YA Pick

Gimme A Call
by Sarah Mlynowski
Delacorte Press, 2010
301 pages

What a "novel" idea for a ya novel! In one of the freshest and funniest books of the year, Devorah (Devi) Banks has a real chance to change her past and her future! After dropping her cell phone in the mall fountain, Devi finds it only calls one number--hers. But it isn't calling her today--it's calling her in the past. Senior Devi realizes that she is calling her freshman self.

She's wasted the last three years of high school going steady with Bryan. Now she wants to warn her freshman self to stay away from him. Freshman Devi won't listen and is only convinced when future Devi tells her secrets that no one else could know. Freshman Devi is quite funny, but senior Devi is funny and insightful--or maybe hindsightful--no such word, I know. Of course, she's lived the past three years and can figure out what to do and what not to do to change her future.

When future Devi convinces freshman Devi, their worlds are turned upside down. Great fun!

The cover art seems an odd choice. Unless the intent was "less is more," I would say that the odd use of white space is ineffective. Teens will likely not be drawn to the cover, and that's a shame. They will miss a treasure of a book.

Recommended for ya collections grades 7-12.

FTC Disclaimer: I bought this book for my library and received no monetary compensation for this review.