Razzle

Quiet Kenyon Baker is a little disgruntled. Always a good kid, Ken has never given his elderly parents much trouble. But now they have retired to Cape Cod and bought an old set of beachfront rental cabins, and suddenly, they're paying more attention to Ken than ever before--especially when it comes to cleaning, painting, and repairing. He just wants to be left alone to work on his one passion--photography. Then he meets Razzle Penney, the teen caretaker of the town dump. Razzle challenges and inspires him with her blunt manner and junkyard art. But his blossoming friendship with her is put on hold when Ken catches the eye of beautiful, dangerous Harley, Razzle's sworn enemy. Ken photographs both of them, but it's Razzle's, not Harley's pictures that stun and amaze those that see them. Ken is caught between his head and his heart when Harley pushes him to display her pictures instead of Razzle's in a local art show. To make matters worse, Razzle has just discovered a terrible secret about her past that threatens to ruin her future. Will Ken turn his back on his friend and muse during this awful time just to stay on good terms with the best-looking girl in town?

Ellen Wittlinger's novel about one boy's Cape Cod summer provides valuable insight into topics that teens endlessly struggle with--the nature of friendship, the difference between infatuation and love, and inner versus outer beauty. All in all, it's a razzle-dazzle of an effort that shines with sincerity and truth. (Ages 12 to 15) --Jennifer Hubert