Stealing Parker

September 3, 2012
Parker Shelton wants everyone to know one thing about her: she likes boys. After her mother divorced her father for another woman, Parker has made it her goal to be seen with guys. Lots of them. But when not-quite-legal Parker sets her sights on the boys’ baseball coach, things get dicey—even for her. Parker is also growing closer to her academic rival, Will, a thoughtful, chivalrous guy who her newly out BFF Drew secretly has the hots for, too. Further complicating matters: a brother who’s constantly drunk or high, a father who thinks the church has all the answers, and a former friend intent on taking Parker down. Kenneally (Catching Jordan) writes with heart, earnestly tackling such challenges as being a teen with a gay parent and being unsure of one’s faith. Parker’s insecurities, her desire to be loved, and her uncertainty about how far to take her steamy but illegal relationship are realistic. Not only will readers want to see Parker find true love, they’ll also hope she learns to love herself. Ages 13–up. Agent: Sara Megibow, Nelson Literary Agency.

September 15, 2012
Readers of this teen novel will appreciate its realistic and witty dialogue as they navigate its tightly packed plot. High-school valedictorian Parker's life has been a crush of sad confusion since her mother left the family to move in with her girlfriend. Ostracized by many of her friends and her church, Parker has quit the softball team and taken to making out with random guys in a heartbreaking effort to prove to her tormentors she's not a lesbian like her mom. When she meets a hot 23-year-old assistant coach at her school, he seems to be a kindred spirit. As things progress and they become physical, however, he seems more interested in trying to convince her to have sex than in talking. Bits of Parker's journal-style writing featured throughout very effectively serve to bring readers into her corner. In a sweetly described romantic turn, she also begins to fall for a longtime acquaintance, but her best friend Drew finally comes out to her and drunkenly confesses a secret crush on him. All of this, plus the poignant details of her home life with a depressed father and drug-abusing brother, eventually drives her to contact her mom and face herself. With characters this nuanced, many teens won't mind all the issues flying fast and furious. (Fiction. 14 & up)

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October 1, 2012

Gr 8 Up-A companion to Catching Jordan (Sourcebooks, 2011), this novel is set in the same Tennessee high school and has similar elements (a smart, athletic girl in a love triangle with hot, athletic boys), this time with baseball and softball at the center instead of football. And the formula works. Parker Shelton considers herself a good Christian girl; she is a talented athlete, a churchgoing virgin, and the valedictorian of her class. But while she should be worry free, the drama has just begun. To start with, Parker's flirtatious ways have resulted in a not-so-favorable reputation. While it isn't entirely based on fact, Parker does start secretly dating both the 23-year-old high-school baseball coach and the captain of the team. Her usual support system-her best friend, her church, her family-has grown distant for a variety of reasons, leaving her to flounder. By the end, though, Parker has recommitted to protecting herself and doing what is right for her, and has reconnected with some of the strongest people in her life. The teen finds herself in tough situations not because she is foolish or a victim but because of complicated interpersonal, familial, social, and religious reasons, inviting readers to empathize with and not judge her and her peers. Kenneally's respect for her characters is clear, making both Catching Jordan and Stealing Parker positive additions to the teen romance genre.-Jennifer Miskec, Longwood University, Farmville, VA

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2012
Grades 8-12 Parker's life has done a 180 in the past year, ever since her mother left her father for a woman. Parker's quit the softball team to avoid the whole butch softball player who probably likes girls stereotype and fools around with multiple guys to drive home the point: she's not like her mom. But when Parker becomes team manager for the boys' baseball team, she starts to fall for 23-year-old assistant coach Brian Hoffmanexactly 52 days before her 18th birthday. Meanwhile, Parker's brother is getting high, she's not speaking to her Mom, fellow churchgoers have shunned her, and former rival Will is becoming a friend. And that's just for starters. It's an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink problem novel, but Kenneally (Catching Jordan, 2011) manages to keep the balls mostly in the air. Parker's notes to God and the role of religion in her life sometimes feel like afterthoughts. Still, this breezy read may speak to sports fans, reluctant readers, and girls who like forbidden love mixed with happy endings.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)