Sugar crash

Gr 8 Up--Each of these stories follows a female teen protagonist in an unexpected situation. One must find her bipolar dad after he disappears. Another is grappling with the effects of being kissed by her best friend's dad. The third is a type-one diabetic lost in the woods without her insulin. And the last is trying to rescue her psychic friend from a coma-like trance. A broad spectrum of plots to be sure! All are told in first-person, have imperfect but satisfying endings, and, perhaps unintentionally, all of the main characters need someone else to drive them places but otherwise have little in common. One Kiss is an especially complex story about a 16-year-old's feelings after her BFF's rock star dad kisses her. The story follows Maya as she grapples with guilt until she realizes the incident resulted from exceedingly inappropriate adult behavior. Maya experiences a difficult challenge but gets through it with her mom and friend's support. VERDICT There is a story for almost any taste in this varied selection.

Stranded on a mountainside, a teen who has Type 1 diabetes must find a way to work with her former best friend to survive. Seventeen-year-old Zoe Harmon missed the bus for her overnight senior class field trip because of an episode of low blood sugar. Knowing that her graduation will be in jeopardy if she can't write the required essay about the experience for English class, where she's already struggling, Zoe does the unthinkable--she asks her nemesis, Vic Niels, for a ride. What was supposed to be a shortcut to the camp turns disastrous when Vic's car careens off a mountain road and into a tree in the middle of a surprise snowstorm. A battered Zoe locates Vic, who's in bad shape, too--and the realization that she's in serious trouble sets in as she discovers that the backpack containing everything she needs to manage her diabetes is missing. Now the teens must overcome their animosity and work together. With compact, plot-driven chapters and realistic teen dialogue geared toward reluctant readers, this thrilling survival story has Zoe facing one calamity after another. As someone living with Type 1 diabetes, Di Lorenzo lends an authentic voice, providing ample information about navigating an invisible disability while also tackling topics such as mixed feelings over the loss of friendship and the rekindling of romantic feelings. Both protagonists present white. A highly engaging, nail-biting adventure with much-needed representation and a touch of romance. (diabetes resource)(Adventure. 12-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.