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Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite
Ciao by Bethany Lopez is about Melissa and the challenges she faces in her sophomore year at Dearborn High. It's the beginning of a new academic year for Melissa after an enjoyable summer of relaxing and hanging out with friends. She is aware of the challenges that go with the onset of each academic year.
The book is a girlie kind of book -- not that it talks about girls, clothes, and boyfriends, but because the main character is a girl. There are giggles and crushes, which make the book even more appealing to any teenager or a middle school audience. School and the incidents in school always tend to appeal to a young audience because many times they can relate to it. The language is very elegant which does justice to the story. All the characters are described well, giving them an individual appeal.
Ciao is a light read. Though there are many incidents and upheavals happening around and within Melissa, the author has managed to put it across very well without being over dramatic. Themes are handled subtly. School, studies, math, dating, household chores and everything in a teenager's life is Melissa's daily routine. That is what makes the book attractive to the young teen reader. Plus, the crushes and dating moments are realistically depicted.
The book has some serious moments, too, where Melissa's integrity and resilience is tested. Will she sail through them easily and will her friends and family see her through them?
