Getting the Boot

August 1, 2005
Gr 6-10 -A summer in Rome for a prestigious study program is cramping 17-year-old Kelly's style: b-o-r-i-n-g roommates, tight quarters, lots of work. Where are those Prada shopping sprees and gorgeous Italian guys she'd figured on? Then, along comes hunky California surfer Joe, who's into staying out late and partying. She starts seeing him and neglecting her assignments, and the program's director warns her that she'd better straighten up or she'll find herself flying home before the term ends. Opportunities to visit world-famous museums and ancient ruins and to study classical works of art slowly make an impression on her. She hones her talent for drawing by sketching the wonders she encounters on class trips. As Kelly becomes immersed in the culture and scenery, she makes peace with her peers and with herself. Guthart paints her characters with a broad brush, but the landscape and Kelly's innate good nature carry the tale. Teens will relate to the various types of students and glean some appreciation for Rome's rich heritage." -Roxanne Myers Spencer, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2005
Gr. 8-12. Popular high-school junior Kelly Brandt is student council president, dance squad captain, and an applicant for the Students across the Seven Seas (S.A.S.S.) Study Abroad Program. She's dreaming of Italy, where she can find the hottest "men, leather and fashion" (Kelly-speak for learn about a different culture). In Italy she hooks up with California bad-boy Joe, nearly getting herself booted out of the country. Luckily, she's given one chance to redeem herself and find a meaningful way to connect to the land of pasta and Pompeii. Although Strauss works in some potentially heavy situations--doctored drinks at a club, partying until 3 a.m.--there's nothing explicit, and her predictable dialogue is laced with minitravelogues that readers with a zest for travel will likely enjoy. This lightweight combination of romance and far-off places, the second volume in the S.A.S.S. series, may not be a first purchase, but it will still attract an audience.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)