Between the Lines

April 23, 2012
Prolific and bestselling author Picoult teams up with her teenage daughter to pen a clever YA romance about the magical relationship between a loner and her fictional “Prince Charming.” Imagine 15-year-old Delilah McPhee’s surprise when she starts to have a conversation with Prince Oliver, the hero of a fairy tale she adores. From Oliver she learns that characters in a story lead very different lives when a book is shut—in Oliver’s “reality,” the story’s villain is actually a butterfly aficionado, and Oliver has no interest in his betrothed, Seraphima. Elements from Picoult’s other novels—alternating character viewpoints with distinguishing fonts, snappy chapter endings—are present, and the story is peppered with pop culture references to The Hunger Games, the Kindle Fire, and the X-Men, as well as comic relief in the form of characters like a talking horse that thinks it has a weight problem. The reason given for Delilah’s obsession with the fairy tale—like her, Oliver grew up without a father—is weak, but that’s unlikely to trouble readers who will be swept up by the romantic premise. Ages 12–up. Agent: Laura Gross, Laura Gross Literary Agency.

October 29, 2012
A lonely teen named Delilah finds comfort in—and frequently rereads—a fairy tale book about a prince who goes on a quest to rescue a princess. What she doesn’t realize is that Oliver, the fairy-tale prince, is tired of acting out the same story whenever the book is opened, and yearns to escape into the real world. This audio edition features three narrators, all turning in standout performances. Ian MacKenzie ably narrates the fairy tale; Nick Cordero’s Oliver captures the character’s old-fashioned princely formality and etiquette, as well as his frustration and longing; and Suzy Jackson’s rendition of Delilah is likable, awkward, and modern. But Jackson and Cordero don’t merely capture the essence of their roles—they also create a host of appropriate voices for the book’s many characters. This is a fun listen that will enchant anyone who loves fantasy, magic, romance, and humor. Ages 12–up. A Simon Pulse/Bestler hardcover.

November 1, 2012

Gr 7-10-Young Prince Oliver wants to escape the pages of the book where he lives and does the same things with the same characters in the same way every day. He attempts to make contact with 15-year-old Delilah, who is somewhat of a loner and escapes her sometimes depressing high school life through her favorite books, particularly Between the Lines, a fairy tale that she discovered in her school library. What really resonates with Delilah is the fact that Prince Oliver has grown up without a father, just like she has, and she believes that he would understand her better than anyone else. When the hero of her favorite fairy tale comes to life, Oliver and Delilah join forces to get the prince out of the book and away from the life he despises. Robert MacKenie, Suzy Jackson, and Nick Cordero read the story (Simon Pulse, 2012) by Jodie Picoult and her daughter, Samantha van Leer, that moves between the perspectives of the two main characters with passages from the fairy tale interspersed. The narration will captivate listeners. This tale earns its "happily ever after."-Sheila Acosta, Cody Library, San Antonio, TX

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.