Buffalo Tree - Adam Rapp

I was all set to defend this book. I really wanted to defend this book. I don't know if I can. I don't know if I can finish this book.

What's really bothering me, and feel free to chime in with comments/disagreements, is it doesn't feel accurate. I HATE that I'm agreeing with that woman, but I have to question the research.

For those of us who read Last Chance Texaco, we have a first hand account of what a last chance group home is like from Brent. And we know he worked at one for a period of time. I have a difficult time believing that the security in a juvenile PRISON would be less than that in a group home, eg. no bed checks every two hours, no complete lock down after lights out, apparently even no doors.

Also, do I really believe (especially after reading Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos) that 1, if ANYONE had lice that the entire population would not be de-loused and have their heads shaved, 2, that the prison would allow hat wearing let alone stolen hats with lice running rampant, and 3, that the kids who are setting watch each night (thanks to the complete lack of doors on their cells) are most worried about having their stuff stolen. No, no I don't really believe it, and that's the problem.

I was all set for a really hardcore, frighteningly accurate, scary book. So far, it's losing points for believability.

I'll stop here because I have not finished the book. It's going to take a lot at this point though to make me feel better about this one.