My students love A Child Called It, Three Little Words, etc. So this is a great fiction book in a similar vein. A young boy's parents die, and for a little while he is in a healthy foster home. But then a relative from the woodwork pops out and says he would love to take care of the boy. A few years later the foster brother is "assigned" to him by the school counselor and things are discovered that should never have happened in the first place.
The "uncle" is abusive, including some graphic mess, and it also portrays how the abuse messes with a child's mind in disturbing ways. But on the flip side, I truly appreciated the foster brother. He was comfortable with himself, loved people, and didn't judge. He had a terrific group of friends and support around him, and I have to say, almost too good to be true. But something to aspire to, right?
I appreciated the realistic dilemmas such as when to tell someone what you think is happening and when it becomes interfering (especially to teens), as well as how easily we judge others. This is a super quick read, and I think appropriate for high school and above. Definitely not a middle grade library shelf holder.