Leaving Paradise

Gr 9 Up—A story of forgiveness and loyalty, Leaving Paradise contains equal parts romance and mystery. Seventeen-year-old Caleb Becker was sentenced to a year of jail time for driving drunk and hitting his neighbor and friend Maggie Armstrong. Maggie struggles for more than a year to be able to walk again, albeit with a limp. Both return to high school with strict instructions from parole officers, parents, and friends to stay away from each other. Despite their history, Caleb and Maggie begin a relationship that is therapeutic for them both. Listeners know early on that Caleb is harboring a huge secret about what actually happened the night of the accident. While the dialogue at times is stunted by cliches and the parents are unnecessarily oblivious to the lives of their children, this is a fast, enjoyable listen that was first published in print (2007). Fans will be glad there is a second book, Return to Paradise, (2010, both Flux) to continue the story. The narration matches the alternating chapters. Nicholas Mondelli reads for Caleb and Elizabeth Cottle reads for Maggie. Both do an admirable job voicing the main characters, but their protrayals of other characters are rather poor. It may have been better if they read all characters in the same voice, rather than attempting falsettos and altered tones. Still, this title is recommended to fans of realistic YA romance.—Suzanne Dix, The Seven Hills School, Cincinnati, OH