Picture This

Life hasn't been easy for Ethan. He had to leave his last foster home after Mrs. Girardi had a heart attack. Now he's living with Mr. and Mrs. Ashdale. They are nice folks, and thanks to them, he's no longer involved with the Nine Eight gang. Ethan is spending the summer taking pictures. He is part of a new program at the local community center called Picture This. Just about every minute of every day he's got his camera in hand and is taking photos of everything. When he finds himself the victim of a mugging-style attack in a back alley, Ethan refuses to hand over his backpack because he can't imagine parting with his prized camera. He escapes his attacker and thinks of the incident as a random event until several days later someone breaks into the home of his foster parents and ransacks the place. Several other incidents occur, including a shooting that seems to have him as the intended target. As the police become involved, Ethan begins to feel more like a suspect than a victim. His earlier gang involvement has law enforcement officers thinking he must be up to something to have guns firing in his direction. Ethan is determined to figure out what is going on and, at the same time, protect his life with the best family he's ever had. As long as Mr. and Mrs. Ashdale continue to believe in him, he is confident that things will work out. At just over 100 pages, PICTURE THIS by Norah McClintock offers readers an amazing amount of action and mystery. Ethan is portrayed as the typical at-risk, big city teen trying to improve his life. Readers will cheer him on as he works to hang onto his new life. Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"