Suppose someone showed up in YOUR classroom carrying an AK-47.You have a split second:To think.To act.To be a hero.But what is a hero?That question becomes all too real for Arielle, November, Jericho, and their friends. They've been through so much: the hazing ritual that left Joshua dead and hearts aching; November finding out that she was pregnant with Josh's baby. But senior year is going well, and when the fire alarm goes off in English class, everyone assumes that crazy Jack is trying to get out of another quiz. But the alarm was pulled for a very different reason. A potentially deadly reason. There's only a matter of seconds to stop a tragedy, and all eyes are searching for someone -- anyone -- to step up and do something.This shocking conclusion to the two-time Coretta Scott King Honor-winning trilogy by Sharon M. Draper will have you holding your breath to the very last page. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

More trials are in store for the Ohio teens featured in Battle of Jericho and November Blues in this final book in Draper's trilogy. This time the focus is on Arielle-whose mother has recently married a wealthy, controlling man who treats his stepdaughter and wife more like property than family-and Kofi, a promising student whose chance for success is threatened by his prescription drug addiction. While fighting deeply personal battles during their senior year, Arielle and Kofi are drawn into school dramas concerning the inexplicable disappearance of student property as well as recurring fire drills, a prank that eventually leads to a deadly situation. As in her previous novels, Draper shows mastery in building suspense and articulating adolescent emotions and reactions ("Kofi could feel Dana tense up, in the same way some people reacted to a snake-with great fear and the need to put distance between themselves and the reptile"). If the shocking climax, which culminates with a school shooting, appears a little contrived, powerful final events will leave readers pondering the definition of heroism. Ages 12-up. (June) Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr 8 Up-During their senior year at Douglass High, tightly knit friends confront both personal struggles and unsettling school situations. Arielle, Kofi, and the rest of their group mend fences after and come to grips with a lethal hazing event from the past. But there are more problems to tackle. Arielle accidentally witnesses a repugnant bullying incident that the victim asks her to keep secret and resolutely deals with her rich and controlling stepfather. Kofi worries about his irresponsible parents, securing college funding, his pain-pill addiction, and keeping his romance intact. New mother November returns to her classes, determined to finish school. Crazy Jack hides his mental instability by appearing funny and cool. Meanwhile, someone is stealing money and personal property at school. Alternating third-person chapters zero in on Arielle and Kofi while skillfully weaving their friends, classmates, teachers, and others into the plot. The discovery of the thief near the end is surprising and unsettling, and Jack's breakdown, which involves an assault rifle and holding students hostage, immediately following is jarring. Though it is all a bit much, the quick pace, convincing dialogue, and interesting characters and situations will compel teens, especially those who have read The Battle of Jericho (2003) and November Blues (2007, both S & S).-Diane P. Tuccillo, Poudre River Public Library District, Fort Collins, CO Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

This concluding volume in the trilogy that began with The Battle of Jericho (2003) and November Blues (2007), both Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books, continues the stories of a group of resilient urban high-school students. While familiar characters appear (November is back at school after giving birth to her baby), this stand-alone title focuses on friends who held a more peripheral place in the previous books. Arielle struggles with her emotionally abusive stepfather, a control freak who ultimately leaves her and her mother homeless. M.I.T.-bound Kofi tries, with the support of his devoted girlfriend, to kick his growing dependency on OxyContin. Draper adds more drama at school: who is responsible for a rash of thefts? Is Eddie, recently returned from juvie, dangerous? Is outsider Osrick capable of violent revenge against the school bullies? The sheer number of issues threatens to overcrowd the story. But the dialogue-driven prose will propel even reluctant readers to the final shocking scenes, and teens will easily connect with Draper's intelligent, spirited, and unflaggingly supportive young people.--Engberg, Gillian Copyright 2009 Booklist From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.