From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up-Chloe Wilder lives with her grandparents in a quiet middle-class neighborhood. Some say she is angry, others think of her as quiet, but in reality, she is finally learning to replace some of the demons in her nightmares with a sense of normalcy. She has loving guardians; an eccentric but true friend, Marian; safety; and the friendship of her grandparents' maid, Silvia, an illegal immigrant from Mexico. She almost believes everything is going to be OK when her mother's husband kidnaps her and turns her world into a living nightmare. When her abusive mother forces her to help rob her grandparents, Chloe stages her own death with an explosive fire. Then she and a very pregnant Silvia embark on an adventure similar to that of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. As they attempt to get to California, they drive in circles, run across tricksters, and end up in the dangerous projects. Stereotypes of ethnic, religious, and racial groups abound; some fit in the context of Chloe's observations of her surroundings, while others are left for readers to ponder their purpose. The book is written in short chapters that will appeal to reluctant readers. Chloe is a spirited, resourceful, observant, and humorous heroine who will keep readers interested until the end, when things are wrapped up neatly, but believably.
Lynn Bryant, formerly at Navarre High School, FL
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 8-12. Teenage Chloe has gotten a new start. With the help of her grandparents, she has left her violent childhood behind. But when her stepfather and abusive mother reappear, she must start again, this time by going on the run. Accompanied by her grandparents' pregnant Hispanic maid, Silvia, who is also seeking a new life, Chloe embarks on an adventure through slums and suburbs, revealing that people, places, and experiences aren't always what they seem. Set in a thoroughly modern context, this inventive, affectionate homage to Mark Twain's classic about Huck Finn clearly illustrates that prejudice still affects human understanding, behavior, and language. Like Huck's journey, Chloe's is both a multilayered story of personal growth and an entertaining, provocative satire that explores society, culture, and humankind's occasionally ironic notions of freedom and progress. And like Huck, Chloe is awakened to injustice and hypocrisy before she finds hope in human connections and good hearts. Olshan's creative prose shines in Chloe's sharp, intimate, funny narrative, which is filled with vivid observations, philosophical musings, and insights into the world and people around her. Teens who have read Twain's book will appreciate Olshan's direct references and parallels; those who haven't will like the action and the heroine's resourcefulness. The book's satire and cynicism may create controversy and strike some readers as harsh, but the novel effectively raises awareness of contemporary social concerns and, like the classic, is certain to invite both thought and discussion. Shelle Rosenfeld
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