(4) YA Dead but still charismatic, Tink makes her presence known to the friends suffering most from her suicide, Merissa and Nadia. As they go through rough patches separately--dealing with divorce, cutting, inappropriate crushes, eating disorders, and so on--Tink's eerie presence comforts them and ushers them to resolution and growth. Oates writes lyrically, but her characters are sometimes too obviously mapped out.

Reviewer: Ariel Baker-Gibbs

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Mark Graham. After Mrs. Smith banishes naughty Chérie to a corner, the kitten squeezes through a crack and discovers a place where some baby animals are even naughtier. The book seems willfully anachronistic, with its old-fashioned prose ("'Oh, Little Chérie! What have you done?' Mrs. Smith cried") and pushy lesson-learning, but the story is somewhat engaging and the painterly illustrations usually get it right.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) YA Fifteen-year-old Jenna is physically and emotionally damaged from the car accident that killed her mother. She's unsure of her memory, but thinks the accident may have been her fault. This uncertainty stalls her recovery until she meets Crow, a tough-looking older guy who helps her shed her fears and guilt. Jenna is a believable character whose pain is palpably drawn.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(2) YA Though popular, good-looking, and athletic, sixteen-year-old Darren feels pressured and confused. His discomfort at an admiring male teacher's unwanted attention keeps him silent when a prank escalates into a serious attack on the teacher. Oates captures Darren's raw emotional responses and realistically leaves him to find his own way through peer pressures, his small community's homophobia, and his own conscience.

Reviewer: Lauren Adams | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2005

(3) YA Like her mother Krista, fourteen-year-old Franky tries to laugh about her dad's controlling personality, but the joke has just about run its course. When Krista half-moves out of the house, Franky's dad, a famous sportcaster, insists that she and her sister share his sense of betrayal. Or else. The plot seems like a TV movie, but Franky and Krista's characters are nuanced. For Lois Duncan fans ready for something slightly more complex.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2003

(4) YA This collection contains some of Oates's classic works, including "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" The author's genius for exploring dark emotional landscapes is unquestioned. Most of these frank, frequently brutal tales feature teenage characters, but the tone is often detached and clearly adult, making this volume unlikely to connect with many young adult readers.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(2) YA Matt didn't threaten to blow up the school, but his reputation as a wise-ass makes his protests of innocence unconvincing. Ursula knows she didn't blow the basketball game-losing foul shot on purpose, but she thinks the team blames her for the loss. These misunderstood high school juniors discover themselves through their friendship in this you-and-me-against-the-world romance.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2002