Scouts

Scouts by Shannon Greenland   257 pages

Annie, Rocky, Beans and Fynn are the Scouts.   Since their town is so small there was no scout troop assigned there they named themselves the Scouts and went on loads of adventures, exploring, camping out, playing on Bassinger's farm which they were strictly forbidden by their parents not to go on but of course they all did.   Bassinger's farm is after  all the best place to play in town.   When the Scouts hear about the coming meteor shower they decide to camp out at Bassinger's farm and sit up on top of the old silo no longer in use there.   The Scouts al tell their parents different stories leaving notes about where they are alledgedly staying to keep their family from knowing their actual location.   It is the Summer of 1985 and the Summer before they all start seventh grade.   Annie's mom is becoming concerned about Annie growing up and filling out and only hanging out wi9th her 3 best friends (all boys) who have grown up together.   Lots of things come into play, friendship, jealousy, trust, and such weird entanglements with silver disks that are quite possibly aliens or bombes and that is not all.   A fun book about coming of age,  Beautifully told.   I very much enjoyed this book.   It will keep you guessing.   I recommend this story to everyone of every age.  Good book.    

- Shirley J.

Saving Baby Doe

Saving Baby Doe by Danette Vigilante    230 pages

Best friends and neighbors Lionel Perez and Anisa Torres are running an errand when they are derailed by an empty construction site. Lionel wants to see the big machinery up close. It’s a good thing, too. When they hear the cries of what they think is a hurt animal, they find an abandoned newborn baby girl in the Porta-Potti.

The 13-year olds aren’t sure exactly what to do, but they know the baby needs help PDQ. Together, they take the baby to a hospital where the two fall under suspicion that the baby is theirs. Once their mother’s arrive, Anisa’s mother forces her to undergo a physical examination to prove that the baby is not hers.

Lionel isn’t cleared right away, and everyone has suspicions. The baby opens up a deep, old wound for Lionel, who was abandoned by his father.  As the older of the three children, Lionel felt the most pain. Unable to stand for the baby to go into foster care, Lionel hatches a plan to kidnap the child. 

To fund his plan, Lionel gets mixed up with a group of drug-dealing teenagers, slightly older than he.

Vigilante creates strong and interesting characters. The mixed-races Brooklyn neighborhood lends authenticity to urban youth. They grow up long before they should.

 The story is well-crafted but stereotypical. A happy ending is surely guaranteed. I give this novel 3 out of 5 stars.