JUMP

Brinkley Harper is the ruling It girl at her high school, combining wealth, beauty and popularity. However, the mandated counseling sessions Brinkley must attend in order to avoid being expelled for bullying reveal a crack in her perfect façade. This intriguing tale explores the adage that to really know someone you must walk a mile in their shoes. In Brinkley’s case, she briefly inhabits other student’s bodies in order to better understand them. Rue keeps things plausible by delving into the logistics of “jumping,” or teleporting, using a blend of quantum physics and mysticism to explain the scenario. Although high-school stereotypes prevail as Brinkley alternately explores life as a goth girl, an overweight, lovelorn band groupie and the quintessential nice girl, the author manages to imbue the story with refreshing twists. Brinkley’s other-body experiences neatly overlap with the topics her counselor discusses during therapy, allowing Brinkley and readers to make the connections between concepts such as compassion, empathy and trust and real life. While the outcome is never in doubt, Brinkley’s journey of personal transformation will linger with readers endeavoring to define themselves. (Fiction. 12 & up)