The Lake Effect

Gr 9 Up—A coming-of-age story about love, life, and creating one's own expectations. Briggs Henry is ambitious and goal-oriented and always meets his family's high standards. He graduated as one of the top students in his high school; he was president of his class and the captain of the baseball team. In the fall, Briggs will attend Michigan State University. The summer before he leaves for college, the teen takes a job as a live-in assistant for an eccentric elderly woman who lives in a large house on the shore of Lake Michigan. He slowly befriends a unique and captivating array of South Haven locals. Briggs's relationships with the various townspeople, including the beautiful and mysterious girl next door and his hilarious employer, have a profound effect. For the first time the protagonist is able to think about what life is really all about and what he, not his family, truly wants. Thought provoking—and at times hilarious—this book is filled with effective imagery that makes it a great summer read. Teens can almost hear the waves of Lake Michigan lapping against the shore in the background of the characters' dialogue. Some moderate drinking and discussion of sex make this novel more appropriate for mature readers.