Fact of Life #31

October 1, 2008
Gr 9 Up-Kat Flynn's mother is a professional midwife and instinctively seems to know how to make people feel at home. But the 16-year-old and her mother don't seem to get along. Kat feels she can't talk to her parent without getting a lecture or instructions on what she should be doing, and that she is always doing something wrong. But with the help of one of her mother's clients, Kat sees herself and her mom in a new light. This book covers topics that are familiar to most readers of YA fiction, but most of the characters are well developed and the themes are addressed in a fresh manner. Kat is generally confident and secure, and the relationships among the characters are generally realistic and well rounded. The ending is hopeful without being overly romanticized, and readers will celebrate the emotional growth of both the teen and her mother."Natasha Forrester, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2008
Sixteen-year-old Kat admires her renowned midwife mother professionally, even if they sometimes clash personally. After a classmate gets pregnant, Kat begins her own nine-month odyssey toward self-discovery. Kat's coming-of-age tale, compassionately and humorously told, will appeal to many readers, while her family's environmentally savvy, New-Agey outlook will speak more directly to green teens.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)