Review: Kids of Appetite

Kids of Appetite
by David Arnold

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 20, 2016

David Arnold’s KIDS OF APPETITE is a novel about affection, disappointment, and opening up to the ones you love. When Victor Benuchii III finds a letter inside his dad's urn detailing where to spread his ashes, he feels it's his duty to carry out his father's last wishes. Vic ends up joining a group of kids genuinely eager to help him. The group seeks out each site, retracing Vic’s father’s past. As each of them open up to him, he uncovers tragedy and sacrifice. Soon he finds himself infatuated with Mad, a tough girl with a tragic upbringing living with an abusive uncle. When Baz, the leader of the group, is accused of murdering Mad’s uncle, Vic and his new friends formulate a plan to free him from custody and clear his name.

David Arnold draws vivid characters that come to life on the page. You will enjoy watching their relationships with each other deepen as you read. Vic's devotion to Mad is sweet and passionate; their relationship is the highlight of the book. Throughout the fluctuating plot, this simple love ties the book together and will leave you wanting more. The plot of this book is complicated yet easy to understand, and covers a wide variety of topics, including first love, murder, and acceptance. Once you pick up KIDS OF APPETITE you won't be able to put it down.