Fast Forward

Miller ( Me and My Name ; Upside Down ) is right on target as she depicts the roller-coaster emotions of adolescents and their deep need to be accepted by their peers. Kayla enters junior high just a few weeks after her longtime confidante, Margy, moves to Chicago from their suburban neighborhood. From then on, everything seems to go wrong. The boy Kayla likes does not know she exists. With the Christmas concert approaching, flute practice takes up more time than ever and Kayla's grades begin to slip; to save herself from failing science, the 11-year-old resorts to cheating, which she immediately regrets. Her struggle to ``own up'' leads to a valuable lesson about self-trust and independence. Preteens will relate to the heroine's assortment of troubles, which include her reluctance to accept Margy's new Chicago friends and her fear of performing a solo in public. The author's assured narrative, realistic dialogue and recognition of contemporary fads will win favor with a wide audience. Ages 8-12. (Sept.)