by Catherine Clark ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 2003
Those who find it funny that a former skating pro would name his twin daughter and son Torvill and Dean will be amused by this slice-of-life story set in the West. Peggy Fleming Farrell, who insists on being called “Fleming,” describes the eventful summer between her junior and senior years during which she pursues romance and adjusts to family changes. Fleming spends the months working at a mini coffee shop in a gas station, baby-sitting for her three much younger siblings, taking French classes where the teacher never shows up, and going to Lamaze classes with her pregnant mother. With Charlotte, her new friend from French class, Fleming also hits the social spots in their small town, hoping to rekindle a short-lived romance with a waiter at the local pancake house. But ultimately, the story concerns family dynamics more than romance as Fleming starts to focus on her future while her parents prepare for a new baby and her father hopes for a comeback in skating. Despite the jumble of elements, neither the plot nor the character development is substantial. The humor tends towards the slapstick, such as Fleming’s father skating with live farm animals at the rodeo. Clark (Wurst Case Scenario, 2001, etc.) has fashioned a slight and slightly funny story that will provide light entertainment for the not-too-demanding reader. (Fiction. 12-16)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-06-009070-7
Page Count: 304
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2003
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by Laura Resau ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 12, 2006
When Clara Luna, 14, visits rural Mexico for the summer to visit the paternal grandparents she has never met, she cannot know her trip will involve an emotional and spiritual journey into her family’s past and a deep connection to a rich heritage of which she was barely aware. Long estranged from his parents, Clara’s father had entered the U.S. illegally years before, subsequently becoming a successful business owner who never spoke about what he left behind. Clara’s journey into her grandmother’s history (told in alternating chapters with Clara’s own first-person narrative) and her discovery that she, like her grandmother and ancestors, has a gift for healing, awakens her to the simple, mystical joys of a rural lifestyle she comes to love and wholly embrace. Painfully aware of not fitting into suburban teen life in her native Maryland, Clara awakens to feeling alive in Mexico and realizes a sweet first love with Pedro, a charming goat herder. Beautifully written, this is filled with evocative language that is rich in imagery and nuance and speaks to the connections that bind us all. Add a thrilling adventure and all the makings of an entrancing read are here. (glossaries) (Fiction. 12-14)
Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2006
ISBN: 0-385-73343-7
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2006
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by Neal Shusterman ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2006
Death isn’t an easy subject to write about, but Shusterman handles it deftly, as he explores what happens to two children who are “lost” on their way “towards the light.” Nick and Allie have never met, but both are involved in a fatal car accident. They find they are neither living nor spirit; they now exist in Everlost. Learning to cope with their new state of being, they arrive in New York City, where a band of lost children have taken up residence in the Twin Towers, which still stand tall in Everlost. Led by Mary, the Queen of Snot, threatened by the Great McGill and his pirate band, these children have come to accept that this is where they belong and will always be. But Nick and Allie know there must be something—somewhere—else, and they are determined to find out what and where that is. A quirky sense of humor pervades, which helps to lighten what would otherwise be a disturbing concept. But the overall message (that there is existence after life and purpose to that existence and a destination when one is finally ready for it) is one of comfort. For anyone who has lost a friend or loved one at an early age, this is a good read. (Fiction. 12-15)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-689-87237-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2006
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