I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
Alfred K. Knopf, New York: 2002
ISBN: 0375836675

Plot Summary:
After Ed Kennedy stops a would-be bank robber and becomes a minor local celebrity, he gets an Ace of Diamonds in the mail. On the card is written three addresses, Ed must go to the addresses and fix a situation. Sometimes he does something nice, like befriending a lonely old lady. Sometimes he has to do something horrible, like murder (or attempt to murder) a rapist. After he completes the three tasks on the Ace of Diamonds, he receives the Ace of Clubs with three more tasks, then the Ace of Spades, with three more. They all arrive mysteriously, and Ed has no idea who is sending them, but manages to figure out his tasks each time. Eventually he gets to the Ace of Hearts, where his tasks all involve his three best friends. He ends up changing all their lives for the better and he thinks he is done.

Then the joker arrives for him. Finally the man responsible for sending the cards reveals himself. Someone not related to him at all, but someone who wants to jolt Ed awake. He saw Ed's life as completely ordinary and wanted to make it less so. He admits to organizing everything from Ed's father's death to the bank robbery and everything afterwards. Ed is astounded, but it is true, he now knows he is capable of extraordinary things and will not end up like his drunkard father.

Critical Evaluation:
I really enjoyed this book. Besides the action and mystery surrounding the ace cards, it infused with laugh-out-loud humor. The relationships Ed has with his friends, mother, and stinky old dog are highly entertaining, and I wouldn't mind reading another book with the same characters. The plot of the tasks on the ace cards gets old after awhile, and the ending is incredibly preposterous. I was right there with him up until the sender of the cards revealed himself, and it turned out to be a perfect stranger. How on earth would you convince anyone to rob a bank and go to jail in order to teach a stranger a lesson about life? I really wish he would have thought harder about the ending since the rest of the story was so clever.

Reader’s Annotation:
Ed Kennedy is an ordinary man on an extraordinary mission. He'll become a better person--if he survives.

Information about the Author:
Markus Zusak lives in Sydney, Australia and is the author of Fighting for Ruben Wolfe, and Getting the Girl. He received the Book of the Year Award from the Children's Book Council of Australia, and the Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature for I am the Messenger.

Genre: fiction

Curriculum Ties: none

Booktalking Ideas:
I would talk about Ed Kennedy and his boring life as a 19 year old taxi driver. Then I would introduce the bank robbery and they mysterious events that happen afterwards.

Reading Level/Interest Age:
This book is appropriate for ages 16 and up.

Challenge Issues:
This book could be challenged for its discussion of sex and some violence. I would explain the library's selection policy and give the challenger a complaint form.

Why I chose this book:
I chose this book after seeing it on the YALSA website for winning the Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, I also remembered a class mate recommending this book on the discussion board.