This historical novel, set during the tumultuous times of the Civil War, profiles the work of Sarah Tracy, a young woman who is determined to lead an independent life. Sarah is tired of her family's constant supervision and their reminders that it's time for her to find a suitable husband. So she lies to her family and potential employer in order to secure a position as caretaker of Mount Vernon, George Washington's former home.

Sarah's struggle to keep Mount Vernon's grounds neutral, practically sitting on the border of the North and South and within miles of bloody conflicts, brings her into contact with famous figures from the Civil War, including Abraham Lincoln. She must decide how to handle the African-American servants working at Mount Vernon, whose status is unclear. She also has to work closely with Upton Herbert, a gracious Southern gentleman who becomes very important to her.

Ann Rinaldi, a historical re-enactor herself, certainly knows how to make the past interesting. Her main characters are three-dimensional and relatable; teens will be able to sympathize with Sarah and understand why she is so annoyed with her family. It's a shame though that the Epilogue feels the need to defend Rinaldi's artistic license. Most people should understand that a historical novel might embellish a story to make it interesting to the modern reader.

The author explains in the Epilogue that she invented the storyline of Sarah's friend Mary and their argument over Upton Herbert. Stories in which women argue over a man are disappointing and should almost always be avoided. Luckily, though, this story has enough going for it to overcome that problem. The Epilogue does refer to Sarah and Upton's future, answering questions that readers will no doubt want answered.

Ann Rinaldi once again brings to vivid life a slice of little-known American history in a way that will have readers wanting to learn more about Mount Vernon and Sarah's history.

--- Reviewed by Amy Alessio

The year is 1895. Raised in colonial India, sixteen-year-old Gemma Doyle wants nothing more than to leave the hot, sticky atmosphere for the civilized world of England, with its temperate climate, good education and bustling social scene. To her surprise, Gemma gets her wish in a dramatic and tragic way, when her mother is killed in a mysterious, supernatural attack and her father, unable to cope with his grief, becomes addicted to opium.

Gemma is now enrolled at the Spence Academy, an exclusive finishing school for young ladies. The high-spirited, free-thinking Gemma constantly finds herself in conflict not only with the school's rules and regulations but with the highly structured Victorian society of which the school is a part. Gemma is also unable to fit into the social atmosphere of the school itself --- the other students are catty and snobbish, unwilling to accept this new student with her unknown pedigree and unconventional ideas.

That is, until Gemma finds a diary, written twenty years before, that sheds light on Spence's history and her own prophetic visions. She discovers her ability to travel to the realms, a dream world where every girl's most passionate fantasy can come true. Joining her are three friends, secretly united by their midnight travels to this otherworldly realm. As the close-knit group becomes more daring and more caught up in the magic, they find themselves repeating the events that led to tragedy twenty years before.

It's probably inaccurate to call A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY a work of historical fiction. Although the setting is Victorian England, the characters, especially Gemma, are anything but Victorian. Instead, Gemma, with her frankness about sex, her astute and ironic commentaries about her social situation, and her desire for independence, seems like a twenty-first century girl dropped into 1895. That's not a problem, though, as long as readers don't expect historical and cultural accuracy from the novel.

In fact, the author has a lot of fun with the conventions of traditional boarding school novels, including such stock figures as the free-thinking teacher, the spiritualist and the mysterious gypsy woman. Those who are familiar with Victorian novels from Dickens to Bronte will probably greatly enjoy Libba Bray's send-up of typical characters and themes.

The supernatural elements of the book, though, are what set it apart from other novels of its type. The mythology of the realms and the magical Order to which Gemma and her mother belong are not fully developed in the novel. Neither does the story come to a satisfactory conclusion, as Gemma has yet to realize the full extent of her prophetic powers. Rumor has it, though, that A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY is but the first in a trilogy, and one hopes that these elements will be explored in more depth in the book's sequels.

--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

Any mention of witches and/or witchcraft, and most teenagers will zero in to see what it's all about. This new and carefully researched book on the Salem witch trails will disappoint neither teens nor adults. Marc Aronson has laid out his material in an easy-to-follow format, dividing the chapters by timeline.

Before the introductory pages, "Note to the Reader" explains that research still does not give us a final answer surrounding the events in 1692 Salem. Aronson asks the reader, aiming his narrative at a teen audience, to think about what might have made the accusers act as they did. After all, he points out, "Many of the accusers were teenagers." He also notes some of the discrepancies, such as the fact that the slave known as Tituba was not black but more likely an Indian. His purpose here is to show that the smallest matters can be crucial in uncovering truth, especially since so much fantasy has surrounded the Salem witch trials.

THE CRUCIBLE by Arthur Miller is examined, as the author spends time building the case of Miller's brilliant fiction against what really lay behind the compelling Salem events. Frequently, Aronson makes flattering reference to Miller and to the many writers who laid the groundwork for his own research. And while he used transcripts of the pretrial hearings, for better understanding, punctuation and spellings were changed.

An index plus notes for cross-referencing make this an excellent reference book. The narrative style is smooth, and teens will find both the subject and writing appealing. Beyond the practical aspects of this work, Aronson has created a fantastic book that illustrates the agony of all the people --- accusers, victims, judges and families --- who were involved in the witch-hunts. This is a must for both high school and public libraries.

--- Reviewed by Sally Tibbetts (...)

Graduation is approaching for Kyle, Jason and Nelson, and this time is full of difficult decisions. Jason, a star basketball player, is unsure how the basketball team will react to his announcement that he is gay. Nelson, who has been out and proud for years, is worried that he may have contracted the HIV virus --- but when he starts seriously dating an HIV-positive boy, he is not sure how to feel. Brainy Kyle has his choice of colleges, but going to the school that will give him the most opportunities to succeed will mean leaving his love, Jason. Jason and Kyle's relationship is put to the test when Jason breaks the news publicly that he and Kyle are dating; Kyle wasn't ready for Jason's announcement. Each decision has benefits and consequences, and each boy will have to make his decision on his own.

RAINBOW HIGH is a thoughtful and honest portrayal of gay teen life, neither sugarcoated to form happy endings nor constantly despairing about the problems of being a gay teen. While on the surface Jason, Kyle and Nelson fit everyday high school stereotypes, each is a complex, likeable character with very real questions and concerns. Alex Sanchez also has an ear for dialogue and infuses the book with humor, balancing the seriousness of the boys' situations.

Whether you're straight, gay or otherwise, this is an important book, one that will make you think, laugh, cry and --- most importantly --- question.

--- Reviewed by Carlie Webber

The game is "Who Killed Sam Westing" and the winner receives his estate, worth millions. Sixteen people, all residents of Sunset Towers --- an apartment building on Lake Michigan --- are named as heirs to the fortune. They are split into eight unusual pairs and given clues to solving the murder. Through snowstorms, power failures and bombs they play the game, leading to deception and intrigue. Everyone is a suspect, no one is ever who he or she seems to be, and no one except the reader has all the answers (and sometimes not even then). Don't forget Sam Westing's most important instruction to the heirs: "It's not what you have, but what you don't have, that counts."

After twenty-five years, THE WESTING GAME --- written by the late beloved author Ellen Raskin and winner of the 1978 Newbery Award --- is still remarkable for its diverse, interesting characters, its plot twists, and an ending that no one inside or outside the novel could predict. Woven into the mystery are insights into family relations, dishonesty, courage and finding a sense of self. The absurdities of plot lend a humorous air but never distract from the story. There is something new to be found with every reading, from clues to connections between characters.

Whether you're revisiting this old favorite or discovering the madness and brilliance of Sam Westing for the first time, you won't be disappointed.

--- Reviewed by Carlie Webber

Maybe thinks she is out of choices. A young teen with a skin coloration problem living on the streets of New York, Maybe watches as, one by one, the friends she hangs with die from disease, abuse and illness. Raw and relentless, Todd Strasser brings readers right into this survival story.

Other teens on the street with Maybe include Maggot, Rainbow, Jewel and then Tears, a 12-year-old runaway. Their life consists of "spanging" (begging for spare change), trying to earn money by cleaning windshields, and finding food and shelter. Getting clean is a luxury, and Rainbow and Maybe are sexually harassed when they try to clean up in a public library washroom.

A night in a youth shelter shows Maybe that a warm bed comes at the price of rules, but may just be worth it. Another night in a posh club where men try to own and sell her friends makes her think that there might be a better path for young Tears.

Hope comes in the form of a librarian with the same skin disorder as Maybe. She makes some calls for Tears and gives the girls food and much-needed encouragement. Then the rest of the gang begins to disperse to both good and bad places. Soon, Maybe begins to want life rather than the death she sees all around her.

An excellent book with no easy answers, CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE is unforgettable.

--- Reviewed by Amy Alessio

Travel back to the time of the Great Depression with 12-year-old June and her family. Her father is a preacher, and a highlight of his traveling tent show is June's tightrope act. She can twirl, flip and amaze crowds. But fewer and fewer people can part with money in these hard times, and her parents are tense and stretched to the limit in every way. They make a wrong turn in Detroit, where her father is imprisoned for five months.

While they wait for him to be released, June is allowed to go to school and live in a house with her mother and Rhett, a longtime friend of her mother's. She actually has friends and a teacher she likes. Her mother finds a job, and June relaxes into this life with a newfound sense of security.

But then her father is released, and all he wants to do is return to the tent shows. When her mother becomes ill and hospitalized, June knows it's decision time. And where is Rhett? He has always turned up to help them through bad times in the past. Who is he really?

June must choose what is right for her in the presence of the three confused adults who make up her family. Where does she belong?

The setting of the desperate 1930s richly comes alive in this moving novel. June's struggle to find herself is applicable to young people in any time, but the struggle to survive in the Depression brings it into sharp focus.

--- Reviewed by Amy Alessio

Alyssa Brugman's debut novel in the United States, WALKING NAKED, is an extremely powerful piece of literature. Brugman accurately and horrifically portrays the high school scene and the peer pressure that is faced while in high school.

The protagonist, Megan Tuw, has always been part of the in-crowd. This popularity gives Megan a sense of security and sometimes gets her into trouble, as is the case when she is kicked out of a class for talking. Megan's attitude earns her detention, where she spends time with "the freak" of the high school, Perdita. Megan realizes, through the writing assignments that they are required to do while in detention, that Perdita is an intelligent and complex person. She begins to spend time with Perdita, keeping these outings a secret from her friends. Megan knows that the in-crowd would ruin her status as a popular figure if they knew that she was becoming friends with "the freak."

At some point within the novel, Megan is faced with a difficult choice: Perdita or her popular crowd. Brugman realistically portrays the turmoil that Megan goes through --- her fears of losing popularity and hurting her friends, her jealousy of being replaced, her feelings of inferiority when spending time with the more intelligent and knowledgeable Perdita, and struggling to figure out how to be true to herself.

Readers of WALKING NAKED will be able to relate to the pressures of being popular and of needing to have the right clothes, the right friends and the right looks. The characters here talk and behave as real-life high school students would. While disturbing, this is an important book that should be read by a majority of teenagers.

--- Reviewed by Melissa Palmer

As SISTERLAND opens, Hilly poses a question: Is it better to know the truth, no matter how unpleasant, behind surface niceness or not? Her question is prompted partly by her recent visit to a concentration camp in France --- an experience that troubles her more than she ever expected. During the trip, Hilly's sister Zoe points out that their grandmother was German and that she makes frequent racist comments. Zoe even goes so far as to offhandedly call HeidiGran a Nazi, a charge her family instantly and thoroughly denies.

Hilly and Zoe argue constantly as they prepare for their grandmother to move in with their family. HeidiGran, suffering from Alzheimer's disease, experiences confused periods interposed with more lucid ones. She can no longer distinguish which of her memories are secrets that she's guarded from everyone her entire life. The truth is at odds with what her family has always believed. One by one, she begins to share enticing bits of these dangerous revelations with her shocked granddaughters. However, when questioned further, HeidiGran retreats into confusion.

Hilly feels compelled to uncover the truth about her grandmother's past before HeidiGran's memory is entirely erased by her disease. In the meantime, she worries about and is angered by Zoe's new friends, one of whom wears a swastika. Did Zoe's friends attack Hilly's Palestinian friend, injured in a racist attack? Hilly's concerns about racism are even closer to her heart as she begins to fall in love for the first time with her friend's brother.

Along the way, SISTERLAND tells the story of HeidiGran's childhood through flashbacks interwoven into Hilly's story. While the reader is soon clued in on HeidiGran's heartbreaking secret, there's a whopper of a surprise yet in store before the tale is done.

This is a long book, but the pace never lags. I found myself completely absorbed by Hilly's search for, and her family's transformation by, HeidiGran's truth. I highly recommend SISTERLAND for anyone who enjoys an amazingly good read crammed full of family relationships, romance, history, mystery and sympathetic characters.

--- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon (...)

The V Club is started when a group of high school students vie for a scholarship to be awarded to someone on the basis of "purity," among other things. What does that mean? No one knows for certain, but friends Mandy, Kai, Debbie and Eva think it may be about virginity.

In the same style as the popular SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS by Ann Brashares, this story follows the four girls on a rotating basis so readers see their points of view individually. They each need the scholarship for college in the fall and grapple with certain issues.

Mandy was just getting ready to take things with her long-term boyfriend to the next level. Kai may or may not belong in the V Club (she's not saying), but why does the presence of ex-boyfriend Andres cause her such pain? Debbie is known as a tease, but dating several guys does not make her promiscuous, does it? She is also trying to get her father to understand that she doesn't want to study math and science, but rather fashion design. Would he pay for that or even accept it? And Eva --- she's sweet, nice and smart, but still waters run deep. Eva has it bad for the fabulous Riley --- but does he want Debbie like the rest of them?

THE V CLUB takes this likeable cast and intertwines them in a plot with many surprises. Rather than identifying with a certain character, readers will be more likely to find that there is some of each of the girls in themselves. This book is not about sexuality --- it's about wanting to grow up and knowing when you are (or are not) ready to do so.

--- Reviewed by Amy Alessio