The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball

Gr 7—10—Logical and practical, high school sophomore Erin Channing is focused on keeping her spot atop the GPA list and earning a trip to Italy with her AP Art History teacher. However, she is worried that she won't be chosen because she has "the most boring, normal, regular life ever." All that is irrevocably changed when the aunt she hasn't heard from in years dies suddenly, leaving the teen a pink crystal ball and a set of cryptic instructions. Erin figures the object is one last example of "Aunt Kooky's" infamous eccentricity, but even she can't deny that it is more than coincidence when the ball's predictions begin to come true. Events ebook out of control as, at the prodding of her best friends and despite her better judgment, she uses the crystal ball without fully understanding its powers. Green's novel has a touch of romance but is rooted in Erin's relationship with her best friends, Lindsay and Samantha. It has some similar elements to Maureen Johnson's 13 Little Blue Envelopes (HarperCollins, 2005)—both feature teens set on a path of self-discovery due to the bequest of a recently deceased aunt. Though some of the supporting characters are underdeveloped, readers will respond to Erin's growth and understanding, and her decision to control her own destiny.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL