Who R U Really?

Gr 7 Up—Thea Reid is tired of her parents' draconian rules: no dating until she's 16, no cell phone during family time, no Internet until her homework is finished. On top of all of that, Thea has no privacy. Her parents have the password for her email account, and they do random checks of her mobile and online activity. Ready for some personal space, Thea signs up for an online role-playing game called Skadi. Using the game's chat feature, the teen begins talking regularly with an older boy named Kit. At first they only chat about the game, but as they begin to swap more personal information, Thea realizes that she thinks of Kit as a friend—maybe even more. Her friends and family warn her about the dangers of talking to strangers online, but Thea knows that she can trust Kit. He really loves her. Inspired by her own daughter's terrifying story, Kelly has painted a realistic picture of how a smart girl can get caught up in something dangerous online. While preachy at times, often reading like a cheesy after-school special about "stranger danger" on the Internet, this is a short and suspenseful novel that's guaranteed to give readers goosebumps—particularly as events heat up toward the end. Rather than condemning technology, Kelly focuses on the importance of making smart and safe choices and earning trust. A strong message here is honest communication between parents and children. A good choice for families to read together.—Liz Overberg, Darlington School, Rome, GA