast paced read filled with powerful and gripping words. It is action packed and each character adds an important role in the book, major or minor. Although the reason behind the robbery is one that makes you take pity on the two antagonists, careful conversation with most teens about teen justice can help alleviate any fears parents or teachers have about the controversial matter in the book.

Genre: Realistic novel/problem novel/edgy fiction, thriller,