Crunch

I'm going to start this post out with a slightly annoyed disclaimer.  Stop making fun of me for the book I'm reading, people!  No, it's not a third grader book!   Ever heard of 'don't judge a book by its cover'? Jeesh.  I will say that it is probably more of a middle school than high school book.  But that doesn't mean I can't read it!  The only reason I am is because the author, Leslie Connor, wrote the only book I've been able to read four times and still enjoy.  It's Waiting for Normal, by the way.  I figured I'd read another one of her books.  Don't eat me.
I just had to get that out.  I'm really enjoying this book, Crunch, so far.
I'm only on page 28, but it's already interesting to me.  There is no gas, for whatever reason, in the United States, and Lil and Dewey's parents are stuck out of state, meaning they have to care for their younger siblings.  It's kind of like science fiction meets realistic fiction: I'm not quite sure how to describe the genre, actually, because even though I've been thinking about it a lot the question is still hanging in  my mind.  No gas in the US, or maybe, the world?  Sci fi.  But the intimacy of the family connections makes it sound more like realistic fiction, especially when you look at quotes like this: "We cook together tonight at your place?  Pop and I took the boat out early this morning...'" (Connor 23) Life is going on as usual, just... no gas.  Almost as if the shortage is a subplot, and the main thing is kids taking care of their younger siblings.  It's an interesting perspective, since the gas shortage sems like such an outlandish thing you'd think it was going to be the main plot.  But again, I'm not that far into it yet so maybe I really can't say.
But you know what I can say?
Not.  A.  Third.  Grader.  Book.
Give me a break, people.