Product Description

When his best friend drowns while they are swimming in a treacherous river that they had promised never to go near, Joel is devastated and terrified at having to tell both sets of parents the terrible consequences of their disobedience. "A powerful, soul-stirring novel told simply and well."--Booklist, starred review. A Newbery Honor Book; ALA Notable Children's Book.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24368 in Books
• Brand: INGRAM BOOK & DISTRIBUTOR
• Published on: 1987-10-01
• Released on: 1987-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780440466338
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
This is a devastating but beautifully written story of a boy's all-consuming guilt over the role he plays in the death of his best friend. Joel and Tony have been together since they were babies. Although Tony's crazy jokes and wildness sometimes make Joel feel as if he were much older, and even make Joel angry, no one is as exciting as Tony. But when Tony suggests they climb the bluffs at Starved Rock, Joel is frightened, knowing how dangerous the bluffs are. He's also afraid of Tony's sharp tongue, though, so he asks his father for permission to ride his bike to Starved Rock, certain that his father will say no. When his father says yes, Joel finds himself riding Tony's old, beat-up bikewhile Tony coasts along on Joel's 10-speedout to the state park. Halfway there the boys cross the Vermillion River, and Tony, who earlier had refused to go swimming at the pool with Joel, decides to swim in the river instead. Angry at Tony's lack of sensethe river is both dangerous and dirty Joel dares Tony to race out to a distant sandbar with him. Then the unthinkable occurs: Joel reaches the sandbar; Tony disappears. The realization slams into Joel with its hideous finality. Tony is dead, and it is all his fault. Joel's efforts to cope with his staggering sense of guilt are handled with stark reality, so that the reader shares his sense of the enormity of life's unfairness. Yet within Joel's first perception of the total uncertainties of life, there is also the steadfastness of his father's love. While there is death, there is also love, and Bauer's honest and gripping novel joins the ranks of such as Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia in its handling of these issues.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 4-6 Twelve-year-old Joel has unwillingly agreed to bike out to the state park with his daredevil friend Tony. "On his honor," he promises his father to be careful, knowing that Tony wants them to climb the dangerous park bluffs. When they arrive, however, Tony abruptly changes his mind and heads for the river. With his promise jangling in his mind, Joel follows Tony in for a swim. Tony drowns in the dirty, turbulent water, leaving Joel to face his guilty conscience, and his father, alone. In this short but solid novel, Bauer effectively portrays the dilemma of pre-adolescents, old enough to want to meet their own challenges without adult interference, young enough to want grownup protection and reassurance. Joel understands only too well the moral dilemma he faces, but he is so bound by peer pressure that wrong choices and tragedy are almost inevitable. Bauer's association of Joel's guilt with the smell of the polluted river on his skin is particularly noteworthy. Its miasma almost rises off the pages. Descriptions are vivid, characterization and dialogue natural, and the style taut but unforced. A powerful, moving book. Barbara Hutcheson, Greater Victoria Public Library, Canada
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"A powerful, soul-stirring novel told simply and well." -- Review

Customer Reviews

Sad, Yet Perfect
On My Honor , by Marion Dane Bauer, is one of the best stories I have ever read! Even though it was sad, it was still perfect. It's a good story for people who like exciting stories. The characters in this story are Joel and Tony. They are living in a small town in Illinois. The story all starts when Joel's father allows Joel and Tony to go cycling, but not too far. Joel and Tony disobey Joel's father and go to the river. They were told never to go near the river, but they do. They start swimming to a sandbar. When Joel gets to the sandbar he realizes Tony has vanished. TONY WAS DEAD! How can Joel tell his parents what has happened? How can he tell everyone the terrible truth? It was a great story. It didn't have too many difficult vocabulary words. I am now in 6th grade and I found this book very easy to read. Over the past few months I have been reading GOOSBUMPS, but this story is different. It taught a valuable lesson: Never do something you were told not to. Your parents always tell you things to help you avoid trouble and danger.

Absolutely appropriate!!!
This book is going to be read to my son's 5th grade class, so I thought I'd read it before I gave the ok for my son to sit in. It is quite an emotional read, but I think, for ages around 9 or 10 and up (pre-adolescent), it's absolutely appropriate! It deals with peer pressure, lying, and guilt among other things, and hopefully will make these indestructible-thinking kids realize that "it CAN happen to me" and not give in to the pressures that go along with these ages, especially among boys. You don't have to do something just because "I DARE YOU!".

Except for the use of the word he**, there was no inappropriate language and, no, the re was *NOT* a detailed account of the boy's drowning. I'm not quite sure where that came from. The "beat his friend to a bloody pulp if he was hiding somewhere", put into context, is a boy feeling nervous/scared/angry when he can't find his friend, suspects the worst and would be furious if he's (the friend) actually just hiding and trying to pull a prank. Given the fact these boys are 12, the words used are quite mild.

I'm sure this subject matter is uncomfortable for some kids (and, obviously adults as well). Unfortunately, peer pressure is a FACT OF LIFE that has to be dealt with. Overall, I'd recommend this book. Read it first before you read it (or allow your child to read it) and then decide.

Truly Touching
I read this book in fifth or sixth grade and I can honestly say it's the most touching thing I have ever read. I sobbed when it was finished and every time I reread it I can't get to the end without crying at least a little.

Simply put, it deals with guilt and death in adolescence. This is something I will no doubt mention in my college entrance essays and I highly recommend it. It is short, an easy and good read, and something you will remember for the rest of your life.