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Ormsbee, Kathryn

Vivian Lantz's Second Chances

320 pp. | HarperCollins/Harper | June, 2023 | Trade ISBN 9780063060043 $19.99 | Ebook ISBN 9780063060067 $10.99
(2) YA Vivian Lantz is determined to break her streak of terrible first days of school. She decides on a new style, writes out a plan in the notebook her best friend gave her before moving away, and is sure that this time will be perfect. But things go wrong on the first day of eighth grade, including a flood at home, a collision with a classmate that lands her in the mud, the unexpected start of her period, and an exchange with the school newspaper advisor that leaves her uncertain about following in her favorite writer's footsteps. She goes to bed, hoping for a better second day--and instead wakes up to the first day of eighth grade, round two. Stuck in a time loop, Vivian tries to fix the day's mistakes, only to see things go wrong in different ways. The process repeats again and again, as Vivian discovers all the problems with her initial plan for eighth-grade success and learns a few things about friends, family, and charting her own path. Vivian's tween angst is palpable, and the book's lessons about making friends, learning whom to trust, and developing a sense of self are unsurprising but well delivered, making for an enjoyable read.
Reviewer: Sarah Rettger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

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