After by Hazel Hutchins

This is another Red Maple book from 2010- and it is fabulous!

After is the story of what happens after two families are affected by a random shooting. The story unfolds through the words of two characters, who although they never meet, are held together by circumstance and emotion.

The first voice is Kate, a thirteen year old girl who is trying to live with the death of her 'perfect' older brother Josh. Her parents are growing apart and Kate doesn't know how to deal with the death of her brother or the way her family is dissolving. Kate moves to a new city and a new school and needs to learn to make new friends again. Her story is told through letters she writes to her best friend Amy back home. While Kate is trying to hide the fact that she had an older brother, she is also trying to deal with growing up and issues with that as well.

The second voice is Sam. A thirteen year old boy who is trying to live with the fact that his older brother shot and killed someone. He sees his mom and sister trying to deal with their grief, while he tries to hide the fact that his brother is a murderer. Sam also starts a new school, looking to escape from the looks and knowing glances that people who know about him constantly give him. Sam has a real fear that he will end up like his brother.

This book is so well written. I felt so bad for both Sam and Kate, I carried them with me for a while after reading the book. It really makes you think about how both the victim and perpetrator's family must try to move on after a tragic event.

So far this is my favourite Red Maple this year.