Though simple, the story provides both insight and entertainment.
A girl who can’t stop “tagging”—spray painting her initials on buildings—is caught one too many times and sent to a struggling alternative school in a poor neighborhood in Montreal.
The survivor of a terrible riot, Tessa fears violence of any kind, but her new school has one required extracurricular activity: All students must learn to box. The teacher holds academic classes in the morning, and a boxing coach trains both boys and girls in the afternoon. To her surprise, Tessa begins to enjoy her boxing lessons and grows attached to the little school and its hard-luck students. She’s already friends with fellow tagger Pretty Boy, and she grows especially close to Jasmine, an Asian girl whose aunt has spent her fortune, leaving her destitute. All would be well, except that the woman who lives next door to their school takes exception to it and organizes an effort to force its closure. Tessa faces her most difficult test. Can she overcome her terror of public speaking and make the case for her school? Polak keeps her prose simple and straightforward, providing her readers with a suspenseful, insightful story that ticks off some hot buttons. The high-interest graffiti/boxing combo is supported by real affection for throwaway teens, resulting in a story that should have broad appeal.
Though simple, the story provides both insight and entertainment. (Fiction. 12-17)Pub Date: March 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4598-0391-6
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: Dec. 10, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2014
Entertaining; a drama-filled ode to family against a well-developed Seoul backdrop.
Suddenly relocated against her will from New York to Seoul, Melody finds it hard to adjust.
Sixteen-year-old Melody Lee loves living with her mom in their cozy New York City apartment, spending time with her best friend, and working toward an interior design internship. Her father visits occasionally from Korea, where he lives and works; Melody’s parents wanted her to get a U.S. education. But when she’s caught trying weed, her mother moves them to Seoul, someplace Melody has only visited once. When her father turns out to live in a luxury villa and have a personal driver and sends Melody to a fancy international school, she rejects his lavish lifestyle while harboring resentment and anger. Still, as her new friends and crush show her around Seoul, Melody finds herself enjoying the food, nightlife, history, and culture. But her parents are fighting, her mom is keeping secrets, her relationship with her father is nonexistent, and her mom thinks interior design is not a viable career. Melody tries to balance who she is inside with her new lifestyle. This romantic comedy also focuses on friendships and family relationships as it shows the impact of wealthy parents’ focus on their children’s success and the toll of not being accepted for who you are before coming to a heartwarming conclusion. Romanized Korean is woven throughout, and fascinating details highlight many beautiful and charming parts of Seoul.
Entertaining; a drama-filled ode to family against a well-developed Seoul backdrop. (Fiction. 12-17)Pub Date: May 24, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-40319-8
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
An emotionally engaging and draining debut.
Two teenagers suffer through their first heartbreak.
Henry Page has spent his high school years with his nose to the grindstone, avoiding romantic relationships and focusing on becoming the editor of the school paper. At the start of his senior year Henry is offered the job, but there’s a catch: transfer student Grace Town is offered the gig as well, making the two white teens co-editors. Sparks fly as Henry works with the aloof, unkempt new girl, who walks with a cane. As Henry and Grace grow closer, Henry falls deeper for her even as he learns just how broken she is. In her debut, Sutherland mixes her love story with equal parts hope and ominous dread. There is never any doubt that this couple is marching toward romantic oblivion, but it’s an effectively drawn journey. The characters speak with a John Green–esque voice, but they are never overbearingly precocious. Narrator Henry’s a smartly rendered character, a decent kid who has goals and works hard to achieve them. His new goal is Grace’s affection, and the unstoppable force meeting the immovable object that is Grace’s emotional unavailability provides the novel some of its sharpest moments. When the walls tumble down, the connection between the two is clearly an unhealthy one, and the author pulls no punches, devastating Henry, Grace, and readers in equal measure.
An emotionally engaging and draining debut. (Fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-399-54656-3
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
