Hannah's Touch

October 1, 2009
Grades 7-10 A near-death experience brings Hannah the power to heal and a glimpse of her recently deceased boyfriend, Logan, who asks her to do something for Tom, the friend who goaded Logan into the car race that killed him. Hannah is overwhelmed, and no one but nutty old Mrs. OConnell embraces Hannahs new power. Even her best friend, Marie, fears her and thinks Hannah needs a ministers help. Still, she cant understand what Logan could want for Tom, and since Hannah can hardly stand the sight of him, shes in no hurry to find out. But Hannah discovers that Toms lingering injuries from the crash are more serious than she believed, and that he is self-medicating with dangerous amounts of alcohol. When she finally confronts her own feelings about Toms role in Logans death, she begins to understand the depth of Toms own suffering and decides to help him heal. Like other books in the Orca Soundings line, this is a quick, plot-driven read with a compelling premise that will appeal to fans of supernatural dramas.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)