Saint Iggy by K.L.Going

It is a week before Christmas and third-year freshman, Iggy Corso, has been suspended again (this time it’s looking permanent), but that is hardly the worst of his concerns.  His mom has been missing for weeks, presumably on a meth-fueled bender, and his father is too drunk or stoned to care.  With his principal’s admonition to do “something that contributes to the world” ringing in his ears, Iggy makes a plan.  It has five steps:

1. make a plan

2. get out of the Projects

3. do something with [his] life

4. change everyone’s mind about [him]

5. get back into school

For assistance and advice he turns to his friend and mentor, Mo, a wealthy college dropout with an escalating drug habit that is about to get them both into a lot of very serious trouble.  Can Iggy’s relentless optimism and drive get both their lives back on track?  How many ways can a sixteen year old, with little education and no skills, contribute to the world?

Written in the first person, from Iggy’s perspective, Saint Iggy is a gritty, urban drama with an amusingly wry voice.  Despite its Lexile level of 1190, Saint Iggy’s generous use of whitespace, and realistic teen voice, make it an accessible and engaging read for a fluent high school reader. --Regan Schwartz

Going, K.L. Saint Iggy. New York: Harcourt, Inc., 2006. Print.