Two unlikely teens find a connection despite the reluctance of one and the vastly different life obstacles they confront. Autumn Knight is good at several things: She's a great friend, a terrific cook and a fiercely competitive wrestler, the only girl on her team. She is not good at reading or most of her other school subjects. Despite this, she is drawn to the smartest boy in school and determined that he will like her in return. Adonis Miller, severely physically disabled since birth, wants no part of Autumn. She is everything he hates: "I despise her. Nothing about her appeals to me. All those muscles. Not to mention her IQ. I'm sure it's exceptionally low." Since he was a little boy, he has striven to be the best at whatever he attempts, from academics to school leadership. His role as manager of the wrestling team often brings him into contact with Autumn, and he has trouble reconciling the successful athlete with the irritating girl who haunts his dreams. This brilliantly realized story is told alternately in their two distinctive voices, and readers will cheer Autumn's spirit and Adonis' drive. The narrative is further enriched by intriguing secondary characters, including Autumn's best friend Patricia (aka Peaches), who has her own secrets, and the loving parents and caring teachers of both teens. An uplifting story that convincingly celebrates the power of perseverance. (Fiction. 14 & up)

Alternating chapters portray the wrestling seasons of New Jersey high school seniors Ivan Korske and Bobby Zane, both of whom are competing for the state title. The gritty and realistic story includes vivid wrestling scenes and rich characterizations.

Ninth-graders Autumn and Adonis are polar opposites. Academics don-t come easy for Autumn, especially reading, but she-s a killer wrestler and the only girl on the school team. Adonis was born without legs, but is self-confident, disciplined, and an exceptional student; he-s also kind of a jerk. She-s crazy about him anyway, but he wants nothing to do with her: -Nothing about her appeals to me. All those muscles. Not to mention her IQ. I-m sure it-s exceptionally low.- Flake (You Don-t Even Know Me) avoids tidiness, constructing two authentic, distinct voices that expose the strengths and flaws of both teenagers-Adonis is cerebral, conceited, and eloquent, while Autumn-s narration is openhearted and raw (-If grades was trees, mine would be the root.... Nobody did worse on this test than me-). The unflinching honesty with which Flake approaches her characters is what sells this story; the romantic tension and fiery back-and-forth between these headstrong teens and their respective efforts to make the most of their lives, only sweeten the deal. Ages 10-14. Agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt. (Oct.)

Gr 6-10 Two African American students with disabilities-Autumn, who struggles to learn to read, and Adonis, who was born without legs-learn that they are not so different after all in this unexceptional novel. Autumn is the only girl on the wrestling team, and though she excels at sports and cooking, she can't find success in the classroom. She is in love with Adonis, who finds her annoying and pushes her away at every opportunity. Adonis is an A student, almost too perfect, and rigid when it comes to his views on other people-especially Autumn. Given that he dreams about her and thinks about her constantly, however, readers will suspect that he has some hidden feelings. Told from alternating points of view, the story mostly dwells on the teens' school problems and spends less time on their potential romance. Parents and teachers all seem too good to be true, and the outcome is entirely predictable. The main characters are unique and interesting, but while the novel has a well-meaning message, it is didactic and lacks real drama. Teens are likely to be more interested in the romance and friendships than in the constant focus on Autumn's poor reading skills and will miss the gritty details and urban settings they may have expected from this author. Those who loved Flake's excellent The Skin I'm In (1998) and Who Am I Without You? (2004, both Hyperion) will be drawn to this novel but may ultimately find it disappointing. Miranda Doyle, Lake Oswego School District, OR

Two unlikely teens find a connection despite the reluctance of one and the vastly different life obstacles they confront. Autumn Knight is good at several things: She's a great friend, a terrific cook and a fiercely competitive wrestler, the only girl on her team. She is not good at reading or most of her other school subjects. Despite this, she is drawn to the smartest boy in school and determined that he will like her in return. Adonis Miller, severely physically disabled since birth, wants no part of Autumn. She is everything he hates: "I despise her. Nothing about her appeals to me. All those muscles. Not to mention her IQ. I'm sure it's exceptionally low." Since he was a little boy, he has striven to be the best at whatever he attempts, from academics to school leadership. His role as manager of the wrestling team often brings him into contact with Autumn, and he has trouble reconciling the successful athlete with the irritating girl who haunts his dreams. This brilliantly realized story is told alternately in their two distinctive voices, and readers will cheer Autumn's spirit and Adonis' drive. The narrative is further enriched by intriguing secondary characters, including Autumn's best friend Patricia (aka Peaches), who has her own secrets, and the loving parents and caring teachers of both teens. An uplifting story that convincingly celebrates the power of perseverance. (Fiction. 14 & up)

Alternating chapters explore the wrestling seasons of Ivan Korske and Bobby Zane--both high-school seniors and contenders for the New Jersey state title in their weight class. The young men are different in many ways. Ivan is the son of Polish immigrants from a poor town in the southern part of the state; Bobby is from the affluent north. While the wrestling scenes are well described in gritty, testosterone-influenced language, what sets this novel apart are the rich portraits of the central characters' lives away from the wrestling mats. The author doesn't shy away from using the rough language of the locker room or describing a sexual encounter in fairly graphic detail. Though the unresolved ending may leave some readers disappointed, the teens' personal quest to reach the season's final match forms the novel's compelling core.