BETTER THAN YESTERDAY

Two prep-school friends cope with changes and difficulties as they attend summer session before their senior year. Skylar and Charlie have always competed for valedictorian. They’re nearly equal, but Skylar comes by her success easily, while Charlie struggles to please his demanding parents, who have mapped out his life without consulting his own wishes. When their dissolute friend Blake disappears, the two rivals, with Skylar’s good-girl roommate Melissa, take off to New York City to find him, without notifying their school. Eventually, they find more than they were seeking. Written in alternating chapters from Skylar and Charlie’s points of view, the narrative seems a bit confusing at first, as the two teens speak with nearly identical voices. Once the plot thickens, however, this debut moves along at a nice clip. Newcomer Schneider understands her characters’ quirks and insecurities. Young readers should find it entertaining and satisfying. (Fiction. YA)