I’m Gonna Get You Back

Gr 7 Up–Every year, talented high school students compete to win the Legacy scholarship, which is awarded to only five recipients. Clara is disqualified from receiving the scholarship when a video of her making out with the principal’s son is exposed. Meanwhile, Reid receives one of the coveted scholarships and goes to Stanford as a state champion runner in track and field but sustains a severe injury. While his father wants him to become an Olympic athlete, Reid isn’t sure what he wants. ­Everything comes to a head when Clara and Reid return home one year after graduation for the alumni banquet and Legacy celebration. Clara is determined to discover the person who released the video of her, and Reid must confront his father about the reality of his injuries. Des Lauriers portrays teens’ angst, stress, and internal conflicts in a realistic way. It feels authentic as chapters switch between Reid’s and Clara’s first-person narration of senior year as well as the present. Readers will enjoy trying to figure out who the saboteur is. The solid character development allows readers to see the distinction between the two and glimpse the conflict high-achieving teens face ­between following their hearts or living up to the unreasonable expectations of their parents. Clara is Latine; Reid is white. There is ­LGBTQIA+ representation in the supporting cast.