Saving Grace

April 1, 2007
Gr 7 Up-Evie's first mistake was getting pregnant. She admits that. The second mistake, giving her baby up for adoption, wasn't her idea but her father's. So to fix it, the 15-year-old takes drastic action by kidnapping Brianna, now named Grace, from her adoptive parents and running away with her. She convinces Justin, the child's father, to drive them to Montreal so they can start over as a family. His change of heart puts Evie's plans for a new life in jeopardy, and Brianna's rising temperature turns up the heat on the decision that Evie knows in her heart she must make. The novel's fast pace will keep reluctant readers turning the pages to the end. Ryan has created a wholly believable protagonist in a novel that has a 2.4 reading level. Readers will sympathize with her plight even as they cringe at her series of bad choices. While the book is written with struggling teen readers in mind, more sophisticated readers will find themselves drawn to both the content and character."H. H. Henderson, Heritage Middle School, Deltona, FL"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.