Jump the Cracks

I couldn't put this book down! It's an exciting read. It reminds me a bit of the film Thelma and Louise, in that Victoria, the main character, never intends to do anything wrong. In fact, it all begins because she is trying to help an at-risk little boy, but each "right" decision to help the boy sends her further down the path to being a fugitive and kidnapper. What starts as a well intended action spirals out of control and leads to a crazy chain of events. It's a great ride, with a very satisfying ending. While marketed as a young adult novel, the content is also appropriate for younger readers.

It is easy to connect to the characters in this book making it hard to put down! Middle school and teen readers will relate to Victoria's dilemma and I can hear them in heated discussion about what she should do. For a 15 year old girl facing the adult world where life demands compromise, Victoria is facing a very difficult decision. What will she choose?

A wonderful YA novel, totally appropriate for mid-graders, too. Fifteen-year-old Victoria heads into NY alone on the train to meet her dad, who hasn't "been there" for her much since her parents' divorce. She gets side-tracked by a toddler in an at-risk situation and when her dad fails to meet the train, she makes a heartfelt snap decision to rescue little Wills. The reader is along for a great ride in the ensuing railway chase involving threatening characters, concerned relatives, and the police. Jump the Cracks is a page-turner until the end, as Victoria struggles to care for Wills while trying to figure out the meaning of family and home and how to get both of them there safely.

A thought-provoking book about a girl who faces danger to protect an abandoned baby. It will keep you up late to see what happens to Victoria and "Wills."

Not only is Stacy DeKeyser's Jump the Cracks a page-turner, but it is a tender and beautiful story about the ability to keep promises to those you love. As a reader, I was completely invested in Victoria, the main character, and wondering what I would do in her same situation. She makes all the right choices, but in doing so gets herself deeper in trouble. I had to read it all in one sitting because I didn't want to leave Victoria alone out there with the boy she "rescues" wondering who was going to rescue her. I highly recommend it!