Shutter

Gr 8 Up—Day is searching for herself and trying to deal with some major changes in her life. When she comes across a shy teenage boy, Julian, who is about to shoplift cans of tuna in a minimart, she knows there must be more to the story, but she doesn't expect the police to come to her door later asking about him. The police say Julian murdered his parents and escaped from a juvenile detention center. He is sick and starving but not armed and dangerous. Day decides to hide Julian while she checks into what really happened the night that Julian's mother drowned and his father was murdered. The novel is told mainly from Day's point of view, with Julian's journal entries filling in the blanks. Day is described as having a passion for photography, and the book's title reflects that. However, her photography interest does not seem to add anything to the narrative. This element will leave readers wondering why the book is named after something that seems so incidental. The characters are a little unconvincing at times, and plot threads seem to start and end quickly throughout. Still, this is a quick novel and may keep reluctant readers engaged.