The Best Worst Thing

Ten year-old Maggie sees injustice and danger everywhere--in her history textbook, on the playground, in her neighborhood, on the news. How can anyone be safe when there's a murderer on the loose, a bully about to get a gun for his 12th birthday, rabbits being held captive for who-knows-what next door, and an older sister being mysteriously consumed by adolescence? Maggie doesn't like it one bit, so she devises intricate ways of controlling her own world and a larger, more dangerous plan for protecting everyone else.

Beautifully written, Maggie's voice rings brilliantly true and brings to mind the writing of Jack Gantos and Katherine Patterson. Kathleen Lane is a promising new voice, an exciting new talent.