Them

Gr 7–9—Since her family left her abusive stepfather behind, Kylie is nervous about being the new girl in school and wants to be friends with popular girls Jaz and Izzy. Even though she doesn't like to read science fiction or garden, she has a lot more in common with her good-hearted neighbor, Adam, than she thinks. However, in order to get to the top of the social hierarchy, she humiliates him. She claims that voices in her head tell her to do crazy things. Because Adam doesn't want her to hurt herself, he does whatever Kylie says "they" tell her to have him do. ("They" are really Jaz and Izzy.) Like the rest of the school, Kylie initially thinks it's hilarious when Adam responds with "I am a haddock" each time someone asks him a question, but when she sees how upset he is once he sacrifices something important to him, she sets out to prove her friendship. Will he believe she's being sincere? Weatherly has written an accessible, enjoyable story about friendship and self-esteem that will appeal to reluctant readers.—Keisha Miller, South Orange Public Library, NJ