Having recently read Graff's Absolutely Almost, I guess I was expecting something similar when I started Lost in the Sun, but I was certainly wrong in my expectations. Graff's latest novel is similar to her previous one in that, again, she has crafted strong characters that a reader can "know" and empathize with, and the greatest conflict in the story is the main character vs. himself. Lost in the Sun deals with some dark material-- Trent has just started sixth grade, and while beginning middle school can certainly be tough enough, it's nothing compared to the crushing guilt Trent deals with on a daily basis. In fifth grade, months earlier, Trent went out one cold winter day to play hockey with the guys. One of the times his stick connected with the puck had greater effects than he could have ever dreamed. The puck flew and hit one of the other guys, Jared, square in the chest. No one knew Jared had a heart defect -- it had never been detected-- and when the puck hit Jared, it killed him.This isn't an easy read in many regards, because Trent is SO consumed with guilt and anger. Throughout the book, Trent time and again does things to sabotage himself and to make things worse. He ends friendships, tries to get into trouble with teachers, and argues incessantly every time he spends time with his father and Kari, his father's new wife. The reader sees how wrong Trent is about everything-- the reader realizes it isn't Trent's fault, that the other kids and teachers don't hate him-- but Trent can't see these things at all. Fortunately, a new friend, Fallon Little - a quirky kid many other kids shun because of the vivid scar down her face, pushes her way into Trent's life. Fallon begins to make a difference with Trent that, so far, no one else has been able to. Can Trent accept Fallon's friendship, and live up to his part of it?I felt pretty sad and frustrated through much of the first half of this book. When hope for change finally entered the picture, I found myself really pulling for Trent and Fallon, and I didn't want to stop reading until I found out what was going to happen to both of them. Graff has written a powerful story!