Young Adult Literature without Apology

Amy's assessment of contemporary young adult literature, organized by author and title, censored by noone.

Realistic | Romance | Science Fiction | Historical Fiction | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery

Vande Velde, Vivian (2005). Now You See It. NY: Harcourt Children's Books. ISBN: 0152053115. 288 pages.

Vivian Vande Velde is known for her slightly creepy, fantasy-tinged lite horror for younger y.a.s and Now You See It is no exception; if anything, this book is probably one of the most characteristic of her works. When Wendy's glasses break on the school bus, she discovers that a pair of mirrored sunglasses that she found earlier on her front lawn will suffice: the glasses, though unstylish, fit her exact prescription. After a near accident on the bus, however, Wendy learns that the glasses allow her to see otherworldly beings with startling clarity. Though she initially theorizes that the glasses will allow her to see the spirits of dead people, a glimpse of the most popular girl in school through the lenses leads her to believe that her new specs are not just "Sixth Sense" strong; Wendy, with the aid of the glasses, can now see fantasy-like creatures from other realms!
What starts out as an "I see dead people" riff turns quickly into a fantasy that involves not just stereotypical cast members from the high fantasy genre, but also a bit of time travel. I know it's a cliche, but, there really WERE twists on every page; I never knew where Vande Velde was going to take us with the narrative. Breezy in tone and light in genre, this was a fun, speedy and diverting read.