When sixteen-year-old Miles goes off to his first year of boarding school, he is anxious to have some real life experiences. He makes his first real friends, among them, the larger than life Alaska Young. Enchanted by her, he is swept into the roller coaster ride that is Alaska's life, until tragedy strikes and he is left looking for answers about life....and death.

This highly decorated book is fast-paced and intelligently written. Readers will relate to Miles' typical teen feelings of wanting to belong, falling in love, and loyalty to his friends. Parents and teachers are all good role models. Although these characters are not perfect (they sneak out of their boarding school, smoke, drink, fool around, and one character experiences oral sex.), they are human and lovable with good morals. Much is made about their academic smarts. When a main character dies, some interesting themes are examined: grief, coping, and exploring the world's religions to find answers about life and death.

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