Dead Ends

A riddle rarely makes sense the first time you hear it. The connection between Dane and Billy D doesnt make sense the second time you hear it. But its a collection of riddles that solidifies their unusual friendship. Dane is a bully with two rules: dont hit girls and dont hit special kids. Billy D has Down syndrome. When Dane doesnt hit him, Billy sees a sign of friendship and reaches out for help. Billy is sure the riddles his missing father left in an atlas are really clues to finding him. Together, Billy and Dane piece them together, leading to unmarked towns and secrets of the past. But theyre all dead ends. Until the final clue . . . and a secret Billy shouldnt have been keeping. As a journalist, Erin Jade Lange is inspired by hot button issues like bullying, but it is her honest characters and breakneck plotting that make Dead Ends a must-read.