ABLAZE

A blazing superpower propels seventh grader Aly into a firestorm of trouble.

Aly Theland is stuck being the helpful, unsung middle child. Whether she’s helping her 9-year-old brother, Simon, with a bully or calming her older sister, Rachael, Aly is the family peacekeeper. At her private school she tries to be invisible and avoid trouble until one day when her anger erupts in science class, engulfing her lab table—and sexist, insulting lab partner—in flames. Fires dog Aly as she struggles to control her growing temper, dealing with her nasty ex–best friend and lots of unwanted attention. Rachael tries to help her figure out what’s going on as fiery incidents at home and at school plague Aly. A surprise twist changes everything, and quick-witted Aly must save the day. Characters are minimally described: Main characters seem to default to White; names cue some ethnic diversity in the background cast. Krovatin presents readers with an excellent mix of age-appropriate horror and middle school life. Aly’s struggles, both paranormal and ordinary, will engender sympathy. The family dynamics, particularly the sibling and mother-daughter relationships, are well crafted. The Theland siblings support and taunt each other in equal measure, and the push-pull of a child growing up is nicely depicted. An explosive and well-earned surprise entertains while the open-ended, movieworthy ending will leave readers wanting more.

A scary and surprising cinematic horror story.