Sixteen-year-old Jason is tired of having his parents' religion shoved down his throat. He really doesn't think he believes in anything. Since belief and faith seems to be completely arbitrary, he thinks, why not worship the town water tower? He and a few friends begin their own religion, The Church of the Ten-Legged God. Things go a little farther than any of them would have imagined, and their little religion gets them into a heap of trouble, with serious consequences. When it comes right down to it, Jason is going to have to figure out who and what he believes in.

This National Book Award winner is an extremely well written and thought provoking read. Faith, what it means to believe in something, and general teen angst are all at the heart of this unique story. Characters are interesting and quirky, though strangely endearing. Language is strong (sh-t, cr-p, a-shole) and a homosexual slur is cruelly used. Main character Jason is a charismatic, sarcastic smart aleck, though often a humorous one. Friendship is important and there is a teen dating/crush element involved. Creating a religion that worships a water tower is controversial and gets characters in serious trouble at home, at church and with the law. Climbing the water tower in the dark of night as an element of worship proves to be dangerous, almost fatal, and ends up causing serious bodily injury as well as emotional anguish. One character takes this new religion incredibly seriously, leading him to mental instability and psychiatric help. Questioning organized religion, and belief in God is something that provides rich discussion material and this would be an excellent choice for a high school book report. This book is probably more appropriate for those older than the publisher's recommended age of twelve and up.
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