Bleed
Grade 10 Up–Stolarz has written a funny, yet poignant book of interconnecting short stories in which the lives of 10 teenagers are seamlessly woven together. The stories take place over the course of one day, and as the characters lives cross paths, it becomes evident that any decisions made can and will influence the others–sometimes unintentionally. The collection runs the gamut of teen problems: Nicole sleeps with her best friends boyfriend; Mearl longs for family roots; Joy, a waitress, is taunted by school bullies and wants to retaliate; Sadie is overweight and her sister is jealous of the popular Kelly. Derik thinks that he can have any girl he wants, and Sean, Kellys boyfriend, just wants to do the right thing. The author demonstrates the ability to identify with todays teen experience, and she portrays the accompanying behavior and language realistically. While perhaps not a first purchase, the book does have broad young adult appeal.–Sharon Morrison, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, OKCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.