Hung Up

When a misdialed number brings Lucy and James together, they keep the conversation going, discussing school assignments, the weather, whether Lucy should wear skirts more often, and what James should do after his best friend starts dating his old girlfriend. Though their first attempt to meet in person (their Vermont towns are near each other) goes disastrously wrong, it also leads to more honest discussions about their lives. Tracy’s premise is a great way to get these two high school seniors talking, flirting, and confiding without the pressures that could come from an in-person meeting, but Lucy’s continuing refusal to let James in on what’s causing her “limitations” grows frustrating. When she finally comes clean, the secret—which is serious enough that keeping it makes sense—creates additional complications. While Tracy (Crimes of the Sarahs) fully embraces her setup (the story unfolds almost entirely through the characters’ over-the-phone chats and voice mail messages), James and Lucy’s banter often feels self-conscious, as though they are actors exchanging dialogue rather than two teens in true conversation. Ages 14–up. Agent: Sara Crowe, Harvey Klinger. (Mar.)