The Sledding Hill

Chris Crutcher’s (2006) The Sledding Hill “. . . entertains, inspires, and invites intellectual inquiry” (Szewczyk, 2006, April 15) and is a book which explores the issues of death and censorship. In an age when book banning is growing increasingly more prevalent, the topic of censorship is especially relevant, and the book’s other theme, death, is something speaks to young adult readers in various ways, as well. This innovative story, told from the perspective of Eddie, a young boy who has lost both his father and best friend to two tragic accidents, is full of literary twists that keep the reader guessing what will happen next. It is a story of young boy, struggling to figure out who he is and what he believes in after his entire world is turned upside down. The Sledding Hill gives young adult readers to experience this journey with him and witness how Eddie manages to find himself amidst the rubble. It allows readers the chance to sympathize with Eddie and his situation, while witnessing how he responds.