Book: Thanks for the Trouble by Tommy Wallach

One of my favorite young adult novels is Thanks for the Trouble by Tommy Wallach.  I came across this book when I was working at McCreless Library Branch a few years back.   I remembered receiving the book and shelving it in the New Book shelf, away from my Young Adult section.  I was in need of wanting a young adult romance and found it.   I read the back summary of the book and decided to take it home to read.  It sat on my coffee table that week until I picked up for reading that Friday afternoon.

The book tells the story of a teenage boy named Parker Sante who experienced a traumatic car accident resulting in his father's death, and the spawn of his new form of communication...silence. After the accident, Parker spends most of his time downtown San Francisco in the Palace Hotel, where he people watches and picks pockets.  The story starts with Parker introducing himself (writing about himself) and letting the reader know that he will share the "single most important experience of [his] life."

Parker meets this beautiful silver-haired girl name Zelda Toth, who befriends Parker.  She questions Parker's vow of silence and challenges him to be more social.  Parker had been sheltered and being a shy kid by nature had fallen behind with certain social norms.

The setting of the novel takes place in a span of 72 hours.  The teens meet on Friday October 30th, and quickly find themselves falling in love, and experiencing many firsts together.  Zelda is Parker's motivation to be outgoing, to be himself, and to learn to move past grieving.  Because of her, Parker get's the courage to communicate with his mom about his neglect, her alcoholism, and his father's passing.

As hours pass, Parker begins to fall in love with Zelda but her secret prevents them from starting a relationship.  There is a lot of mystery behind Zelda's past and why she too yearns to experience many firsts with Parker.  Both have experienced depression and loss.  While Parker gains the confidence to be bold and outgoing, Zelda continues to long for an end to her depression.

This book kept me up all night.  I was determined to know where this was going, and "how on earth Zelda could stay with Parker?"  The ending was one of the most emotional endings I have ever read.  I could not stop crying, even if I tried.

It's incredible to see in writing people's impact or influence in others.  We as reader's try to help fellow friends by providing support.  Sometimes we see positive impact, while sometimes we see that nothing changes.  In this story we see a major change with Parker.  It is positive and it leads to healthy relationships and social norms.  Without Zelda, Parker would be lost.

If you have read All the Bright Places, or Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, you'll love reading Thanks for the Trouble.  I recommend this book to all of the teenagers that visit my library branch.  I keep this book in our Young Adult Express Collection to remain housed at Bazan permanently.

Please visit the San Antonio Public Library catalog to place a hold on this e-book by following this link https://mysapl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/2050110097