Reinhardt, Dana. A brief chapter in my impossible life.

REINHARDT, Dana. A brief chapter in my impossible life. 2006. Read by Mandy Siegfried. 5 cds. 5.5 hrs. Listening library. 0-307-28566-9. $45.00. Vinyl; plot, author, reader notes. JS *

From the KLIATT starred review of the book, March 2006: "Simone is a brilliant 16-year-old, wise and funny; she is the narrator of this story of how she comes to know her birth mother, how she grows to love her and then must lose her. All readers will be drawn to Simone's story from the first few pages in which she describes her family, the family she knows and loves. Because this family is so dear to her she has no interest in meeting her birth mother, even though her parents tell her that this mother, Rivka, has called and would like to meet her. They continue to press Simone as the days go by; eventually Simone telephones Rivka and the story of Simone's adoption unfolds. Rivka is from a Hasidic family and in the years since her teenage pregnancy she been estranged from her family. She still cherishes the rituals of Shabbat, which she introduces to Simone, who has been raised in a nonreligious home. Finding out that she was born to a Jewish woman helps Simone to consider what a spiritual life might mean--one of the major themes of the story.

All the secondary characters are believable and add dimension to Simone's life and narration ... Simone and her friend Cleo have a circle of friends who nurture one another; some of them occasionally drink or smoke pot, one of the friends is gay, and each one is funny, creative and loyal. Simone, her mother, her father and brother, Rivka, her boyfriend Zack, Cleo--each character is a fully realized human being because of Reinhardt's skill. No one is perfect here, tempers flare, stress builds, but everyone is trying hard to be a decent person. The completion Simone discovers as her love for Rivka grows helps her to face the heartbreaking ending." Siegfried is subtle in her reading, giving a credible and touching voice to Simone as she faces this chapter in her life.

With poignant as well as spunky moments expressed through pacing and pitch changes, listeners will not just hear, but also feel the changing and developing emotions. Humor, anger, frustration, denial, and ultimately acceptance are all portrayed effectively; listeners will want to stay with Simone along her journey. Secondary characters are quietly distinct in voice, with the overarching tonal atmosphere being one of hope and self-discovery. Stephanie Squicciarini, Teen Svcs. Libn., Fairport PL, Fairport, NY

J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers.

S--Recommended for senior high school students.

*--The asterisk highlights exceptional books.