Compromised

May 3, 2010
When Maya’s con-man father gets sent to federal prison, the scientifically minded 15-year-old decides to run away rather than face foster care. Nicole, a suicidal girl she meets at a group home, joins Maya as she travels from Nevada to Idaho to find an aunt she cannot even remember. As they sleep in abandoned buildings, face bullies, and scrounge for food, Maya searches for clues to her aunt’s whereabouts from letters she wrote to her dead mother. Readers will quickly understand the difficulty of Maya’s life on the streets, from the rats that crawl on her at night to failed attempts at shoplifting and seeing a friend get sick and die. There are warm moments, too, such as when she and her friends pretend to roast marshmallows under a starry sky, or when she finally admits that irritating-but-loyal Nicole has become her “favorite person.” Ayarbe’s (Freeze Frame) characters sometimes strain credibility—sweet Klondike, who has Tourette syndrome, never feels entirely authentic, for example. But the touching moments between Maya and Nicole will keep readers with them through their long journey. Ages 12–up.

July 1, 2010
Gr 9 Up—-he daughter of a con man, Maya's been on the a run all her life, but when her dad's bad deals finally catch up to them, she loses the only family she's ever had and ends up in the Nevada foster-care system. Passionate about science, the 15-year-old seeks to develop a hypothesis and follow the scientific method to get her father out of prison. Realizing this plan's futility, she goes back to the only other thing she really knows how to do: run. Maya formulates a new hypothesis that will hopefully lead her to an aunt in Idaho whom she's never met and some type of normalcy. One variable that she doesn't anticipate, however, is the addition of two other runaways who are also looking for something more. Gritty and realistic in action and language, this novel brings to light the plight of displaced teens. Maya is a strong character who tries to be true to herself while playing the caregiver role she always seems to fall into—first to her dad and now to her fellow runaways. The three form a strong bond that rings true even though the setting will likely be unfamiliar to many readers. While sympathy is evoked for the characters, emotions are not overplayed. The quick pace and flesh-and-blood main characters will appeal to avid and reluctant readers alike.—"Gina Bowling, South Gibson County High School, Medina, TN"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2010
Grades 9-12 After her father was arrested and her mother committed suicide, Maya was sent to Kids Place, a group home where she waits for eventual placement with a foster family. She harbors a secret hope that she can find her mothers sister, Sarah, based on two clues: a dried flower and a pay stub from a Boise restaurant. A potentially bad foster placement spurs Maya to leave Kids Place, joined by Nicole, a street-smart motormouth whose situation is even grimmer than Mayas. Soon they adopt Klondike, a young disfigured burn victim with Tourettes syndrome. Perpetually cold and hungry, the ragtag homeless bunch heads for Idaho. Each day is a harder struggle as the trio battle sickness, crackheads, and worsening winter weather. Ayarbe offers a gut-wrenching, terrifyingly authentic story and memorably etched, courageous characters whose influence on each other is palpable. Mayas scientific mind is eventually replaced by Nicoles survival instincts and Klondikes pithy, endearing declarations and bizarre tics. Reminiscent of Adam Rapps 33 Snowfish (2003), this challenging read will leave readers holding out a faint hope for Mayas future.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2010
Her con-man father imprisoned, fifteen-year-old Maya skips out on foster care. Traveling from Nevada to Idaho, Maya is joined by suicidal kleptomaniac Nicole and Klondike, a boy with Tourette's syndrome. The realities of street life, including prostitution and drugs, are confronted full-on; some graphic language underscores the bleakness. The ending of this searing story of survival is hopeful (if not quite believable).

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)