I recently finished reading "They Cage the Animals at Night" by Jennings Michael Burch. This novel is about a boy in his struggle to go through life. He is frequently moved from orphanage to orphanage and foster home to foster home. He also faces problems at home with his family when he reunites with them. He lived a horrible childhood, but never felt sorry for himself, and always held his head high. This book makes life so much more valuable. It makes you feel fortunate that you belong to a family. Also, it teaches you to be thankful for what you have and your surroundings.

One thing that made this book so outstanding was that it was written for two audiences and reaches out to both of them. The author, being an adult was able to get into the mind of his childhood past and make other kids understand his story. He was also able to open the eyes of parents or any adults about caring for their children and the danger of ever loosing them.

The author did a great job of introducing characters. He lets the readers know each of the character's personalities by there reactions to situations. He doesn't just tell you what they're like, he shows you. Each character has their own distinct personality. They all have different opinions on things, in this case, Jennings' brothers and what they think about their mother. They each have different views on their mother. Some of them like her and some think that she has mistreated them and don’t like her.

Another thing that this book does well is that it is very descriptive. It doesn't only describe objects and people, but it describes the mood of the story at that point and time in the book. The author grips the audience and makes you feel like you are in these scenarios

This book has a powerful storyline about a child who learns to survive. You feel the great sense of pride in the success of the child when he accomplishes something and this is what makes a good book in my mind. Also, this novel puts concern in your mind about foster children. It makes you wonder what really does happen to them, and how they can survive on their own.

I recommend this book to all teenagers who belong to a family. Also, I would suggest this book to adults, especially parents. It will change the way you look at your life, and your family and make you feel much more fortunate.