The Way Paperback – January 1, 2013

Bruchac takes down the competition with this story of Cody LeBeau, a bullied Abenaki kid who daydreams about being heroic. With his uncle, a former Marine and a Mixed-Martial artist who used to have anger-management problems, Cody learns self-control and finds peace. Once Cody learns some confidence and stops daydreaming to avoid feeling sorry for himself, he notices some other guys who have been tortured by the popular kids, who are looking for revenge. Cody stops a disaster. He figures out that all the martial arts gurus he's been reading have a lot in common with his own family's traditions and in the process learns that "All power comes from our Creator./All things are connected./There is peace within me as I follow The Way."

I loved this teen novel and I was surprised to see that it had received no customer reviews as yet. Cody LeBeau has a rich fantasy life, but in real life he is the victim of a bully at his high school and his self-image is about zero. What he learns from his uncle (an uncle he never knew he had) brings his world into more accurate (and manageable) perspective by introducing him to The Way--the way of the heart. I loved the characters and I loved all the references to the Native folklore--especially the Circlewhereby everyone is connected. Highly Recommended!

The Way is one of my favorite books. I read it to my sixth grade students every year. It's a great way to start discussions about bullying.