Safe – Susan Shaw

It was the last day of school. Thirteen year old Tracy was walking home and was less than a block away when she was grabbed by a classmate’s brother, thrown in his car, raped, beaten and left for dead.

Tracy’s mother died when she was three, but she had always been able to feel her presence.  After the rape, she could no longer feel her mother.

Tracy has her father and her friend Caroline and she has discovered her music.  But she can’t cope.  This book is a story of what it can take to live again, what it takes to feel Safe.

Saturday Night Dirt – Will Weaver

The sky looks ominous. There is a race tonight and if the Headwaters Speedway track is rained out there may not be enough money to keep the racetrack open.

Other dirt tracks in the state have been rained out, so Melody, the track owner’s daughter, coaxes some big name racers to journey to the Headwaters.  If they hit the road right away they will be in time.  Who is going to win?  Will it be the out of towners or the locals?  Can they beat the rain?

Saturday Night Dirt is dirt track racing in Minnesota.  And just like the cars, it moves fast.

My Most Excellent Year – Steve Kluger

Ms. LaFontaine assigned her eleventh grade class to write about “My Totally Excellent Year.” After they balked over the title (and changed it), three chose to write about the year they were in ninth grade.

T.C.’s mom died when he was six, and because of that loss, he acquired a new brother. Augie was the only one who knew how to talk to T.C. Soon Augie’s parents were T.C.’s “Mom” and “Dad,” and T.C.’s father was “Pop” to them both.

Alejandra’s father had been the ambassador to Mexico, and Ale was to enter the family business. The problem was that she constantly put her foot in her mouth and offended dignitaries at official functions.

The story is about friendship, first loves, the families we are born with, and the families we choose. It is told through journal entries, E-mails, chats, newspaper articles and posters. In My Most Excellent Year : A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins & Fenway Park , there is sports, music, dancing, acting, political action, discovery of sexual orientation, sign-language and, yes, Julie Andrews.

This is a fantastic novel of acceptance and encouragement.  And it’s funny.