“If you think life makes sense, do not read this book.”

It’s this credo that sixteen-year-old Joe Campbell lives by. You see, his birth parents were killed in a car accident, and four years later he’s still trying to work his way past that loss. His new parents are as supportive and loving as he could wish. But Joe is still trying to figure out whether there is any pattern or purpose to his existence, and remains doubtful that there is an answer.

Yet all around him patterns and purposes gradually take shape, and this compelling novel traces the thought processes and the people that eventually make a difference in Joe’s life. The story is of Joe’s digging into his past, and looking around the present, as he seeks to make sense of the world. But it’s not a solitary quest as his good friends Gloria and Dean – both outsiders in the high school they all attend – accompany him on this quest for meaning.

Random will resonate with many teenagers who, to a greater or lesser extent, find themselves besieged by doubt and speculation about their places in the world.

Lesley Choyce is the author of more than 65 books for a wide range of audiences. He is also a champion surfer, musician, editor, publisher, broadcaster, and teacher. This is his fourth young adult novel with Red Deer Press. He lives on Lawrencetown Beach, Nova Scotia.