This tough, thought-provoking novel for young adults takes deadly aim at the oft-quoted notion: ÂGuns donÂt kill people, people kill people. With subtle mastery and precision, PaulsenÂs novel challenges the idea that firearms donÂt become instruments of destruction and murder until they are placed in human hands--The Rifle makes it clear that guns do kill people. ÂFor readers willing to think about this issue, for those looking for ways to introduce the debate, there is no better vehicle than this short, engagingly written story of one rifle and its fatal impact on one modern boy.Â--School Library Journal