Hautman, Pete. Blank Confession

Hautman, Pete. Blank Confession
Simon & Schuster/Little Brown 2010 170p 16.99
978-1-4424-1028-2 ms/hs Conflict VG
Mysterious Shayne befriends the smallest boy in school, neutralizes bullies and confronts the school drug dealer. Why is he in the police station confessing to a murder? And who did he kill? As with many of Hautman’s books, the pleasure is getting to the enigmatic surprise ending. And, as with many of his protagonists, all is not as it seems on the surface. The story moves back and forth, from the interrogation room and a uneasy policeman, to Mikey, a undersized high school student who is befriended by the mysterious Shane Blank. A drug dealer, his “shadows” and girlfriend (who is Mikey’s older sister), and the rooftop of a condo all collide in an ending that seems predictable, yet still manages to confound the reader. As with Invisible, readers will know that there is something not quite right about the altruistic Shane, but they will have to wait until the end to really find out who and what he is.

Hautman has built a following of readers who like quirky characters, slightly troubling plots and twisted endings. While this is not as good as Invisible or Godless, it is an engrossing story. Great for reluctant readers, especially guys, but girls will also be drawn to this novel. Fans of Todd Strasser, Terry Trueman and John Green will enjoy this and others of Hautman’s novels. Recommended for high school and upper middle school collections. Hautman’s books are always compelling and will appeal to even the most reluctant readers. Naismith, Pat

McClintock, Norah. Picture This.

McClintock, Norah. Picture This.
Orca 2009 109p 9.95 978-1-55469-138-8 ms/hs
Orca Soundings
Murder mystery involving an at-risk teen who joins a photo workshop at the local rec center and is stalked for his camera. What do the photos contain and who wants them? Ethan has to figure this out before he becomes a murder victim. This engaging murder mystery involves Ethan, an at risk teen who lives in a foster home. He joins a local recreation center photography program. He finds he has a talent for photography and takes pictures to illustrate freedom on the digital camera that his kindly foster parents bought him for his birthday. However, after taking several photos in the woods, he is threatened and stalked by someone who is trying to get to the photos that are on his digital camera. He doesn’t know why this is happening. He does know that he must find out why this person wants his camera or else he will become a murder victim. McClintock does an excellent job of telling the story from the perspective of a teenage boy who has had a hard life but is trying to turn his life around. The writing is pithy yet absorbing and will keep the reader turning pages to find out what is going to happen next. The attractive cover will entice teen readers. This title is recommended for middle and high school libraries that need fiction books that will be interesting to boys and for those libraries that need high interest titles. This title is one of the Orca Soundings series and is recommended for Tristate Books of Note. Weinraub, Tina

Impact.

Dekker, James C. Impact.
Orca 2009 94 16.95 978-1-55143-997-6 ms/hs

What starts as a study of violence against a teenager ends with a surprise climactic moment when Jordan reveals his role in his brother's death? The family suffers the effects of this senseless murder. One wonders how much more it will suffer if the truth ever comes out.
In this short study of jealousy, pain of loss, a slow court system and culpability, James Dekker unravels a powerful plot in which the details of Mark's murder are told by his brother. Four boys brutally beat up Mark after his work shift one night. Their actions reflect the jealousy of one teen, Tony, who convinces three friends to go along with him as he seeks revenge because Mark is dating his former girlfriend, Shannon. When Mark's family learns that a neighbor boy, Kyle, is also involved, they are devastated. Each chapter is introduced by Mark and Jordan's dad as he writes the victim impact statement he will read in court before the sentencing. By the end, we know the anguish of loss. We also know the role of each teen in the murder. When Kyle is sentenced to time paid for his role in luring Mark to a dark parking lot on that fateful night, the family is crushed! Imagine our surprise when Jordan's role in the murder is revealed! As one finds out, Jordan was jealous of his brother for capturing the heart of the girl that he had hoped to take out, the very same, Shannon! Jordan told Kyle where his brother would be that night, implicating himself in the murder of his own brother! Kyle exchanged his testimony for freedom, but covered for Jordan. The author ends with a Cain-Abel story of brother turning on brother, but in this case, the truth never comes out. Jordan must live with his guilt forever.
The book ends with a list of Orca Soundings' books and a preview of books soon to be published. MS