Solo for Teens

Solo, by Sarah Schofield, is a fun book for teenage girls. It clearly shows issues teenagers often face – moving to a new area, meeting new friends, dealing with bullying and, of course, boyfriend/girlfriend issues. Eliana Davis has to relocate to a new area because of her father’s deployment. She faces a new home, new school and new classmates and all the problems that go with a new environment. Set in Oregon, Eliana sets out to get through her year alone. She builds a wall around her but gradually is accepted by others and seems open to friendships. She’s a good student, a great athlete and dancer, and is above the petty interactions often found in the world of teenagers. Somehow Eliana is almost too perfect. Ms. Schofield creates a delightful story and a fun read for the younger set. However, I would have hoped that the editing could have been improved so that the reader doesn’t have to stop and think, “What is she saying here?” There are many small grammatical errors but they add up and are completely unnecessary. One of my biggest pet peeves is that the characters often had “desert” instead of “dessert.” Ms. Schofield is a good writer, but she must get an editor for her next book. Despite my editorial issues with Solo, I feel it’s a great story and teens will enjoy it.