"Olive's Ocean" by Kevin Henkes

This was a great book about two girls named Olive Barstow and Martha Boyle.  Although you never actually talk to Olive in the story, the reader gets a good sense of who she was.  I loved this book and found it very difficult to actually put it down once I started reading.  The chapters are very short so it turns into a quick read.  I liked the combination of suspense, drama and romance all wrapped into one book.  I think it is meant more for female readers but I could see boys enjoying it too.  The message was clear and simple, making this an enjoyable book to read.  In the classroom it would be interesting to use this book and lead discussions based on morals, death, honesty and imagery.  I liked that Henkes incorporated popular childhood milestones and realities, just like he does in his children's picture books.  This is probably a novel for upper elementary-aged students because of its reading level and because it has some profanity and sexual references.  I think that overall this is a great book about adolesents and dealing with situations that often arise throughout childhood.  I loved this book!