ANGEL'S CHOICE by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
    Category:  Contemporary
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 9+
    Release Date:  12/26/06
    Publisher:  Simon Pulse
    Reviewed by:  Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"
    Rating:  5 Stars


    Teenage pregnancy can’t realistically be lived in only 250 pages, but Lauren Baratz-Logsted handles this controversial
    topic more successfully than most. ANGEL'S CHOICE begins like many other teen pregnancy stories with one bad
    decision; however, Angel’s voice narrates a little something extra into the story that’s really hard to explain.

    There is the upset family, the lost friendships, the ostracism in the school classroom, plus the roller coaster of emotional
    and physical turmoil a teen pregnancy entails. Angel is faced with the choices of abortion, adoption, or becoming a
    young mother. She knows what a friend before her has chosen but realizes it isn’t right for her. The less-than-happy teen
    father and her own unhappy parents have ideas of their own. Ultimately, the choice is hers and hers alone.

    Although this subject is complicated and huge, the dialogue in much of the novel seems real and genuine. Angel confronts
    her obstacles bravely. After discussions with her grandmother and her aunt, she learns others before her have made
    similar painful decisions. Her attempts to remain a normal teen often succeed but are tempered with realism and an
    uncertain view of the future.

    Angel’s final realization is that survival would not be possible without the support and love of those around her. This is a
    book that should be included in any collection aimed at helping teens face the decisions of today and their consequences.
Angel's Choice
by Lauren Baratz-Logsted