Parents need to know that Like No Other is a contemporary romance with a definite Romeo and Juliet (or, more appropriately, West Side Story) feel: Two young people from opposite sides of a segregated New York neighborhood fall in love. A story about racially and religiously diverse characters, the book is fine for younger YA readers, even though it does contain a smattering of strong language and the occasional (but not frequent) kiss -- as well as one disturbing beating. Teen (and adult) readers will learn a great deal about Brooklyn's Crown Heights area and its two main communities -- Caribbean immigrants and Hasidic Jews -- and will ponder the truth that, although love sees no color or faith, families and friends certainly do.
