When The Phone Rang

"No survivors."

Billy Keller lived in a nice, normal family. Two youngish parents, an older brother away at college, a sweet little kid sister. Then the phone rings one afternoon, and suddenly Billy doesn't have parents anymore. Now there's just Kevin, Lori, and him. How can they survive as a family when there's nothing left to keep them together?

Mazer's story combines believable pathos with humour, touching detail, and enough kid appeal (despite his grief, Billy discover an inexplicable interest in girls) to create a page-turner that is not a tearjerker.