A book for reluctant readers that highlights the heroism of young activists.
Rhonda Runningcrane, a Blackfoot teenager, feels she has nothing to live for until she hears about a peaceful movement to preserve clean water for her community.
Set on a fictional reservation called Standing Stone, the novel borrows heavily from actual events surrounding the Standing Rock Dakota Access Pipeline protest. Suicide, sexual abuse, spousal abuse, alcoholism, diabetes, drugs, and murder appear in the first eight pages, and this bleak picture of life on the reservation is only partially addressed with the transformation of the main character into an environmental activist. Robinson (Choctaw/Cherokee) (Lands of Our Ancestors Teacher's Guide, 2017, etc.) uses the presence of a female elder and a mechanically savvy uncle as role models for Rhonda, but her development is limited to her relationship to traditional ways. A bit too short to paint a contemporary picture of Rhonda or dig into the historic roots of the troubles Native youth face in America today, the novel relies on a cultural script with few surprises. Even so, the story is an important one as it highlights the relationship between Native oppression and the extractive industries in the United States. In acknowledging the non-Native allies who stood alongside the Native protesters, the novel builds a bridge between communities, reminding readers that we are all affected by the damage being done to the Earth.
A book for reluctant readers that highlights the heroism of young activists. (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: July 30, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-939053-22-0
Page Count: 120
Publisher: 7th Generation
Review Posted Online: May 5, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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