Can You See Me Now?

Gr 6 Up—In this debut realistic novel, 13-year-old Amanda is mourning the loss of her father who was killed by a drunk driver while out buying her a birthday gift. Complicating her feelings is the realization that her grieving mother blames Amanda for her husband's death. While trying to understand her mother's increasing physical and emotional distance, Amanda begins living with her grandmother, a move that provides her with a supportive and loving adult to lean on and the confidence to befriend two other young people who feel isolated at school. Amanda's new friends, Paloma, a yoga-enthusiast, and Rogelio, a boy who, like Amanda, has been bullied by their classmates, introduce Amanda to new experiences, new food, and a lovable dog that plays an important role in the girl's recovery. Through a school project, she also meets an older neighbor who helps Amanda appreciate her community and to feel more invested in its future. Over time, Amanda emerges stronger and happier, and ultimately she is able to reconnect with her mother. While the novel leads to a satisfying resolution, the wooden dialogue distracts from the story and creates distance from the characters. This quiet novel may be an effective vehicle for exploring feelings around loss, but the underdeveloped characters make it challenging to connect with them in any meaningful way.—Shelley Sommer, Inly School, Scituate, MA