6. Playing for Keeps
Citation: Nixon, J.L. (2003). Playing for Keeps. Laurel Leaf
Annotation:
When Rose goes on a cruise with her grandmother, she meets her first love in strange circumstances and soon learns that the mysterious young man is in a fight for his life.
Nomination: Accept
Nixon’s Playing for Keeps is the epitome of young adult mystery with its strong teenage characters, the amateur detective of the main character, Rose, and the logical, yet unpredictable, plot twists as the teens race to solve a mystery that can forever change a young man’s life. While Nixon deals with very serious issues of illegal immigration, murder, communism, political gain and greed, she balances it well with teenage embarrassment, first loves and age appropriate humor. The supporting characters provide a unique perspective of Cuban immigrants and the loss they realize after their immigration, while other characters provide perspective of why so many Cubans live in Communism and how it is perpetuated by Castro’s government. The mystery would leave an adult wondering (though an adult reader proficient in mysteries may pick up on Nixon’s clues), providing a good challenge for teens and demonstrating the solution through logic and good observation.
The main character of Rose is a well-developed teen suffering from normal teenage angst of a matchmaking grandmother, difficult family dynamics, a tumultuous relationship with her mother, the difficulty of choosing the “good guy” or the attractive, mysterious stranger and friendships. The majority of the angst is resolved throughout the book, teaching teens that problems are temporary and solutions are available, lessons that all need to learn.
Genre: Mystery
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