Between Us and the Moon

April 1, 2015
Can inner truth be found when the journey starts with a lie? "You watch the world." That's the criticism Sarah's boyfriend makes when he dumps her. Sarah thought she was happiest looking through her telescope, tracking the path of the Comet Jolie. But when Sarah considers what her ex said, considers how her beautiful older sister, Scarlett, always commands all the attention-she's ready to find out if she can be part of the world. On Cape Cod for the summer, Sarah experiments by borrowing both Scarlett's clothes and her personality. But when she meets Andrew, she can't help being herself, scientific facts and all. The only problem is that he's 19 and she's barely 16-and he's best friends with Scarlett's summer fling. So Sarah lies about her age and doesn't reveal that she's Scarlett's sister. But as she falls more in love with Andrew, Sarah is left wondering about just what kind of girl she is. While the depth of her parents' inattention is exaggerated for the sake of the plot, Sarah's journey to craft her own place-in her family and in the world-is delicately handled. The romance between Sarah and Andrew is what first love is meant to be. A fine summer fling for a satisfying summer read. (Romance. 14-18)

April 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-Sarah has always been fine with living in the shadow of her sister, Scarlett, who has a larger-than-life persona. Between tracking the Comet Jolie and her boyfriend, Tucker, Sarah hardly notices that it is not exactly normal to be over-obsessed with science and to make handy lists for everything in one's life. She didn't even realize that Tucker has been spending less time with her. When he breaks up with her for one of the most popular girls in school, life seems unbearable. Sarah welcomes the opportunity to go with her family to Cape Cod and spend the summer with her Aunt Nancy. Here, she is determined to finally grow up, be more like her sisiter, and make her own choices. At the beach, while Sarah is channeling her "inner Scarlett," she meets Andrew, a gorgeous college boy. Soon, one little lie grows into a cacophony of problems. By the end of the summer, the protagonist is teetering between finding herself and falling in love. Maizel's writing is clear and concise, and has enough witty humor to keep pages turning. Readers will relate to Sarah and how her bad decisions lead to consequences that keep piling up around her. VERDICT With its themes of confidence and discovering one's true self, this summer romance is a great choice for teens.-Brittney Kosev, Dave Blair Elementary School, Farmers Branch, TX

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2015
Grades 10-1 Sarah Bean Levin has the best worst summer ever. While she is in the process of applying for an important science scholarship, stinging from a breakup with her childhood sweetheart, and turning 16, her family is going through growing pains of their own. Her mom has lost her job, and rich but cranky Aunt Nancy is financing the family's futureher way. Accused of being overly academic, Sarah initiates the Scarlett Experiment, deciding to dress, act, and play like her popular older sister in hope of reinventing herself. She meets and falls in love with Andrew, an older guy with a sad past seeking his own escape, but he doesn't know that Sarah has lied to him about her age. Maizel does a fine job of showing a family in flux from the perspective of a teen taking her first steps toward adulthood. Teen readers who can't quite figure out the social scene will identify with Sarah's tumultuous feelings about her peers and family, and her ultimate realization that logic can't solve matters of the human heart.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)