Viola in the Spotlight

Gr 7—9—When readers first met this level-headed protagonist in Viola in Reel Life (HarperTeen, 1999), she was stuck at boarding school in Indiana while her parents were in Afghanistan. Now she returns to the place she loves the most: Brooklyn. She leaves behind strong, positive friendships with her former roommates, having made the difficult decision to not go back. Instead, Viola looks forward to her summer spending time with her family and making movies with best friends Andrew and Caitlin. Little does she know that her plans are about to be left on the cutting-room floor. The 15-year-old has a good head on her shoulders, which is a breath of fresh air especially when Andrew starts acting odd around her, and she decides to be honest and open, making a mature decision based on friendship with him. Caitlin, whose parents have planned out her whole life, has a summer romance that, with Viola's help, she keeps secret from her family. Knowing what a good friend should do vs. what she thinks Caitlin should actually do is something that most teens will relate to. When the cover-ups disintegrate, Viola has to take responsibility for her lies, which is not easy. When her Prefect Academy friends visit and she has everyone she loves together, Viola sees what is truly important. But when heartbreak strikes, will her friends, city, and boarding school help her through it all? A charming story that makes true connections to real characters and situations.—Mariela Siegert, Westfield Middle School, Bloomingdale, IL