PERFECT

The nuances of adolescent intonation positively roll off Danielle Ferland's tongue in this tale of teen angst. When Isabelle Lee, 13, recently fatherless and currently bulimic, is forced to attend therapy, she befriends the most popular and perfect girl in her school, only to discover that her perfection is a myth. Ferland's strong narration draws the listener into a world made up largely of what is unsaid; the festering silence of Isabelle's father's death adversely affects Isabelle's family as a whole. Isabelle's struggle is fleshed out by Ferland's command of young adult sarcasm and anxiety, which helps make this potentially tragic but ultimately healing story believable. M.R.P. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 06]