Isaac always knows the answer. Everything is easy for him. But when his dad falls off the roof, Isaac can't help. He can't fix his dad's brain, he can't fix how helpless his mom feels, and he can't stop making things worse. Isaac needs to learn to wait, and to accept life as it happens. That's not an easy thing for Isaac. This is a tough book, but it's appropriate for anyone of any age trying to deal with TBI or other catastrophic injuries. AWARD-WINNING Jimi and Isaac Books are focused books for focused kids. They can be read in any order. Pick a first book that matches the kid's interests, and then that kid will trust Jimi and Isaac enough to follow them into another area in another book. In every book, a problem presents itself and the kids need to learn and work to solve the problem. They fail constantly, struggle to recover, and success is often a less limited failure. The books are short and fast moving so more readers can succeed, but they are not simple books. They’re full of information and intellectual challenges. Kirkus Best Books of 2015 Star Review Rink ( Jimi & Isaac 4a: Solar Powered , 2011, etc.) paints a visceral, moving portrait of a young boy whose life is thrown into chaos when his father unexpectedly falls from the roof and receives a potentially life-threatening head injury. Isaac is a smart kid. He and his father are installing new solar panels on the roof of their house, solar panels made, in fact, with a new chemical mixture that Isaac himself invented. Just as they finish, however, Isaac’s father slips backward and falls off the roof. In short order, he is in the hospital, in critical condition, and Isaac is left to navigate a confusing world of worried mothers, concerned friends and well-intentioned uncles trying to prepare him for the worst. Uncle Bob doesn’t manage to put a dent in Isaac’s initial denial, however, nor does the well-meaning concern of Isaac’s best friend, Jimi. As events progress, it becomes clear that there’s a very real possibility Isaac’s dad may not fully recover. Isaac, boy genius or not, finds himself struggling with the prospect of what life may be like if his father doesn’t recover. Every part of Isaac’s journey is meticulously and thoughtfully drawn. The emotional reality of what is happening to him and his family is conveyed realistically and with tremendous care. This is accomplished not only with clear, excellent prose, but also with insightful characterization. Rink in particular captures the essence of a young boy in the throes of denial over his father’s condition. The interactions between Isaac and Jimi are just the right amount of sincere and awkward, as when Isaac says he can’t wait for his dad to get better: “ ‘He’s going to get better?’ Jimi said. ‘That’s great!’ I just looked at him. ‘Of course he’s going to get better,’ I said. I thought for a minute. ‘Why?’ I asked. ‘What did you hear?’ Jimi turned away from me, grabbed a shirt off the floor, and hung it up. ‘Nothing, I guess,’ he said to the closet.” All told, it is a simple and powerful story, authentically told. Highly recommended for both its quality of writing and its superb handling of difficult subject matter. -- A Kirkus Star Review Note from the Author: I had very good help from medical doctors when I wrote this book, but it's a story about Isaac and his family, not a book about medicine. Some of the "facts" are wrong. This is a hard, tough book about a hard, tough topic. I wish I'd written it years ago. I wish I'd read it years ago. I'm sorry it took so long. Kirkus STAR and Best Books of 2015 Isaac always knows the answer. Everything is easy for him. But when his dad falls off the roof, Isaac can't help. He can't fix his dad's brain, he can't fix how helpless his mom feels, and he can't stop making things worse. Isaac needs to learn to wait, and to accept life as it happens. That's not an easy thing for Isaac. This is a tough book, but it's appropriate for anyone of any age trying to deal with TBI or other catastrophic injuries. "Highly recommended for both its quality of writing and its superb handling of difficult subject matter." - Kirkus "Star" Review