The Adventures of Blue Avenger (by Norma Howe)

Part comedy, part adventure, and part witty discourse on free will vs. determinism, this delightfully oddball romp is a breath of fresh air. Thought-provoking yet lighthearted, poignant, and at times hilarious, the story deliberately stretches credulity to show that there are no coincidences. The author takes the reader backstage, behind the scenes of Blue's life -- and of life in general. Skirting the edge of off-color humor (the book's knockout opening pages discuss the moment of Blue's conception in comically clinical terms), Norma Howe hooks the reader into a raucous philosophical dialogue in which events are traced backward to their unlikely -- and usually unknown -- causes, until all of life's events begin to seem like the most farfetched coincidences.

A book like this may get even the most reticent adolescent thinking and talking. This happily quirky way of looking at life is a tonic, renewing the reader's faith in the wonder and joy of our own little lives.