About Griffen’s Heart by Tina Shaw

About Griffen’s Heart by Tina Shaw. Pub. Longacre, 2009.

James Griffen is a teenager in need of open heart surgery, but he doesn’t let it phase him. Others are more affected by it particularly his younger brother Ryan.

Ryan is sick of hearing about James’s heart and feels that he is doing more than his share around the house in a family in which the father has died some years before of a heart attack. Not a good omen for James or Griffen as his friends call him.

While Griffen is waiting around for a suitable donor for his operation he falls for the hottest girl in school, Roxy, you can just tell by the name. Roxy is  an “enfant terrible”, has no real interest in James and hangs around with a bad crowd.

When Roxy takes up with Griffen’s brother Ryan, the brown stuff hits the fan.

An easy read this book but it does deal with some serious issues that plague many families like jealousy, physical abuse and misunderstandings.

Griffen is a worthy role model and this book will have appeal to Intermediate and Junior secondary readers.