From the Publisher
"One of those rare books you can’t put down. Teens looking for a character-driven novel with a touch of mystery can’t do better than this." — Booklist (starred review)
Praise for Questions I Want to Ask You: “A well-rounded, much-needed portrait of a boy with self-image issues and a narrow mindset who expands his viewpoint and prepares for an uncertain future.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“Falkoff’s coming-of-age story leaves the reader feeling proud of Pack’s personal evolution and ends in a place that truly feels like a new beginning.”
— Booklist
“Many teens will identify with Pack’s desire for things to stay as they are even as they change around him. The mystery is quiet but intriguing, leading to a satisfying conclusion that is not perfect but hopeful. The highlight here is Pack’s personal growth and self-discovery. Give this to readers with a taste for intrigue and quiet, character-driven stories.”
— Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
Praise for Playlist for the Dead: “Falkoff treats a difficult topic with delicacy and care.”
— Publishers Weekly
“Realistic and well-written.”
— School Library Journal
“A nice premise with some truly powerful moments.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“An absorbing and sensitive read.”
— Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Praise for Pushing Perfect: “Twists and turns abound. Reminiscent of Lois Duncan with its methodical uncovering of clues and multiple red herrings, this mystery will keep readers turning the pages.“
— School Library Journal
“Recommended for teens who enjoy mysteries in the form of timely, realistic fiction.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
Many teens will identify with Pack’s desire for things to stay as they are even as they change around him. The mystery is quiet but intriguing, leading to a satisfying conclusion that is not perfect but hopeful. The highlight here is Pack’s personal growth and self-discovery. Give this to readers with a taste for intrigue and quiet, character-driven stories.”
Booklist (starred review)
"One of those rare books you can’t put down. Teens looking for a character-driven novel with a touch of mystery can’t do better than this."
Booklist
Falkoff’s coming-of-age story leaves the reader feeling proud of Pack’s personal evolution and ends in a place that truly feels like a new beginning.”
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
An absorbing and sensitive read.”
Booklist
Falkoff’s coming-of-age story leaves the reader feeling proud of Pack’s personal evolution and ends in a place that truly feels like a new beginning.”
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
An absorbing and sensitive read.”
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
An absorbing and sensitive read.”
Kirkus Reviews
2020-08-18
Teens prepare themselves for catastrophes.
High school sophomore Amina, half-Israeli and all Jewish, has had nightmares ever since someone threw a Molotov cocktail through her synagogue’s window. Now a scholarship student at an upscale boarding school, Amina finds solace in a new group of friends and the Eucalyptus Society, a club in which they take turns creating competitive challenges focused on building knowledge and skills that will help them survive when the world inevitably ends. This unbalanced novel offers great potential: a minor mystery, budding romance, complicated friendships, and the all-too-believable premise that today’s teens have fears about the future that extend far beyond college and career choices. But the way Amina’s first-person narration unfolds makes events feel recapped, diluting their impact for readers. Frequent overt exposition and more attention to academic, financial, and social stresses than to the plot-driving challenges result in a pace much like that of a pre–climate change glacier. The final chapters, which include more focus on the mystery, bring a sense of genuine emotional investment for Amina as well as readers and give some dimension to Amina’s somewhat diverse friend group, whose complex familial situations often stand in for character development. Timely to a fault, the veiled but obvious references to current politics may age badly.
Squandered potential. (Fiction. 12-16)
