“All she wanted to do was build boats, and it seemed like every time she turned around something got in her way. She didn't know what she was doing that was so wrong.”

Seventeen against the Dealer, by Cynthia Voigt, is a realistic fiction novel about Dicey Tillerman, who dropped out of college to start a boat-building business. She gets a few jobs storing boats and she receives a request for a boat from a wealthy man named Mr. Hobart. However, problems start to occur, such as people being late paying storage fees, and someone breaks into her shop and steals all her tools. Dicey has to buy a new set, which is expensive, and she is not rich. To pay for it, she has to take an extra job painting rowboats. After this, Cisco, a homeless roamer comes to her shop asking for work. Dicey is stubborn and she doesn't want to owe people money, so she refuses his offer. However, he comes everyday, sits in the shop and talks to her, or he helps with the rowboats. Dicey gets used to him being there, and trusts him with jobs that are more important. Is her trust in Cisco misplaced, or is he a good working partner?

One thing I think that Cynthia Voigt did well in this book is form the protagonist, Dicey. Dicey is the sort of character that even with all her faults, you are still rooting for her. I like that she is a dynamic character who changes throughout the book, learning from her mistakes. Another thing I liked about the book was that you get to learn about the side characters as well as the main character. Voigt gives all of her characters personality and life. I would recommend this book to people 12 years or older. Seventeen against the Dealer is a wonderful book.