Jersey Tomatoes are the Best

January 24, 2011
Almost 16, Eva and Henry (don't ever call her Henriette) have been best friends forever, with a shared understanding of demanding parents and a deep love for their home state of New Jersey. This summer, Eva is accepted to the prestigious New York School of Dance, while Henry talks her father/coach into letting her attend a tennis academy in Florida. Each girl has a dangerous voice in her head. For Henry it's that of her father, whose desire to win has Henry using every psychological trick in the book to defeat her opponents; over the summer she falls in love and learns to count on her tennis skills, instead. Eva's voice is an eating disorder that slowly whittles away at her, resulting in near-deadly consequences before she
accepts the gravity of her illness. With complex characters, a wrenchingly realistic portrayal of anorexia, and a friendship that is the true heart of the story, Padian (Brett McCarthy: Work in Progress) offers a well-wrought tale that makes it crystal clear that New Jersey has much more to offer than a certain reality show might suggest. Ages 12–up.

February 1, 2011

The worlds of ballet and tennis provide an intriguing background for this story about two gifted best friends. Eva's talent for ballet and Henry's ("don't call her Henriette") success in tennis, combined with the parental pressure they endure, provide a tight connection. Each is about to have an experience that could move them closer to their dreams. Eva survives a tough audition for a prestigious ballet program, while Henry settles into a Florida tennis academy known for turning out winners. Despite making a good impression, though, Eva struggles with confidence and self-image. Henry, however, not only makes friends but also begins a romance with the academy's star. When Eva sustains an injury, her tenuous hold slips and serious problems are revealed. Henry is ready to go to her friend even if it means sacrificing her position at the academy. Told in the distinctive voices of the two main characters, this is a compelling look at similarities between the high-pressure worlds of arts and sports for young people involved at a high level. While there is nothing new about teens struggling with self-image, the interesting protagonists, details from both worlds and the well-drawn, flawed adult characters make this a worthwhile read. (Fiction. 14 & up)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

May 1, 2011

Gr 7-10-Eva, a ballet dancer, and Henriette, a star tennis player, lead highly competitive lives, but they never compete against one another, except for which of their parents is the most insanely overbearing. When Henry goes to a tennis camp in Florida and Eva to a ballet school in New York for the summer, it becomes apparent that, while Henry thrives on the challenges of her athletic career, Eva is slowly being destroyed by the pressures of ballet culture and her own impossible quest for perfection. The story follows the girls in alternating narratives, and Henry's chapters vibrantly recount the expected experiences of a teen at camp: a colorful roommate, a cute guy who turns out to be sleazy, and another guy she ends up falling for. By contrast, Eva's chapters become increasingly dark and self-critical as her precarious mental condition deteriorates, and she slips into a regimen of starvation and exercise that portends disaster. While it's obvious early on that Eva has an eating disorder, it takes an astonishingly long time for anyone to act. The teens' high-powered and oblivious parents are perhaps exaggerated, but the intense stress felt by Henry, and especially Eva, to perform and please will resonate with high-achieving readers. This is a moving portrayal of the mental anguish of anorexia and a story about discovering your values and cherishing your friendships above all else. Give this novel to fans of Sarah Dessen's work and anyone else who likes chick lit that both entertains and skillfully addresses serious teen topics.-Emma Burkhart, Springside School, Philadelphia, PA

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2011
Grades 7-10 In chapters alternating between two Jersey girlsHenry, a tennis dynamo, and Eva, an ultrafocused ballerinaPadian gives us a tale of friendship surviving distance, hard-core helicoptering parents, and, in Evas case, an extreme personal meltdown. Both girls, who refer to themselves jokingly as Jersey tomatoes, are spending summer vacation at high-pressure camps in preparation for their respective careers. Henrys experience in Florida, away from her pushy father who encourages her to be a trash-talker on court, is eye-opening and positive. Expert coaching, a romance with a teen about to go pro, and friendship with an easygoing Cuban American camper expand Henrys horizons. Eva, though, falters at a high-pressure New York City ballet school, and the negative voices inside her head drive her to anorexia. But once Henry learns of Evas hospitalization, distance cant keep the two apart. Padians writing and plotting are clean and clear, and her handling of the duos dilemmas never stoops to melodrama. An excellent read for sports lovers who desire some meaty beefsteak in their stories.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)