What's in a Name

These connected short stories could be read individually, but I read them in one sitting. They are each told from a different teen's point of view, addressing themes of love, identity, including sexual, and class. The voices are authentic, with a rare off-note, and varied. My favorite is "Ricardo," if you only want to read one. Whittlinger does a good job keeping twelve characters distinct and the reader turning pages.

These connected short stories could be read individually, but I read them in one sitting. They are each told from a different teen's point of view, addressing themes of love, identity, including sexual, and class. The voices are authentic, with a rare off-note, and varied. My favorite is "Ricardo," if you only want to read one. Whittlinger does a good job keeping twelve characters distinct and the reader turning pages.

Each of ten teenagers living in Scrub Harbor, Massachusetts, explores his or her identity at the same time that the local residents consider changing the name of their town.