GRACIE'S GIRL

When Bess Cunningham starts middle school, she decides that she's going to be noticed and make lots of new friends, so she wears wild clothes and becomes stage manager for the school play. Her plans seem to be working, but everything is threatened when she meets Gracie, a homeless woman who eats at the shelter where her parents volunteer on Sundays. Stina Nielsen perfectly portrays the emotions of early adolescence, interpreting the text, particularly the dialogue, with just the right hint of whining here, embarrassment there, and sure-fire confidence and outrage sprinkled throughout. Paired with Ellen Wittlinger's insightful writing about the pressures and uncertainties of middle school, this is a winning combination. A.F. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 03]