Vandalism — Evan Jacobs

Themes: Hi-Lo, Fiction, Chapter Books, Peer Pressure

Someone has tagged the science building at Walden Lane High School. Ashley Moore is upset. School is supposed to be a safe place, and now she no longer feels safe. Students from the Key Club decide an act of community service is in order. The students organize and repaint the tagged wall during their lunch break and after school. They plan a fundraiser to pay for new glass for the painted windows. Kayla Flores agrees to paint after senior class president Alex Torres says he ll give her a signed program from Wicked. When Ashley gets the program from Alex's trunk, she finds cans of spray paint in the same color used to tag the school. Why would a star student on a full ride to USC wreck the school? Ashley is stunned and angry. After her confrontation with Alex, she questions her compassion and rigidity. Will Alex do the right thing? What, exactly, is the right thing to do?

Walden Lane is a quintessential small city. And these chapter books describe a typical American family, with busy schedules and the usual problems. The series explores suburban life in a fun way, with topics appropriate for younger readers. These gentle reads are innocent, hopeful, and sometimes funny, with no unsettling surprises or storylines. Each book is 5,000 words (approx.) and 10 chapters.