An adventure in the wilds of Alaska. A creepy old house that possesses its inhabitants. A high school senior facing unique challenges in her college search. I recently read three very different books: one thriller, one horror and one realistic fiction. But despite the differences in genre, they all plucked at my emotions and had me glued to the pages.
The North Line by Matt Riordan - After a foolish mistake costs Adam his college scholarship, he hopes to make quick tuition money by working the summer on fishing boats in Alaska. The job introduces him to the rough characters, grueling routines and physical risks that are part of the industry. When the captain of Adam’s boat decides to defy striking fishermen, the danger escalates. The author draws from his own work experiences to instill real grittiness, tension, and even humor. My only criticism is that the author sometimes grows philosophical about nature, evolution, and purpose, breaking up the action. In addition, halfway through the book, readers learn that it is set in the 1990s during the Gulf War. It’s never really clear why the author includes this historical element, and it’s not integrated throughout the story. Aside from those issues, the adventure may appeal to readers who liked Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, Peak by Roland Smith or Adrift by Paul Griffin. The theme of shedding your past and forging a new identity also may resonate, although the coarse language and references to sex and drug use may make this book best for older teens. The ending is tense, thrilling, and unexpected. A Place for Vanishing by Ann Fraistat - After a failed suicide attempt, teenaged Libby and her family try to make a fresh start in a mysterious home that’s been abandoned for decades. But while the family struggles to cope with its trauma, it must also face the secrets of the house, which include a history of seances, rumored disappearances and creepy bugs - so many creepy bugs. The author deftly balances a story about a shattered family and mental illness with a thrilling tale of hauntings and the supernatural. Libby, her younger sister, their mom and a quirky boy next door are well developed and relatable. The supernatural elements will make readers’ skin crawl and the ending is fast-paced, tense and thrilling. The bugs may turn off some readers. The discussion of suicide may be too heavy for some, but the author focuses on the aftermath and recovery, not the act itself. While it may trigger some readers, who are warned in an author’s note at the front of the book, the discussion is handled honestly but carefully, showing how that level of desperation impacts everyone connected. Readers who like horror stories and don’t mind being creeped out will devour this book. Fans of Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury and White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson, other stories where the haunted house is almost another character, also may enjoy this. Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest - Effie is a high school senior who uses a wheelchair because of cerebral palsy, a condition that impacts her mobility and reflexes. She longs to go to college far from home and become a voice for people with disabilities. But she struggles with obstacles in her current school and fears leaving her support network of family and friends. Will her wheelchair keep her from following her dreams? Spoiler alert: of course it doesn’t. But watching Effie navigate the journey from a shy teen afraid to make waves to a confident advocate for herself and others is powerful. How she pursues her dreams and pushes past challenges sends a strong message to others. This book offers the rare perspective of someone with a chronic illness and a wheelchair user, and it’s eye opening. When Effie and her parents visit her dream school in New York City, readers see firsthand how hard it is for someone with limited mobility to catch the subway or cross a snowy campus. Readers learn how easy it is for colleges and businesses to make excuses for not being accessible, blaming the age of buildings or the cost of making upgrades for their failure to do so. The story brings to light sacrifices that people with disabilities are expected to make, such as forgoing the chance to have a roommate because the only dorm rooms that will fit a wheelchair are singles. When Effie tours a campus that has made strong efforts to improve accessibility, it is amazing what can be done, making the excuses offered by others even harder to accept. Readers with a disability or chronic illness will see themselves in the story, but so will any teen facing the decision about what to do after high school. Choosing a college or a career to pursue can be scary, confusing or, in some cases, ripe for comedy. Other books that cover this time period include Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertelli and When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon.
0 Comments
Realistic fiction stories provide readers with "windows and mirrors," a look into others' lives and a reflection of their own. In addition to providing engaging stories, these books validate readers who see themselves and help us build empathy for others. Some of the library's newest realistic titles tackle illness, family secrets, going viral, healing and finding your place in the world.
Fear of Missing Out by Kate McGovern - When a teen learns her cancer has returned, she sets out on a road trip with her boyfriend and best friend to investigate a possible new technology that could freeze her body until a cure is found. If you liked The Fault in Our Stars by John Green or Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon, check this one out. The Silence that Binds Us by Joanna Ho - May’s brother seems to have everything going for him. So when he commits suicide, her family is turned upside down. Their pain is made worse when a local businessman blames the Asian-American family for the death and several other suicides, saying the culture puts too much pressure on teens to achieve. May strikes back with her writing, but speaking up has consequences she doesn't expect. It also makes her realize that the racism she’s struggling with is nothing new to her Black best friends. This is a sad story with a hopeful, empowering ending as May and her friends work to ensure everyone has a voice, no matter their background or struggle. The Kids are Gonna Ask by Gretchen Anthony - When Thomas and Savannah’s mom dies, they are desperate to learn who their biological father is. They decide a podcast could help them track down mom's friends and help tell their story. Their efforts go viral, and as they draw more listeners, they also draw controversy. Everyone from feminists to men's rights advocates to First Amendment activists begin to weigh in. Is finding their dad worth all the mayhem that comes with it? And will the guy be worth finding? A story of siblings, family secrets, finding yourself and growing up in a world when everything is shared on social media. The Words in My Hands by Asphyxia - This is one of several books we have that see Deafness as something to celebrate, not to pity or fix. The author uses a combination of text, paint, collage and drawings to tell the story of Piper, who is so busy trying to survive that she doesn’t know what it’s like to live. When she meets Marley, Piper begins to see her Deafness isn't something to hide, and she's determined to use her voice to help others. The story veers into the dystopian genre because it’s based in a world with environmental collapse and political corruption. If you're interested in this topic, you can also try True Biz by Sara Novic, The Silence Between Us by Alison Gervais and The Sign for Home by Blair Fell. An Appetite for Miracles by Laeken Zea Kemp - Danna struggles to reconnect with her ailing grandfather, hoping his favorite foods will ease his dementia and restore some of his memories. Raul has been lost since his mother went to jail for a wrongful conviction several years ago. When they meet at a nursing home, they feel an instant connection and team up on a journey to heal themselves and those they love. Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Reyes - Yamilet is one of the few Mexican-American students in her affluent religious school, but, she tells herself, at least no one knows she’s gay. She’s determined to keep it that way -- and protect her brother, make her mom proud and not fall in love. But it’s not so easy when the school’s only openly queer student catches her eye. A funny, honest story about growing up and finding yourself. Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman by Kristen Lee - When Savannah gets a full scholarship to an ivy league school, she expects to meet other students who have worked just as hard as she has. She's dismayed to discover the racism, hypocrisy and entitlement on campus. When the statue of the school's first Black president is vandalized, she's outraged. But speaking up could put her scholarship and future at risk. Recommended for readers interested in social justice or anyone who's been torn about speaking out.
Just a quick glance at the cover and it’s clear that the memoir by Emily Lindin is not your typical autobiography. Song lyrics and diary entries, scrawled in the hand of her 11-year-old self, take up every inch of the front and back, and spill onto the spine. Phrases stand out — “purposely slice,” “hurt too much” and “watching myself cry hysterically” — that lead you to pick up the book and turn to the first page. There, the title jumps out at you: UnSlut: a Diary and a Memoir. Lindin is an adult now, but on a recent trip to her parents’ house, she found the diaries she meticulously kept during middle school. Reading the entries brought back memories she had long buried, recollections of being bullied as a “slut” after stories of her first experiences with a boyfriend were spread around school. At a time when she and her young classmates were adjusting to major physical, emotional and social changes, Lindin was basically harassed for growing up. In her childhood town, an unnamed wealthy suburb of Boston having a boyfriend was everything. Courting and dating were almost team sports, as squads of girls would ask out boys for their friends– when they weren’t competing with each other. Girls would use their newly developing bodies to get attention, and then be scorned as “sluts” for it. At the same time, boys confused by their raging hormones would use a girl’s reputation as an invitation: if a girl was considered a slut, they seemed to think, surely she’d put out or, at the very least, not care if he grabbed or groped her. Lindin didn’t do anything outrageous to be labeled this way, at least nothing that countless other young people hadn’t done. Yet once the rumors escalated and the label stuck, her self esteem plummeted. She felt every boy was only interested in how far he could get with her, and when uncomfortable situations or outright sexual abuse occurred, she blamed herself for somehow bringing it on. The way she dressed, the things she did, and even the things she was only rumored to have done were used to taunt and belittle her through three years of middle school. She grew so desperate for acceptance that she’d go farther with a boy than she wanted to because she was afraid of losing him, and eventually she began identifying herself by the cruel word that others used against her. She began cutting herself to numb the pain and considered suicide. Only when she went to high school, and began discovering in herself talents for writing and singing, did she stop identifying herself as a “slut.” Reading Lindin’s diaries may remind some readers of the mistakes they made as they stumbled through adolescence, although some may feel that Lindin’s experiences with boys started much younger than their own. But what makes the book so interesting are the comments that the adult Lindin adds in the margins of each page. With the wisdom brought by 10 years of life experiences, Lindin alternates between mocking her younger self for being flaky about boys (“he’s my soulmate.” “I hate him.”) to expressing disgust at the social structure in her school which promoted what she calls sexual bullying. She also offers advice to young people facing the same issues today and the book includes resources about suicide prevention, bullying, sexual health and self-injury. Lindin discovered that her experience is not unique. After she found the diaries, she published excerpts on a blog and received an overwhelming response from other young women who had experienced “slut shaming.” Those women described being harassed for their developing bodies, something over which they had no control; being made to feel dirty or inferior by cultures that believe a sexual woman is sinful; or feeling at fault as victims of sexual abuse. The response led Lindin to create the UnSlut project, a website devoting to sharing stories and resources for women. The project includes the book and a documentary film where women tell their stories. The goal, Lindin says, is to eliminate sexual bullying and “slut shaming,” and maybe someday remove the harmful label from our language. Reading the book may make you stop and think about how we pass judgement on each other, how the rumor mill gets out of control and how young women struggle with the changes that accompany growing up. The book may help you sort through your own experiences, whether as victim or perpetrator of bullying. At the very least, the book is a look into one girl’s resilience: as bad as middle school was for Lindin, she recovered to become a successful author and adult. For more information about the UnSlut project, visit www.unslutproject.org High school senior Ashley may be in the minority, but she hates the idea of prom. The thought of spending all that money and getting all decked out is - to her - not only a waste, but ridiculously fake. But to her best friend Nat and a bunch of other girls, the prom is an event they've been dreaming of, the one good thing in a life of crummy minimum wage jobs, dysfunctional families, and uncertain hopes for the future. When a teacher is arrested for stealing all the money raised to pay for the prom just days before the big event, Nat and her planning committee are distraught. That's when Ashley steps up to help. Tough, no-nonsense Ashley throws herself into planning a new, cheaper prom for her class. With honesty, humor and some well-placed pastry bribes, Ashley works to save the dance. In the process, she changes her mind about the prom, her family and her future. Written by Laurie Halse Anderson, Prom is a fun, quick read. It's not as serious as her most well-known book, Speak, about a student who is raped at a high school party. But the characters are likeable, "normal" kids -- ones who may not get straight As or want to go to college, but ones who may have a reserved seat in detention or are saving pennies from working at McDonald's to buy a car. The plot is simple and moves fast, and the ending is a happy one (unusual for books that I read!). I recommend this book for anyone who doesn't like to read. I think it may change your mind. |
AuthorMrs. McHugh is a librarian and instructional technology specialist. She loves talking books and pop culture with her students at Hanover High School. Archives
February 2024
Categories
All
|