The Spellman Files

Lutz, L. (2007) The Spellman Files, Simon and Schuster, New York, NY

 

Annontation: Isabel Spellman lives and works with her family until one day, she wants out.  Now, all she has to do is get out without it forever hurting her family, herself or her dreams.

 

Nomination: Decline

In Lisa Lutz's Spellman's Files, 23 year-old Isabel struggles to find her own identity seperate from her parents and the family private investigator business.  However, when she struggles to branch out on her own, her parents have a very difficult time letting her go and proceed to spy on their own daughter.  The book has many themes consistent with a YA book, including the search for self-discovery and individual identity, "grown-up" characters (mainly her parents and uncle) who continually fail in Isabel's eyes and are considered inferior to Isabel, as well as the constant strife with a younger sibling.  The strife with the younger sibling vacillates between Isabel struggling to be a role model for her younger sister and her anger towards her younger sister's insistent meddling in her life.  Isabel finds herself drawn between wanting to stay a kid as her parents would prefer, under their roof, working the family business and adhering to the family conformities and having her own life.  The breaking point is when her parents don't agree with her boyfriend choices and begin to follow her, ultimately ruining the relationship, or so she thinks.  Isabel soon comes to the conclusion that she sabatoged the relationship herself with her immature approach to the relationship, and finds that she can really be accepted for who she is and what she (and her family) does.  Though Isabel's age brings a different set of problems that most teens would encounter, the prominent themes of family strife, quest for self-identity and interpersonal relationship problems (and solutions) rings true with any reader.  The immaturity of Isabel's character does mirror that of a teen going off to college, with the same implications of leaving the nest.  I would recommend the book for 11/12 graders, but not any below that age.  For that reason, I decline to nominate for a PRINTZ award, as it doesn't fit the criteria.  It is an excellent "crossover" book, however, and should be recommended to the appropriate age group.

 

Genre: ALEX Award winner