The Big Apple Effect
by Christy Goerzen
After a lifetime of New Age "adventures" with her weirdo hippie mom, fifteen-year-old Maddie is realizing a lifelong dream and visiting New York City. Armed with her 130-item to-do list, Maddie hits the streets of New York with her friend Anna and Anna's brother, Thomas. Maddie drags her friends around on an epic quest for the ultimate art-show outfit, oblivious to the fact that they don't share her passion for vintage clothing. Three days into the trip, the arrival of Maddie's mother threatens to derail the entire adventure. As her mother's obsession with dietary trends and fortune-tellers takes center stage, and everyone's tempers get thin, Maddie has to face some ugly facts about how she's been treating her friends.