Love Double Dutch!

Reviewed by: Phyllis Fuchs - Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 3, 2018

Review

The colorful dust jacket, the book's only illustration, shows a smiling, pretty African American girl jumping double Dutch. She is thirteen year old Kayla, a caring sister to her younger brother and also frequently rude, bossy and a champion double Dutch jumper. She and her brother must leave Kayla's beloved Bronx and spend the rest of the summer in North Carolina with her aunt and her family when Kayla's parents separate. In this fast moving story of just over 200 pages, middle school girls attracted to that dust jacket will notice how city girl Kayla finds a southern suburb a quieter, friendlier place and is amazed at how hard she has to work and drop some "Brooklyn attitude" to coach her new double Dutch team to be able to compete against an excellent southern jumping team. Important issues, family problems, even a first romance may appear to be resolved too easily, but the book's emphasis is on creating an enjoyable, lively reading experience and it succeeds. Recommended.

Overall Book Score: good