Iceling

Gr 8 Up—This new, interesting addition to the sci-fi YA fiction world follows the life-changing adventures of Lorna and her adopted sister, Callie. Lorna is a kindhearted 17-year-old caregiver to mute Iceling Callie, who is from a mysterious land. The teen longs to be the best sister possible, so she doesn't hesitate to take Callie to an unknown, distant island for help. They're joined by a new guy friend, Stan, and his Iceling brother, Ted. While the premise is intriguing, the novel's uneven execution, including jarring sentence structures, will make it difficult for readers to stay engaged. Lorna is presented as a teen who can think about nothing but her sister and isn't developed further, while the secondary characters are also not fully fleshed out. In addition, Lorna's inner thoughts as well as conversations among characters are repetitive and sluggishly paced and may provide a further challenge for readers.