Grand & Humble
Gr. 7-10. In alternating chapters, Hartinger introduces two high-school kids who seem to be worlds apart. Harlan, 17, the gorgeous, brilliant son of a rich senator, appears to have it all; he never notices that his dad is always busy or that his mom is a control freak. Manny, also 17, is a theater geek, the child of a poor, nurturing single-parent dad, who has secrets that he won't share with his son. But the boys are alike in at least one way: both have panic attacks and recurring nightmares about drowning and being hit by a truck. Harlan's battle with his demonic mother is too purposive (his panic attacks will stop if he stands up to her), and readers may be confused about who's dreaming what until the plot cleverly twists to reveal a surprise. The minor characters are nicely drawn, including Harlan's best friend, Ricky, who is gay. Manny's best friend, Elsa, is deaf, and their signing talk is relaxed and friendly. Best of all, though, is the edge-of-fantasy feel that will make readers ask, "What if?"Hazel RochmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved