Split Ends

Kylie Sanderson is homeless at sixteen. She is sick and tired of watching her mom go from man to man using her looks to provide for them. She has also had enough of how those men are starting to stare at her. One day she simply leaves home and ends up living on the streets. Her main dreams are getting emancipated, completing high school and getting a job at the upscale hair salon, Crowning Glory, which she peers into the window of each day. Split Ends by Jacquelin Thomas tells Kylie's story in a straightforward, engaging way that will have the reader `seeing' the characters. Through a series of incidents Kylies meets, Miss Lucy, a homeless Gulf-War veteran who offers her protection against the predators on the streets and Rhyann, who gives her money for food and introduces her to Ms. Marilee, who owns the salon and who eventually hires her. Through what seems like divine intervention the teen is soon working and living an emancipated life with Miss Lucy as her unofficial guardian. However, there is one problem, she has lied about her mother's existence and when her mother comes to claim her, her life is once again turned upside. Kylie really loves her mother and would like to trust her again, but, their history is very shaky. Will the mother have changed and will Kylie be able to forgive and trust her mother again? Ms. Thomas does a wonderful job telling the story of Kylie and how homelessness and lack of family support are affecting our communities. At the same time, she allows the story to be fun, spiritually uplifting and entertaining. I recommend Split Ends to teens and all readers who enjoy reading about realistic adventures of today's youth and the people who support them. Split Ends was provided by the publisher for review purposes. Angelia Menchan APOOO BookClub