A Crack in the Line by Michael Lawrence "On the second anniversary of his mother's death, Alaric Underwood still grieves, but by placing his hands on his mother's small, beautiful handcrafted replica of their home, he can transport himself to the alternate reality his mother now inhabits, where he meets Naia, a girl who could be his twin. As similar as the teens'worlds are, chance has forced change. Naia's house is warm, orderly, and cared for; Alaric's is cold, chaotic, and unkempt. Alaric has a batty Aunt Liney who is missing from Naia's life, and he works an M. C. Escher jigsaw puzzle, one of the author's references to the artist's work, which includes chapter numbering that both descends and climbs. The first in a trilogy, this is a complex story of choices, fate, and acceptance." -- Booklist, June1, 2004
	Finding Grace by Alyssa Brugman "Rachel is just starting college when a local attorney who met her during graduation hires her to care for Grace, his former coworker and friend, who has suffered brain damage. The teen approaches the job with her typical perfectionism, but without much compassion. However, as Rachel begins to unfold and piece together Grace's past, she discovers a woman who once lived and loved. As Rachel opens herself up to a new world of experiences, she is forced to admit that she doesn't know everything." -- School Library Journal, November 1, 2004
	Double Helix by Nancy Werlin "Eighteen-year-old Eli Samuels, whose once-vibrant mother is losing her long battle with the ravages of Huntington's disease, is hired at the Wyatt Transgenics Lab. Eli's father is dead set against the job because of a secret he harbors concerning the lab's owner, Dr. Quincy Wyatt, and Eli's mother. Shortly after starting work, the teen meets Kayla Matheson, a beautiful girl who eerily reminds him of a photo of his mother when she was young. Slowly, Eli uncovers one layer after another of the shocking truth about Dr. Wyatt's genetic-engineering experiments and their connection to his parents, Kayla, and himself. With the support of his longtime girlfriend and soul mate, he confronts Dr. Wyatt in a taut climax to the story." -- School Library Journal, March 1, 2004
	Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta "Francesca is a bit relieved the first day her mother stays in bed -- no 6:45 a.m. motivational song; no note on the mirror challenging her to do something that scares her -- but things begin to fall apart as the force of Mia's illness hits her family. Still, Francesca perseveres despite her worries, pursuing new interests and friendships that are truly unexpected. The few girls at school (there are only thirty among the 750 boys at St. Sebastian's) are so hopeless and the boys act like such jerks (burping and farting are favorite pastimes) that we are as surprised as Francesca when they turn out to be such terrific friends -- and when she falls in love with "stick-in-the-mud moron" Will Trombal. In the course of this very trying year Francesca discovers the best in herself, and, like her family and friends."    -- Horn Book, Sept./Oct, 2004
	Past Perfect, Present Tense by Richard Peck "In "By Far the Worst Pupil at Long Point School" Uncle Billy is known as a storyteller. "He said all his stories were to benefit us young ones. He put them together like quilts, with scenes from earlier tales stitched into new patterns." The same could be said of Richard Peck. He constructs each story-square expertly, engaging readers in a variety of situations, developing modes that vary from comedy to tragedy, smoothly integrating setting with characters and plot, introducing characters with strong voices, and exploring themes that address the value of individual dignity. And, like the determined older women he often celebrates (such as the Victorian mother in "Waiting for Sebastian" who tells her daughter: "When you are married, Charlotte, you will see quite enough of the opposite sex.... I have"), there's not a weak story in the lot."  A collection of eleven short stories in all.   -- Horn Book, March/April, 2004