An earnest addition to the Straight Talk series tackles the explosive issue of teen pregnancy. In an effort to be clear, fair, and evenhanded, the text is plodding and even dull in the descriptions of how pregnancy occurs. Edelson covers, in the same dutiful but lackluster manner, options of abortion, abstinence, and adoption; what it means to a teen’s life to keep and raise a child; and how society views teen parents. Both liberal and conservative points of view are laid out (if erroneously——partial birth” abortions were not outlawed by federal legislation in 1996). Among those viewpoints represented are teen couples who have had unprotected sex, those who have chosen not to have sex yet, and those who are already teen parents; the variety allows Edelson to present many options, nearly all of them difficult. Exercises for self-esteem, active listening, and decision-making are included. While some of the language is so clumsy as to be almost farcical——Like many things in life, sexual intercourse can be a lot of fun—and it can also have consequences that are not so much fun——the book will suffice for readers seeking out basic information, with helpful back matter on various organizations. (bibliography) (Nonfiction. 12-15)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1998
ISBN: 0-8160-3717-5
Page Count: 131
Publisher: Facts On File
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 1998
When Clara Luna, 14, visits rural Mexico for the summer to visit the paternal grandparents she has never met, she cannot know her trip will involve an emotional and spiritual journey into her family’s past and a deep connection to a rich heritage of which she was barely aware. Long estranged from his parents, Clara’s father had entered the U.S. illegally years before, subsequently becoming a successful business owner who never spoke about what he left behind. Clara’s journey into her grandmother’s history (told in alternating chapters with Clara’s own first-person narrative) and her discovery that she, like her grandmother and ancestors, has a gift for healing, awakens her to the simple, mystical joys of a rural lifestyle she comes to love and wholly embrace. Painfully aware of not fitting into suburban teen life in her native Maryland, Clara awakens to feeling alive in Mexico and realizes a sweet first love with Pedro, a charming goat herder. Beautifully written, this is filled with evocative language that is rich in imagery and nuance and speaks to the connections that bind us all. Add a thrilling adventure and all the makings of an entrancing read are here. (glossaries) (Fiction. 12-14)
Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2006
ISBN: 0-385-73343-7
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2006
Death isn’t an easy subject to write about, but Shusterman handles it deftly, as he explores what happens to two children who are “lost” on their way “towards the light.” Nick and Allie have never met, but both are involved in a fatal car accident. They find they are neither living nor spirit; they now exist in Everlost. Learning to cope with their new state of being, they arrive in New York City, where a band of lost children have taken up residence in the Twin Towers, which still stand tall in Everlost. Led by Mary, the Queen of Snot, threatened by the Great McGill and his pirate band, these children have come to accept that this is where they belong and will always be. But Nick and Allie know there must be something—somewhere—else, and they are determined to find out what and where that is. A quirky sense of humor pervades, which helps to lighten what would otherwise be a disturbing concept. But the overall message (that there is existence after life and purpose to that existence and a destination when one is finally ready for it) is one of comfort. For anyone who has lost a friend or loved one at an early age, this is a good read. (Fiction. 12-15)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-689-87237-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2006
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