Butterfly

Gr 10 Up—Preparing for her upcoming 14th birthday, Plum Coyle is awash in all of the teenage drama common to young people as they reach for adulthood. She uses a hidden collection of objects to provide her with the power to make the upcoming year better than the last. She hopes and prays that these objects will solve her personal problems and those of her family, and make her more attractive to her so-called friends. When an immature action by Plum is exposed, her friends turn their backs on her and she finds herself drawn to Maureen, her 30-something neighbor who offers her advice on how to become more assured, but who has her own agenda that will lead to a heartbreaking conclusion. Rebecca Macauley's flawless narration makes each character easily recognizable, and her accent reflects the Australian setting. Adult situations in Sonia Harnett's story (Candlewick, 2010) involving her older brothers make this book most appropriate for mature teens.—Ann Brownson, Ballenger Teachers Center, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston