After seeing Jennie's review, I couldn't resist picking this one up. Conviction is one of the more unique realistic fictions I've read in a long time and I highly recommend it.

Conviction is a story of testing fate, testing families, and testing the teenage experience. Braden is in the impossible situation of being the sole witness to a murder his father is accused of committing. In a small community like the Central Valley, word travels fast and people pick sides. The environment becomes difficult, especially when you're a teenager trying to make it through life with your main support source in jail. Braden is put into an impossible situation, with his faith rocked.

This story spoke to me for a lot of reasons. First off, I grew up in the community the story takes place in. I then came back to work with children of incarcerated parents and those re-entering after serving time in jail or prison. The community is plagued by poverty and criminal justice intervention, and the support is minimal. So Braden's story, and that of his family's, is dear to me in a way that speaks to my professional passions.

If you're looking for a story with heart, you've found it. The narration is great, too!