The Outsiders
by S.E. Hinton

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

The Outsiders is a great book about trust, loyalty and friendship. Ponyboy, a 14 year old teen living with his two brothers, Sodapop and Darry, battles to stay out of jail and not to die as well as keeping his grades up and his brother happy. Ponyboy’s parents passed away when he was younger and Darry is struggling to provide for his two brothers . Ponyboy and his brothers are part of the Greaser gang, along with their friends. Ponyboy is a troubled teen. He is good in school but he has many problems, like being wanted by the cops and having two of his best friends in the hospital that could die .

This book shows you what friendship is when Johnny, a member of the Greaser gang, kills Bob the leader of the Soc's after Bob tries to drown Ponyboy. Johnny and Ponyboy hide out at a church a few towns away and they stick together through the whole thing and sacrifice for each other, as well as the other Greasers who are also there to back them up. And when Johnny killed Bob the rivalry started again and the Greasers and the Socs have a big rumble, and before the rumble there are some hard times maybe even a few deaths.

This book is a one of a kind book and is not a part of a series. So if you need a great book this is it, The Outsiders. This is a great book for teens and someone liking a book that makes you think. S.E Hinton uses great cliffhangers and explains the plot very well so you are drawn into the book. And by the end you really will know the characters like Dally, the cocky loud mouth, or Ponyboy, the nice sensitive boy.

The way that S.E Hinton helps you understand is in her writing style. She always explains things before they actually happen and she builds the suspense up to the climax of the story. The theme of this book, I think, is trust and loyalty and staying together because to be safe and stay out of jail, all of the Greasers have to stick together to get through these hard times that they are fighting against. If you need a book to fall in love with The Outsiders is it. There is no forgetting about this book, it will stick with you forever.

~ reviewed by Sino