The Life and Opinions of Amy Finawitz

Eighth-grader Amy’s best friend, Callie, has moved to Kansas for a year, and the e-mails and one-act plays Amy sends Callie make up Toffler-Corrie’s entertaining though somewhat exhausting debut. Amy is foundering without her friend (“Dear Callie, What do you mean, I’m getting so preoccupied with my own feelings of perceived abandonment and lack of inspiration that I’m being insensitive to you?”), but is forced out of her own head (a much-needed excursion) when her class is given an assignment to study immigrants’ journals and explore New York City through their eyes. Much to her dismay, Amy is guided through the city by her elderly neighbor, Miss Sophia, and her neighbor’s orthodox Jewish nephew, outings that involve everything from a historical mystery, which hooks a dreamy classmate into some of their adventures, to chatting up a drag queen at Houdini’s grave on Halloween. While genuinely funny, Amy’s sharp-edged observations and snarky humor can be grating (why Callie puts up with her hysterics remains baffling). She gradually grows more self-aware, but there’s a lot of self-pity to wade through. Ages 10–13. (Aug.)