Williams-Garcia, Rita. No laughter here.

Harper Collins, Amistad. 133p. c2004. 0-688-16247-9. $15.99. J

Akilah Hunter is spending her tenth summer looking forward to the return of her best friend Victoria Ojike from Nigeria, and to the start of fifth grade, but not to getting her first period, even though her mother has told her she's an "early bloomer." However, when Victoria and her family come back to Queens, something is wrong. Victoria is kept in the house, and when school starts, she isn't the same. She won't talk, she writes in little tiny letters instead of her regular loopty loos, she won't answer questions when the teacher asks, and she won't laugh--at all. Victoria's family tells Akilah she is getting over an illness. It is only after Victoria walks out of the class during a movie about human development and sexuality that Akilah swears her silence and learns the truth. Victoria haltingly tells the story of her trip to Nigeria, and the operation she had that has made her different from all the other girls in her class. Akilah is horrified, but wants to know more. When Akilah's mother discovers her researching a Web site about female genital mutilation, she confronts the Ojike family, opening a chasm between their two cultures and the two girls. By the end, readers realize some wounds heal slowly, and some not at all. Williams-Garcia uses Akilah's innocence and curiosity to address a delicate human rights issue about which she feels passionate. The text includes an author's note with suggestions for finding additional information on FGM. Michele Winship, Asst. Prof., Capital Univ., Columbus, OH

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