Beryl Young’s son and family have shared the past four summers with children from Belarus, giving the precious gift of a holiday far away from the radiation caused by the Chernobyl disaster. Young has used this real-life experience as the basis of her first novel for young readers.

Eleven-year-old Jillian has moved with her parents and brother from Ottawa to Vancouver, where she’s having problems fitting in at her new school. She comes up with a plan to get her through the summer: If her family hosts a Belarus girl, at least she won’t be so lonely. The plan succeeds, and in time Tanya arrives. But she’s shabby and needy, not quite what Jillian had in mind, and she doesn’t speak any English. The girls’ relationship seesaws back and forth as Jillian struggles with jealousy, territoriality, and just plain self-centredness.

At her worst, Jillian can be almost as toxic as Chernobyl, and Young risks her readers wanting to shut the pages on an unlikeable main character. The adults in the story often seem passive and ineffectual, unable to intercede in Jillian’s unhappiness in any helpful way. But Tanya’s blossoming through the Canadian summer and the halting progress of friendship carry the day – and also the book. Young, an experienced Vancouver writer, clearly conveys her interest and first-hand knowledge. She includes a useful glossary of Russian words, with a pronunciation guide. Readers will come away knowing much more about the tragedy of Chernobyl, the dire environmental effects of radiation, and the rich rewards of surmounting cultural and language barriers through friendship.