Choyce, Lesley. Reaction

Choyce, Lesley Reaction
Orca 2010 98p 9.95
978-1-55469-277-4 hs Conflict VG
When his girlfriend Ashley becomes pregnant, Zach must deal with the damage to their relationship and the repercussions.
Part of the Orca Soundings imprint, this story provides a very frank and readable account of teenage pregnancy and the problems it creates for the teens involved, and its impact on family and friends. Told mostly from the point of view of Zach, the reactions of the teens and their families are realistically portrayed, as they explore the options - abortion, adoption and parenthood. The only odd note is the possible renewal of a previous relationship with Zach’s old girlfriend that becomes a loose end at the conclusion of the story.

Since the depiction is stark and frank in its protrayal of the teens’ having had sex and the unwanted pregnancy (even though there is no description of the sexual act), this book will not be suitable for younger readers. However, high school students will enjoy the book for its honesty and readability.
As with most Orca books, the reading level is 3.4, and the content is high interest for teens.
Recommended for high school collections where the issue of teen pregnancy can be explored honestly and openly. Naismith, Pat Teenage pregnancy fiction