33 Minutes is a funny and, at the same time, achingly real story of the changing nature of friendships. Seventh graders Sam and Morgan used to be best friends, who as they grew up, had less and less in common. Sam is small, kinda nerdy and CRAZY smart, while Morgan is strong, popular, and very athletically gifted. Morgan is angry enough at Sam that he intends to beat him up and Sam struggles valiantly to understand where things went wrong in their friendship. The story flips back and forth between past and present, allowing the reader insight into their relationship. While the book ends on an up note, the friendship does not--which may surprise readers who expect a neat and tidy resolution in their books. Older readers who have had a friendship reach a natural end will relate to Sam's sadness at this development. He does learn that life goes on however, even though it may be different than what he expected. This might present a teaching moment for the expressions "every cloud has a silver lining," or "when one door closes, another one opens." While the publisher's recommended age for this book is 8-12, it would likely be best for readers at the upper end of that group, as some of the skipping back and forth to different scenarios can be tricky to follow, as well as the fact that Sam's emotions around his relationship with Morgan are somewhat complex and might be better appreciated by a reader who is old enough to have had a similar experience.
