Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Book Review - Opposite of Always
📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖
by Justin A. Reynolds
While visiting the college he plans
to attend, Jack meets Kate and the pair spend the night bonding. Over the
course of a few months, their relationship is met with ups and downs that end
with Kate dying. Then Jack falls downs the stairs at home and wakes up on a
different set of stairs, the same stairs he was sitting on when he met Kate.
Jack has another chance to get the girl, but with the same ending. Jack finds
himself repeating his months spent with Kate until he can get it right.
A time-traveling love story readers
with either love or be bored with. While Jack and Kate are both black, their
race is often lost and easily forgotten in the story. Jack can be whiney and
annoying at times and isn’t the best leading male, which some readers may
understand, but others are likely to get frustrated with. Ultimately, this is a
book you need to make your own decisions about.
Friday, July 26, 2019
Book Review - Eliza and Her Monsters
📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖
by Francesca Zappia
Eliza Mirk is the weird, shy,
unpopular girl at school Online though she is LadyConstellation the creator of
the popular webcomic Monstrous Sea. Her online identity is a secret, known
only to her parents, twin brothers, and two best friends) Max and Emmy (who
also happen to live online. When asked to show new student Wallace around the school, Eliza has no interest, but things get complicated when she learns he is
a fan, and he sees her artwork thinking she too is a fan. As the pair grow
close Eliza learns that life offline may not be so bad.
A beautifully written story about a
teen who just so happens to be living her life with a mental illness. While
Eliza’s depression and anxiety may not seem clear at first to those with little
knowledge of the subjects, there is a point in the book where it becomes more visible.
Teens (with or without their own mental illness) will likely relate to Eliza’s
frustration with her parents' lack of understanding of her comic and desire for
her to spend more time in the real world.
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Book Review - Life Inside My Mind
📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖
ed. by Jessica
Burkhart
“A
mental illness is a condition that affects a person's thinking, feeling or
mood. Such conditions may affect someone's ability to relate to others and
function each day. Each person will have
different experiences, even people with the same diagnosis.”
Nobody is immune to mental
illnesses. In this anthology authors share their experiences with various
mental health including, but not limited to, depression, anxiety, Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These
experiences are either with their own mental illness(es) or that of a family
member or friend. Each person’s story is different, even those who live life
with the same diagnosis.
Each contributor does a wonderful
job sharing their story. Different stories will have different effects on each
reader. Just like how no two people experience mental health the same way, no
two readers will experience each essay the same way.
Sunday, July 21, 2019
Book Review: 2 for 1 - Just Listen and What Happened To Goodbye
📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖
Annabel returns to school after
summer break not knowing what to expect. The party at the end of the previous
school year ended her friendship with Sophie, and the cause of that, made
Annabel decides to spend her summer in isolation. Turns out, everybody believes
Sophie so now Annabel is truly ostracized. That is until she meets music-obsessed Owen with his own troubled past. Owen’s passion for music and brutal
honesty help Annabel deal with her troubles and come to terms with everything
going on in her life.
This book being from 2006 may make
some of the aspects of this story seem a bit dated (Owen gives Annabel mix CDs
to listen to) but the overall message transcends time. Annabel and Owen are
both brilliant, though slightly flawed, characters. Fans of Sarah Dessen will
recognize the familiar setting of Lakeview and other aspects of Dessen’s
previous and future works.
📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖
After her parent's divorce, McLean
(pronounced Ma-ca-lane) Elizabeth Sweet opted to live with her dad and move whenever
his restaurant consulting job takes him to a new place, over living at home
with her mom and step-dad (aka the reason for divorce). With each move, McLean
takes on a new identity, complete with a new name and personality. Perky cheerleader
Eliza in Montford Falls, drama club Lizbet in Petree, and Student Council/all-around joiner Beth in Westcott. The latest move lands McLean and her dad in Lakeview,
with her dad taking over Luna Blu. McLean’s plan is to be Liz (personality to
be determined) but after nearly getting caught by the cops evacuating her
neighbor’s party and a run-in with her neighbor Dave on the other side, she
finds herself having to be McLean. What does it mean to be McLean? Well, she is
going to find out.
A Sarah Dessen novel not to be
missed. Those who have read previous works by the author will find familiar
faces and places in this novel, but it does stand on its own. McLean is an
intriguing character who interacts with a delightful restaurant staff at Luna
Blu, a mismatched group of friends, a busy but great dad, and an annoying (at
least to McLean) mom.
Friday, July 19, 2019
Book Review - With the Fire on High
📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖
by Elizabeth Acevedo
Emoni Santiago is a high school
senior who loves to cook. She was raised by her paternal grandmother, as her
mother died when she was a baby and her father decided to move back to Puerto
Rico when he realized he couldn’t actively be a single father. Emoni is herself
a single mother, balancing raising her daughter with going to school and
working. When a new culinary arts elective opens up at her school, Emoni is
thrilled at the opportunity and hopes to be able to attend the class trip to
Spain over Spring Break. However, when you’re a single mother with little
income, things aren’t that easy.
A beautiful story featuring a
delightful Afro-Latinx character. Emoni’s struggles as a single teen mom are
wonderfully presented and not sugar-coated by any means. Readers may be annoyed
at Emoni constantly referring to her daughter as “babygirl”, (I know I was) but
that is such a minor point and doesn’t take away from this delightful
story.
Wednesday, July 17, 2019
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Book Review - New Kid
📖Recommend for Grades 6 and up📖
by Jerry Craft
Jordan Banks is disappointed that
his parents won’t let him attend art school but a prestigious academic school
instead. It’s hard enough being a new kid and being a mixed-race kid from
Washington Heights, in a predominately white school, doesn’t seem to help
matters. As he spends more time in school, Jordan finds himself torn between
two worlds and struggles with fitting into both.
Jordan may be the new kid in school,
but anybody who feels or ever felt out of place can find themselves relating
to him. The cast of characters in this book is a great mix, and readers are
likely to have a favorite. Each chapter title is a fun pun that just adds to
the feel of the book. While everyone should give this graphic novel a try,
those entering middle school or starting school as the new kid should
especially read this.
Friday, July 12, 2019
Book Review - Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖
by Benjamin Alire Saenz
Aristotle “Ari” Mendoza is a fifteen-year-old loner. After meeting Dante while swimming at the pool one summer, the
two form a fast and fierce friendship. Having Dante in his life causes Ari to
break out of his shell and find the confidence to question things he has kept to
himself, such as why his parents act as if his older brother in prison never
existed. Over the course of a year and a half these two boys are just what the
other needed and may find that there is more to their relationship.
This story is narrated by and
ultimately Ari’s story of growth with Dante being a key person in it. LGBTQ+
elements do take place in this story and while there is an important moment
involving one, this story is so much more than that. Meaning nobody should be
turned away because characters are part of the LGBTQ+ community.
P.S. Lin
Manuel Miranda does the audio if you are interested.
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Book Review - Speechless
📖Recommend for Grades 6 and up📖
by Adam P. Schmitt
Having to attend your cousin’s wake
sucks enough and wearing too small pants doesn’t help. Jimmy doesn’t think it
can get worse, but then he finds out he has to give a eulogy at the funeral the
next day. On top of hating giving speeches, Jimmy isn’t sure how to write about
his cousin that he really didn’t like all that much, to begin with.
Jimmy’s story takes place over a period
of two days with flashbacks of insights into his life with his cousin Patrick.
Patrick has a mental illness, which isn’t addressed as his parents seem in
denial of it. This book is an intriguing look at how those with mental illness,
particularly those who aren’t getting help for it, can affect those around
them. It is also about Jimmy’s growth and understanding of Patrick in this
short period of time.
Sunday, July 7, 2019
Book Review - Famous in a Small Town
📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖
by Emma Mills
The
Acadia Marching Band has been selected to perform in the Rose Parade, they just
need the money to help them get there. Every year the small town hosts a Meghan
Pleasant contest where people perform the hits of their claim to fame musician
and this year Sophie is determined to have Meghan herself perform at the show
to help raise the money the band will need. Sophie has recruited her friends to
help get Meghan’s attention, including mysterious new guy August who has moved
in a few doors down.
When it comes to likable female
protagonists, Sophie may not make the cut for all readers. Some of her actions
and ideas are a little annoying but most come from a good place. Her friend
group is awesome and it’s nice to see such a sweet group of friends with
typical drama. While a light story, some of the conversations the characters
have are a tad on the inappropriate side for some, as is the language
used.
Friday, July 5, 2019
Book Review - Between Shades of Gray
📖Recommend for Grades 7 and up📖
by Ruta Sepetys
Jews being taken from their home in
Europe and sent to Concentration Camps during World War II is no secret, but what
isn’t really talked about is how they weren’t the only ones. Soviet forces show
up at Lina’s house giving her, her brother and their mother little time to pack
only a suitcase each. They are being taken to work camps along with hundreds of
others. Her father is taken from his work and sentenced to a prison camp.
Despite her harrowing journey to their location, an unsatisfactory living
environment, and knowing she is sentenced to 25 years of work, Lina doesn’t
give up hope.
A heartbreaking and intriguing story
about a part of history they don’t talk about. While Lina is a fictional
character her story is inspired by Sepetys’ own family’s story. There is an
aspect of the story’s ending that seems a little farfetched, but it doesn’t
belittle the overall story as a whole. Historical fiction fans should not miss
this captivating story.
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Book Review - Bloom
📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖
by Kevin Panetta
Ari does not want to be a baker like
his parents. He wants to move to the city and be a musician. Despite this, the
summer after senior year finds him working in his family’s bakery. In order to
make his leaving easier for his parents, Ari decides to help hire a new worker
who can take over his tasks when he leaves. Enter Hector, new in town, and a
talented baker himself. As Hector and Ari spend time in the kitchen together,
the pair get to know each other and something may be blooming as they grow
closer.
With simple but beautiful
illustrations this is a sweet graphic novel. Ari and Hector’s relationship is
an adorable one that takes place slowly over the course of the summer. Although
a little slow-paced, especially in the beginning, this book is definitely worth
a read.
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