THIS IMPOSSIBLE LIGHT, by Lily Myers

The story: Ivy is a smart girl, even though her world seems to be crumbling around her. Her parents have divorced, dad has a new girlfriend, her brother has moved out, and her mother seems to be drowning in depression. Worst of all, Ivy feels that she's getting too tall, too round, too different from the way she was when things were going right. The only way Ivy can seem to cope with her out-of-control world is to control everything she can: the amount of calories she eats, the amount of exercise she gets. When her compulsions start controlling HER, how can she fix it--when fixing herself was what started everything in the first place?

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence G; Sexual content G; Nudity G: Substance abuse PG-13; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (eating disorders, mental illness, depression, divorce) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: The reader spends about half the story thinking, "No! Don't do it!" Ivy, although smart academically, is easy prey for her compulsions. Readers will empathize, and cheer for her when she starts making steps toward recovery. Her life will never go back to the way it was, but there's hope that she'll be able to deal with the way it is now. This novel in verse is a fast read, and a compelling look at the difficulties of living with an eating disorder.