Made 4 You

The last thing Becky needs is another project. In her senior year of school, she juggles volunteering, advanced courses, intensive extra study, and management of the basketball team for an athletic credit in her applications. When the principal and guidance counsellor single her out to host a quirky new student, Gene, who has been homeschooled his entire life, she tells herself she can’t say no. But the new boy, while incredibly smart, is also incredibly awkward, with no idea how to fit into Becky’s Indiana high school.

In spite of herself, Becky finds herself charmed by the odd, earnest Gene, and he is quick to learn teen culture, joining the school band as a brilliant sax player and starring on the school basketball team. As the two get closer, Gene confides in Becky that his very existence is a top-level secret that puts them both at risk.

As Made 4 You moves into fast-paced action, Becky and Gene embark on a wild chase across the state on foot, by truck and by small plane, dogged by murderous assassins. Gene’s ability to learn complex tasks almost instantly keeps them a step ahead, but skills and smarts are not enough. As they dodge bullets together, Gene and Becky must depend also on their trust and love for each other, and on Becky’s understanding of how people work. Like the novel Hench (Natalie Zina Walschots) or the comic book series “The Boys” (Garth Enis and Darick Robertson), Made 4 You is a superhero story with a twist. Super powers are not all that’s needed to keep the world on an even keel and to keep Becky and Gene safe.

The writing in Made 4 You is clear, if utilitarian, and the combination of mystery, romance and non-stop action will appeal to young readers. At the same time, author Eric Walters sends a clear message that feelings are as important as facts and that love is as important as power when it comes to living a meaningful life.