The Lost Songs by Caroline Cooney - ESSENTIAL

Cooney, Caroline B. The Lost Songs, 256 p. Delacorte (Random), 2011.  $18.  Lutie Painter has led a poor but happy life with her grandmother, but an early morning call from her drug-addled mother sets her whole world on a new course.  Doria Bell has been fairly content being virtually invisible on the bench behind the organ and piano, but now she wants to be noticed.  What would happen to her, however, if the wrong person sees her? Train may be big, but up until now he has been fairly harmless.  When his older brother is sent to jail, Train has to decide what kind of person he really is – the follower who wants to make a dangerous name for himself, or can he leave everything behind and forge his own path?  These three fellow students will intersect and interact in surprising ways.  Far beyond her mysteries, her supernatural fiction and her romances, Cooney has crafted a masterpiece – definitely for students who want a modern, moving story.  I also plan on sharing this one with my teachers; I think this would be an excellent option for a new classroom novel.  MS, HS – ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher