No Ordinary Love Song by Alison Prince

Walker Books, 2011. ISBN 9781406306637.
(Age: 14+) Sixteen year old Callum doesn't see the point of anything in his life. Convinced the world is doomed because of environmental vandalism, he also feels disconnected from school and his dysfunctional family. Each week he travels from the small island off the coast of Scotland, where he lives, to attend counselling sessions on the mainland. When a new girl from Australia comes to live near him, Callum is challenged to see the world differently.
This book deals with typical teenage issues such as the search for identity, romance and sexual intimacy, although not in a particularly confronting way. It is told from Callum's point of view and that of his mother Elaine, who is also searching for her own happiness in a tired marriage. She and her husband are having extra marital affairs which adds to Callum's sense of isolation.
Alison Prince is the author of over forty books and teenagers will identify with her contemporary concerns about the environment and family breakdown. Unfortunately the story feels contrived and superficial in places, which undermines its overall value.
Tina Cain