Its always fun to skim through the new books that come into the library before putting them out on the shelves for the public. Imagine my surprise when I picked this one up and stumbled upon my hometown, Lansdale, within the first 5 pages! The book already seemed interesting, but I had to read it after that. It was so cool - and kind of weird - to read along and actually be able to picture what the author was describing as she traveled around Hatfield and the surrounding towns. 
 Caitlin's story intersects with Martin's, her pen-pal from Zimbabwe, with whom she develops a strong bond through handwritten letters. As Caitlin starts to realize that Martin's life is nothing like hers - he lives in a one room home, doesn't have proper shoes, and can barely find paper to write letters on - she feels she has to do something to help. When Martin can't afford to go to school, she starts sending her babysitting money. $20 may seem like a lot to an American teenager, but to a family in Zimbabwe it was absolutely life changing. As Caitlin gets her family on board to help Martin go to school and provide for his family, both their lives begin to drastically change. 
 Overall, I liked this story. Sometimes I had a hard time reading through Caitlin's silly teenage drama, but it was obvious that she knew it was silly and was trying to show the contrast between the problems in her life and Martin's own struggles. I also had to remind myself that this book's main audience was the tween/teen crowd, so by writing about fights with friends and dating and going to parties, Caitlin was showing that she was a just a regular teenager with everyday worries and problems who did something extraordinary for someone she had never even met. I admire Caitlin's generosity and genuine empathy for other human beings, and one cannot forget Martin's incredible devotion to his family and his studies and his unwavering optimism and perseverance. It seemed nothing could put that kid down! Through the hard work and determination of two young people, a great story emerged that will hopefully inspire others to learn more about different cultures and to not take for granted things like education, housing, and even a new pair of shoes.