Little Peach

Gr 9 Up—Michelle was raised by her loving grandfather, while her drug-addicted mother was in and out of her life. But when her grandfather dies, the teen has to live with her mother, and avoid her mother's boyfriend's advances. Jealous of the attention being paid to her daughter, the protagonist's mom kicks her out onto the streets of Philadelphia. Michelle heads to New York City with the last of her money to find an old friend there, whom she isn't able to locate. With no money and no one to turn to, Michelle falls victim to Devon, a pimp who comes disguised as a nice guy with money, food, and a place to stay. Before long, the young woman is known as Little Peach. She's popping pills to zone out while working for her "daddy" Devon as a prostitute on Coney Island. When one of Devon's other girls goes missing, Michelle knows it's time to find a way out. Teens will be interested in the author's well-researched novel on human trafficking. However, the spare writing, while good for reluctant readers, makes it hard to connect with Michelle. This leaves readers unable to feel sympathetic toward the main character and the tough choices she faces. The sexual content and physical abuse in this book, while in keeping with the topic, may be disturbing to some readers.—Kelly Jo Lasher, Middle Township High School, Cape May Court House, NJ