In Zanesville is a pitch-perfect coming-of-age story that fully captures the aching agony of teen angst, focusing on the alluring pull of peer pressure among the in-crowd and loyalty to the old guard. Author Jo Ann Beard’s fourteen-year-old narrator (whose name, Jo, is only hinted at) considers herself a sidekick, a role she’s happy to play until life begins to force her and her best friend, Flea (Felicia) outside their insular cocoon. “I’d like to be the kind of person who can do something weird and not become weird because of it, but that’s out of reach for me . . .” Beard’s details of life in the 1970’s are fantastic, from the plaid culottes and two-tone Capezio’s to the image of a toaster with a Wonder Bread wrapper melted to its flank. The gripping, comedic and horrific opening scene sets the tone for the remainder of the book as the story flies through a pivotal season of teen-dom with sharp, wry dialog and emotional punch. (Suitable for older teens)

Laura