Eleven Things I Promised

February 1, 2016

Gr 7-10-Frances is in over her head. Months ago she signed up for a 350-mile charity bike ride with her best friend Stella. Now Stella is home recuperating from serious injuries sustained while training, and Frances is on her own, having pledged to complete the ride for Stella. She even vows to fulfill Stella's Bike Trip F(ix)-It List-10 things Stella had wanted to do on the ride to shake up her life. But Frances isn't Stella. She's not a bike rider, and she's not outgoing; the other riders on her high school team are people with whom Frances would never normally associate. But Frances is carrying a heavier burden yet-the secret of just how badly Stella was injured, knowledge she does not want made public. Adding to Frances's turmoil is a developing relationship with Stella's older brother, Mason. Clark presents a heartwarming portrayal of friendship, romance, and growth. Frances is an extremely likable character. As she struggles with the physical demands of the bike ride, she also grows emotionally, learning to get along with a diverse group of classmates, conquering a fear of heights, and discovering the value of trusting people. While Stella's introduction into the story and her eventual acceptance of her new physical limitations seem a bit rushed, they do not detract from the book. Frances is a heroine who doesn't just rise to the challenge; she soars. VERDICT Extremely entertaining-give to fans of Maureen Johnson's 13 Little Blue Envelopes (HarperCollins, 2015).-Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor School District, Lancaster, PA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2016
Grades 9-12 It was Stella's idea in the first place for her and Frances to tackle the Cure Childhood Cancer bike ride together. After all, Stella was the athlete, the driven one. She had created the F(ix)-It List of 10 wild self-improvement tasks she wanted to check off on the week-long ride. Frances was just planning on letting Stella drag her along, like always. But after Stella's freak accident, Frances is determined to follow through, alone, on all that Stella had planned, for the sake of their friendship: Bleach her hair. Start a food fight. Sleep under the stars. Have an epic kiss. What Frances can't be sure of is whether she will have the nerve to complete the list, how Stella will view these big wins, or whether their relationship can actually ever really be the same now that everything has changed. Clark is a seasoned YA author, and here again she demonstrates how well she can weave together the trials and truths of determined, passionate high-school kids.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)