LSSL 5385 Lit. for YA: Book Reviews 1-8

Anderson, Laurie Halse. (2011). Speak. NY: Square Fish. Melinda Sordino begins high school as a pariah. She is an outcast, shunned by her peers for calling the cops to a party over the summer. Melinda is terribly depressed, and unable to discuss the events that led her to call the police the night of the party to anyone. This story follows her journey through depression, as she grapples to cope with the traumatic events of that night. Her grades slip, her parents are either absent or fighting with each other, and her best friend no longer wants anything to do with her. Her art teacher, a kind and understanding man, commissions Melinda to create an art project featuring a tree. While working on this project all year, Melinda learns how to express herself through her art and with the encouragement of a fellow art student and the compassion of her art teacher, she finally finds her voice. I believe every high school student should read this book. It shines a light on the truly dark places one can go through, and proves that you don't always know what a person has to deal with inside (and outside) themselves. It is especially relevant now, in the midst of the me too movement, as it deals with consent and sexual assault while showing how deeply these actions can affect a person. I loved Laurie Halse Anderson's writing style and how she formatted the book to have short, choppy paragraphs, as it is a true reflection of the mind of a deeply depressed individual. Melinda's voice had an attitude that was disinterested and careless, until she found her strength and became firm and definitive. Speak is a truly dark, beautiful story that deserves to be on every bookshelf.

Ness, Patrick . (2014). The Knife Of Never Letting Go. MA: Candlewick Press. Todd Hewitt and his fiercely loyal dog Manchee live in a town populated only by men, called Prentisstown. Todd is the youngest member of the town, though he is weeks away from his 13th birthday which will make him a man. Prentisstown is not a normal town, however. Men can hear each other's every thought, which they call "Noise". The Noise in Prentisstown is often chaotic, violent, and filled with memories. One day when walking Manchee in the swamp nearby, Todd notices a hole in the Noise; a silent spot. When he returns home, his caretakers Ben and Cillian detect Todd's discovery in his Noise. They immediately tell Todd he must leave Prentisstown, never to return, and they vow to protect him at all costs. Confused, Todd runs from Prentisstown, and again finds the hole in the Noise, which happens to be a girl named Viola. He has never seen a girl before, and she has no Noise. Viola, Todd, and Manchee team up and take care of each other on a journey to find answers about Prentisstown and its evil history while seeking refuge from a growing army who's only target is Todd. They learn about themselves, each other, morality, loyalty, and devastating loss. This is the first book of the Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness. Soon to be a major motion picture, coming March 1st, 2019.
I could not put this book down. The story really wrestles with morality, and explores the question: if you commit an evil act to an evil person, is it still evil? The character growth in this story is exponential, and fascinating to watch. Todd begins by truly believing that manhood comes only on the day of your 13th birthday. He soon learns, however, that manhood is about taking responsibility of your actions, and having courage to do the right thing- even when it is hard. There were two scenes in this book that revolve around death that I won't spoil- but they truly destroyed me. I wept alongside the characters and got angry with them too. The imagery in this book is fantastic and creepy at the same time. I can't wait to see the movie adaptation!

Gephart, Donna. (2016). Lily And Dunkin. NY: Delacorte Press. Lily and Dunkin is about a young boy, Tim, who is transitioning to become a girl with the name Lily. Lily is trying to find the courage to be her true self, but pressure from her friend Dare, her father, and the bullies at school are leaving her discouraged. While Lily is supported by her sister and mother, she is desperate to convince her father that she needs hormone blockers, to keep the quickly approaching puberty stage away. One day while trying her Lily persona on with the help of her mother's dress, she meets a new boy in town named Dunkin (his real name is Norbert, but Lily nicknames him Dunkin for his love of Dunkin Donuts). Dunkin and his mother moved to town after a mysterious incident that occured with Dunkin's father. Though it is not immediately revealed what happened to Dunkin's father, Dunkin makes it clear that he is experiencing a loss of his relationship with his dad. While Dunkin is supportive of Tim transitioning into Lily, he also wants to become popular in his new school. For Dunkin, this means joining the basketball team and becoming a star player, although he has never played before. When Dunkin realizes his bipolar medication is slowing him down, he forgoes taking it without his mother knowing. This leads to a whole slew of problems for Dunkin and the consequences are severe. This is a story about being true to yourself, no matter what. It is also a story about loss. Loss of relationships, loss of identity, loss of family members, loss of safety, and loss of friendship. Through all this loss, however, Lily and Dunkin discover themselves and the power of unconditional love.
Transgender youth and bipolar characters are not typically touched on in middle grade literature. I think this book fills a void, and that many who read this book will see a part of themselves in Lily and Dunkin. Although I did have a few issues with the portrayal of Lily, most notably that uber femininity is stereotypical of transgender women and girls, overall I think it is an important story to help young people understand more about bipolar disorder and transgender people, and for adults to understand how to respond to them. 

Alexie, Sherman. (2009). The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian. GA: Little, Brown Books. Arnold (AKA Junior) is a Native American boy who lives with his family on a reservation (the rez). Junior was born with hydrocephalus, and has a few underlying health issues because of this. He is scrawny and wears glasses, but his tough guy best friend, Rowdy, always sticks up for him on the rez. Junior's family is riddled with dysfunction and stricken by poverty. His father is an alcoholic and his older sister runs away from her problems and never leaves the basement. However, despite all this, they have a strong family bond and have nothing but love for each other. One day, Junior's teacher comes by and tells Junior that if he wants to be successful at anything, he has to get out of the rez. Junior decides to go to a majority white school in a town 20 miles away, but is seen as a traitor by his peers on the rez, including Rowdy. He continues to go to school, even on days he has to walk because his father spent the last gas money on alcohol, and eventually makes friends there. Junior has always loved drawing, and his drawings are present throughout the book. He draws to express himself, and often uses humor to get through the difficult times in his life. This story explores the fact that though everyone is born with the same potential, not everyone is born with the same opportunities. Junior breaks free of stereotypes, cultural expectations, and finds hope for a bright future.
I didn't find out until after I read this story that it is banned in many schools. I couldn't understand why- this story is so important! It shines a light on the struggles that Native Americans are still facing today, something that little people who don't grow up near a reservation know about. It actually inspired me to read more stories about Native American 

culture, starting with There, There by Tommy Orange. 

Behar, Ruth. (2017). Lucky Broken Girl. NY: Nancy Paulsen Books. Lucky Broken Girl is loosely based on Ruth Behar's childhood. It is the story of Ruthie, a fifth grade student who just immigrated from Cuba to New York. She is adjusting to American life, and is excited to be moving up to the "smart class" because she speaks English well enough now. She loves hopscotch, go-go boots, and her family. Her father, an often impulsive man who works hard for his family, brings home a new car one evening. Though Ruthie's mother is hesitant about the car, the family (including her grandparents) decide to drive out to a friend's house for a dinner party. On the way home, Ruthie's family is struck by another car and is in a violent car crash. Many people were killed and injured, including Ruthie, who suffers a broken leg and needs surgery. When Ruthie wakes up, she is in a full body cast and will be bedridden at home for several months. Ruthie's entire world is turned upside down; she can no longer play hopscotch (or even go outside for that matter) and must rely on her mother for everything, including going to the bathroom. She spends her days desperately wishing things had been different, and she struggles to forgive the men who caused the car crash. One day, after a horrible accident that leaves her friend and neighbor moving back to India, a new neighbor moves in and visits Ruthie. He is an artist, and buys Ruthie supplies for her to paint. Ruthie learns to express herself through her paintings. When the time comes for Ruthie to get her legs back, she is petrified of falling again and struggles to find the courage to leave her isolated bedroom she has become so accustomed to. This is a story about forgiveness, strength in the midst of tragedy, and finding courage in yourself.
Lucky Broken Girl is the winner of the 2018 Pura Belpré Award, and award given to Latino/Latina authors and illustrators who's work best reflects and celebrates Latino cultural experiences.

Garden, Nancy. (1982). Annie On My Mind. NY: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. Annie On My Mind is told through flashbacks of high school year recalled by now college freshman Liza. She meets a girl named Annie while perusing the Metropolitan Museum. She is instantly smitten by Annie, but can't exactly understand her feelings. Shortly after meeting Annie, Liza, student council president of her stuffy Brooklyn prep school, finds herself in deep water with the headmistress for not reporting a classmates' underground ear piercing scheme. Liza finds solace in Annie, and the two girls develop a relationship that is more than just friends. While two of Liza's teachers are out of town, Liza (who is cat sitting for them) and Annie decide to spend their time together hanging out at the teachers' home. When the homophobic secretary stops by the home, she finds Liza and Annie together and realizes that not only are they an item, but the two teachers (both women) have their beds pushed together and they are also a couple. A hearing is held at Liza's school, and while it is determined that Liza should be able to conduct herself as she pleases, the two teachers are dismissed from the school. Liza realizes that Annie is her true love, and plans a trip home to visit.
Annie On My Mind was a trailblazer for YA literature. Unlike other novels at the time, this novel not only portrayed lesbian characters as likable characters with a compelling love for each other, but it gave them a happy ending. Though it has been banned and challenged time and time again, this story is an important addition to any library shelf. Many, many students will finally feel represented and understood by Nancy Garden's portrayal of Annie and Liza and their relationship. 

Harris, Robie H. (1994). It's Perfectly Normal. MA: Candlewick Press. It's Perfectly Normal is an resource for tweens and teens about growing bodies, relationships, sexual health, personal hygiene, and making safe, responsible choices about your body. It uses kid friendly language and features cartoon drawings (that are anatomically correct). It discusses topics that are generally spoken about in hushed tones or among students on the bus, including anal sex and masturbation, in a respectful and sensitive manner but without neglecting any facts. I personally appreciated that this book also discusses the slang terms children might hear in their groups of friends and provides correct definitions for them. I believe this book makes normal human experiences easier to talk about and that it is a safe way for children to learn about them. 

Myers, Walter Dean. (1999). Monster. NY: Amistad Press. Told in part diary part screenplay format, 16 year old Steve Harmon records his experiences as he awaits and experiences his trial for a murder charge against him. Steve and another man, 23 year old James King, are faced with felony murder charges for shooting and killing Mr. Nesbitt, a convenient store clerk, during a robbery. The prosecutor, Sandra Petrocelli, labels Steve as a monster, and calls upon Osvaldo Cruz, another man affiliated with the robbery who struck a plea bargain, who claims Steve was supposed to be lookout for the robbery. Through a series of flashbacks, Steve recalls that he is only acquaintances with a few of the men and barely knows others. He recalls his father visiting and wishing that things had been different, and that Steve could have gone to Morehouse College, Steve's father's alma matter. Ultimately, Steve is found not guilty of the murder, and is cleared of all charges. When Steve goes to hug his lawyer, Miss O'Brien, she turns away. This leaves Steve confused, and although Steve won his trial, he worries the stain on his character depicted by Sandra Petrocelli has affected the way he is viewed by his lawyer. This novel's themes focus on the dehumanization of criminals and those who are charged. Though it was written in 1999, it is just as relevant as ever now. It's unique format give Steve a way to express and process his feelings throughout this life-changing event.