A Lie for a Lie

Gr 9 Up—When Kendra was seven years old, she was in a boat accident that killed her parents' friend and seriously injured her mom. In the decade since then, she has tried to overcome her anxiety attacks, mostly with the help of her father. But the summer before her senior year of high school, Kendra sees her father with another woman. To figure out what's happening, Kendra takes photographs as she follows him and his mysterious companion. She also starts a relationship with her dream guy, who might be untruthful as well. The simple language makes this a possible choice for struggling readers, but some might get frustrated with the slow narrative and find it easy to figure out the mysteries and scandals surrounding Kendra's family and friends. The first chapter opens with a bang, but the rest of the story doesn't live up to the intriguing premise. It might also be difficult for readers to believe that someone who has lived with anxiety for more than half of her life can be so blasé about everyone's lies and betrayals, which are neatly tied up in the final, anticlimactic chapters.