The Kid Table - Hardcover

Gr 9 Up–The Kid Table chronicles the lives of 16-year-old Ingrid Bell, her five teenage cousins and kid-table companions, and their family. First, Ingrid's cousin Brianne, a sophomore psychology major at Pepperdine, knocks Ingrid out of her spot as “most charming” by making a convincing argument that Ingrid is a psychopath. Then, at her Uncle Kurt's bar mitzvah, Brianne successfully graduates from the kid table, leaving the five remaining cousins to ponder her new status while dealing with being left behind. While Ingrid rationalizes her nonemotional responses, Seigel does not do much to deter readers from questioning Brianne's diagnosis. Ingrid's lack of empathy and morality are showcased especially when she laughs at Uncle Kurt's heartfelt bar-mitzvah speech, steals Aunt Brit's cell phone, gets sober Aunt Tish drunk and off the wagon, and makes out with Brianne's boyfriend, Trevor. Her desire to be liked and her feelings for Trevor take precedence over her cousins' problems, which include Cricket's eating disorder, Dom's strong desire to have someone else out him to the family, and Micah's identity crisis. In spite of Ingrid's psychopathic tendencies, her voice is bold, biting, and incredibly insightful. Seigel lightens some dramatic events with well-played humor, and the plot evolves over the course of five family events. This first YA novel is worth purchasing.–Adrienne L. Strock, Maricopa County Library District, AZ α(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.