Library Journal In his first novel, Winer tells the story of ten-year-old Conrad Clay, a boy whose childhood is almost behind him. The book is dramatic and well written, focusing on the struggles Con must face growing up in the poor and depleted shipbuilding town on the island of Alameda off the California coast. Con struggles with feelings brought about by his parents' constant fighting, his deep longing to escape the island, and his colorblindness. Con can see colors in others--mom is yellow, best friend Loop is silver, Gramma is gray--but he continues to search for his own color. Con learns that his family and friends are the only thing that can save him from getting completely swallowed up by the troubled environment around him. And when he eventually finds his own color, he realizes that he has "seen it out of the corner of my own eyes all my life." Winer's appealing use of dialog and language contributes to the story's sense of reality, although some not familiar with urban slang, such as "decks" (skateboards) and "bettys" (girls) may find some passages confusing. This quick and impressive read draws the reader in page after page. Recommended for public and academic libraries; Winer is the coauthor of a screenplay recently sold to Fox/New Regency. Lonya French, "Library Journal" Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.