Audio Pick--Where I Want to Be (unabr.)

From SLJ May 2006

Jo-Ann Carhart, East Islip Public Library, NY -- School Library Journal, 4/24/2006

3 cassettes or 4 CDs. 4:30 hrs. Recorded Books (recordedbooks.com). 2005. cassette, ISBN 1-4193-6699-8: $28.75; CD, ISBN 1-4193-6704-8: $48.75. cassette read-along pack: $51.74; CD read-along pack: $71.74.

Gr 7 Up–Adele Griffin's novel (Putnam, 2005), a National Book Award finalist, is told in alternating chapters by two teenage sisters, one of whom is dead. The story takes place in the summer after Jane, the older sister who had suffered from mental illness, was hit by a car and died. Lily, who is about to start her senior year in high school, is staying home by herself for a few weeks while her parents visit relatives. Lily inherited both her sister's car and her summer job, and must learn to handle her emotions around both friends and strangers. Always in the background is the possibility that her sister's death was actually suicide. Lily must also deal with her feelings for her boyfriend, Caleb, who has put his future plans on hold to help her get through this tragedy. Listeners also hear Jane's story of her life leading up to the "accident." This is a heart-wrenching view into the mind of a young adult suffering from mental illness. Ultimately, it is a story of freedom and letting go. Jennifer Ikeda's pitch-perfect tone expresses youth, hope, love, guilt, and sincerity. She tells Lily's story in the first person, while Jane's story is told by Ruth Ann Phimister in the third person. The transition between narrators is a bit jarring because Jane's voice seems that of an older person. However, both narrators speak clearly and give empathetic performances. This gem will hold the attention of listeners until the very end. Teens who have experienced sibling rivalry or dealt with mental illness will easily relate to Jane and Lily.