Whirligig

Whirligig, by Paul Fleischman, is a 1998 YA novel about a 17-year-old boy named Brent Bishop who goes on a cross-country journey of atonement. At the outset of the novel, Brent’s family has recently moved to Chicago following his father’s promotion at work—the fourth time the family has moved. Brent has struggled to fit in and make friends at each new school he’s attended. He tries to win approval from his classmates by wearing trendy clothes, listening to the popular music, and lying about his family’s affluence. Like his parents, his main preoccupations are appearances, material goods, and social status.

Brent goes to a party at the house of a rich, popular classmate where he gets drunk, in order to quell his insecurities. When he tries to talk to Brianna, who is likewise rich and popular, she rejects him loudly in front of a crowd. Humiliated and angry, Brent gets into his car and drives onto the freeway. He closes his eyes and takes his hands off the wheel, trying to kill himself. Brent survives, but he causes a crash that kills 18-year-old Lea Zamora.

Afterward, Brent is depressed, wracked by guilt, and tells no one about his suicide attempt.