Gr 4 Up Reserved Betsy trails in the wake of two domineering women in her life: her mother and her BFF, Lizard. Mom, a career-obsessed linguistics professor, has little time for Betsy or her devoted father. Mom's not fond of Lizard, whom she (ironically) thinks is too controlling. Betsy is aware of the imbalance in both relationships, but isn't ready to challenge them yet. In an effort to please Betsy's mother, the friends launch a club at their middle school to "save" a dying European language. The club fails, but sets Betsy on a path of making new friends. Alienated, Lizard retaliates by revealing to classmates that Betsy's mother has just attempted suicide. The author doesn't expand the verse format beyond standard line arrangement and the language lacks the imagery of Thanhha Lai's Inside Out and Back Again . But Betsy's first-person narration is engaging and will speak to the many young readers who feel quashed by stronger personalities all around them. It's a pivotal moment of acceptance when Betsy's father observes, "sometimes someone who is quiet/ has their spunk and spirit/ deep inside, like a hidden treasure." The novel ends on a realistic, satisfying note as Betsy's family moves forwardtogetherand she and Lizard reach a new understanding. Race of the main characters is not described. Back matter hints at a possible meaning of the novel's title: the language we must never lose is the words to tell those we love how we truly feel. VERDICT Empowering and heartfelt; recommended for all middle grade collections. Marybeth Kozikowski, Sachem P.L., Holbrook, NY

An endangered language becomes a metaphor for people struggling to communicate.Betsy is "good at being second." Her mercurial linguistics professor mother works long hours, studying languages at risk of extinction, and has parental ambitions that sit uneasily on Betsy's shoulders. Her best friend, Lizard, meanwhile, is a possessive, outspoken, and brittle friend who brooks no opposition. Fortunately, Betsy's father is a steady, easygoing presence. The two Colorado sixth graders seize upon a plan: They will learn Guernésiais (a language from the Channel Islands with only a couple hundred speakers), get everyone at their middle school speaking it too, and surprise Betsy's mother with their good deed. The school musical-Betsy is excited to take part, Lizard is disdainful-leads to tension as Betsy considers the high personal cost of their friendship. Through well-drawn characters, this skillfully paced story thoughtfully addresses the need to be truly seen in our important relationships. However, the crisis of language loss is not sufficiently explained: The girls express a savior mentality ("I hope they'd be grateful that two kids in America / were at least trying to save their language for them") that is dramatically put in check. But without more context, readers may fail to fully understand the problem with their earlier attitude. Whiteness is situated as the default; Spanish-speaking students are present as background characters, and one of Betsy's friends from the play is Black.A sincere exploration of humanly imperfect love. (Verse novel. 9-12)