Don't Die, Dragonfly

After getting kicked out of school and sent to live with her grandmother, Sabine Rose is determined to become a "normal" teenage girl. She hides her psychic powers from everyone, even from her grandmother Nona, who also has "the gift." Having a job at the school newspaper and friends like Penny-Love, a popular cheerleader, have helped Sabine fit in at her new school. She has even managed to catch the eye of the adorable Josh DeMarco.

Yet, Sabine can't seem to get the bossy voice of Opal, her spirit guide, out of her head . . . or the disturbing images of a girl with a dragonfly tattoo. Suspected of a crime she didn't commit, Sabine must find the strength to defend herself and, later, save a friend from certain danger.

After getting kicked out of school and sent to live with her grandmother, Sabine Rose is determined to become a "normal" teenage girl. She hides her psychic powers from everyone, even from her grandmother Nona, who also has "the gift." Having a job at the school newspaper and friends like Penny-Love, a popular cheerleader, have helped Sabine fit in at her new school. She has even managed to catch the eye of the adorable Josh DeMarco.

Yet, Sabine can't seem to get the bossy voice of Opal, her spirit guide, out of her head . . . or the disturbing images of a girl with a dragonfly tattoo. Suspected of a crime she didn't commit, Sabine must find the strength to defend herself and, later, save a friend from certain danger.

Sherry Hoy - KLIATT

High school student Sabine Rose has moved to live with her grandmother since her psychic gifts got her expelled from her last school. Although she is trying to start over as an ordinary teen, her psychic guide, Opal, is still inside her head and dreams, showing her increasingly painful visions of a girl with a dragonfly tattoo. Because of her involvement with this girl, Sabine is accused of a crime she didn't commit and must find a way to not only clear her name but also to avert a looming disaster. Sabine, with Opal's help, gets to the girl before her suicide attempt is fatal. And Sabine begins to explore and enjoy her psychic gifts in a new way. The final chapter sets up the sequel, Last Dance. Tailor-made for those teens who enjoy Annette Curtis Klause (Blood and Chocolate) and Amelia Atwater-Rhodes (Demon in My View and In the Forest of the Night), as well as Lois Duncan. I may even recommend this to my Lurlene McDaniel fans as a slight change of pace. The black-into-lavender cover with its stylized dragonfly will draw attention as well. Well-packaged light chills should make this a hit with teen girls. (The Seer, Volume One). KLIATT Codes: JS—Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2004, Llewellyn, 269p., Ages 12 to 18.

Linda Joy Singleton is author of over twenty-five books for young people, including the award-winning Seer series, about a teen psychic.

Singleton makes her home in Northern California where she enjoys life in the country with a barnyard of animals including horses, cats, dogs, and pigs and collects vintage series books like Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden and Judy Bolton.

Singleton especially loves to interact with her readers through speaking engagements at schools and libraries, as well as from their direct feedback. When asked why she writes for young people she says, “I love seeing the world through the heart of a child, where magic is real and every day begins a new adventure. I hope to inspire them to reach for their dreams. Writing for kids is a gift, a responsibility, and an honor.”