Autofocus

April 15, 2016
A photography-class assignment on the meaning of family prompts Maude, an adopted high school senior in Florida, to learn about her deceased birth mother, Claire.Maude's Indian-American BFF, Treena, attends Florida State University, which Claire attended and where Maude might apply. Parental permission secured, the white teen visits Treena, who promises to help; but partying, drinking, and hanging with her new boyfriend means she's not there for Maude. Luckily, Treena's dorm mate, an appealing Star Wars nerd, steps in and joins Maude's quest, which leads to Claire's high school, teachers, friends, foes, and family. Each discovery forces Maude to re-examine her image of Claire, as she also does with Treena. Maude's high-concept struggle to condense a process into one snapshot has depth and pathos, but it is undermined by the incomplete portrait of adoption. A bright, artistic, edgy teen from a troubled background, Claire elicits Maude's compassion, along with repulsion and relief at having been adopted by better parents. Maude expresses no sense of deep personal loss. After all, her affluent, "fit" parents have given her a better life than her impoverished birth family could. Claire's (atypical) death in childbirth at 18 safely removed her from the story; Maude's goal is to understand her mother as a teen in order to complete her own story. Claire's peers play a greater role in Maude's search than her birth family.Adoption entails lifelong losses along with joys, but its hard questions and nuanced complexities are airbrushed from this affluence-cushioned world. (Fiction. 12-16)

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June 1, 2016

Gr 8 Up-A look at the transition to adulthood through the eyes of a young woman searching for answers about her biological family. Tasked with taking photos that represent the concept of family for her photography course, high school senior Maude travels to Tallahassee to see where her birth mother grew up. She stays with best friend Treena, who went off to college a year earlier. Though they once shared everything, Maude and Treena are surprised to discover how much each of them has changed. Treena's new desire to party and hang out with boys leaves Maude on her own as she searches for her birth mother. Along the way, the protagonist meets Bennett, a boy who lives in Treena's dorm and is eager to help. Maude is relentless in her quest for answers, but the author doesn't fully explain why. Treena's East Asian heritage is emphasized but feels like an afterthought. Bennett is the perfect love interest but isn't developed enough to keep readers invested in the romance. Still, detailing the progression from high school to college, Gibaldi gives voice to the fears and expectations of many teenagers. VERDICT Perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins and Sarah Dessen who are looking for a new author to love.-Alexandra Patterson, Mercersburg Academy Library, PA

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