Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Sugar and Ice by Kate Messner

Messner, Kate Sugar and Ice, 288 pgs. Walker & Co. (Bloomsbury), 2010. $16.99. Sexual Content-G; Language-G; Violence-G.

Claire Boucher is a small town girl who loves to ice skate and collect sap on her family’s maple farm. She performs in the local Maple Show and is offered a scholarship to train in Lake Placid. Claire immediately makes friends with another skater named Tanasee, but is given the cold shoulder by the other girls. After Claire performs well in a competition, she comes back to her locker to find nail polish all over her jeans. The sabotaging continues to escalate, as does Claire’s nervousness about competition. Meanwhile, she misses out on local events and never has time to see her best friend Natalie because of all the practices. Claire has to decide what she really wants and what she is willing to give to get it.

The characters are well-rounded and original. The skating details and competitions are cutting edge. Claire’s story is sure to find an audience on and off the ice.

EL – ADVISABLE. Samantha, Public Librarian.

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