This book is an emotional free-fall. Krosoczka certainly knew how to play the heartstrings, and make any fostered child feel every emotion. It was nicThis book is an emotional free-fall. Krosoczka certainly knew how to play the heartstrings, and make any fostered child feel every emotion. It was nice having the pictures to help guide the words throughout the story, because without them I would have hated grandma, and also been completely lost as to who was talking. I really appreciated the way Krosoczka didn't hide any of his thoughts or emotions. We, as the reader, got to experience exactly how it felt to have an drug addict for a mother, be abandoned by our birth father, and be raised by grandparents. I loved having a look inside Jarrett's head as he worked so hard to become a cartoonist, and after realizing the author is also the protagonist, I was so happy and proud of him for getting published. The mixed-medium of this book helped cement the emotional journey of Jarrett. Because we got to see how his drawing improved, and the different works he created, we were able to grow with him. This book was a great insight into the head of any young person who is a little withdrawn due to family issues and drama. I thought it was a great read and could teach adults what kids are thinking when in a stressful family situation. ...more
**spoiler alert** This was another emotionally charged read for me. I thought the analogy of an apple to the color of a person's skin was very apt, an**spoiler alert** This was another emotionally charged read for me. I thought the analogy of an apple to the color of a person's skin was very apt, and conveyed many of Gansworth's emotions extremely well. I was shocked to hear what happened to his grandparents, and while journeying with Gansworth through the rest of his life, my heart continued to weep for the atrocities committed against him and everyone else the United States decided were beneath their notice. I thought this book was a great way to show how everyone's childhood affects their entire life. You may not think that your childhood was very forming, but once you sit down and think about it, you will be able to find answers to why you act the way you do. I also thought the form of verse was very appropriate for this novel since it allows the reader to become involved in the descriptions in such a way that is not possible with common vernacular. I think this is a very powerful read for anyone who is interested in the long-term affects of reservations, what it is like to grow up as a minority, and also anyone else who is remotely interested in learning more of our nation's history. I removed a star simply because I wouldn't want to read it again. It was a powerful book, but I don't have any connections to Native Americans, and so didn't find myself reflected within the pages....more
**spoiler alert** I will never be able to look at Vincent Van Gogh's paintings the same way. This book was a truly magnificent story of the Van Gogh f**spoiler alert** I will never be able to look at Vincent Van Gogh's paintings the same way. This book was a truly magnificent story of the Van Gogh family. I loved hearing how important Vincent's family was to him, and how their success and failures impacted his life so much. The emotion that Heiligman was able to capture in her words was a reflection of the emotions shown in Vincent's artwork. The ups and downs of Vincent and Theo definitely mirrored each other, as did their deaths. I had never heard of Theo Van Gogh before reading this book, but I now understand that there is no way to talk about Vincent without talking about Theo. In my opinion, Theo was the most influential person in Vincent's life. He was so good to Vincent as he continually gave Vincent money and never refused a request from Vincent. This book follows the life of Theo and Vincent through their letters, but honestly, their lives cannot be talked about separately. The Van Goghs all suffered intense mental illness, and this book was also an excellent exploration of how mental illness affects your own life, as well as those who care about you. Overall I thought this was an excellent book that is appropriate for anyone in High School or older. I would highly recommend for anyone who is interested in art or Vincent Van Gogh. My view of his artwork will forever be different than it was before, and I think this is one of the most influential books I have read. ...more
**spoiler alert** This was a strange book. Raskin kept you guessing all the way up until the end, and still ended the book with a question of what's g**spoiler alert** This was a strange book. Raskin kept you guessing all the way up until the end, and still ended the book with a question of what's going to happen next? I enjoyed the different characters throughout the novel and how they all evolved to become different and better people by the end. The premise of a murder mystery was a great way to get readers interested in the story, and I loved the development of the mystery being told through the different perspectives of the characters. This book was a great way to give young people a boost of confidence and a love of questions/discovery. I loved how Turtle was always in the middle of everything that was happening, and also loved how she was the one to discover the answer to the riddle, and thus win the fortune. I also really appreciated the snapshot of the character's lives five years after the Westing game, because it showed how they all evolved and grew into better people because of their experiences. Overall, I think this is a fun read and would be perfect for anyone who is interested in murder mysteries. In particular, I think it would be great for any young female persons who are curious by nature. It was great to see Turtle be the heroine, and also grow up to be such a wonderful person. ...more
**spoiler alert** I liked the way the three different storylines interact with one another. The legends of the Monkey King have always fascinated me, **spoiler alert** I liked the way the three different storylines interact with one another. The legends of the Monkey King have always fascinated me, and this book did a great job of making those stories understandable for younger audiences. I also thought the internal dialogue of struggling with being Chinese or Taiwanese, or Japanese, in America was such an important topic to discuss. While the book didn't make too big a deal of it, the reason Jin wants to change who he is, is ultimately because he is Asian, and he feels like that is a disadvantage for him. This book made me take a deeper dive into American prejudice, and also made me realize how internalized it is for children to make fun of each other due to small differences that have no impact in the real world. I also thought this book was great to have in graphic novel form, since so much of the emotion throughout the story was conveyed through the pictures, and not in the words. Overall I enjoyed this book, and would recommend it for younger readers who need to learn what it feels like to be an outcast, and then learn to love you for who you are....more
**spoiler alert** This was a hard book to read. I loved how Medina was able to format childhood trauma in a way that was understandable to all ages, a**spoiler alert** This was a hard book to read. I loved how Medina was able to format childhood trauma in a way that was understandable to all ages, and also realistic. Piddy is also such a realistic character because she simply wants to succeed, but there are people and circumstances outside of her control. I was heartbroken as I read Piddy's story, and continually surprised at how smart and strong she was. I also really enjoyed the realistic portrayal of motherly love, and thought the representation of a working single-mother was very accurate and poignant. My favorite character, however, would have to be Lila. It was heart-warming to see her willing to fight and stand up for Piddy and her mother no matter what. I loved how she was joking with Piddy about breaking Yaqui's knees, but the reader also knew she meant that she was going to protect Piddy at all costs. I also really enjoyed the evolution of Piddy's character throughout the book. It was an accurate depiction of how trauma changes you, and how you don't just bounce back to who you were before. Overall I thought it was a great book for anyone who has had childhood trauma, or knows someone who does. It was a great perspective on how trauma affects our internal voice, and thus our actions. ...more
**spoiler alert** I love reading books about gay romances in middle school. This book was able to capture two very different perspectives of adolescen**spoiler alert** I love reading books about gay romances in middle school. This book was able to capture two very different perspectives of adolescence, while also describing some very deep and tough adult issues. While the storyline was fairly basic, that of two boys trying to run a food truck over the summer, the deeper issues within the novel are what really caught my attention. Jordan's father had died recently, and his mother is still deep within her grief, and unable to cope with the world. Because of this, Jordan feels like he has to take on responsibility for his mom, and also take on responsibility for their finances. The real-life struggle that Jordan has with his family is very indicative of many modern-day American households, and I loved how the novel portrayed the struggle for Jordan and his mom. The other main character, Alex, seems to have everything put together on the outside, but internally he is struggling with the first sexual experience he had. I think there is a big misconception that men can't be raped, and also that gay men can't be raped, so the novel's exploration of this topic made a fantastic point of showing the mental and physical impacts of what happens to the victim after. Overall I would recommend this book, especially to any closeted LGBTQ+ people in high school. It had a great diversity of characters and I wouldn't mind reading it again. ...more
**spoiler alert** This book was a painful process. Throughout the whole novel I didn't really connect with any of the characters. It was the story of **spoiler alert** This book was a painful process. Throughout the whole novel I didn't really connect with any of the characters. It was the story of a high-school boy who was only concerned with his popularity, and the instant things started to go wrong he chose to endanger everyone around him by letting go of the steering wheel on the freeway, and thus killing an innocent girl who was just wanting to enjoy her night. The emotional journey of this story was compelling and heart-wrenching at the same time. I loved the idea of taking a road trip in order to come-to-terms with grief and guilt, and the idea of setting up whirligigs is also a great idea. However, overall I just didn't like Brent. He was the representation of everything I despised in high school, and even at the end of his journey he still had those tendencies. Overall I thought it was a good book to read if you're struggling with guilt or loss, but also, I felt Brent could have been much better written. I would give this book a 3/5 star rating because I wasn't able to connect with it, which is something I need to do in order to really appreciate a book. ...more
**spoiler alert** This is a great book to understand the struggles of teenage pregnancy and teenage motherhood. Verna starts the novel as a typical yo**spoiler alert** This is a great book to understand the struggles of teenage pregnancy and teenage motherhood. Verna starts the novel as a typical young high-school student who wants to attend college. She is very responsible and has started to save up some money for college. Throughout the novel you see Verna grow into a mature young adult who understands consequences of choices, both good and bad. I really enjoyed how Verna contemplated and grew to understand how choices can be taken away from you, and you're the one who has to live with the consequences anyway. I also think Jilly and Jeremy are bright spots in the novel and are so innocent. I loved seeing them grow up and develop personality. The scene where Jilly is choking on the spider leg had me on the edge of my seat, hoping that Jilly could live, and Jolly wouldn't have to go through another heartbreak. I also appreciated the way this novel looked into the issue of rape. It's clear that if Jolly hadn't stopped her boss he would have raped her physically, but I think that experience also showed how Jolly got raped emotionally and mentally that night, and wasn't the same after because of it. Overall I think this book is a little heavy for young adults, but it gives them a realistic look into what it is like to drop out of college due to pregnancy. This is a great book for young boys and girls....more
**spoiler alert** The format of this book made sense and gave the characters a sense of movement despite their lack of life. The storyline of the book**spoiler alert** The format of this book made sense and gave the characters a sense of movement despite their lack of life. The storyline of the book was fairly straightforward with really only three scenes. The street where Shawn is shot, Will and Shawn's bedroom, and the elevator. The different floors of the elevator seemed to almost be a descent into madness for Will, or a journey through the stages of grief. I wasn't sure how I felt by the end, but I thought this was a good story for anyone who has had a loved one murdered, or who has lived in a gangs area. Overall I think this book is geared toward a very specific group of people. It certainly has a specific demographic it describes, and presents a lot of great socio-economic questions as well. I also thought Reynolds did very good with inviting everyone who reads it to take a look inside themselves and see what is causing them grief, and how they are handling it. It does a great job of relating to the characters and showing the inner turmoil of a loss. This isn't the best book I've read about grief, but it does a good job of showing how a young boys mind works when his older brother is killed, and the search for vengeance/revenge/closure....more
**spoiler alert** This is a great book for anyone who is nonbinary or in the LBGTQ+ community. A is a great person who understands what it is like to **spoiler alert** This is a great book for anyone who is nonbinary or in the LBGTQ+ community. A is a great person who understands what it is like to wake up in a body that doesn't feel like their own, and who's gender identity is constantly fluid. I liked how A fought to keep up a relationship with Rhiannon, a girl he met in one of their past bodies, even though he knew the impossibility of their relationship. I'm not sure how I feel about Rhiannon's part of this story though, because even though she does begin to understand A's situation, and kind of roll with it, she never seems to be happy with what has happened to her romantic life. I do like how the book rolled with different bodies and different identities each day, which could provide a lot of comfort and hope to nonbinary and trans young adults. I also thought the combination between romance and sci-fi/fantasy was a really interesting choice because it made the storyline somewhat believable. Overall, I think this is a decent book that can be great for young adults who identify with the LGBTQ+ community, but the format was a little weird to me. ...more
**spoiler alert** This book ripped me apart and left me in pieces. Throughout the whole novel I kept hoping for a happy ending or at least a concrete **spoiler alert** This book ripped me apart and left me in pieces. Throughout the whole novel I kept hoping for a happy ending or at least a concrete ending. However, this book doesn't really have either of those. The ending is left very vague and you never really know what happens with the characters. However, the storyline that really stood out to me was the story of the side-character Irene. I could see myself in Irene, and the little decisions she made based on completely arbitrary actions by other people also spoke to me. When Irene was finally able to find a reason to keep living instead of committing suicide as she had planned, my heart was ripped to shreds and held in place. The scene on the airplane in the afterword where Irene is finally able to talk to Natasha and ask if she remembers, is a great way to remind people that there is always someone who cares, and there is always someone who remembers. Overall, this novel was a great way to show how the lives of everyone surrounding you are affected by everything you do, but at the same time, their lives are completely separate and only momentarily brush against yours. I enjoyed the realistic portrayal of teenagers in this novel, but didn't enjoy how heart-wrenching it was. ...more
Loading...
