Carry Me Down by M. J. Hyland

Hyland pens a restrained, emotionally taut, and sometimes oddly funny portrait of a misfit--John Egan, a 12-year-old in the body of a grown man with the voice of a giant, and an obsession for the "Guinness Book of World Records." Carry Me Down is an engrossing story that at its heart examines an adolescent`s difficulties navigating the world. John Egan is a misfit -- a twelve-year-old in the body of a grown man with the voice of a giant -- who diligently keeps track of the lies large and small that are told to him. John`s been able to detect lies for as long as he can remember; it`s a source of power but also great consternation for someone so young. With an obsession for the Guinness Book of World Records, a keenly inquisitive mind, and a kind of faith, John remains hopeful despite the unfavorable cards life deals him. John is like a tuning fork, sensitive to the vibrations within himself and the trouble that this creates for him and his family, and when his sanity reaches near collapse, a frightening family catastrophe threatens to destroy them. Carry Me Down is a restrained, emotionally taut, and sometimes oddly funny portrait whose drama drives toward, but narrowly averts, an unthinkable disaster.