Off the Page

April 1, 2015
What happens when a happily-ever-after is no longer guaranteed? Picoult and van Leer, her co-author daughter, explore the real-life consequences when two star-crossed, teen lovers leave the certainty of the fictive page and give their romance a test run in the real world. In the somewhat cluttered and chaotic sequel to Between the Lines (2012), Oliver, a once-fictional charming prince, and his doppelganger, Edgar, the lonely teen son of the author of Oliver's fairy tale, have swapped places. Edgar now resides between the covers of the book, and Oliver is braving three-dimensional high school life with his one true love, Delilah. Not surprisingly, things don't go quite as planned. The swap has consequences, and as the fictional book attempts to restore order, characters from both worlds suddenly find themselves jumping on and off the pages. Watching Oliver navigate the perils of high school provides some easy laughs, and his romance with Delilah remains fairy-tale sweet, even as his rising popularity complicates things between them. But it's secondary characters, like Delilah's tough-as-nails best friend, Jules, who provide the most entertainment. Readers will likely find themselves anxiously awaiting their arrivals in scenes. Though it lacks the depth of Cornelia Funke's Inkheart series, the story is at its best when it's taken as a metafictive exploration of the relationship between a reader and a beloved book. (Fantasy. 10-14)

May 1, 2015

Gr 7 Up-Picoult and van Leer dive back into the realm of fairy tales coming true in this companion to Between the Lines (Delacorte, 2012). Storybook prince turned real-life boyfriend, Oliver, has started high school with his true love, Delilah. Despite a few social mishaps, Oliver (being referred to as Edgar, whose place he had to take in order to escape the pages of the book) finds himself on the fast track to popularity, much to Delilah's chagrin. The two have just started to work through their new problems, when they discover something is wrong in the book from which Oliver originated. The story seems to be rewriting itself and the real Edgar (who took Oliver's place in the story) doesn't know how to lead the other characters. Soon, bigger problems arise, with more real-life beings and storybook characters switching places unintentionally, and the book's author, Edgar's mom, Jessamyn, falling ill. Is happily ever after a dream still out of reach? Readers need to have read the first title in order to follow the plot and they will easily find themselves pulled back into the world of Oliver, Delilah, and Edgar. Strong narrative voices keep the alternating chapters from becoming confusing, and the cultural references are spot-on, although they may cause the book to feel dated in a short time. VERDICT A fun, fairy-tale romance for teens who believe in happily ever after. Recommended.-Heather Webb, Worthington Libraries, OH

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2015
Grades 7-10 Delilah and Oliver may have found a happy ending, but this story isn't over yet. In this second collaboration between best-selling Picoult and her college-age daughter, nerdy high-schooler Delilah and the prince she literally plucked from the pages of a book are settling into as normal a life as possible. Edgar, son of said book's author, Jessamyn, has swapped places with Oliver, going into the story so Oliver can live a normal teenage life with Delilah. But the book wants Oliver back, and worryingly, something is very wrong with Jessamyn. This companion novel takes a darker turn than its predecessor but ultimately is not as strong, recycling many of the same escape-from-the-book dilemmas. Still, the sweet, wholesome nature of the love story remains intact, as do the enchanting colored pencil drawings. Familiarity with the first volume is not necessary, but readers of Between the Lines (2012) will enjoy the return to these worlds, as well as the fleshing-out of several secondary characters now in starring roles. A quiet, lovely fairy tale emphasizing the importance of family and creativity. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Anything with Picoult's star power attached is sure to be popular, and Between the Lines was a number one New York Times best-seller.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)