The Alex Crow

The Alex Crow by Andrew Smith, 317 pages

As most of Smith's books are, this was a little bizarre, but I really liked it.  Ariel is a refugee who has come to the United States and is living with an American family, including a new brother, Max, who is almost exactly the same age.  Most of the book is Ariel's story, partly before he came to the United States and partly after.  It is interspersed, however, with the journal entries from a failed Arctic expedition several years ago and also with the story of a man who is driving around in a Uhaul truck while losing his mind.  The most fascinating story is Ariel's, but the all of the stories come together in a fascinating conclusion.  This book is mostly for teens who like realistic stories with a touch of science fiction, as long as they are ok with the bizarre aspects.