Crazy in Love

Sallie and Rachel are best friends, until Saul comes between them. Sallie and Saul are collaborating on a song, for an amateur songwriting contest. When Rachel and Saul fall for each other, Sallie is only a little jealous; she's much more concerned about Rachel's misgivings about Saul: Rachel is Jewish and Saul is not. The situation, to them, is further complicated because he is Puerto Rican. Sallie adores them both and wants them to get togetherand they do, just in time for the songwriters to lose the contest. This has a lively pace and attempts to explore themes of prejudice and misconceptions in a thoughtful fashion, but the weak link is Saul. He seems to believe that Rachel and her parents have a right to reject him. His attitude goes beyond simply respecting their heritage and sense of tradition; he, too, seems to find it completely acceptable that people won't like him because he's Puerto Rican. And in doing so, he is just a vehicle for Sallie and Rachel's arguments, not a fully developed character. Ages 10-up. (August)