YOU GO FIRST

Amielynn Abellera narrates the story of a tumultuous week in the lives of two middle schoolers. Deftly moving between their voices in alternating chapters, Abellera excels at capturing the nuanced emotions of Ben, age 11, and Charlotte, age 12, two smart kids who connect as long-distance online Scrabble competitors. Already facing middle school problems such as best friend troubles and social awkwardness, Ben and Charlotte also must grapple with divorce and the grave illness of a parent. Abellera captures the searing embarrassment kids feel in lunchrooms and hallways. Overall, she portrays Ben and Charlotte ars complex and believable, as are the voices of those around them, including the mean girls and mean boys they encounter. This tautly plotted story will engage a range of listeners well beyond middle schoolers. J.C.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2018]