
Reach for this book when your teen is beginning their first job, navigating complex social ethics, or struggling to reconcile their own integrity with a family member's poor choices. It is a grounded look at a young woman balancing a professional retail career with her desire to help a peer who has a criminal record. Jenna Boller is an exceptionally relatable protagonist who models how to lead with kindness without becoming a doormat. Through Jenna's work at Gladstone Shoes, readers explore themes of corporate ethics, the value of hard work, and the difficulty of trusting someone with a troubled past. It is an ideal pick for older middle schoolers and high schoolers who are ready for realistic stories about responsibility and the nuance of human character. The tone is hopeful and often humorous, offering a refreshing perspective on the power of a strong work ethic.
Brief scenes of flirting and a light romance between teenagers.
Jenna's father struggles with alcoholism; depictions of his drinking and its impact on the family.
The book handles parental alcoholism and juvenile delinquency with a realistic, secular approach. Jenna's father's struggles are depicted with honest pain but without being overly graphic. The resolution is realistic: Jenna learns to set boundaries rather than 'fixing' him.
A 14-year-old girl who feels older than her years because she is the 'responsible one' in her family. This reader will see themselves in Jenna's professional pride and her struggle to manage her father's addiction.
Read cold. The book is very accessible. Parents might want to discuss the legalities of shoplifting and the reality of recovery programs mentioned in the book. A parent might notice their teen becoming cynical about people's motives or feeling overwhelmed by the burden of family secrets and the pressure to excel at work.
Younger readers (12-13) will focus on the 'first job' excitement and the romantic tension. Older readers (15-17) will better appreciate the corporate ethics subplot and the nuance of the father-daughter relationship.
Bauer makes the world of retail sales feel like a high-stakes adventure. The focus on professional integrity as a core character trait is rare and exceptionally well-done.
Jenna Boller is back, now a seasoned employee at Gladstone Shoes. She is navigating a changing corporate landscape while dealing with her alcoholic father and a budding relationship with Tanner Cobb, a boy she meets through a shoplifting incident. Jenna must decide if Tanner is worthy of her trust while helping her mentor, Mrs. Gladstone, fight off a corporate takeover that threatens the integrity of their business.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
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