Notes From the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick

Alex takes his mom's car one night and crashes into a yard gnome down the street. The judge sentences him to one hundred hours of community service, and he is sent to a retirement home and paired with a man named Sol. Sol has trouble breathing, but he's healthy enough to tease, insult, and play pranks on Alex. Alex regularly writes letters to the judge, and he asks her to let him switch to someone else. However, as time goes on, he learns to enjoy his time with Sol and asks the judge to let him continue volunteering after his time is up. Sol is pleased when Alex brings his best friend, Laurie, for a visit, but Alex's life changes after his benefit concert at the home. His relationships with Sol, Laurie, and his parents will never be the same.

The highlights of the story can be found in Sol and Alex's characters. Sol is a mischievous, old man, but his humor masks the pain he feels from not seeing his grown daughter. He realizes his life has some important similarities with Alex's life which may be why they get along. Alex starts the book with a lot of anger and learns to change during his time with Sol. The plot addresses a wide range of emotions, and readers can learn lessons in caring and forgiveness.