In the fourth installment of The Winnie Years series, the appealing title character addresses different tasks that she wants to complete before entering high school. These range from the silly ("Be Spazzy") to the serious ("Figure Out Who I Am"). Winsome Winnie deals with her eldest sister's departure to college, navigates boyfriend woes, and attends a summer camp focused on saving sea turtles. A surprise appearance by an old friend and the start of ninth grade lets readers know there is more Winnie on the way. A solid addition to what has become a beloved series to tween girls.

Gr 5-8 At the end of eighth grade, Winnie has a lot going on in her life. She is both excited and apprehensive about starting high school and she realizes how little time she and her sister have together before Sandra leaves for college. Her birthday is all but forgotten by everyone, including her parents, and to top it off, her boyfriend gives her a crummy present. When Lars announces he's going to Germany for the summer, Winnie and her two friends sign up for an eco-camp at a beach in South Carolina. There the girls discover that they have different talents and make some new friends, including some new boyfriends, and Winnie must deal with an unhappy Lars who didn't go to Germany after all. The characters have authentic voices, and the girls mature in each of the books in this series that began with Eleven (2004) and continued in Twelve (2007) and Thirteen (2008, all Dutton). The girls are now typical teens who are trying desperately to figure out who they really are and to be independent while still needing their parents. They are great friends, but also hurt one another without meaning to. They are, no surprise, completely preoccupied with boys. There are references to current fashions, technology, slang, etc., that will date the book, but it is a great choice for middle school girls. Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC