What We Knew

Gr 9 Up—Lisa and Tracy are best friends and both have wild imaginations. The legend of Banana Man has lived in their minds since middle school. Now in high school, Lisa still feels his presence and while she knows that the legend is not real, she still feels watched from the woods. Discovering a furnished tent in the woods only ignites her fear. Is this the work of Banana Man or something else? Once the girls decide that it is not real, a gift from Banana Man shows up only to spark their suspicions once more. The end result is not only tragic, but also tells an entirely different story of secrets and deception; readers come away understanding that there is always more than meets the eye. At times the story line is hard to follow with many secondary characters and love interests, though most readers will stay tuned to find out more about the legend of Banana Man. The characters are rough around the edges—they smoke and drink. They also take care of one another and will ring true to teens.