Shattered Glass

July 15, 2015
The only memories 16-year-old Toni Royce has of her mother are the scars on her skin and lingering nightmares of a vicious and painful fire. When the orphanage where she has spent most of her life is, ironically, lost in a fire, Toni finds herself Toronto-bound, with only three pieces of paper bearing clues to her former life. Along the way, she creates a hodgepodge family of her own while searching for the truth about a woman she's hated for as long as she can remember. This entry in the Secrets series reads like a haphazardly sewn patchwork quilt: the individual squares have great potential, but when combined, the pieces don't quite fit. The novel simply tries to do too much. In addition to Toni's search for her mother, Toten attempts to weave in too many secondary plotlines, diluting the intensity of Toni's search. Additionally, Toni's "aw shucks" naivete is overplayed and off-putting. However, perhaps the greatest disappointment is that while the story promises to be steeped in Toronto's 1960s music scene, the music gets lost in the muddle and all but disappears midway through. In the end, it's a motley crew of endearing and rich secondary characters who bear the burden of readers' engagement. A novel that could have hit the high notes but instead falls flat. (Historical fiction. 12-16)

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November 1, 2015

Gr 8 Up-Each installment in this hi-lo series is based on the experiences of one of the seven oldest girls living at an orphanage. After their home burns down, each teen is given a small amount of money and whatever tokens were with her at the time of her arrival at the institution. While all originate at the home for girls, their paths diverge wildly as they each search for their own origins. In Small Bones, talented seamstress Dot has no problem finding a job and place to live in the Dunbrae Arms resort. She was left on the steps of the orphanage as a baby with just a spoon in her hand and swaddled in an army jacket, clues that lead her to her new home. Soon, with the help of Eddie, a local, Dot figures her origins may be more complex (and threatening) than she ever imagined. Conversely, in Shattered Glass, Toni has physical reminders of her past. She was the victim of a fire as a baby and has the scars to prove it. All she knows is that she needs to get to Toronto, where she knows the fire took place. What she finds is a kindly if troubled landlady and other neighbors who are fighting their own battles. Toni's search for her mother will lead her in unexpected directions and pair her with unlikely allies. With their accessible themes, these short titles are great for reluctant readers interested in the 1960s. VERDICT Highly readable historical fiction.-Morgan Brickey, Arlington Public Library, TX

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