CARMEN DIVES IN (Star Sisterz, Book 2)
by Linda Johns
Mirrorstone/Wizards of the Coast
ISBN: 0786937149
Ages 8-12
144 pages

Carmen Bernstein is hiding a lot of things: her resentment of her stepbrother and stepsister, her secret life as a blogger, her fear of diving. Will she continue to live in the shadows, or will she find the courage to come out and lead a more interesting and satisfying life? Readers will learn the answer to this all-important question in CARMEN DIVES IN, the second book in the Star Sisterz series.

Carmen has a lot of things going for her. She's a great writer, a caring and compassionate friend, and an excellent swimmer. Too often, however, these qualities are buried beneath her fears. As she becomes embroiled in the mild scandal that erupts over her pretty and popular stepsister Riley --- Riley was allowed to become a cheerleader without a tryout, which earns her the anger and jealousy of the other girls on the team --- Carmen realizes that it's up to her to decide if she wants to spend life on the sidelines or in the midst of the action.

CARMEN DIVES IN has three major plots that are interconnected not only by theme but also by characters and details. For example, some of the same people involved in the swim team or working with Carmen on the school newspaper are also posting to her blog. By integrating the three storylines, Linda Johns creates a fast-paced and exciting read. In addition, she's able to present a sense of mystery that keeps the reader involved in the story --- the posts to Carmen's blog are signed with nicknames, for example, and it's up to the reader to figure out which nickname belongs to which character.

Johns does a wonderful job of presenting Carmen as somebody who shows one face to the world --- quiet, intelligent, and in control --- while underneath, she's really someone quite different, full of complex dreams and fears. This makes Carmen a very touching character. In addition, several other characters, especially Carmen's stepbrother and stepsister, are both vivid and three-dimensional.

There were only two small drawbacks to this story. As with the first book in the series, NOVA ROCKS, the supernatural element --- Carmen gets a message on a computer screen telling her to make up a cheer using three unrelated words --- seems unnecessary and even detracts from the story. Also, the heroine of NOVA ROCKS is mentioned only briefly here. Carmen and Nova attend the same school, but they aren't really friends. This didn't bother me, but readers looking for more about Nova may be disappointed.

Overall, though, CARMEN DIVES IN is exactly what a series read should be --- fun and fast-paced with an important underlying message: only by facing your fears can you overcome them.

   --- Reviewed by Paula Jolin

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