See No Evil

Gr 9 Up—This title (Saddleback, 2010) in the "Urban Underground" series by Anne Schraff takes place at Harriet Tubman High School. Similar to the "Bluford High" series (many of the titles are also written by Schraff), this book looks at important issues facing teens at an urban high school. The story line covers two incidents: an abandoned house that may or may not have people or ghosts living in it, and the drive-by shooting of a neighborhood teen that might be gang-related. Written in mild slang and intended for struggling readers, the story is fast-paced and consists of extensive dialogue. The reading by Prentice Onayemi falls flat by turning semi-believable dialogue into formal, clipped speech. While some of the writing style is slightly dated and won't resonate with all teens, the topics covered are the real draw of the series. The title works well in print, so stick with that version.—Genevieve Gallagher, Charlottesville High School, VA