April 4

Bookstew

Looks by Madeleine George
By Allie Costa

Walk down the hallway of Valley Regional High and you will undoubtedly be surrounded by teenagers and noise. Pieces of conversation will drift by, exclamations of joy and disappointment punctuating conversations about tests, teachers, parents, and relationships.

Now look closely at two girls who remain quiet: overweight Meghan and thin Aimee. Possibly, they are standing still. Almost impossibly, they might be standing together.

Meghan is a sophomore who, despite her size, feels as though she is invisible - and likes it that way. Unless they are making fun of her, none of her peers really talks to her, but she hears everything - all of the gossip about other students and faculty that is whispered and shouted by those who don't notice her presence.

Aimee is a freshman who wants to be heard but does not want to speak up. She joins the Photon editorial collective in hopes of having her poetry published, but she's scared about sharing her poems. Her reading and writing was encouraged by her mother's latest boyfriend, a poetry professor who just moved out of the house. She feels his absence acutely, even more than the absence of food. She eats very little, if at all, and refuses to discuss her eating habits with her mother. She pretends she has allergies that limit her food choices.

The two girls come together after Aimee is betrayed by Cara, the popular, has-it-all girl who once hurt Meghan. (The pain is emotional, not physical.) Also involved is J-Bar, the jock, who taunts Meghan every chance he gets. When given the opportunity to put both Cara and J-Bar in their places, what will the girls do? In confronting their bullies, they'll have to confront things in their lives that they would rather stay secret. Their voices are unique and ultimately bold, empowering themselves and each other.

The two protagonists and antagonists aren't the only important people here. There's Ms. Champoux, who is "fierce in person" but horrible at reading the morning announcements. Though not a direct confidante, she comes into play time and time again. There are four mentor figures in the book: Aimee's father-figure Bill, no longer a member of her household; Meghan's mother, who is obviously kind and loving, but remains peripheral; Aimee's mother, who is worried about her daughter but tiptoes around her; and Mr. Handsley, Meghan's English teacher, who is not afraid to speak his mind.

Mr. Handsley is a remarkable character. There ought to be more teachers like him, who challenge their students and want them to succeed. He sees Meghan, even though she thinks she's kept herself well hidden. He wants his pupils to be active in his class, to really care about what they are reading and discussing. Mr. Handsley is frustrated throughout the book by the obnoxious J-Bar and his friends. When his fuse blows, he must face the consequences of his actions, and the fallout is felt by all of those involved.

This novel says a lot about school status, and it says it well. What the book says about looks, popularity, and power will stay with readers because it is both true AND surmountable, and because of how it is presented.

There are books about writing poetry. Books about reading poetry. Collections upon collections of actual poetry. Sometimes, prose can be like poetry, written so melodically that readers can't help but fall into the rhythm within the first few pages and keep pace until the last sentence. If that story offers an intriguing plot in addition to its creative writing style, readers will be further captured, considering the characters and events carefully as they read and long after they've finished the book. This is one of those books.

With this book, Madeleine George has made herself an author to watch.

A La Carte by Tanita S. Davis
By Allie Costa

Laine is seventeen, and an innovative cook. When she whips up tasty treats at home or the restaurant where her mother works, she is content. She scribbles her recipes in a notebook and dreams of having her own television-cooking program. She shares her creations with her classmates and her mom's co-workers. Judging from their reactions, she definitely has a future in culinary arts.

Sadly, her best friend Sim does not share her determination or her direction. Laine and Simeon were once extremely close, but in recent months, he has been skipping classes and hanging out with different people. Now, whenever he does talk to Laine, it's usually to ask for her science notes. He acts as though everything is okay, but she can tell something's up. Sim sinks deeper and deeper into trouble until he leaves his home, his school, and his town completely. Only knowing part of his plans, Lainey is unsure how much she should tell her mother and Sim's parents.

Lainey is a great leading character. Full of questions and opinions, she is simultaneously looking forward to her future and appreciative of her past. She is proud of her abilities and her chosen career. Handwritten recipes appear through the book, complete with cross-outs, rings of condensation, and smudges, looking as though they were torn out of Lainey's notebooks. The cooking sequences will make readers hungry, and the overlying mystery/worry about Sim will compel readers to keep on reading.