The Heartbeats of Wing Jones

Believing that she has no particular talent of her own, half black, half Chinese Atlanta teen Wing Jones lives in the shadow of Marcus, her football-star older brother. All that changes the night Marcus kills two people while driving drunk, and is left in a coma. Juggling anger, sadness, and guilty relief that her brother survived, Wing finds solace in late-night runs. When Marcus’s best friend Aaron (whom Wing secretly loves) spots her circling the high school track, he’s amazed by her speed and wants to bring her into the spotlight. Soon, Wing is on the track team, winning one race after another. In a story showing how hope and love can blossom in the midst of chaos, first-time author Webber explores Wing’s challenges to be a winner as her family—overwhelmed by mounting bills, criminal charges against Marcus, and the uncertainty of his fate—begins to crumble. Readers caught up in the tension of the story, set in 1995, are unlikely to be bothered by the improbability of Wing’s speedy climb to the top. Ages 12–up. Agent: Claire Wilson, Rogers, Coleridge & White. (Mar.)