I think that this book is a must read. I found that I could never put it down- it was so gripping! I always wanted to know if Jess and her grandfather was alright. You can almost feel the same sort of anxiety that Jess was feeling. River Boy is a great book and I would recommend it strongly to anybody over the age of 12.

Tim Bowler portrays the relationship between Jess and her Grandpa with sensitivity but at no time does it become over-sentimental. There are many mystical, spiritual and emotional elements to this book that make it a book which is accessible on so many levels. I am 21 years old and read this book because I had to study it as part of my teaching degree but would definately put it into my top ten - it reminded me so much of my relationship with my own grandad. This will most certainly become a classic in children's literature

I am 12 years old and in my veiw this book was a well thourght out master piece ,and you must read it.

One of the reasons I prefer music to 'songs' is that there is no set story or purpose behind music. And composers don't feel the urge to inject words like 'love', 'baby' and 'yeah' to make sure the listener likes what they are listening to. One piece of music can mean 100 different things to 100 different people. One of the main reasons I like film scores so much is that the pictures have been removed from the music, letting see your own pictures in your head.

Such logic is strongly used in this book. I'd never read any books by Tim Bowler before this so it was a total random purchase. And I'm glad I did because I liked it very much. The story is of Luke Stanton and his troubles with being a teenager, struggling with so many burdens and the death of his dad. He's a great pianist and everyone is his 'quaint little English village' says so. Tho he's hanging around with the wrong crowd and they want him to break into some old lady's house so they can get their hands on her jewellery box.

What he finds in there tho is only the beginning of a story that, when ended, will steal your heart away forever. I've never so totally satisfied with the ending of a book until this. I really liked it a lot.

I'd definitely recommend this to any teenager struggling to find a good book for English class. It's not in-your-face, it doesn't raise the bar of extremities, there is no ugliness. Just a great story told in a peaceful environment. (Tim Bowler's fiction town is so well described you can be fully orientated as to where everything is)

Oh, and my copy is signed by the Author. Just wanted to show off.

I can not recommend this book. I agree with the editorial review that the ending does *not* show any growth by the characters in this story and the british slang is difficult to translate. My son, age 16, was born with multiple birth defects and he was very disappointed in how Midgets' relationship to his family, school and community was so very stereotypical. The author shows very little understanding of persons who have disabilities. We weren't expecting a happy ending to this depressing book and still the ending chosen by the author is very disappointing.

Danger, persecution, imagery, and struggle make this story attractive enough to motivate even a busy young reader to finish it ... probably in 3 days. Teachers will appreciate how its complexity invites variety in oral discussion and written analysis. Its practical length fits well into a typical week's cramped lesson plan.