Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Willa by Heart
Fiction Series
For ages 12 and up
Simon and Schuster, 2009 ISBN: 1416974709
For Willa, life is going very well indeed. She and JFK are officially girlfriend and boyfriend, and she couldn’t be happier with how things have turned out at home as well. Then, out of nowhere, Willa’s happy life starts to get a little bumpy. It begins when a new girl moves to town. Mariel is pretty, interesting, and she seems to have caught the attention of Willa’s own JFK. Could it be that this girl will steal Willa’s boyfriend before the Willa and JFK have really had time to get to know one another?
Then Willa hears that the local theatre is going to be putting on a performance of Our Town. She decides to try for the part of Emily, and JFK agrees to try for the part of Emily’s love interest. It would be perfect if they could be lovebirds on stage as well as off it. Unfortunately Mariel gets the part of Emily, and Willa is devastated. JFK is going to have to kiss Mariel on stage and Willa convinces herself that this is the beginning of the end.
In this delightful sequel to The Cupid Chronicles, we meet up with Willa, her friends, and her family once more. This time Willa has to come to terms with many changes that frighten and bewilder her. What she discovers is that that though change can be worrying, and even painful, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Full of quotes from some of the world’s most wonderful works of fiction, this is a book that beautifully combines an interesting narrative with thought provoking issues that affect the lives of young people everywhere.
