The Outsiders
by S.E. Hinton

Penguin Group, 1967, 180 pp., $6.99
ISBN 0-14-038572

In the book The Outsiders, S.E Hinton shows that when you have the hardest life, you still have your friends to help you. From the beginning of the story you can just tell that this book has a lot of sadness, fighting, friendship and death.This book is the story of Ponyboy, and his brothers Sodapop and Darry. They were in a gang called the Greasers, who fought against their enemies the Socs. The fights between the two gangs were brutal and graphic. After Ponyboy was talking to Cherry, a girlfriend of the Socs leader, the Socs came after Ponyboy and Johnny and one event causes the friends to leave town. They ended up in a old abandoned church. A couple days later they went out for something to eat, but when they returned they found the church in flames. Ponyboy heard little voices screaming in the burning church and bolted in the fire to go and save them along with Johnny. But when Johnny and Ponyboy got all of the kids out Johnny was severely hurt and landed in the hospital.Ponyboy was my favorite character because he was strong when he fought in the end. He wasn’t like his older brother Darry; he was talkative, sweet, and nice. Then when something goes terribly wrong be breaks down and goes on to his soft side.  Hinton writes with a sad but positive outlook. Hinton sounds like she wanted to make The Outsiders about loyalty and friendship because the guys all stick up for each other and with each other.I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure, action, violence, slang, and friendship.~ reviewed by Maddie P.