Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Feb 2012
160 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
Ben has always had it pretty easy - with no acting experience, he landed the lead in his high school musical, and he's dating the prettiest girl in school. Haunted by memories of 9/11, he makes the decision to enlist in the army - with devastating consequences. Somehow nobody ever thought Ben would be one of the soldiers affected, but after his convoy gets caught in an explosion, Ben is in a coma for two months. When he wakes up, he doesn't know where he is, and he doesn't remember anything about his old life. His family and friends mourn what they see as a loss, but Ben perseveres. Although he will never be the person he once was, this is the story of his struggle and transformation.
Ages 12+
"Provides a moving portrait of a young soldier's sacrifice and struggle. With realistic dialogue, relatable characters, and subject matter relevant to teens, this book is a worthwhile addition to library collections." - VOYA
"Starred Review. The tight focus on one soldier does not oversimplify but rather captures the human drama in the personal...The book's power is in the honesty and hope conveyed. As illuminating as a hand grenade, and just as powerful." - Kirkus Reviews
"Mazer and Lerangis use strong characters and storytelling to explore the slow and painful recovery of an injured teenage soldier... the journey is powerful and worthwhile." - Publishers Weekly
This information about Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I Am was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Harry Mazer is the author of many books for young readers, including My Brother Abe, A Boy at War, A Boy No More, Heroes Don't Run, The Wild Kid; and Snow Bound. His books have won numerous honors, including the Horn Book Honor List and the ALA Best Books for Young Adults citations. He is the recipient of the ALAN Award. He lives in Montpelier, Vermont.
Peter Lerangis is the author of over 150 books for early readers through teens, including The Sword Thief and The Viper's Nest in the New York Times bestselling series, The 39 Clues. His historical novel, Smiler's Bones, was a New York Public Library Best Book for Teens. Peter lives in New York City with his family. Visit him online at www.peterlerangis.com.
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