When Elvis started volunteering at the nursing home, it was to keep out of trouble. He was a poor, Hispanic young man living in a not-so safe neighborhood in New York City, and everyday just trying to stay alive. But when Elvis is hired look in on Ms. Oliver, a resident of the home, their weekly check-ups gradually turn into daily visits, and a rare and strong relationship is formed. While Elvis brings light into Ms. Oliver's dull world at the nursing home, she gives him the strength and wisdom to better his life day by day.
His Oldest Friend is not a book that I will pick up again any time soon. Though Kleinfield is a renowned journalist, when it comes to books geared for young adults, his work is not up to expectations. The story itself is a bit cliché, an elderly person enlightening a troubled youth and vice-versa, but also, the use of vocabulary did not seem to fit the age group the book was written for. By the time the book was over, I not only didn't particularly care what became of the characters, but I wasn't able to absorb any points that Kleinfield was trying to make with this story, which left me feeling that I went through the trouble of reading the book for nothing.
Rating (0 - 10 scale): 4
Reviewer Age: 15
