The Five Pearls belongs on the bookshelf next to The Outsiders, oles, and To Kill a Mockingbird. It's a perfect read for adults and older teens. Barry James Hickey's novel makes you laugh, cry and ponder. No child left behind in today's American education system? There are five this time. Hickey has created a truly memorable story with distinct characters carved from everyday life where everyone has a secret.

With the help of a retired nurse, a mysterious stranger with a terrible past and hidden agenda changes the hearts, minds, and character of The Tadpoles - five angry, stubborn teens forced into an after-school program. Hickey's world of disconnected quirky characters opens the veil to a disturbingly bleak and dysfunctional modern America of mixed races with surprising and uplifting results. The Five Pearls leaves you begging for the story not to end.