Larger	The Big Nothing Author: Adrian Fogelin
	Book Information Publisher: Peachtree Publishers Book Type: Hardcover Rating: ? ISBN-13: 9781561453269 - ISBN-10: 1561453269 Publication Date: 8/30/2004 Pages: 235 Reading Level: Young Adult

Pudgy, quiet Justin Riggs, 13, has a lot to say, at least internally. His father leaves home; his mother is so shattered by arguments, put-downs, and suspicion that she withdraws to bed; and his older brother, Duane, has enlisted and is sent to Iraq. His best friend has a girlfriend, leaving little time for him, and he feels abandoned. His coping mechanism is to withdraw into a state that Justin thinks of as "The Big Nothing." However, popular Jemmie just won't let him sit in silence, and the more she interacts with him, the more interested in her he becomes. When her warm and worldly-wise grandmother discovers his talent for playing the piano, he finds a more productive escape. However, the bills keep piling up at home, he may be failing English, and he worries about his brother.