VOYA totally loves The Mitochondrial Curiosities of Marcels 1-19

[Quality rating 5Q: Hard to imagine it being better written]

The title of this unique, creative story will either scare away or fascinate potential readers. In bleak, wintry Edmonton, Canada readers are introduced to soon-to-be fifteen-year-old Dree, an artsy and somewhat antisocial misfit. She hates school and is embarrassed to be in class with her younger, gifted, and 'perfect' sister. Just when she is about to receive a promised windfall from her father that would allow her to move away on her birthday to live her life's dream in Toronto, he keels over dead. Now she must use clues he left behind to locate her escape fund hopefully beating her new-age stepmother to the money. The treasure hunt leads her to a secretive and mysterious small-town psychiatric hospital where her parents met and once worked. Intertwined in this adventure is her quest to create an A+ biology project for herself and her lab partner (who happens to be her sister). She also goes through the process of grieving for her imperfect father.

The frank dialogue, replete with the 'OMG's and 'totally's of current teen speak, is quite authentic, humorous, and angst ridden. Many a young reader will empathize with Dree and pull for her to succeed as she plots and crafts a series of sock puppets, all named Marcel, to symbolize the evolution of her ideas and psyche, hence the unusual title. Actual instructions for her many renegade crafts are also included amidst the text. This thought-provoking read is highly recommended.