Vera Dietz is keeping secrets. A lot of them. Particularly about her next-door neighbor and former best friend Charlie Kahn. Charlie is now dead, but that doesn't stop him from haunting Vera as she tries to navigate her way through high school, a full-time job as a pizza delivery technician, and her father's expectation that she won't screw up her life the way he did.
The novel alternates between Vera's past and present, slowly revealing the hard truth of how and why Charlie died, and why Vera is trying so hard to get through her senior year without drawing too much attention to herself. But the truth does catch up with her eventually, and Vera comes around to do the right thing, even if it is extremely painful.
The relationship between Vera and her father is a strong highlight of this book. Ken Dietz is a fascinating character in his own right, and we are lucky to hear from him from time to time and examine his pithy "flow charts."
A gritty blend of humor, suspense, and character study, Please Ignore Vera Dietz is a worthy Michael J. Printz honoree and a very good read.
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