The Encyclopedia of Me (review)

It's the summer before eighth grade, and Tink Aaron-Martin has been grounded, so naturally she decides to use her newfound wealth of time to write an encyclopedia. The entries, whether they're traditional encyclopedia favorites like "Aardvark" or more personal categories like "People Who Don't Call after Kissing a Person for the Second Time and on Purpose, Not by Accident," combine to tell the story of Tink's summer and autumn of transition. The changes are several: she's growing apart from her best friend, she's developing a crush on the boy next door, and her family's hyperfocus on Tink's autistic older brother, Seb, is beginning to take its toll. Canadian author Rivers (Surviving Sam, BCCB 6/02) turns what could be a gimmicky structure into an invitingly episodic narrative that keeps the storyline going while allowing Tink to plunge into certain topics when they're relevant. The book is refreshingly up front about Tink's biracial heritage, Seb's autism, and the Aaron-Martin family dynamics, but it's also nuanced and sympathetic in its treatments; character interaction is observed with a particularly keen eye, while Tink's narration is a credible blend of perception and cluelessness. Tink herself is a deeply winning protagonist, a girl who's beginning to figure out her own considerable strengths and important interests (she's just discovered her love of skateboarding) but who also wants to stay loyal to her old friend. This sparky and engaging account will satisfy readers looking for a bouncier counterpart to Frances O'Roark Dowell.