by Wendy Mass can revisit Leo and Amanda's neighborhood (including some of its more interesting neighbors) in this companion book about one of their classmates.Rory has been waiting a long time to turn 12, because her parents have said it is at this magical age that she will be old enough to do many of the things she has begged to do for years. In fact, there are so many things that her parents have forbidden until 12 years of age that Rory has quite an extensive list of things she wants to do once the big day finally arrives.
Rory believes that when she's able to do things like stay at home by herself, shave her legs, and get a cell phone, life will be grand and she will obtain a much cooler status in the school hierarchy. As you can imagine, Rory is in for more than one surprise.
Mass taps into tween angst as things don't go quite as Rory planned, but never without a smile to it. Finally touches on such middle-school struggles as navigating the new waters of boy-girl parties to saving face and cliques. And when Rory gets the opportunity to meet the Tiger Beat cover boy she's crushing on, no doubt many a 12-year-old reader will imagine a certain teenage pop star in his place.
As far as continuing the magical "Groundhog's Day" effect of 11 Birthdays, Finally doesn't go quite that far into the mystic, but there certainly are mystical elements at play here. Hopefully a third in the series isn't far behind Mass's upcoming Candymakers
, due out this fall. 4 1/2 bookmarks. And be careful what you wish for.
