by Rosalind Wiseman ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 2010
Wiseman has written widely on the social dynamics of teens, most notably in Queen Bees & Wannabes (2002). Here she fictionalizes the themes of her earlier works with the story of Charlie Healy, a ninth grader making a fresh start at the high school across town. Harmony Falls High might be a refuge from the frenemies she left behind in Greenspring, who made eighth grade so torturous, but it’s still fraught with peril: Bullies, clueless teachers and malevolent administrators abound. Controversy over the lacrosse team’s behavior off the field calls into question the ethics of the school, the players and Charlie’s childhood best friend, Will, who is enduring the ritual humiliations of joining the team. The story reads like a public-service announcement on the hazards of hazing; wise beyond her years, Charlie’s voice lacks adolescent authenticity, and her column in the school newspaper is preachy at times. But Charlie and her friends are outspoken and engaging, and the ending, while neither surprising nor original, will satisfy readers who like a tidy finish. (Fiction. 11-14)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-399-24796-5
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2009
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by Laura Resau ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 12, 2006
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
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by Patricia Gualinga & Laura Resau ; illustrated by Vanessa Jaramillo
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by Jenny Han ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 5, 2009
The wish-fulfilling title and sun-washed, catalog-beautiful teens on the cover will be enticing for girls looking for a...
Han’s leisurely paced, somewhat somber narrative revisits several beach-house summers in flashback through the eyes of now 15-year-old Isabel, known to all as Belly.
Belly measures her growing self by these summers and by her lifelong relationship with the older boys, her brother and her mother’s best friend’s two sons. Belly’s dawning awareness of her sexuality and that of the boys is a strong theme, as is the sense of summer as a separate and reflective time and place: Readers get glimpses of kisses on the beach, her best friend’s flirtations during one summer’s visit, a first date. In the background the two mothers renew their friendship each year, and Lauren, Belly’s mother, provides support for her friend—if not, unfortunately, for the children—in Susannah’s losing battle with breast cancer. Besides the mostly off-stage issue of a parent’s severe illness there’s not much here to challenge most readers—driving, beer-drinking, divorce, a moment of surprise at the mothers smoking medicinal pot together.
The wish-fulfilling title and sun-washed, catalog-beautiful teens on the cover will be enticing for girls looking for a diversion. (Fiction. 12-14)Pub Date: May 5, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4169-6823-8
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2009
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by Jenny Han
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by Jenny Han
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by Jenny Han ; Siobhan Vivian
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