Hard Hit is a short, but touching book. I'd recommend it to any grieving child or friend of someone who is grieving. I love the metaphors between everyday, common occurrences and religion (salvation and communion). We find our comfort and our salvation and our resurrection in the simple things; sunshine on hair, soft grass, a dog's wet nose, even a science project. This book expertly expresses both the small beauties in life and the massive gulf of grief and juxtaposes the two in a way that only poetry can.

What a poignantly beautiful book. I was not expecting the emotion this book brought forth. In the main character Joseph, I saw the personalities of a couple of my students and the physical characteristics of a friend who was murdered as a very young man. Every now and again I "see" him in books like this. Whenever that happens, I know it's sure to be a good book.

This book should be required reading for all literacy teachers grades four and above. I've rarely felt this way about a professional development text, but I know that Notice and Note will change the way I teach; for the better.

This is a wonderful book that explores all areas of identity formation. The interviews with adolescents are poignant and extremely beneficial to educators who wish to do all they can for those who have "fallen through the cracks". The adolescents speak for themselves: Sadowski does not try to speak for them or over them. Instead, he provides context and clarity. All educators should read this book.