A blazing superpower propels seventh grader Aly into a firestorm of trouble.Aly Theland is stuck being the helpful, unsung middle child. Whether she's helping her 9-year-old brother, Simon, with a bully or calming her older sister, Rachael, Aly is the family peacekeeper. At her private school she tries to be invisible and avoid trouble until one day when her anger erupts in science class, engulfing her lab table-and sexist, insulting lab partner-in flames. Fires dog Aly as she struggles to control her growing temper, dealing with her nasty ex–best friend and lots of unwanted attention. Rachael tries to help her figure out what's going on as fiery incidents at home and at school plague Aly. A surprise twist changes everything, and quick-witted Aly must save the day. Characters are minimally described: Main characters seem to default to White; names cue some ethnic diversity in the background cast. Krovatin presents readers with an excellent mix of age-appropriate horror and middle school life. Aly's struggles, both paranormal and ordinary, will engender sympathy. The family dynamics, particularly the sibling and mother-daughter relationships, are well crafted. The Theland siblings support and taunt each other in equal measure, and the push-pull of a child growing up is nicely depicted. An explosive and well-earned surprise entertains while the open-ended, movieworthy ending will leave readers wanting more.A scary and surprising cinematic horror story. (Paranormal thriller. 9-12)

Gr 5 Up— Seventh grader Aly doesn't like to make waves. As a middle child, she's used to being overshadowed by her popular older sister Rachael and her sensitive younger brother Simon. This changes overnight when things around Aly mysteriously start catching fire, and she realizes she is the one causing them. When students and staff at school begin suspecting Aly is starting the fires on purpose, it is Rachael who comes to her aid by helping her control her feelings and the fire within her. Multiple plot twists reveal that almost everyone in Aly's family has special powers. This work initially presents as realistic fiction, and it is fun to experience the fantastical elements of the novel as they unfold. Adult characters take a backseat, presumably because they will not believe some of the more fantastical elements, though it seems unlikely that Aly's parents would be clueless about their own children. Only Uncle Marco is aware of the danger his family is in, and he declines to help out of fear of reactivating his own unwanted power. The riveting conclusion sets itself up for a sequel that readers will eagerly anticipate, when Aly does something wholly uncharacteristic that underscores all she's learned about Rachael, setting into motion the events to come. Krovatin's descriptive writing is stronger than his occasionally stilted dialogue. Aly's family reads as white and affluent, with the siblings attending a private day school. VERDICT This fast-paced novel will surprise and entertain young readers, who may also find school and family dynamics relatable.— Juliet Morefield