A good-ol’-boy teen firefighter might not be quite as good as he seems.
At first glance, Alabama country bumpkin Wee Wee—short for William—seems like the perfect small-town hero. He regularly goes to the church where his daddy preaches. He sticks up for the underdogs, including his gay younger brother and Samantha, a beautiful African-American teen girl who’s new in town. Finally, despite his alcoholic mother’s worries, he’s also the town’s finest volunteer firefighter. Gibson packs in a good number of rescue scenes that will have readers racing through the pages. What they don’t realize, however, is that William may actually have more of hand in these fires than it seems. The psychological reasoning provided for his motives feels shaky, but readers will definitely do a double take and even reread some of the more shocking moments. Gibson pens authentic Southern, small-town teenspeak and settings that add fuel to the fires (so to speak) of William’s life. Readers know he’s torn between his father’s religious teachings and doing the right thing for his brother, but deep inside he secretly relishes the cleansing flames of fire.
Readers know that it’s only a matter of time before he gets caught by the law or by his own doings, and they will find waiting for it compelling reading. (Fiction. 13 & up)Pub Date: Aug. 8, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7387-3095-0
Page Count: 264
Publisher: Flux
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2012
Categories: TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FAMILY | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES
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The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 13, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
Categories: TEENS & YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES
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A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense.
29
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Everyone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago—except Pippa Fitz-Amobi.
Pip has known and liked Sal since childhood; he’d supported her when she was being bullied in middle school. For her senior capstone project, Pip researches the disappearance of former Fairview High student Andie, last seen on April 18, 2014, by her younger sister, Becca. The original investigation concluded with most of the evidence pointing to Sal, who was found dead in the woods, apparently by suicide. Andie’s body was never recovered, and Sal was assumed by most to be guilty of abduction and murder. Unable to ignore the gaps in the case, Pip sets out to prove Sal’s innocence, beginning with interviewing his younger brother, Ravi. With his help, Pip digs deeper, unveiling unsavory facts about Andie and the real reason Sal’s friends couldn’t provide him with an alibi. But someone is watching, and Pip may be in more danger than she realizes. Pip’s sleuthing is both impressive and accessible. Online articles about the case and interview transcripts are provided throughout, and Pip’s capstone logs offer insights into her thought processes as new evidence and suspects arise. Jackson’s debut is well-executed and surprises readers with a connective web of interesting characters and motives. Pip and Andie are white, and Sal is of Indian descent.
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense. (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9636-0
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
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