(4) YA Suffering from Xeroderma Pigmentosum, a deadly allergy to sunlight, sixteen-year-old Allie and her friends spend most of their waking moments practicing late-night parkour on rooftops. But after possibly witnessing a murder, Allie's insatiable search for the truth may cost her those friends. The narration is a bit choppy, but the unique angles of the premise help make this mystery fresh and compelling.

Reviewer: Randy Ribay

(4) YA Certain that the powerful criminal Garrett Tabor killed her best friend, Allie doggedly pursues proof that could finally put him behind bars. Her obsession to expose his crimes eventually pushes away those closest to her and endangers her own life. The tense novel, though brimming with improbability, brings an emotional and dark conclusion to the mystery started in What We Saw at Night.

Reviewer: Randy Ribay

(4) YA Evil hits closer to home for supernatural twins Meredith and Mallory (Midnight Twins; Look Both Ways). A mysterious illness afflicts their baby brother, Meredith falls in love with a ghost, and the usual array of high school problems complicate the siblings' lives. Trite dialogue and some unbelievable plot developments compromise Mitchard's intriguing premise and characters.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) YA This sequel to The Midnight Twins begins with a recap of the previous installment, in which freshman twins Meredith and Mallory discovered their supernatural abilities. Now sophomores, they face new dangers involving a mysterious mountain lion. Though the adventure does feature intriguing elements like shape-shifting and Cree traditions, confusing dialogue and excessive social drama may keep readers at bay.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) YA Identical twins and second sight go together in Meredith and Mallory's family. Mitchard pits the twins' talents against a high-school sociopath secretly lynching puppies and stalking cheerleaders. Though formulaic, the narrative builds suspense as the girls work to discern whether the boy really is the monster they suspect he is, and whether their visions are more of a gift or a curse.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2008

(2) YA Popular cheerleaders Bridget and Maureen are severely injured in a car accident; one girl dies while the other, disfigured and in a coma, wakes up to everyone calling her the wrong name. Deft switches in perspective convey the community's emotional devastation. Mitchard's detailed account of the survivor's physical and neurological recovery process adds a substantive layer to the narrative.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2008

(4) YA To call Hope Shay an unreliable narrator would be an understatement. As her journal entries grow from insufferably obnoxious to indicative of mental illness, readers are forced to question her story of a breakthrough acting role, Romeo-and-Juliet romance, and kidnapping. Uneven pacing builds to a hasty conclusion, but Hope's manipulations and realizations will keep readers guessing.

Reviewer: Amanda Mc. MacGregor

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Paul Rátz de Tagyos. To help conquer his fear of school, raccoon Rory's parents plan a sleepover at Rory's aunt's house, about which he is equally nervous. Its success leaves Rory confident about meeting new challenges. Mitchard's text focuses more on Rory's overnight than the titular topic. Rátz de Tagyos's illustrations nicely balance anthropomorphism with murky nighttime raccoon's-eye views.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by John Bendall-Brunello. Despite her name, Henry is a typical but lonely girl. When her farmer father rescues a duckling, Henry names her Rosalie, her "piece of luck." As the duck grows, Henry's family realizes they must do what's best for Rosalie and find her a new home. This loving tribute to a special pet and the joy it brings is warmly illustrated with black-and-white drawings.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin