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DIET SODA CLUB

Poignant and insightful.

After his mother leaves, a teen takes drastic measures to support his disabled younger sister.

Ever since Dad died, Reed Beckett’s mom has been distant, “either working or sleeping,” leaving 17-year-old Reed to care for his homeschooled 10-year-old sister, Beatrice, who has spinal muscular atrophy. When Mom starts dating Seth, her behavior grows even more erratic, culminating in her abruptly taking a vacation with him—and leaving Reed and Beatrice alone. As weeks pass, and their food and money dwindle, Reed fears Mom won’t return. How will he pay the rent—or the $5,000 deposit for the scoliosis surgery that could improve Beatrice’s life? His solutions are lucrative but illegal—if he’s caught, Beatrice could be taken away. To pull off his schemes, he’ll have to enlist the help of Helena Shaw…the childhood friend he feels betrayed him terribly. Though some plot elements may require suspending disbelief, Hayden, who has SMA himself, effectively explores grief, neglect, and complex family dynamics. While Beatrice’s care drives much of the plot, and her precocious hacking skills prove convenient, the tender, frank bond she has with Reed prevents her from being merely a plot device. Reed and Helena’s recovering relationship offers thought-provoking insights into privilege and what makes a family. Though Reed’s mom’s depression and neglect are addressed rather late in the novel, leaving little room for readers to process the topics, the author realistically acknowledges that healing and forgiveness are neither instant nor easy. Most characters read white.

Poignant and insightful. (Fiction. 14-18)

Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2024

ISBN: 9781536223125

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Candlewick

Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2024

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INDIVISIBLE

An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.

A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.

Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.

An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)

Pub Date: May 4, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8

Page Count: 400

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021

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IF ONLY I HAD TOLD HER

A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.

In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.

Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.

A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)

Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024

ISBN: 9781728276229

Page Count: 416

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024

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