Dive In!

Gr 5–7—As seventh grade draws to a close, Grace Davis's grade school friend Christina Cooper is hanging out with the cool crowd and leaving her behind. Her other bestie, Mel Levi, is going to be gone all summer. New friend Jaci has invited her to join the Riverside Swim Club, but her parents are making her earn the $200 membership fee. In the meantime, Grace is faced with cheating, caring for a sick dog, and snide comments at school. Dive In! is a story about peer pressure, the need to fit in, learning to stand up for oneself, and the desire to be cool. Although the secondary characters are a little flat and sometimes unrealistic, Grace makes true-to-life decisions and is a likable protagonist. Tween girls will enjoy the setting and the non-preachy tone, as well as the ultra-cute boys.—Terry Ann Lawler, Phoenix Public Library, AZ