Exposed (Sevens, Week 2)
Grade 9 Up-This is the second book in a series that profiles seven weeks in the lives of seven teens. This book features Jeremy, 17, a popular student and athlete. He's got a girlfriend but deep down he realizes that he's gay. He was seen kissing a guy and is outed on his school's Web site. His liberal, social-worker parents turn against him and he's threatened and ridiculed by the other students. As he tries to deal with his feelings, he finds out who his true friends are. Each of the other characters in the series makes an appearance to a lesser or greater degree. Jane is a stressed-out, overachieving brain; Meena, a victim of sexual abuse. Peter is wheelchair-bound after an accident; Danny's a talented composer but emotionally numb because of drugs. Karyn is always fighting with her mother; Reed is in love with Karyn despite the fact that she's dating his brother. The dialogue and situations are realistic and teens will relate to the characters' problems. The main flaw is that many of the secondary figures are stereotypical, and all of the parents are clueless and unsupportive. This, however, is a minor point because each teen's problem is interesting, and the abrupt, cliff-hanger ending compels readers to pick up another book in the series.Sharon Rawlins, Piscataway Public Library, NJCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.