Sometimes I Think I Hear My Name

I selected Sometimes I Think I Hear My Name after reading a bio of Avi on Wikipedia and his official website. I like to look up author bio's because it is helpful to have a little background on their writing career. I also try to pick their first or earliest published work available from my library. This story is among his earliest works.

Avi explained on his official website why he wrote Sometimes I Think I Hear My Name. The story is inspired by a friend of his son and it intrigued me. Avi didn't know all the details of this boy's personal experiences, but wrote this story assuming this was how and why it happened. His story and real life were similar.

Conrad Murray's parents divorced and neither parent wanted him. So Conrad was being raised by his aunt and uncle in St. Louis. Conrad visits his parents in New York, but such visits were becoming fewer and fewer. Instead of taking the trip to England that his aunt and uncle gifted to him, Conrad decided to visit his parents on his own. He ventures into New York City and meets up with a girl he barely knows from his home town. This girl, Nancy Sperling, also has a difficult homelife. Both children form a strong friendship while searching for Conrad's parents. Once Conrad does find his parents, he realizes his aunt and uncle were protecting him from the ugly truth.

At one time young adult novels liked to explore topics about divorce, abuse, and other tough problems. Most kids these days do not like to read these stories because they don't want to be reminded of their own problems. They like escapist fantasy fiction. The story is well written and I did want to finish it, but I don't see it being very popular.

Book Rating: 3 stars