J. C. Burke’s The Red Cardigan is a great example of successful young adult f
iction. Burke manages to weave teenage issues into her plot, whilst not taking away the suspense of the story.
Evie has a ‘gift’ – although most of the time it feels like a curse. Especially when her mother just wants to pretend that its not there. To the kids at school, she is a freak. So, Evie feels like she doesn’t belong anywhere.
When her father buys her a vintage red cardigan, strange things start happening. She cannot stop drawing the face of a woman she has never seen before. Her eye starts to mist over and her dreams become strange, taking her to places she has never seen before.
In the course of solving the mystery, Evie comes to terms with her ability and starts to put things in place in her life. Engaging and well-placed, I would recommend this for confident readers who like a bit of mystery.
Welloflostplots 