Yearbook

Gr 9 Up—Lester Smith is entering his senior year of high school and faces each day with contempt. He does not do his schoolwork and has no plans for college. He cares only for his two friends, Milton's Paradise Lost, and the yearbook committee. This narrative is set in 1996 but feels like a contemporary coming-of-age tale. Lester's father has recently abandoned his family, and the teen is left responsible for caring for his younger sister Grace. Readers may find the protagonist unrelatable and overwritten; his dialogue is that of a jaded know-it-all. The secondary characters—Lester's friend James, girlfriend Freesia, and mentor and teacher Mr. Traversal—add to the overall story line. The work they put into the underground yearbook project is inspiring and provocative. Lester's apathy may be infuriating for some readers, but fans of Holden Caulfield will enjoy this debut novel.