The Boy I Love

Gr 8 Up—Wren and Allie, best friends since childhood start off their sophomore year at a brand-new school, Williamsport High. Wren is quickly plunged into the limelight when she discovers an alligator walking home from her bus stop. She is interviewed on the local news and soon the entire school knows who Wren is overnight. Allie, "the pretty one," is having a more tough time and beginning her sophomore year at a new school is harder than anticipated. Allie discovers one good thing at Williamsport though—Tim Greenlaw, a junior, who she has had a crush on since junior high. The only problem is that Tim seems more interested in Wren than in her. But things are not always as they appear: Wren's father is losing his job and her family will be losing their farmhouse and horses because they are months behind on their mortgage, and Wren don't exactly have a romantic relationship—but she has promised to keep his secret. At a high school party, everything comes crashing down when Tim's secret about his sexuality is revealed. In a North Carolina small town where interracial marriages were prohibited not long ago, the tension between fitting in and staying true to your identity will especially resonate with teens. Readers may by put off by some of the preachy tone, but Wren's father's struggle with coming to terms with his family's slaveholding past and her mother's statement "love is love" in regards to sexuality are poignant.—Jesten Ray, Seattle Public Library, WA