GOING WILD, by Lisa McMann

The story: When Charlie receives a mysterious bracelet in the mail, she puts it on immediately, not knowing that it's going to give her special powers of healing, strenght, speed, climbing, and echo-location. She also doesn't realize that the bracelet wasn't meant for her, or that the bad guys who developed it are going to want it back. Charlie is just figuring out her new powers when the bad guys come to reclaim their property--but she can't get the bracelet off her arm, and her new friends are sucked in as they try to help her.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult (sci-fi weirdness) PG; adult themes (evil scientists) PG; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: The author spends a little too much time having Charlie figure out her powers, and the book doesn't really move away from its new-kid-in-town beginning and off into its true sci-fi direction until the last few chapters. There's a total cliff-hanger ending, too--but kids who have kept reading until the interesting stuff happens will be ready for the inevitable sequel when it appears.