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WILDFLOWER

Name: WILDFLOWER
Author: Alecia Whitaker
ISBN: 978-0-316-25138-9

From the Wildflower series , Vol. 1

by Alecia Whitaker ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 1, 2014

This tender introduction to a newly minted country superstar sets the stage for a compelling series.

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Bird Barrett’s life isn’t exactly normal: Since she was 9, she has been touring, playing bluegrass music with the Barrett Family Band.

She is used to living in an RV, being in a different city every night and not having any close friends outside of her family. She yearns to be noticed by Adam Dean, another traveling musician who often plays the same venues as her family. However, she never expected to be noticed by an agent for a major record label at one of their shows. Before long she has a record deal, is in the studio laying down original tracks with seasoned musicians, and has legions of fans. Bird is suddenly a public figure living in the spotlight, which has implications not only for her music, but also for her family and her budding relationship with Adam. What separates this novel from others featuring teenage superstars is how grounded Bird is, even as she struggles to process the dramatic changes taking place in her life. Her family is loving and supportive, though Bird’s choices do provoke natural tension among them at times. Genuine dialogue, a quick pace and a plot that strikes the right balance between realistic and fantastic make for an engaging read. The lyrics and sheet music for one of Bird’s songs are appended.

This tender introduction to a newly minted country superstar sets the stage for a compelling series. (Fiction. 12-16)

Pub Date: July 1, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-316-25138-9

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: April 29, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2014

Categories:

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FAMILY | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION

THE FIELD GUIDE TO THE NORTH AMERICAN TEENAGER

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THE FIELD GUIDE TO THE NORTH AMERICAN TEENAGER

by Ben Philippe ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 8, 2019

Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice.

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A teenage, not-so-lonely loner endures the wilds of high school in Austin, Texas.

Norris Kaplan, the protagonist of Philippe’s debut novel, is a hypersweaty, uber-snarky black, Haitian, French-Canadian pushing to survive life in his new school. His professor mom’s new tenure-track job transplants Norris mid–school year, and his biting wit and sarcasm are exposed through his cataloging of his new world in a field guide–style burn book. He’s greeted in his new life by an assortment of acquaintances, Liam, who is white and struggling with depression; Maddie, a self-sacrificing white cheerleader with a heart of gold; and Aarti, his Indian-American love interest who offers connection. Norris’ ego, fueled by his insecurities, often gets in the way of meaningful character development. The scenes showcasing his emotional growth are too brief and, despite foreshadowing, the climax falls flat because he still gets incredible personal access to people he’s hurt. A scene where Norris is confronted by his mother for getting drunk and belligerent with a white cop is diluted by his refusal or inability to grasp the severity of the situation and the resultant minor consequences. The humor is spot-on, as is the representation of the black diaspora; the opportunity for broader conversations about other topics is there, however, the uneven buildup of detailed, meaningful exchanges and the glibness of Norris’ voice detract.

Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice. (Fiction. 13-16)

Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2019

ISBN: 978-0-06-282411-0

Page Count: 384

Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2018

Categories:

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES

- SEEN & HEARD
Alicia D. Williams, David Yoon on Shortlist for William C. Morris Award for YA Debut

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NEVER FALL DOWN

by Patricia McCormick ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 8, 2012

Though it lacks references or suggestions for further reading, Arn's agonizing story is compelling enough that many readers...

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A harrowing tale of survival in the Killing Fields.

The childhood of Arn Chorn-Pond has been captured for young readers before, in Michelle Lord and Shino Arihara's picture book, A Song for Cambodia (2008). McCormick, known for issue-oriented realism, offers a fictionalized retelling of Chorn-Pond's youth for older readers. McCormick's version begins when the Khmer Rouge marches into 11-year-old Arn's Cambodian neighborhood and forces everyone into the country. Arn doesn't understand what the Khmer Rouge stands for; he only knows that over the next several years he and the other children shrink away on a handful of rice a day, while the corpses of adults pile ever higher in the mango grove. Arn does what he must to survive—and, wherever possible, to protect a small pocket of children and adults around him. Arn's chilling history pulls no punches, trusting its readers to cope with the reality of children forced to participate in murder, torture, sexual exploitation and genocide. This gut-wrenching tale is marred only by the author's choice to use broken English for both dialogue and description. Chorn-Pond, in real life, has spoken eloquently (and fluently) on the influence he's gained by learning English; this prose diminishes both his struggle and his story.

Though it lacks references or suggestions for further reading, Arn's agonizing story is compelling enough that many readers will seek out the history themselves. (preface, author's note) (Historical fiction. 12-15)