Cuts Like a Knife

November 1, 2012

Gr 8 Up-In Cuts, Daniel is infatuated with Mac, a beautiful but troubled musician with a reputation for running away from her problems. The recent death of her grandmother has her friends, including Daniel, on alert. On the eve of the destruction of her grandmother's house, she comes on to him. When he wakes, Mac has gone, leaving nothing but a trail of gifts to her friends and music teacher. While the book is certainly aimed at struggling readers, Ryan's foreshadowing of Mac's suicide attempt is subtle enough to satisfy sophisticated readers, and the references to music studies may make this story appealing to musicians. In Riot Act, 17-year-old Daniel (not the same one as in Cuts) and his friend head down to the city center to watch a sporting event on a big screen. The boys sneak in bottles of alcohol, and Nick drinks too much. After the home team loses, things get out of control quickly and rumors of a riot become a reality. The night takes a serious turn when Daniel meets Abbi, the granddaughter of the owner of the pizzeria that he breaks into while running away from the cops. Through Daniel's observations, Tullson describes the events without judgment, leaving lots of room for teens to assess the situation-and Daniel's actions-for themselves. She includes the harsh reality of the aftermath: the hate mail, the cyberbullying, and threats on the lives of the rioters. In the end, Daniel takes responsibility for his actions and, by doing so, wins the girl. Based on the Stanley Cup Riots in Vancouver, this fast-paced, slim novel is a disturbing but ultimately satisfying story that will surely spark discussion. Both books have short chapters and ample white space. Solid additions to hi/lo collections.Alison O'Reilly, Cutchogue New Suffolk Free Library, Cutchogue, NY

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.