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THREE LITTLE WORDS

A MEMOIR

This heartbreaking memoir recounts 21-year-old Rhodes-Courter’s horrific experience while living in Florida’s foster-care system. She was three when police took her away from her irresponsible mother and placed her in foster care. She endured 13 placements in nine years. Many caseworkers turned a blind eye to the neglect and abuse dispensed by foster families. For instance, one family poured hot sauce down children’s throats as a punishment for misbehaving. The author’s life improved after being adopted at age 12 by Gay and Phil Courter. Through their love and support, she was able to heal. Rhodes-Courter’s anger is evident in her writing as she recalls every injustice and misfortune, while only briefly mentioning major accomplishments that allowed her to meet J.K. Rowling and other notable dignitaries. While this book is not likely to be of interest to casual readers, and the writing is pedestrian, the story is a powerful indictment. The author hopes it will be a source of inspiration and hope to the countless children lost in the foster-care system. (photos, author note) (Nonfiction. 12-15)

Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2008

ISBN: 978-1-4169-4806-3

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Atheneum

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2007

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PEAK

Dare-devil mountain-climber Peak Marcello (14), decides to scale the Woolworth Building and lands in jail. To save him, his long-lost Everest-trekking dad appears with a plan for the duo to make a life in Katmandu—a smokescreen to make Peak become the youngest person in history to summit Mount Everest. Peak must learn to navigate the extreme and exotic terrain but negotiate a code of ethics among men. This and other elements such as the return of the long-lost father, bite-size chunks of information about climbing and altitude, an all-male cast, competition and suspense (can Peak be the youngest ever to summit Everest, and can he beat out a 14-year-old Nepalese boy who accompanies him?) creates the tough stuff of a “boys read.” The narrative offers enough of a bumpy ride to satisfy thrill seekers, while Peak’s softer reflective quality lends depth and some—but not too much—emotional resonance. Teachers will want to pair this with Mark Pfetzer’s Within Reach: My Everest Story (1998). (Fiction. 12-15)

Pub Date: May 1, 2007

ISBN: 978-0-15-202417-8

Page Count: 256

Publisher: Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2007

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THE RUNAWAY'S DIARY

A somewhat entertaining, fast-paced journey that fizzles at the end.

A teenager runs away to Seattle, hoping to locate her missing sister.

Fifteen-year-old Eleanor idolizes her older sister, Sam, despite their being complete opposites: Sam is outgoing and wild, while socially awkward Eleanor is known as Little Miss Perfect, always doing the right and safe thing. After Sam runs away from home, the only communication she has with Eleanor are three postcards sent from Seattle. Eleanor decides to trace her 18-year-old sister’s footsteps, leaving her messages and hopping on a bus to find her. But when Sam doesn’t meet her at the bus depot, Eleanor, who has no real plan, has to learn how to survive on her own while searching the city for her sister. While the close bond between the girls is well depicted through flashbacks, the reveal of an important secret ultimately feels anticlimactic. A major plot point relies too heavily on chance and coincidence to be fully believable. While the color scheme, cityscapes, and background illustrations are atmospheric, the manga-inspired drawing style comes across as dated and flat. The depiction of the fabricated stories Eleanor tells is intriguing, as are the themes of friendship, living in the moment, and maintaining hope; unfortunately, none are thematically strong enough to resonate. The emotional impact of Eleanor’s experiences is diluted by her at times humorous narration. Eleanor and the main cast read as White.

A somewhat entertaining, fast-paced journey that fizzles at the end. (Graphic novel. 12-15)

Pub Date: April 26, 2022

ISBN: 978-0-316-50023-4

Page Count: 280

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: April 12, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2022

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