Charged.

Deborah Dowson is a Canaadian children’s librarian in North Wales,
Pennsylvania.

Craig’s mom continues to make bad decisions. Having another baby was bad enough, but having the baby’s father move in is even worse. Manda is doing all the housework, cooking and looking after her bedridden mom, but it is the least she can do, considering she feels responsible for her mother’s skiing accident. Craig and Manda become closer as their family situations become worse. Craig discovers that he was right about his mother’s boyfriend and he takes charge by calling the police to report his drug dealing. Manda discovers her father’s infidelity and must come to terms with the changes this causes in her family.

The author alternates the narration between Craig and Manda, giving the reader both the intimacy of a first-person narration and the objectivity of another’s point of view. This helps create a very realistic view of the characters and their lives. The couple’s relationship is the brightest spot in an otherwise bleak story, and offers the possibility that they will survive their messed-up family situations. Teens will relate to the true-to-life struggles and moral dilemmas the characters face. It is a thoughtful story that rings true, and a good choice from the SideStreets series for reluctant readers. Recommended.