Swiss Mist

By Randy Powell

When Milo is in fifth grade, his parents get divorced, and his teacher, Ms. Swinford, helps him make it through the year. He loves hearing her sing "The Happy Wanderer" and reminisce about the year she lived in Switzerland during college, practically "on "the misty slopes of the Matterhorn. The Matterhorn During the next five years, Milo moves through the mists of Washington State - from place to place and school to school - while his mother tries to figure out what to do with her life. Along the way, he tries to "seek the truth," as his free-spirited father urged him to do before he left, but he never forgets Ms. Swinford and her tales of Switzerland. Then, when he gets the chance to see Ms. Swinford again, his understanding of what is true is shaken. With the authentic teen voice and quirky characters he's known for, Randy Powell tells a thoughtful story about a loner searching for his own path in a constantly changing world.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0374373566
• ISBN13: 9780374373566
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
• Length: 210 Pages
• Weight: 0.77 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.8" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

Engaging, Insightful, Thoughtful

Milo, like a lot of kids his age, has a lot to deal with. His parents separated and got divorced when he was in the 5th grade, and, were it not for his teacher, Ms. Swinford, he's not sure how he would have made it through the experience. Now, he and his mother have to move, leaving behind their home and all of their friends, so that she can go to school and find a way to support them. Engaging, insightful, and thoughtful, this story deals with difficult issues in a very real and heartwarming manner. The author tells the story from a kids' perspective without being patronizing, dealing with tough issues like drug abuse and domestic violence and, ultimately, finding one's place in the world. I recommend it as a good read with the caveat that, depending on the age of the reader, parental supervision may be a good idea, in order to discuss the issues the author tackles. Reviewed by Kim Schults