No Right Turn
Grade 8-10–Suicide is never pretty but Jordan has no qualms about describing the day his father shot himself three years earlier. Angry and traumatized, he is slow to heal, especially since he refuses to discuss his feelings. Now 16, the teen has isolated himself from everyone and all of his former interests. When his mom begins dating again, he is barely cordial to her new boyfriend, Don, but is nevertheless intrigued by the mans vintage Corvette. Jordan becomes hooked on the thrill of riding with Don and risks the budding friendship by borrowing the car without permission. Bolstered by the adrenaline rush and sense of freedom, his joyriding becomes addictive and rewarding when he catches the attention of the girl of his dreams. He continues taking the car at every opportunity, and readers fear what his friend Walt has warned all along: Jordan is finally busted after speeding. Reclaiming his girls and Dons trust requires uncorking bottled emotions about his fathers death. The first-person point of view works well here, as Jordan acts upon gut feelings, rationalizes his behavior, and waffles back and forth with guilt. The description of the suicide scene is realistic and powerful, and great dialogue and car details keep the plot moving for reluctant readers.–Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NYCopyright © 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.