That Was Then, This is Now

Ever since Mark's parents died, he has been living with Bryon. The boys are more like brothers than mere friends. They've been inseparable--until recently. Something seems to be changing between them, and Bryon can't figure it out. Is it Cathy, Bryon's new girlfriend? Is Mark jealous? Bryon is also tired of the street fighting, but Mark seems unable to quit. And where is Mark getting all of that money? In That Was Then, This Is Now, one of her most admired novels, S. E. Hinton paints a richly textured portrait of two boys at a crossroads in their friendship. With careful, intimate strokes, Hinton reveals a boy struggling over whether to protect his best friend or whether to follow his own beliefs about right and wrong. The ending will surprise readers, challenging them to puzzle over Bryon's dilemma in their own hearts.

"Byron, who tells the story...feels Mark is his brother. But when he sees the effect of drugs on a gentle, friendly, young boy and discovers that Mark is a pusher, he calls the police. He hates himself for the betrayal of his friend but he's been a tough kid on the fringe of delinquency and he's aware of what happens beyond the fringe."--Saturday Review. An ALA Notable Children's Book, An ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults.