Payback

February 1, 2018

Gr 6 Up-The series, which focuses on contemporary issues, continues with four new installments. In order to attend camp, Max must help out with his brother Duncan, who has autism, while dealing with his mother's new boyfriend in Camped Out. In Winter Road, Kat is coping with the loss of her father and recent diabetes diagnosis while on a long-distance trucking job with her mother. When a mysterious truck nearly runs over Dylan in Payback, he gets sucked into the crime that he accidentally witnessed. In Shadow, Preston, who is legally blind, must find out who erased a film that was to be screened at his upcoming festival. Each book features characters dealing with authentic real-world issues, like living with disabilities and challenging relationships with parents. The writing is straightforward with uncomplicated, short sentences, but each plotline is immersive. VERDICT Written between a third and fourth grade reading level, this series will particularly appeal to middle school hi-lo readers.

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