37 THINGS I LOVE (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)

Ellis experiences emotional turbulence as she copes with her father's extended coma and the pain of changing friendships.

There is tension between Ellis and her mother. Her beloved father has been in an accident-induced coma for two years. Ellis resists any discussion of removing life support and, despite her mother’s disapproval, visits and shares her deepest thoughts with her unresponsive father. Coinciding with her father’s accident was the change in Ellis’ relationships with her best friends. Ellis, Cara and Abby had been close in middle school, but somehow, Cara drifted away. Now, at this critical time, when Ellis’ mom wants her to see yet another psychiatrist in hopes she will accept the inevitable, Ellis finds she needs Cara, especially since Abby is becoming wilder and more self-centered. In the meantime, Cara has accepted that she is gay, adding another complication for Ellis as she seeks to renew their friendship. As Ellis confronts her pain, she is able to see herself, her mother and her friends as they really are. Magoon, winner of the Coretta Scott King John Steptoe Award for New Talent (The Rock and the River, 2010), has crafted a fresh look at the complexities that can arise in the friendships of teens. Ellis’ first-person expression of her pain and confusion is especially well done. Strong secondary characters provide additional insight.

Another powerful outing from a rising star.