Now, Gia has another problem.  She can't stop thinking about Fill-in Bradley (FIB for short).  Neither can one of Gia's so-called friends, who's determined to catch Gia in her lie.  Then, there's Hayden's sister, who doesn't want self-absorbed Gia anywhere near her brother.  Forced to take a harsh look at herself and the increasingly artificial life she's leading, Gia knows she needs to grow up.  Can she do it in time to keep her relationships intact?  Or will lying mean losing everything that's important to her?

It's not like it's an overly common name, Calvin.  So, it can't be a coincidence, can it, that Calvin has always felt connected to the old comic, Calvin and Hobbes?  After all, he was born on the day Bill Watterson published the last strip, his favorite toy used to be a stuffed Hobbes (until his mom washed it to death), and his best friend (okay, his only friend) is a girl named Susie.  Creepiest of all is that Hobbes has returned, only now he's a walking, talking, full-blown delusion that Calvin can't shake no matter how hard he tries.  Calvin realizes it's not normal for a 17-year-old boy to have an imaginary friend.  'Course, schizophrenia isn't exactly commonplace among his high school peers, either.  Question is, how is he supposed to deal with a mental illness as terrifying as the one that's taking over his mind?

First things first: Calvin has to ditch the delusive cat.  As far as he can see, there's only one way to do that.  If he can convince Bill Watterson to write one more Calvin and Hobbes story—this one sans Hobbes—the imaginary feline will disappear from existence.  Writing to the comic's creator hasn't worked, so Calvin's taking his plea to Watterson's front door.  It will mean tramping across frozen Lake Erie with a girl who may or may not be real, but Calvin is determined to stop a figment of his imagination from taking over his life.

Can his foolhardy plan really work?  Can he accomplish something so daunting, especially when he's not sure if the trek is happening for real or just inside his muddled brain?  In his desperation to find a cure for his schizophrenia, has Calvin doomed not just himself but his only friend as well?

True originality is not a quality often found in contemporary YA literature.  That's one of the reasons Calvin by Martine Leavitt is such a gem.  With a unique premise, an otherworldly setting, and an intriguing blend of adventure, humor, and psychological thriller, it's definitely different from the norm.  Which is a good thing.  A very, very good thing.  At less than 200 pages, it's a quick read but a surprisingly complex one.  Both tender and touching, Calvin is appealing, absorbing, and absolutely unforgettable.  Destined to be a sleeper hit, this is one contemporary YA novel you don't want to miss.

(Readalikes:  Reminded me of Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate)

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As a Searcher, 16-year-old Addison Coleman doesn't have to wonder where her daily choices will take her.  She can conduct a Search and, voilá!, she knows.  Which should make tough decisions a snap.  If only.  Seeing too many possibilities, as Addie well knows, can be just as unnerving as seeing none.


When Addie's parents announce—completely out of the blue—their impending divorce, Addie's ordered world comes crashing down around her.  She can hardly imagine a life where she doesn't live with both her mom and her dad, let alone one that involves bouncing between the two of them.  Even more shocking, her dad will be moving to Dallas, where he will live among the "norms."  The Colemans have always stayed in their protected southeast Texas compound with other ability-enhanced people.  If Addie chooses to stay with her dad, she'll be attending a norm high school, hanging out with norm kids, and trying to be norm herself.  The thought is simply unfathomable.  Tantalizing, yes, but also insane.  Especially when she can remain with her mom in the safe, familiar world of the compound.  If only that didn't mean never seeing her father.

Tortured by the impossible choice, Addie does the only thing she can think to do—a Search.  But as the two paths her life could take spin out in front of her eyes, converging and diverging in surprising ways, Addie realizes just how complicated the future can be.  Both roads offer new challenges, new joys, new heartbreaks; the only question is, which should she take?

With such a clever premise, it's no surprise that Pivot Point, Kasie West's debut novel, is a fun, intriguing read.  It's fairly light-hearted and humorous, but also thought-provoking (as pondering the "What if?" question often is).  As entertaining as it is, though, the parallel story lines do get very confusing.  The action also takes its own sweet time getting started.  So, although I enjoyed the idea of this novel, I think it suffers a bit in its execution.  The problem, I think, is that while Pivot Point's premise is undeniably compelling, it's also a bit over-ambitious.  There may not be a way to tell such a story without tying the reader's brain in knots.  Still, I admire the attempt.  And, actually, I quite liked the novel.  It just left me with lots of unanswered questions.  Not to mention a headache.

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't think of anything.  Can you?)

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