Crossing Into Brooklyn

Gr 9 Up—Sixteen-year-old Morgan has lived a comfortable life, though her successful parents pay more attention to their careers than to her. When her adoring grandfather passes away, Morgan becomes suspicious that her mother has been keeping something from her, so she snoops until she discovers a mysterious letter. A trip to a run-down area of Brooklyn to investigate reveals that her mother has kept an important truth from Morgan her whole life: her "real" grandfather, an Irish immigrant, was an abusive alcoholic whom her mother disowned. Morgan feels cheated not knowing the truth and is disappointed in her mother's unwavering conviction not to see her father again. The teen channels her anger into helping her grandfather and his neighbors, especially when his building is condemned. Her tenacity is admirable and the author succeeds in relaying Morgan's discomfort and fear when confronting poverty. Unfortunately, readers do not learn much more about Morgan, except that she hides her own secret past regarding sexual experiences. A secondary plot of her budding romance with one of her best friends feels creepy, as the young man seems attracted to her because he incorrectly believes she is "unspoiled goods." The ending is plausible as some of the plotlines are not tied up too neatly.