Daddy Problems

By Colby M.

Dane Washington, a quick-tempered high-schooler on the verge of expulsion, is a smart kid who can't stay out of trouble. Billy Drum, who you can call Billy D, is a student with Down Syndrome who first meets Dane as a bystander to one of his fights. Billy and Dane seem to be polar opposites, but both have one thing in common. Neither know where their fathers are. In Dead Ends, award-winning author, Erin Jane Lange, tells the story of Billy D's quest to find his missing dad from the perspective of Dane, his reluctant side-kick.

After facing another detention, the warden of Twain High proposes an alternative service-- to satisfy the needs to Billy D. Dane agrees, aware of the unreasonable demands that were to come. Billy wants to learn how to fight, and most importantly-- find his father. Still, Dane knew upsetting Billy was not an option. Keeping him happy would in turn, keep the warden off his case.

Dane agrees to help Billy find his father, whose location is believed to be hidden within clues written in his atlas. The answers to these riddles, written by his father, are the names of weird, unknown towns, such as Burnt Corn, Alabama. Dane has a question for everything, which often lead to dead ends, but he never quits on the kid. Helping Billy, which was once a punishment, soon turns into a task Dane would risk anything for. However, when the boys are finally confident that they have solved all the clues, Billy reveals shocking information that changes everything.  

Lange incorporates very diverse characters and finds a perfect role for each of them. They all had a voice that continued to the story. Although it was difficult to relate to any of the characters personally, Lange taught more about them on every page, and made me sincerely feel for them. Also, her address to real-world issues such as single-parent families, bullying, and disabilities were handled without flaws. The plot was paced perfectly and there were no holes to her story. I enjoyed experiencing the dynamic interactions between Lange's two main characters most of all. The transition from Dane using Billy for selfish reasons, to them becoming real friends in the end was truly heartwarming.

However, likes all novels, Lange's work is not perfect. As they decode the clues, Lange unnecessarily includes almost every city they find. This is certainly repetitive, and dragged on at times, yet bearable due to the excellence of the overall storyline. This was a difficult book to put down.

This book is strongly recommended. Lange leaves room for the reader to contribute their imagination in the very realistic story, while still answering all essential questions. For an insight into the complicated lives of Dane and Billy, and the bond they form on a seemingly impossible journey, Dead Ends is a must-read.

Dead Ends, by Erin Jade Lange, Bloomsbury Children's Books, September 2013, 326 pages