THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE IS THE CEILING

by Barbara Wersba ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 15, 1990

Another in Wersba's long line of lovable misfits is whisked away on a James Bondian adventure. Archie Smith is 16 but looks older--and feels much younger, in experience and ability to cope. While he's indulging in his favorite pastime--wistfully visiting a Kennedy Airport restaurant--a man who looks like him sits down, strikes up a conversation, and suddenly collapses. Archie takes over the man's identity, funds, and ticket, and soon finds himself in a whirlwind of adventure since, when he arrives in Zurich, it develops that Brian Chesterfield was involved in much more than a vacation. Told as a journal to Archie's psychologist, this has familiar Wersba touches: a wry, self-deprecating narrative style; a brief attraction to an older woman; a more permanent connection to a waif-like girl whose willfully decadent demeanor conceals a soul as lonely--and innocent--as Archie's. The story stretches credibility, but it's fast-paced and entertaining. Minor but diverting.

Pub Date: Oct. 15, 1990

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 184

Publisher: HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1990

Categories: CHILDREN'S