Book reviews of YA lit and more

As a middle school librarian and hopeful reader of Missouri's high school award books (Gateway nominees), I am reading and reviewing as many young adult and middle grade novels as I can while working on my own writing for this age group.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Invisible Lines- Mary Amato

This is a middle grades novel that has a touch of science in the midst of a great story.  It reminded me a lot of her other novel Naked Mole-Rat Letters.  Trevor Musgrove, along with his mom and younger brother and sister, is forced to move to the Hedley (Deadly) Gardens Apartments after the rent was raised at their last place.  When they arrive a baby has just been found in the dumpster, which sets the tone for what life in this apartment complex will be like.  Trevor has to begin in a new school, which goes well until he shows up Xander (popular boy from the Summit program and nice neighborhood) in soccer.  Xander has it out for Trevor, and Trev has to find a way to deal with him in addition to how to get along with very little money and opportunity.  This book hit home for me because in my school we have kids from very affluent areas mixed with kids from some very rough apartment complexes.  Mary Amato does a good job capturing how hard it can be for these two groups to come together, but it is a very hopeful book about second chances and not letting life get you down.

No comments:

Post a Comment