THE ETHAN I WAS BEFORE, by Ali Standish

The story: Ethan has a secret that makes him want to run away from his old life and all the trouble he's caused. Coralee is a girl with secrets of her own, but when they meet in Palm Knot, Georgia, is seems like maybe they could become friends. Until their secrets...and a hurricane...almost cost them their lives.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; VIolence G; Sexual content G; Nudity G; substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G: GLBT content G; adult themes (survivor's guilt, family's inability to cope) PG; overall rating G.

Liz's comments: I liked this one a lot, although it seemed a little young for MS readers. Ethan is a 6th grader with the weight of the world on his shoulders--a weight that only a good friend can take away. This one is proof that you don't have to be boyfriend/girlfriend to be friends, which is a refreshing concept these days.