Wind up Arms in Spin All Laney Parker wants is to skate her routine in the Crystal Valley Skating Club s upcoming show It s challenging to get to practice when you live on a maple sugaring farm and the two seasons coincide But the only way Coach is going to choose her for one of the solo skates is if she nails her double loop Even if she can get the difficult jump it looks like an amazing new skater might not only take her dream but her best friend as well Maybe just maybe some things are important than what you think you want Loop by Tara Lynn OsburnUpstate New York middle schooler Laney Parker loves nothing than gliding jumping and spinning on the ice with the Crystal Valley Skating Club Now with the annual show coming up she s determined to perfect her hardest jump Since she lives on a maple sugaring farm she has plenty of boiling and bottling with the family to keep her busy too but she s determined to make it work However once a new girl who skates like the wind moves into town will Laney still get to skate a solo routine at the show now that there s competition With her best friend suddenly acting distant and problems on the horizon for her beloved little brother Laney may have bigger concerns than how good a figure she can cut on the ice Loop by Tara Lynn Osburn is a masterfully written middle grade coming of age story that will appeal to any girl who ever saw a skater in a gorgeous leotard on TV and dreamed of figure skating While there is plenty of fun and sweetness in the form of maple syrup packed into these 181 pages it s not as lighthearted as you might think in addition to tween growing pains the story deals with serious subjects like disability the effects of military service and even the death of a parent The book never becomes too dark but this is clearly a story for mature children it s probably a bit too much reality for those who are still blasting through The Magic Treehouse books. Laney is a relatable protagonist who is very flawed but in a completely age appropriate way When newcomer Malia seemingly threatens both Laney s position on the skating team and her relationship with her best friend Abby Laney reacts badly first by refusing to acknowledge the problem and then lashing out with jealousy Adult readers will nod along thinking Yup I remember those days but for this book s target audience seeing Laney s struggles might really teach them that there are better ways to deal with insecurity than letting your emotions run the show. The book is carefully edited with no odd phrases that can take you out of the narrative It s also well paced with Laney s adventures on the ice spaced out between interludes at school and work on the maple sugaring farm If you love maple syrup and really who doesn t love pancakes with maple syrup this book also provides a great opportunity to find out about how that divine elixir is processed. One thing that might give some young readers pause is the treatment of the bully Tessa Ultimately Laney learns to have empathy for Tessa s situation but some young readers may be surprised to see that the bully is never really punished for her mischief Forgiving Tessa is consistent with the book s larger theme of looking beyond yourself to find emotional maturity but not every kid who reads it is likely to be as forgiving as Laney is However empathy is one of the major things the book attempts to teach so that s as it should be. All in all Loop is a book about learning to set priorities and how what s shiny and exciting even the silver gleam of the ice after a fresh run of the Zamboni machine or the glittering sparkles and sequins on a leotard is less important than the relationships we make with other people It s a lesson that kids need to learn and adults need to be reminded of and in this slender volume Tara Lynn Osburn articulates this message with all the style and grace of an Olympic Champion figure skater Loop by Tara Lynn Osburn