Frankie

Gr 9 Up—From the time Frankie Vega was abandoned by her abusive mother at age four, she has been taken care of by her aunt Vinnie. Being raised with love, however, hasn't stopped her from turning into an angry, troubled teenager, one whose most recent crime is lashing out at a classmate and breaking his nose with a large Shakespeare book. While working in her aunt's kebab shop and spending many hours alone during during her suspension from school, Frankie is confronted by a younger brother, Xavier, whom she never knew existed. As she cautiously lets him into her life, she is haunted by old memories that she has suppressed for years. When Xavier goes missing, Frankie takes it upon herself to investigate. What she discovers shocks her and sends her into places darker than she could have imagined. Despite her sarcastic, defensive attitude, Frankie is a likable character whose witty one-liners and offbeat musings bring humor to the book. Though the plot is slightly underdeveloped and often contrived, the interactions between the teenage protagonists bring enough substance to move the story along. There are a handful of Australian slang words and expressions that may throw off some readers, but not enough to detract from the main action. The mature language, sexual references, and violence make this appropriate for older teens.