Spirit Level

January 1, 2016

Gr 8 Up-Harriet (called Harry) has always been levelheaded. She is not bothered by the fact that she is donor-conceived, that her mother is single, or that her grandmother is not actually related. When her best friend/boyfriend moves away, Harry's world is shaken. She decides to reach out through the Donor Sibling Registry to see if she has half-siblings and whether her donor is willing to meet her. To her surprise, several people quickly respond. Two of them live close by in Seattle. Lucy is a bright, vivacious, 15-year-old dancer. Meredith is an emotionally disturbed runaway who is accompanied everywhere by her best friend Alex. It is easy to love Lucy, but Meredith is harder for Harry to understand. Harry and Alex are drawn to each other, complicating life with Meredith. As the three donor sisters learn about one another, secrets are revealed in this intricate, timely novel. Themes of homelessness, transgender sexuality, and familial roles are explored. At times it feels overwhelming; there are so many subplots that the real focus becomes lost. Once teens get past the bombardment of themes, they will connect with the multifaceted and flawed characters. The protagonists are not always likable but are well-crafted vehicles for the many messages. VERDICT A good additional purchase for libraries where readers enjoy books like Matthew Quick's Sorta Like a Rockstar (Little, Brown, 2010) or Stephanie Perkins's Lola and the Boy Next Door (Dutton, 2011).-Claire Covington, Broadway High School, VA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2015
Sperm-donor half siblings, friends with gay parents, and stay-at-home dads who run away with other men or with younger women, or dads who reside in prison for vehicular manslaughter--Harvey weaves far-ranging family and gender strands together. Harry (short for Harriet) has always known she is a product of her blonde, blue-eyed "Single Mother by Choice" Della and an anonymous sperm donor, "a tall, part-Latino medical student." Deeply saddened by a recent breakup, Harry keeps busy transcribing her mother's research on Seattle's homeless girls. A chance encounter with a tabloid story about donor siblings and the risk of "accidental incest" piques her interest and conjures icky scenarios ("I really like you, but I want to make sure we're not related before I get in your pants"). Harry begins to secretly explore her genetic roots; in an end-of-summer synopsis she tells a friend "I was so bored I found five half-siblings, my donor and a trans boyfriend." A troubled half sib briefly turns the story dark and violent; the gift of a carpenter's spirit level provides the title and grounding symbol for Harry, whose narrative voice is genuine and entertaining. Harvey neatly and matter-of-factly incorporates a wide range of family styles and relationships, dysfunctional to healthy. Plenty of drama and a laundry list of catchy, contemporary issues make this an eventful, intriguing read. (Fiction. 12-16)

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