Along with accidents and homicides, suicide is one of the leading causes of death in young adults. Because of this, writers are beginning to discuss adolescent suicide in nonfiction books and in novels. Some reviewers have criticized Peck for not providing concrete information on suicide prevention and for not really explaining the causes of teen suicide in his novel. But suicide is difficult to understand and Peck's purpose seems to be to make the reader aware of the existence of a problem that many try to deny. The power of this novel comes not from a technical exploration or case study of teen suicide but from Peck's ability to make the characters and their friendship come alive for the reader and to make the reader care about what happens to Kate, Buck, and Trav. In doing so, he also gives the reader an opportunity to think...