Stacie & Cole
Grade 10 Up—Stacie and Cole have been dating since ninth grade and are now 16 and thinking about having sex for the first time. This causes a conflict with Stacie's dad. Her sister was kicked out of the house when she became pregnant and their father is overprotective, especially since his wife left him. Cole's mom has a new boyfriend and Cole is angry that he hasn't seen his dad in three years. When he learns that his father is at the local homeless shelter, he finds him and encourages him to come back home. In the meantime, Cole and Stacie try to figure out their relationship, and Cole's previous girlfriend gets involved. These African-American teens must come to terms with making their own decisions and dealing with the consequences. This urban novel is written on an easy reading level for reluctant readers. The love-triangle plot is predictable but provides for a dramatic conclusion.—Corinda J. Humphrey, Los Angeles Public LibraryCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.