Same Diffference by Siobhan Vivian 287 pages

Another summer story. Now that Emily's best friend is glued to her boyfriend, Emily does not want to be the third wheel. She jumps at the opportunity to be in a prestigious summer art program in Philadelphia. She feels a bit like a fish out of water -- Philadelphia is so much grittier than her suburban town and she is not confident that her art skills are strong enough in this competitive program. This is the first time that she has left the comfort of being her best friend's shadow and she reaches out to make new friends and stand up for herself when challenged by jealous classmates. She develops a crush on a teacher's assistant that has serious consequences for both of them. Good reading especially for artistic teens.