Kidnapping Kevin Kowalski

Ryan and Mooch are nervous about visiting their best friend Kevin, whom they haven't seen for two months. Because of a terrible accident, he has been in the hospital and then in a rehab center. Will he look and act differently? Will his personality have changed? Will he be well enough to attend camp later in the summer? When the three friends finally get together, Kevin is different. He can't move around as well as he used to, and he has problems with his memory. Worst of all, he lets his overprotective mother treat him like a baby. It's clear that she'll never let him go to camp. She doesn't even want him to get dressed by himself. All he does is sit around the house and watch TV.

"Auch's novel handles a sensitive subject realistically and convincingly." – Booklist

"Through Ryan's clear narrative, Auch defines three totally genuine and likable boys, deftly revealing their hopes, hurts, and fears." - School Library Journal