Moore, Stephanie P., and Derrick Moore. Always Upbeat/All That.

Moore, Stephanie P., and Derrick Moore.   Always Upbeat/All That. (2 points of view)      Saddleback  304p  $14.95      978-1-61651-884-4           hs    Good Realistic Fiction 

Stephanie Perry Moore and her husband Derrick Moore teamed up to create this Saddleback novel that presents two stories in one.  Interestingly, the events correspond, as Blake tells his story in the first half of the book, entitled All That, and then the reader turns the book around to find Charli’s story, entitled Always Upbeat.  In this combination novel, the reader finds a good plot, focusing on the challenges and pressures faced by high-school students everywhere: how to lead, how to handle sexual advances, and how to handle family drama.  Charli must learn to balance her cheerleading position as captain of the squad with her personal life, and she does an abysmal job of it.  Blake faces his mother’s cancer and the pressure to shine as quarterback as his relationship with Charli falls apart.  There are many messages to be found in these stories, and the themes will resound with high-school readers who want action, real-life drama, and guidance in issues of morality and other current topics. 

Unfortunately, the use of more advanced vocabulary in the characters' speech does not always "ring true".  It appears that the authors leave their local dialect to attempt to show that Charli and Blake are not ignoring their education.   Some examples of words that do not sound natural in their speech are "dissipating" (on page 32)and "awry" (on page 116).  Authenticity must be preserved in this type of novel so that the story flows naturally.  In addition to this weakness, there is another:  Charli’s reaction to her father’s indiscretion is rather weak.  She is horrified that her boyfriend is cheating on her, but when her father cheats, she says it is just "wrong".  She under-reacts, and readers will be put off by this type of deviation from the voice of the story.  All in all, both stories are good, and readers will enjoy the contrasting points of view.  Saddleback’s reputation as a publisher of books that are guaranteed to keep young adults reading is noteworthy, and this book will not disappoint high-school readers.

Please note errors the following errors: on page 110 of Always Upbeat, "cutting him of" should be "cutting him off" and on page 92 of the same novel, the word “to” is missing in "supposed laugh".  

Friendship-Fiction, Point of View                     --Martha Squaresky