Diary of a Junior Year

Published in conjunction with Teen magazine, this series presents the alleged diaries of eight actual high-school juniors. Beginning the night before school starts and ending the night before Halloween, the entries average about a page in length and alternate among the octet of boys and girls. Though several of the contributors' voices sound similar and many of the journal entries are repetitive, the intense academic, athletic, family and social pressures of this pivotal year emerge believably. The kids' urgent quest for acceptance from parents and peers is at times wrenching, as is the genuine sadness experienced by some (one boy still mourns the death of his older sister eight years before; another's father suffers from a debilitating muscle disease). An accessible format breaks up the diary entries with pages offering the contributors' comments on such topics as ""Five Goals for Junior Year,"" ""What Can Totally Mess Up a Friendship"" and ""What About Sex?"" (none of the eight has had sex, and several advocate safe sex when the situation arises). Despite some slow spots, teen readers may meet kindred spirits in these pages and will likely be comforted to learn that others are surviving the plunges and hairpin turns on the emotional roller coaster ride of high school. Ages 12-up. (Sept.)