YA / M.S.

V/A Mass, Wendy. Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life. Little, Brown, 2006. 0-316-05829-7. 304p. 15.99

Jeremy Fink is about to turn 13. It is the beginning of summer break and he receives a “pretty” handmade wooden box from his dead father. His father has instructed him to open the box on his 13th birthday and it will contain the meaning of life. It needs 4 separate keys to be opened but those keys have been lost. In 2 weeks, Jeremy, along with his best friend, Lizzy, set out to find the keys so that they can find out what the meaning of life is. In their quest, they find them selves arrested and have to perform community service by helping a retired pawn broker, Mr. Oswald, deliver items to a number of interesting individuals. It is a wonderful scavenger hunt that leads them to different answers to the question, “What is the meaning of life?” It is heart-warming and reminds me a bit of 13 Blue Envelopes. Jeremy does not know what to expect but ends up having an amazing, enlightening, and unforgettable experience as he tries to figure out what his father has left him.