Driving Lessons

Gr 9 Up—Abbey's sophomore year is already in trouble. She's scared to learn to drive after her father's fatal accident, afraid to come out to her mother, and is suddenly targeted by the meanest girl in school. That, plus baggage from her last not-girlfriend, confusing dynamics with her very straight BFF, and a flirtatious straight girl all mean that this year will be one for the books. A fun, contemporary, lesbian heir to Alex Sanchez's "Rainbow Boys" trilogy (S. & S.), this series seems to be a wonderful and relatively light realistic look at the specific trials of being a teenaged girl who likes girls. Hesik does a good job of filling new readers in on the relationships and plot points established in Freshman Year (Bold Strokes, 2012) without bogging down the opening chapters. Although some of the references are dated (The Butchies; Late Night with Dr. Drew; Buffy the Vampire Slayer), that doesn't deter from the book's quality. There is also a very well-handled relationship between a Deaf character and the hearing protagonist. Although the speed with which Abbey becomes comfortable signing is surprising, the interactions ring true to the way that Deaf and hearing individuals and culture rub up against each other. The characters are delightfully affectionate and frank, and go through the tensions and changes typical of teen girl friendships in a realistic way.