Hinton, S.E. The Outsiders. New York: Speak, 2008. 180 pages. Paperback. $9.99. ISBN: 9780140385724
Awards
New York Herald Tribune Best Teenage Books List, 1967
Chicago Tribune Book World Spring Book Festival Honor Book, 1967
Media and Methods Maxi Award, 1975
ALA Best Young Adult Books, 1975
Massachusetts Children's Book Award, 1979
Annotation
Two rival gangs the Greasers and the Socials discover more about themselves than which is the tougher gang in this coming of age story. The Greasers realize they need one another and the Soc soon realize they cannot exist they way they have; both groups they discover they are more alike than they realized.Book Review
The Outsiders by H. E. Hinton is an action
pact adventure novel about two rival gangs; the Greasers are a
low-socioeconomic group in Oklahoma and the Soc, short for Socials, are the
rich, upper class from the west side of town. They fight, hassle, kill, and
disrupt each other’s lives seriously. The Greasers in the end realize that they
are family and need each other to survive in life. The Soc also realize that they cannot
continue to exist the way they have been in the past. Both groups realize that they have some
things in common, and if they are going to survive into adult life they must
grow in character and trust of the other.Hinton does an excellent job of
writing this coming of age story. Even though the book was written some time
ago, the themes still resonate with teens and adults today. Teenagers will relate to the themes presented
in the book such as disputing stereotypes, overcoming differences, and
supporting and standing up for what one believes. This book is highly recommended for the reluctant as well as the
advanced young adult reader. Both groups
will find its fast moving action appealing, page turning, and engaging to the
last page. This book is one that readers will want to read again even as an
adult. Readers will be able to identify with the story line, the issues, and
the tragic conclusions regardless of which
socioeconomic group they are from.
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