Title: Goodbye, Rudy Kazoody
Author: A.A Freda
Publisher: FriesenPress
ISBN: 146029243X, 978-1460292433
Pages: 318
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult
Reviewed by: Aaron Washington

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Goodbye, Rudy Kazoody tells the story of a young immigrant. His name is Joey and he is Italian living with his family in the Orange, New Jersey. When moving to America, life was not easy as he had to adapt to a lot of new experiences. For one, he didn’t know the English language and the people around did not speak Italian, which obviously made communication a bit challenging.

Written in first person, the author takes us through the life of this young Italian boy. He was later nicknamed “Priest” by friends and also joined a gang called the “Black knights.” Joey’s cousin influenced his joining the gang, as it was beneficial to them at the time because it gave them a feeling of belonging. The gang protected Priest from the bullying other kids faced.

The story of innocent Joey, his transition from a young boy through his years in the Bronx is one thing that made me love this book. Through Joey, the author told the narrative of many young people similar to him. A lot of teenagers go through what Joey went through; the journey of discovering self, fitting in, adolescence, growing up and eventually finding your own personal path.

While reading through the book, I pictured life as Joey saw it. The challenges he faced, his fears, innocence and the role of Rudy Kazoody made the book enthralling. The mystery of Roody Kazoody, the man who could have been linked with the unfortunate fate of the gangs in the 1960s, made the reading more engaging. The plot from the beginning was interesting and I particularly loved the character development. A. A. Freda’s style of writing stands out not only because the reader enjoys how the stories flow, but also because many readers can relate to the subjects in the book. Though a piece of fiction, Goodbye, Rudy Kazoody touches on many elements in the real world.

I would recommend this book to teenagers who enjoy reading good stories. Spike’s and Joey’s journeys are for sure what teens need to read about. The good diction and easy to understand language will also motivate teenagers as most of them are in school. Literature has a way of triggering discussions and Goodbye, Rudy Kazoody will have young people talk about societal issues they face.

I was deeply drawn into the plot and the storyline. I found it impossible to put the book down once I got a hold of it. At no point will readers be taken through a plain or flat scenario in any of the chapters, as each and every story has a bottom-line “take-away” which the readers will no doubt admire in the author’s writing. The themes the author covered in the book include history, friendship, mob life, transition, family life and its complexities. The case of Spike’s father eloping with a woman to California and leaving Spike with the burden of supporting their family is one of the things that had me emotional when reading. Goodbye, Rudy Kazoody is a great book, filled with mystery and ordinary life tales.