Being Henry David

February 11, 2013
Armistead’s debut might oversell its Thoreauvian connections, but the core story of an amnesiac boy and his quest for identity stands on its own. When “Henry David” wakes up in Penn Station, he has no clue who he is; since his only possession is a copy of Walden, he takes the author’s name as his own. After falling in with a pair of homeless teens who nickname him Hank and being threatened by a crime boss, the 17-year-old decides he’s safer outside the city and heads to Concord, Mass., to see if Thoreau’s life can offer him answers. There, he meets an attractive high schooler named Hailey and a heavily tattooed librarian named Thomas, both of whom help Hank as his memories slowly come back. Armistead can go over the top at times—her New York City is almost cartoonishly violent and one-dimensional—but Hank’s personal tragedies are touching, as are his interactions with everyone from street kids Jack and Nessa to the more sedate citizens of Concord. His quests for answers and redemption should easily engage readers. Ages 13–up.

March 1, 2013

Gr 10 Up-A boy wakes up in Penn Station, remembering nothing. He guesses that he's about 17, he has a head injury, and he is carrying only 10 dollars. Near at hand is a copy of Walden, so for want of anything better he calls himself Henry David (Hank). He heads to Concord, Massachusetts, to find, he hopes, some clues at Walden Pond. As his memories slowly return, he remembers who he was; as he copes with the memories, he discovers who he is and can be. The quiet mystery of Hank's past is the central plot point, but the focus is more on the relationships he builds and his efforts to be a good person and make up for past misdeeds-whatever they may have been. Thematic elements from Thoreau are subtly deployed, planting the suggestion that teens pick up Walden. Introspective high schoolers will appreciate this enigmatic coming-of-age story.-Brandy Danner, Wilmington Memorial Library, MA

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 1, 2013
When Hank wakes up in Penn Station, the only clue to his identity is the book he's clutching, Walden, so he adopts Henry David Thoreau's name and iconic work to guide him on his journey to self-discovery. After a stabbing ends his brief stint as a homeless teen, Hank flees to Walden Pond, where he meets Thomas, a gentle park docent, and bonds with a girl, gifted singer Hailey. His festering knife wound forces him to confide in Thomas and accept help, but Hank's pleasant discoveries (he's good-looking, a runner and a musician) are overshadowed by returning memories that evoke dread and shame. What's driven him, Hank realizes, is desperation to escape his past, not to recover it. Accepting and moving on is hard for Hailey, too; she is afraid to enter a band competition since her last experience ended badly. Thomas, who's made peace with his own closet skeletons, mentors Hank but can't spare him the tough choice: whether to keep running or face the music. Hank earns sympathy and respect from readers, but Armistead doesn't let him off easy. Rescue is not an option, but Thoreau's spare words, focusing on what truly matters, lighten the darkness. This compelling, suspenseful debut, a tough-love riff on guilt, forgiveness and redemption, asks hard questions to which there are no easy answers. (Fiction. 13 & up)

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March 1, 2013
Grades 9-12 A boy wakes up on the floor of Penn Station with an aching head and a copy of Walden in his hand; beyond that, he knows nothingnot his name, not his family, and certainly not how he ended up there. The first things he remembers, surprisingly, are long passages of Walden, so he dubs himself Henry David, or Hank, as he comes to be known, sensing that Thoreau's book contains some clues to his real identity. The next few days are a jumble of experiences, and throughout it all, a beast in Hank's head keeps up a furious attack against the return of his memory. Only when his memory begins to resurface does Hank realize that the beast has been protecting him from a terrible truth. Frequent passages from Walden are a pleasing complement to the relentless tensions of Hank's situation, as is the romance when Hank and a girl click through their mutual love of music. Think James Dashner's Maze Runner series meets High School Musical: an engaging and unique book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2013
After waking up in Penn Station with amnesia and a copy of Walden, "Hank" sets out to rediscover himself--literally. Running from something and with no idea where to go, he heads to Walden Pond where he begins to become a new person as he attempts to exhume his past. It's an inviting premise, but parts of the plot feel forced.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)