Seeing Cinderella

Gr 4–7—Calliope Meadows is not thrilled about starting middle school with a brand-spanking-new pair of glasses, especially when the optometrist tells her that the ones she picked out were backordered and she'd have to wear a loaner pair—thick, black frames and all—for a few weeks. Surprisingly, once Callie starts wearing them, weird boxes start popping up near people's heads, with words and images that represent their thoughts at the moment. This is great for math class, where the teacher is always thinking the correct answer when she calls on Callie, but not so great when Callie's best friend starts having less-than-friendly thoughts about Callie's shy and hesitant nature. The only person Callie isn't able to "read" is Ana, a girl who has recently moved there from Mexico and is living with her uncle. She thinks in Spanish. All of the action comes to a head in the drama class's production of "Cinderella," when Callie has to make a decision about the kind of person-and friend-she wants to be. Exploring classic themes of friendship, family relationships, standing up for oneself, and first crushes and dates, the story has something for most tween girls. The real reason behind Callie's parents' separation (her dad has a special friend named Brenda) is revealed in the latter portion of the book, but is not explained in detail. Similarly, Ana is whisked away to her Aunt Rosa's house after it is revealed just how controlling her uncle is. Despite these darker undertones, most of the book is light and Callie's voice feels authentic.—Amy Commers, South St. Paul Public Library, MN