Between the Notes

Gr 8 Up—Ivy Emerson, 16, moves from affluent Westside to undesirable Lakeside after her parents declare bankruptcy after getting behind on her brother's medical bills. Leaving her baby grand piano, bedroom with a window seat, and cell phone behind, she fears she'll lose her friends if they ever find out. But keeping up appearances proves difficult when her best friend still lives in Westside, her bad-boy next-door neighbor isn't keen on keeping their interactions a secret, and the mysterious new boy at school seems far more Westside than Lakeside. To make matters worse, Ivy's best friend is crushing on the new guy who, in turn, is mutually crushing on Ivy. Worst of all, she can't even save face with a "respectable" job playing piano at the country club due to her stage fright and fear of being found out. Short on cash and without the perspective that money isn't everything, Ivy navigates the waters of learning what she's worth in a very material world. Although distastefully shallow at first, trying to save face at every turn, Ivy eventually learns that things aren't always what they seem, and that it is not what you have but who you are that matters. A constant barrage of "ums," ellipses, and disjointed plot devices tarnish the reading experience.