Dr. Bickmore's YA Wednesday Weekend Picks for 2021
This is the new page for 2021
This year will have some exciting additions. I won't be picking books every month. Instead, we will be getting a variety of reading picks from a host of guest contributors. I will take January, but after that you can look forward to hearing from Morgan Jackson, Gretchen Rumohr, Lisa Scherff, Emily Pendergrass, Katie Sluiter, Sean Kottke, Trista Owczarzak and couple more surprises.
Are you looking for something to read?
Pick one of these great books!
Are your students always looking for book recommendations?
Send them to browse through the picks for this or those from other years listed below.
Pick one of these great books!
Are your students always looking for book recommendations?
Send them to browse through the picks for this or those from other years listed below.
For the picks from 2020 click here.
For older picks click from 2019 click here.
For the even older picks click here.
For older picks click from 2019 click here.
For the even older picks click here.
Scroll down below the picture for some great selections.
The newest picks will always be at the top.
Don't forget to register for the top-notch UNLV YA Summit, where you can interact with YA authors, scholars, teachers, and librarians!
Weekend Picks for April 2021 by Lisa Scherff
Weekend Pick for April 16, 2021
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
I had been hearing a lot of press about this book, so I made sure to order it the day it came out. And, it did not disappoint!
The author describes the book as an “indigenous Nancy Drew,” and the story was sparked based on events from when she was in high school when, after a big drug bust, it was revealed that an undercover cop had been posing as a student.
I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! And what a gorgeous cover!!!
The story is about Daunis Fontaine, who has never fit in--either in her hometown or on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She is about to head to college, but is derailed by both a family tragedy and the murder of her best friend, a result of a lethal new drug circulating through the community. She somewhat unwillingly takes on the role of informant, going undercover to track down the source(s). As part of her investigation, Daunis draws on her knowledge of science and Ojibwe traditional medicine; in addition, she has to learn how to make meth so she can help figure out where the ingredients are coming from. I won’t give any additional information away! What I can say is read this book!
There is SO much in this wonderful (and moving, troubling, scary, etc.) book beyond the great mystery to solve: having a deeper understanding of border crossing, learning about the history (injustices) and modern experiences (injustices and celebrations) of Native Americans, learning about the meth problem and how it is made and distributed, seeing empowered women, and so much more.
(Although there are many) Here are some lines from the novel that really stuck with me:
“The FBI is interested in learning what caused the group hallucinations. I want to know if the kids are okay” (p. 158)“What if it’s a strength to love and care for someone you don’t always like? What if my mother is actually a strong person disguised as someone fragile?” (p. 180)
“It wasn’t just generational trauma that got stored in our blood and passed along, but our resilience and language, too” (p. 199)
“A girl needs at least one grown man in her life who sees her worth as inherent. Values her just as she is, not dependent upon her appearance or accomplishments” (p. 207)
Boulley is an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, and she writes about her Ojibwe community in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. There are some great reviews by NPR and Kirkus Reviews in addition to some interviews that you can watch here and here.
According to reports, Barack and Michelle Obama's production bought the rights and will be producing it as a Netflix series.
I had been hearing a lot of press about this book, so I made sure to order it the day it came out. And, it did not disappoint!
The author describes the book as an “indigenous Nancy Drew,” and the story was sparked based on events from when she was in high school when, after a big drug bust, it was revealed that an undercover cop had been posing as a student.
I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! And what a gorgeous cover!!!
The story is about Daunis Fontaine, who has never fit in--either in her hometown or on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She is about to head to college, but is derailed by both a family tragedy and the murder of her best friend, a result of a lethal new drug circulating through the community. She somewhat unwillingly takes on the role of informant, going undercover to track down the source(s). As part of her investigation, Daunis draws on her knowledge of science and Ojibwe traditional medicine; in addition, she has to learn how to make meth so she can help figure out where the ingredients are coming from. I won’t give any additional information away! What I can say is read this book!
There is SO much in this wonderful (and moving, troubling, scary, etc.) book beyond the great mystery to solve: having a deeper understanding of border crossing, learning about the history (injustices) and modern experiences (injustices and celebrations) of Native Americans, learning about the meth problem and how it is made and distributed, seeing empowered women, and so much more.
(Although there are many) Here are some lines from the novel that really stuck with me:
“The FBI is interested in learning what caused the group hallucinations. I want to know if the kids are okay” (p. 158)“What if it’s a strength to love and care for someone you don’t always like? What if my mother is actually a strong person disguised as someone fragile?” (p. 180)
“It wasn’t just generational trauma that got stored in our blood and passed along, but our resilience and language, too” (p. 199)
“A girl needs at least one grown man in her life who sees her worth as inherent. Values her just as she is, not dependent upon her appearance or accomplishments” (p. 207)
Boulley is an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, and she writes about her Ojibwe community in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. There are some great reviews by NPR and Kirkus Reviews in addition to some interviews that you can watch here and here.
According to reports, Barack and Michelle Obama's production bought the rights and will be producing it as a Netflix series.
|
|
Weekend Pick for April 9, 2021
The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person by Frederick Joseph
This weekend, if you haven’t already, please read Frederick Joseph’s The Black Friend! I first heard about the book last year through NCTE, and I immediately went out and bought it. (And, I read it in one sitting). As one of the few non-white students at his high school, Frederick experienced “wince-worthy moments that he often simply let go. As he grew older, however, he saw these as missed opportunities not only to stand up for himself, but to spread awareness to those white people who didn’t see the negative impact they were having.” He uses anecdotes from his past, along with input from artists and activists (Angie Thomas, Jemele Hill, etc.), to speak to issues of microaggressions, cultural appropriation, and many more. The Black Friend teaches important lessons while often using a humorous tone. The book even offers a glossary of terms and playlist to help readers understand and identify racism so that they can become antiracist.
I wanted this book in students’ hands! In February, as part of the African American Read-In, my school secured Mr. Joseph to zoom with us for a Q&A session. The Head of the Upper School bought copies of the book for students who read it before our zoom session. The book, and the Q&A, made such an impression on students and faculty that we hope to invite Frederick to come speak to the entire Upper School next year.
|
|
|
Weekend Pick for April 2, 2021
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
I had originally planned to write about some new titles I was reading, but after following the Derek Chauvin trial, I felt I needed to circle back to a book that made such a huge impact on my students: The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. It is a title I added to the 10th grade curriculum this year, and I am glad that I did. Whitehead’s novel won the Pulitzer Prize, was named an Alex Award title, and became the National English Honor Society’s “Common Reader” for 2020-2021 (in addition to winning numerous other awards and honors).
The novel tells the story of Elwood Curtis, a Black boy growing up in Tallahassee in the 1960s who dreams of going to college. He is wrongly sentenced to a juvenile reform school, the Nickel Academy. On the surface it looks nice; however, underneath it is horror after horror--physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Can Elwood keep believing in Dr. King’s ideals, in the face of all this evil?
Although fictional, it is based on a real reform school in Florida, the Dozier School for Boys, which was finally shut down in 2011 after years of allegations of abuse. An award-winning expose by the Tampa Bay Times told the stories of survivors. A team of researchers from the University of South Florida discovered more than 50 bodies buried on the grounds, with two dozen of them more than official records account for.
The true crime historical aspect grabbed my students before we started reading. Whitehead’s masterful writing style and haunting storytelling is what hooked them from page one to the end. Students who claimed they had “never read” one of their assigned books in its entirety read this. All of my students wrote essays arguing for its inclusion in the curriculum. As two of my students wrote (they co-authored their essay): “The Nickel Boys’ topic is something that not everyone can handle, with the severe racism and disconcerting characters, but Whitehead figured out how to form a book where he took certain beliefs and cultures and was able to make the reader reexamine their views. Taking account of Whitehead’s writing style, books like The Nickel Boys could very well change people’s lives.”
It is not an easy read, but that is why it is important to read.
I had originally planned to write about some new titles I was reading, but after following the Derek Chauvin trial, I felt I needed to circle back to a book that made such a huge impact on my students: The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. It is a title I added to the 10th grade curriculum this year, and I am glad that I did. Whitehead’s novel won the Pulitzer Prize, was named an Alex Award title, and became the National English Honor Society’s “Common Reader” for 2020-2021 (in addition to winning numerous other awards and honors).
The novel tells the story of Elwood Curtis, a Black boy growing up in Tallahassee in the 1960s who dreams of going to college. He is wrongly sentenced to a juvenile reform school, the Nickel Academy. On the surface it looks nice; however, underneath it is horror after horror--physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Can Elwood keep believing in Dr. King’s ideals, in the face of all this evil?
Although fictional, it is based on a real reform school in Florida, the Dozier School for Boys, which was finally shut down in 2011 after years of allegations of abuse. An award-winning expose by the Tampa Bay Times told the stories of survivors. A team of researchers from the University of South Florida discovered more than 50 bodies buried on the grounds, with two dozen of them more than official records account for.
The true crime historical aspect grabbed my students before we started reading. Whitehead’s masterful writing style and haunting storytelling is what hooked them from page one to the end. Students who claimed they had “never read” one of their assigned books in its entirety read this. All of my students wrote essays arguing for its inclusion in the curriculum. As two of my students wrote (they co-authored their essay): “The Nickel Boys’ topic is something that not everyone can handle, with the severe racism and disconcerting characters, but Whitehead figured out how to form a book where he took certain beliefs and cultures and was able to make the reader reexamine their views. Taking account of Whitehead’s writing style, books like The Nickel Boys could very well change people’s lives.”
It is not an easy read, but that is why it is important to read.
|
|
Weekend Picks for March 2021 by Gretchen Rumohr
Weekend Pick for March 26, 2021
Again Again by E. Lockhart
E. Lockhart seems to have mastered high-interest YA books. I found We Were Liars to be the perfect beach read due to its description; in my mind's eye, I can still see sticky lemonade bottles and the sun reflecting off of Cape Cod waters. When I was significantly depressed, Genuine Fraud supplied me with a mysterious, bold, and strong heroine when I felt like I could muster up the energy to fight again. With her compact prose and fast-moving plot twists, Lockhart is known for not wasting her readers' time. Perhaps you, or your students, are headed off to spring break soon--what good fortune that we have a newish book by Lockhart to read in one sitting!
Again Again is a multi-verse, inventive novel that tells a story in a million different ways--helping us to understand the thoughts, feelings, and actions of Adelaide Buchwald, who is coping with a breakup as well as her brother's drug addition. In many ways, Adelaide's way of writing, and rewriting, and rewriting her reality mirrors the ways we all rethink our past: what actually happened; how we responded; what we would have done differently if given the chance. Adelaide's longing for her ex-boyfriend (and related rumination) also mirrors the heartbreak many of us experience, and re-experience, when processing loss.
Thankfully my oldest daughter has been too busy to notice that Again Again is missing from her shelf--and I'll have it all to myself this weekend (don't you dare blow my cover!). Whether you're reading on a beach or on your couch, happy reading!
E. Lockhart seems to have mastered high-interest YA books. I found We Were Liars to be the perfect beach read due to its description; in my mind's eye, I can still see sticky lemonade bottles and the sun reflecting off of Cape Cod waters. When I was significantly depressed, Genuine Fraud supplied me with a mysterious, bold, and strong heroine when I felt like I could muster up the energy to fight again. With her compact prose and fast-moving plot twists, Lockhart is known for not wasting her readers' time. Perhaps you, or your students, are headed off to spring break soon--what good fortune that we have a newish book by Lockhart to read in one sitting!
Again Again is a multi-verse, inventive novel that tells a story in a million different ways--helping us to understand the thoughts, feelings, and actions of Adelaide Buchwald, who is coping with a breakup as well as her brother's drug addition. In many ways, Adelaide's way of writing, and rewriting, and rewriting her reality mirrors the ways we all rethink our past: what actually happened; how we responded; what we would have done differently if given the chance. Adelaide's longing for her ex-boyfriend (and related rumination) also mirrors the heartbreak many of us experience, and re-experience, when processing loss.
Thankfully my oldest daughter has been too busy to notice that Again Again is missing from her shelf--and I'll have it all to myself this weekend (don't you dare blow my cover!). Whether you're reading on a beach or on your couch, happy reading!
|
|
|
Do you need more options E. Lockhart Options? Yes you do!
|
|
|
Weekend Pick(s) for March 19, 2021
Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park
In Darkness by Nick Lake
My #1 weekend pick is Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park. Recent attacks on Asian Americans drive home the importance of learning about dominant culture, listening to the marginalized, and owning our work to right serious wrongs. As Lucy Feldman so aptly says regarding her Asian American identity, "we are always waiting our turn to be important."
We no longer need to make students "wait their turn to be important" when we prioritize diverse books in our classrooms. Telling the story of a young half-Asian girl, Hanna, Prairie Lotus explores the difficulty of fitting in, going to school, working, and connecting meaningfully with others. Park has written an "own voices" book that focuses on small-town living in 1880, helping us to understand and contextualize the prejudice that persists today.
In Darkness by Nick Lake
My #1 weekend pick is Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park. Recent attacks on Asian Americans drive home the importance of learning about dominant culture, listening to the marginalized, and owning our work to right serious wrongs. As Lucy Feldman so aptly says regarding her Asian American identity, "we are always waiting our turn to be important."
We no longer need to make students "wait their turn to be important" when we prioritize diverse books in our classrooms. Telling the story of a young half-Asian girl, Hanna, Prairie Lotus explores the difficulty of fitting in, going to school, working, and connecting meaningfully with others. Park has written an "own voices" book that focuses on small-town living in 1880, helping us to understand and contextualize the prejudice that persists today.
|
|
Also-- today, I sent my youngest daughter off to Colorado (on a plane! by herself!) for a special trip with my parents. Tomorrow, she will celebrate my dad's birthday, and what better way to celebrate a birthday than with a book?
Ever since I can remember, I have seen my dad read. Growing up, I'd hear him read The Hardy Boys series to my three younger brothers; I'd see his nose stuck in a book on family vacations; I often happened upon him reading Bible commentaries on Saturday evenings as he prepped for teaching Sunday school. This is a man who values--and knows the power of--literacy! What I know I will always remember, though, is that my dad has read every book I've ever given him. You could say we have a two-person YA book club--and he often finishes a book long before I do, eager to share opinions and reflections (he set a record with his speedy reading of The Serpent King).
So today, as my baby headed off on her adventure, I tucked my dad's birthday book in her suitcase. Telling the story of Shorty, a boy trapped in the rubble of a Haitian earthquake, Printz-award winning In Darkness will captivate my dad's attention. And the best part is that we'll discuss it soon. Happy #73 Birthday, Harry Fred Rumohr!
Ever since I can remember, I have seen my dad read. Growing up, I'd hear him read The Hardy Boys series to my three younger brothers; I'd see his nose stuck in a book on family vacations; I often happened upon him reading Bible commentaries on Saturday evenings as he prepped for teaching Sunday school. This is a man who values--and knows the power of--literacy! What I know I will always remember, though, is that my dad has read every book I've ever given him. You could say we have a two-person YA book club--and he often finishes a book long before I do, eager to share opinions and reflections (he set a record with his speedy reading of The Serpent King).
So today, as my baby headed off on her adventure, I tucked my dad's birthday book in her suitcase. Telling the story of Shorty, a boy trapped in the rubble of a Haitian earthquake, Printz-award winning In Darkness will captivate my dad's attention. And the best part is that we'll discuss it soon. Happy #73 Birthday, Harry Fred Rumohr!
Nick Lake
|
|
|
Weekend Picks for March 12, 2021
Losers Bracket by Chris Crutcher
I have handed off Losers Bracket to several students and friends--and now, my friend, I'm recommending it to you as your perfect Sunday afternoon read. Crutcher is a champion for classroom teachers, continually offering free-of-charge Zoom author visits during the pandemic; he is also known as a regular at the annual NCTE conference, where he catches up with Dr. Bickmore. As a former teacher as well as child and family therapist for the Spokane Community Mental Health Center, Crutcher has found much of his fiction to be informed by his work in education and therapy. He is known for telling us the truth about kids, and this story about Annie Boots--his first female narrator of more than a dozen YA books--delivers a smart, honest story. Annie is an athletically-gifted foster kid who chooses sports teams close to home in the hopes that her biological family will attend her events and cheer her on, as any "normal" family would. Through Annie's interactions with her therapist, fighting foster parents, drama-prone biological family members, classmates and book club, the reader revels in how Annie learns to care for others while also articulating and advocating for her own needs. The book's length (250 pages) is a selling point for students learning to build their reading endurance (though the book's content will appeal to young as well as old adults). Crutcher's recognition of Annie's challenges, well-balanced with humorous, sharp dialogue, makes the book a high-interest possibility for reluctant readers.
I have handed off Losers Bracket to several students and friends--and now, my friend, I'm recommending it to you as your perfect Sunday afternoon read. Crutcher is a champion for classroom teachers, continually offering free-of-charge Zoom author visits during the pandemic; he is also known as a regular at the annual NCTE conference, where he catches up with Dr. Bickmore. As a former teacher as well as child and family therapist for the Spokane Community Mental Health Center, Crutcher has found much of his fiction to be informed by his work in education and therapy. He is known for telling us the truth about kids, and this story about Annie Boots--his first female narrator of more than a dozen YA books--delivers a smart, honest story. Annie is an athletically-gifted foster kid who chooses sports teams close to home in the hopes that her biological family will attend her events and cheer her on, as any "normal" family would. Through Annie's interactions with her therapist, fighting foster parents, drama-prone biological family members, classmates and book club, the reader revels in how Annie learns to care for others while also articulating and advocating for her own needs. The book's length (250 pages) is a selling point for students learning to build their reading endurance (though the book's content will appeal to young as well as old adults). Crutcher's recognition of Annie's challenges, well-balanced with humorous, sharp dialogue, makes the book a high-interest possibility for reluctant readers.
|
|
|
Weekend Pick for March 5, 2021
The Year we Fell From Space by A. S. King
This weekend will be filled with various household tasks and errands--perfect for an audiobook (or a book book if you have the good fortune to sit by a sunny window in your favorite chair). I recommend both versions of The Year we Fell From Space by A. S. King. King's writing is creative, smart, and witty, and Space is no exception, following middle-schooler (and constellation expert) Liberty Johansen as she and her sister, Jilly, cope with their parents' divorce. Liberty must reconcile the love she feels for her father with her sense of obligation to her sister and mother--while figuring out a new normal for herself. I will be writing more in future posts about YA books that explore how young people cope with divorce; this is the perfect book for kids who are processing similar transitions. In fact, not long after my own divorce, I read this book to my daughter, Andra, who laughed at Liberty's snippy comebacks, listened carefully to Liberty's observations, and raised her eyebrows at King's use of magical realism (there is, after all, a talking meterorite). This weekend, The Year we Fell From Space will entertain you, but it will also give you insight and tenderness as you see divorce from Liberty's point of view and revel in how the stars, her family, and her imagination bring hope and healing.
This weekend will be filled with various household tasks and errands--perfect for an audiobook (or a book book if you have the good fortune to sit by a sunny window in your favorite chair). I recommend both versions of The Year we Fell From Space by A. S. King. King's writing is creative, smart, and witty, and Space is no exception, following middle-schooler (and constellation expert) Liberty Johansen as she and her sister, Jilly, cope with their parents' divorce. Liberty must reconcile the love she feels for her father with her sense of obligation to her sister and mother--while figuring out a new normal for herself. I will be writing more in future posts about YA books that explore how young people cope with divorce; this is the perfect book for kids who are processing similar transitions. In fact, not long after my own divorce, I read this book to my daughter, Andra, who laughed at Liberty's snippy comebacks, listened carefully to Liberty's observations, and raised her eyebrows at King's use of magical realism (there is, after all, a talking meterorite). This weekend, The Year we Fell From Space will entertain you, but it will also give you insight and tenderness as you see divorce from Liberty's point of view and revel in how the stars, her family, and her imagination bring hope and healing.
|
|
|
Weekend Picks for February 2021 by Morgan Jackson
Weekend Pick for Feb. 26, 2021
Early Departures by justin a. reynolds
“No one tells you this. That your life is always a few shitty seconds from absolute devastation” (justin a. reynolds, Early Departures)
Jamal has had a difficult few years. His parents died. His best friend stopped talking to him. His best friend died. His best friend is reanimated by a super secret science group.
The past two years have taught Jamal that anything can happen at any time and the world you know so well could change drastically in an instant. He hasn’t gotten over losing both of his parents in an accident or the fact that he blames his best friend for their death, but when that friend dies and can be reanimated Jamal has to figure out how to reconnect with Q and mend their broken friendship without telling Q that he died and will likely die again in less than a month.
reynolds tells an enthralling story. One that counts down from 100 and allows the reader to witness the building, destroying, and (hopefully) salvaging of a friendship between to Black boys. There are a bevy of female characters in the story: Jamal’s sister, his girlfriend, Q’s mom and a couple of teachers. But the
focus is on Jamal and Q’s friendship, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
We don’t have enough stories of boys’ friendship and the emotions that come with those friendships but reynolds has given us one that includes family struggles, romance, and teen angst but at its core it is about one boy wanting his friend back, even if only for 30 days.
“No one tells you this. That your life is always a few shitty seconds from absolute devastation” (justin a. reynolds, Early Departures)
Jamal has had a difficult few years. His parents died. His best friend stopped talking to him. His best friend died. His best friend is reanimated by a super secret science group.
The past two years have taught Jamal that anything can happen at any time and the world you know so well could change drastically in an instant. He hasn’t gotten over losing both of his parents in an accident or the fact that he blames his best friend for their death, but when that friend dies and can be reanimated Jamal has to figure out how to reconnect with Q and mend their broken friendship without telling Q that he died and will likely die again in less than a month.
reynolds tells an enthralling story. One that counts down from 100 and allows the reader to witness the building, destroying, and (hopefully) salvaging of a friendship between to Black boys. There are a bevy of female characters in the story: Jamal’s sister, his girlfriend, Q’s mom and a couple of teachers. But the
focus is on Jamal and Q’s friendship, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
We don’t have enough stories of boys’ friendship and the emotions that come with those friendships but reynolds has given us one that includes family struggles, romance, and teen angst but at its core it is about one boy wanting his friend back, even if only for 30 days.
|
|
Weekend Pick for Feb. 19, 2021
Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett
Adolescence is a difficult time in life. In Full Disclosure it is made even more difficult for Simone Garcia-Hampton. She’s at a new school, is directing her first school play, has a crush on a cute boy in Drama Club, and is HIV-positive. This is a love story, but it’s also about the test of friendships, the boundaries of parent/child relationships, and finding how you are and then being okay with that person.
What makes it even more refreshing is that it provides a representation as it should be, mentioned and included but not focused or harped on and without exegesis. Simone is being raised by two dads, she has a bisexual friend, and another who is asexual. She is Black, so is the boy she likes who happens to play lacrosse. But this story isn’t about checking boxes or filling quotas. When Simone starts hanging out with Miles, from Drama Club someone threatens to tell him her HIV-status, further complicating her life is the fact that she hasn’t told her two best friends about it, and she’s still not sure how relationships and sex work with her status. On top of that her parents are a little too involved.
Garret provides an authentic voice of a teenager who is forced to be very adult at times and the struggle to be both. There is a need for more sex-positive stories in the world and Full Disclosure provides that. Simone and her friends discuss their sex lives, or lack thereof. They support each other in getting birth control and buying vibrators. Sex is not shied away from. Simone talks about it with her doctors, her friends, her boyfriend, and her parents. Simone has frank conversations with her physicians about sex when HIV-positive that are easily relatable to adolescents who may not be HIV-positive, but are still unsure about safe sex practices.
While these topics may be uncomfortable for some adults the truth is many teenagers are learning about who they are sexually and this book provides an example of a teenager having those same awkward thoughts and conversations. Books should be safe spaces to explore and contemplate the things that we think about, but aren’t sure how to talk about. Camryn Garrett does an excellent job of capturing the confusion that is adolescents, while also tackling some very serious issues in a book that is sure to spark plenty of conversation.
Adolescence is a difficult time in life. In Full Disclosure it is made even more difficult for Simone Garcia-Hampton. She’s at a new school, is directing her first school play, has a crush on a cute boy in Drama Club, and is HIV-positive. This is a love story, but it’s also about the test of friendships, the boundaries of parent/child relationships, and finding how you are and then being okay with that person.
What makes it even more refreshing is that it provides a representation as it should be, mentioned and included but not focused or harped on and without exegesis. Simone is being raised by two dads, she has a bisexual friend, and another who is asexual. She is Black, so is the boy she likes who happens to play lacrosse. But this story isn’t about checking boxes or filling quotas. When Simone starts hanging out with Miles, from Drama Club someone threatens to tell him her HIV-status, further complicating her life is the fact that she hasn’t told her two best friends about it, and she’s still not sure how relationships and sex work with her status. On top of that her parents are a little too involved.
Garret provides an authentic voice of a teenager who is forced to be very adult at times and the struggle to be both. There is a need for more sex-positive stories in the world and Full Disclosure provides that. Simone and her friends discuss their sex lives, or lack thereof. They support each other in getting birth control and buying vibrators. Sex is not shied away from. Simone talks about it with her doctors, her friends, her boyfriend, and her parents. Simone has frank conversations with her physicians about sex when HIV-positive that are easily relatable to adolescents who may not be HIV-positive, but are still unsure about safe sex practices.
While these topics may be uncomfortable for some adults the truth is many teenagers are learning about who they are sexually and this book provides an example of a teenager having those same awkward thoughts and conversations. Books should be safe spaces to explore and contemplate the things that we think about, but aren’t sure how to talk about. Camryn Garrett does an excellent job of capturing the confusion that is adolescents, while also tackling some very serious issues in a book that is sure to spark plenty of conversation.
|
|
|
Weekend Pick for Feb. 12, 2021
Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe
Senior year of high school is hard. You find yourself on the cusp of adulthood while simultaneously trapped in childhood. Ben Philippe does an excellent job of showing the very real, completely nerve-wracking existence that is senior year. The constant push/pull of commitments, engagements, and obligations. The pressures to figure out the next steps, the fear of falling flat on your face and the desire to conquer the world in front of you.
In Charming as a Verb is a Henri, “Halti” Haltiwanger is the quintessential high school senior. He attends a posh private school, participates on the debate team, is friends with everyone, and works a part time job as a dog walker. All that’s left is to get into his dream school, Columbia University. What could possibly go wrong?
Henri must face off against his no-nonsense classmate and neighbor, Corrine. Somehow she has found out the one thing that could uproot everything he’s worked for.
This story is part coming of age, part romance, and part finding out who you really are. Henri has some decisions to make as he tries to figure out what to do about Corrine’s blackmail, how far he’s willing to go to get into Columbia, and how what he wants fits in with what his immigrant parents want for him.
Senior year of high school is hard. You find yourself on the cusp of adulthood while simultaneously trapped in childhood. Ben Philippe does an excellent job of showing the very real, completely nerve-wracking existence that is senior year. The constant push/pull of commitments, engagements, and obligations. The pressures to figure out the next steps, the fear of falling flat on your face and the desire to conquer the world in front of you.
In Charming as a Verb is a Henri, “Halti” Haltiwanger is the quintessential high school senior. He attends a posh private school, participates on the debate team, is friends with everyone, and works a part time job as a dog walker. All that’s left is to get into his dream school, Columbia University. What could possibly go wrong?
Henri must face off against his no-nonsense classmate and neighbor, Corrine. Somehow she has found out the one thing that could uproot everything he’s worked for.
This story is part coming of age, part romance, and part finding out who you really are. Henri has some decisions to make as he tries to figure out what to do about Corrine’s blackmail, how far he’s willing to go to get into Columbia, and how what he wants fits in with what his immigrant parents want for him.
|
|
|
Weekend Pick for Feb. 5, 2021
The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones by Daven McQueen
There are so many stories about racism in a southern town and yet The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones doesn’t come off cliche or redundant. A letter received in the mail transports Ethan back to a summer he’d like to forget and yet can’t help but remember. A time when Ethan, a biracial child, was being raised by his white father and spending the summer in Alabama with his white aunt and uncle. The rest of the book the reader follows Ethan through that summer experience in small town Alabama. The story unfolds to the reader and allows them to accompany Ethan on his summer journey with Juniper.
What makes this book unique and worth reading is the way in which McQueen recreates the experience and is able to show the reality of racism. McQueen illustrates the nuances of race, race relations, and feelings about race in such a way that is breathtaking and heartbreaking all at the same time. There is a need to understand the subtleties of racism. Most books that take place down south in 1955 focus on the outlandish and overt forms of racism. We are familiar with the burning cross and racial slurs. The “go back to where you came from” chants, but what about the slow watching, the taunting, and all the things that count as racism, but would be hard to explain. Rarely are microagressions so skillfully shown in literature, especially YA lit. I love that this book shows the implicit forms of racism. The muted scenes of racism are in some ways more powerful than the overt because they cause introspection. There are plenty of white characters who aren’t outwardly aggressive, but they are complicit and the reader is forced to try and answer some really hard questions.
What counts as racist?
Can good people be racist?
This one offers a great story while addressing so many pertinent issues.
There are so many stories about racism in a southern town and yet The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones doesn’t come off cliche or redundant. A letter received in the mail transports Ethan back to a summer he’d like to forget and yet can’t help but remember. A time when Ethan, a biracial child, was being raised by his white father and spending the summer in Alabama with his white aunt and uncle. The rest of the book the reader follows Ethan through that summer experience in small town Alabama. The story unfolds to the reader and allows them to accompany Ethan on his summer journey with Juniper.
What makes this book unique and worth reading is the way in which McQueen recreates the experience and is able to show the reality of racism. McQueen illustrates the nuances of race, race relations, and feelings about race in such a way that is breathtaking and heartbreaking all at the same time. There is a need to understand the subtleties of racism. Most books that take place down south in 1955 focus on the outlandish and overt forms of racism. We are familiar with the burning cross and racial slurs. The “go back to where you came from” chants, but what about the slow watching, the taunting, and all the things that count as racism, but would be hard to explain. Rarely are microagressions so skillfully shown in literature, especially YA lit. I love that this book shows the implicit forms of racism. The muted scenes of racism are in some ways more powerful than the overt because they cause introspection. There are plenty of white characters who aren’t outwardly aggressive, but they are complicit and the reader is forced to try and answer some really hard questions.
What counts as racist?
Can good people be racist?
This one offers a great story while addressing so many pertinent issues.
|
|
|
Weekend Picks for January 2021 by Steve Bickmore (with some help)
Weekend Pick for Jan. 29, 2021 by Steve Bickmore
Catch Me When I Fall by Bonnie Graves.
Over a year ago, Bonnie Graves sought me out on the advice of Richard Beach. Thanks Rick. Bonnie was hoping that I would be interested in reviewing her latest book, Catch Me When I Fall. Needless to say; I was interested. What’s not to love? It is a depression era tale that includes a circus and young twelve-year-old Emma’s journey to find out the identity of her father. I put the book in my to be read stack. Shortly, before the rise of COVID I read it and found it to be a remarkable middle grades book worth promoting and talking about.
Alas, with COVID several projects got waylaid or postpone. I had passed on most of the duties for weekend picks to other. This is both good and bad. Good, because others are involved in promoting the blog and providing more points of view about Young Adult literature. Bad, because I don’t get to all of the books and authors I want to talk about as quickly as I would like. Oh, well, It is never too late to advocate for a good book.
Bonnie’s book, Catch Me When I Fall is fantastic. I loved it and began talking about it with my students. I passed it around so much I don’t know who has it anymore. I love that students like the book and keep reading it. The only bad part is that I didn’t remember to get selfie. When my turn came around again in January of 2021, I planned to use it as a weekend pick. Fortunately, Bonnie contacted me with additional information. Another blog had highlighted her work with a wonderful write up. You can find that post at this link.
Bonnie was also kind enough to answer some interview questions in a written format. I have included it for your enjoyment. I hope you give this lovely book a chance.
Over a year ago, Bonnie Graves sought me out on the advice of Richard Beach. Thanks Rick. Bonnie was hoping that I would be interested in reviewing her latest book, Catch Me When I Fall. Needless to say; I was interested. What’s not to love? It is a depression era tale that includes a circus and young twelve-year-old Emma’s journey to find out the identity of her father. I put the book in my to be read stack. Shortly, before the rise of COVID I read it and found it to be a remarkable middle grades book worth promoting and talking about.
Alas, with COVID several projects got waylaid or postpone. I had passed on most of the duties for weekend picks to other. This is both good and bad. Good, because others are involved in promoting the blog and providing more points of view about Young Adult literature. Bad, because I don’t get to all of the books and authors I want to talk about as quickly as I would like. Oh, well, It is never too late to advocate for a good book.
Bonnie’s book, Catch Me When I Fall is fantastic. I loved it and began talking about it with my students. I passed it around so much I don’t know who has it anymore. I love that students like the book and keep reading it. The only bad part is that I didn’t remember to get selfie. When my turn came around again in January of 2021, I planned to use it as a weekend pick. Fortunately, Bonnie contacted me with additional information. Another blog had highlighted her work with a wonderful write up. You can find that post at this link.
Bonnie was also kind enough to answer some interview questions in a written format. I have included it for your enjoyment. I hope you give this lovely book a chance.
|
|
Interview with Bonnie Graves
Weekend Pick for Jan. 22, 2021 by Lesley Roessing
*This is Steve intruding a bit. This book is fantastic. I selected it as one of my Picks for 2020. I also featured it as a weekend pick in March of 2020. Scroll down to the date in this link if you want to read that. We rarely feature a book a second time. The fact that we are should give a subtle hint.
Jack Kerouac is Dead to Me by Gae Polisner
“Everything is screwed up. Even when I’m happy, I feel bad.
Nothing is simple.
Nothing feels okay.
And I can’t remember a time when it did.” (230)
Adolescence is not simple, but especially not for fifteen-year-old JL Markham. JL is overwhelmed with every teen challenge there is, and, on top of it all, the ghost of Jack Kerouac is haunting her family: JL’s father left for a 6-month job on the other side of the country for 6 months, then a year, now possibly longer; her mother suffers from dissociative disorder and continually writes letters to Jack Kerouac; her Nana is sure everything is “all right” but she constantly recounts her one kiss with Jack Kerouac when she was a young girl. And is it a coincidence that JL’s name, Jean Louise, is similar to Jack Kerouac’s real name Jean-Louis? What is the power of Jack Kerouac over her family?
In other bad news, her best friend forever (literally), Aubrey, has dropped her for two other friends who don’t appear to like her. Her 19-year old, cool, sweet boyfriend Max is seen as a loser by others and, while not pressuring her into sex, is impatiently waiting until she turns 16; he is a poet at heart (and an ardent reader) but underneath a typical teenage boy. The tropical butterflies she raises do not live very long, which she knows but still makes her sad.
JL is a study in vulnerability and resilience. She has tough choices to make—to raise the safer Monarch butterflies over the Tropicals; to choose her boyfriend over her best friend; to have sex with Max even though she has vowed to wait until she is 16; to abandon her mother, betray her father and grandmother, and go to California with Max after his graduation. While it may appear that author Gae Polisner has heaped her heroine with more than one teen can expect, the sad truth is that many of our adolescents face some, if not all, of these challenges—family breakups, absent fathers, parental mental illness, sexual pressures, loss and abandonment.
Besides well-developed characters, I particularly appreciate a well-structured plot. JL’s story is told in flashbacks at different times and while this could be annoying, under Polisner’s artful crafting, each flashback adds more complexity and understanding to the present plotline. A letter that JL is writing to Aubrey intersperses chapters and ends the story, leading readers even further into the heart of the main character; we have seen where she was and we learn how far she has come. A hero’s journey? A coming of age? As JL realizes “I’m just me, a sixteen-year-old girl.” (270) Maybe things will now feel “okay.”
For mature readers.
Jack Kerouac is Dead to Me by Gae Polisner
“Everything is screwed up. Even when I’m happy, I feel bad.
Nothing is simple.
Nothing feels okay.
And I can’t remember a time when it did.” (230)
Adolescence is not simple, but especially not for fifteen-year-old JL Markham. JL is overwhelmed with every teen challenge there is, and, on top of it all, the ghost of Jack Kerouac is haunting her family: JL’s father left for a 6-month job on the other side of the country for 6 months, then a year, now possibly longer; her mother suffers from dissociative disorder and continually writes letters to Jack Kerouac; her Nana is sure everything is “all right” but she constantly recounts her one kiss with Jack Kerouac when she was a young girl. And is it a coincidence that JL’s name, Jean Louise, is similar to Jack Kerouac’s real name Jean-Louis? What is the power of Jack Kerouac over her family?
In other bad news, her best friend forever (literally), Aubrey, has dropped her for two other friends who don’t appear to like her. Her 19-year old, cool, sweet boyfriend Max is seen as a loser by others and, while not pressuring her into sex, is impatiently waiting until she turns 16; he is a poet at heart (and an ardent reader) but underneath a typical teenage boy. The tropical butterflies she raises do not live very long, which she knows but still makes her sad.
JL is a study in vulnerability and resilience. She has tough choices to make—to raise the safer Monarch butterflies over the Tropicals; to choose her boyfriend over her best friend; to have sex with Max even though she has vowed to wait until she is 16; to abandon her mother, betray her father and grandmother, and go to California with Max after his graduation. While it may appear that author Gae Polisner has heaped her heroine with more than one teen can expect, the sad truth is that many of our adolescents face some, if not all, of these challenges—family breakups, absent fathers, parental mental illness, sexual pressures, loss and abandonment.
Besides well-developed characters, I particularly appreciate a well-structured plot. JL’s story is told in flashbacks at different times and while this could be annoying, under Polisner’s artful crafting, each flashback adds more complexity and understanding to the present plotline. A letter that JL is writing to Aubrey intersperses chapters and ends the story, leading readers even further into the heart of the main character; we have seen where she was and we learn how far she has come. A hero’s journey? A coming of age? As JL realizes “I’m just me, a sixteen-year-old girl.” (270) Maybe things will now feel “okay.”
For mature readers.
|
|
Weekend Pick for Jan. 15, 2021 by Steve Bickmore
The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour
Since the Thanksgiving break I am been giving myself reading room to roam. As someone who thinks about YA literature for a living. I am often compelled to be on the look out for the newest release, the book that is getting all of the buzz, or the novel that is just right to add to a class syllabus. When you allow yourself to wander, to reorganize your "to be read" list, or to renew older interests you just might find a gem or two. Over the last six weeks, I have found a few.
One of these gems is The Disenchantments. As some might remember, one of my thematic side interests within the world of YA literature is the music. I love books that highlight music. This can be in a variety of ways. One example is books that use music as a motif to push the theme or set the mood. I think Kiely's The Last True Love Story or Rowell's Eleanor and Park are good examples. Another category is the book about the band. A couple of my top choices for this category are Portman's King Dork and Emerson's Breakout. The Disenchantments set my heart soaring. I love the idea of kids grabbing an instrument and working to figuring it out. The raw passion it must take to gather some friends (or fellow impassioned explorers) and practice in the basement, the craved out extra space in a parent's warehouse or proverbial the garage until you can shout our Gloria, Smells Like Teen Spirit, or Satisfaction was beyond my courage factor. I always had a soft spot for the kids with drumsticks in his back pocket and very little interest in what was going on in my high school English class.
With in The Disenchantments Nina LaCour gets it right in many ways. Join Colby and Bev as they redefine what it means to be bandmates, friends, and to pursue individual and collective dreams. Do yourself a favor and join them as they tour with the band, chase down the meaning of old tattoos, and redefine friendship. I'll just bet you will get the urge to listen to some old records, to call an old friend, or dust off an old instrument to see if you are ready for a new adventure--or to rekindle an old dream.
Since the Thanksgiving break I am been giving myself reading room to roam. As someone who thinks about YA literature for a living. I am often compelled to be on the look out for the newest release, the book that is getting all of the buzz, or the novel that is just right to add to a class syllabus. When you allow yourself to wander, to reorganize your "to be read" list, or to renew older interests you just might find a gem or two. Over the last six weeks, I have found a few.
One of these gems is The Disenchantments. As some might remember, one of my thematic side interests within the world of YA literature is the music. I love books that highlight music. This can be in a variety of ways. One example is books that use music as a motif to push the theme or set the mood. I think Kiely's The Last True Love Story or Rowell's Eleanor and Park are good examples. Another category is the book about the band. A couple of my top choices for this category are Portman's King Dork and Emerson's Breakout. The Disenchantments set my heart soaring. I love the idea of kids grabbing an instrument and working to figuring it out. The raw passion it must take to gather some friends (or fellow impassioned explorers) and practice in the basement, the craved out extra space in a parent's warehouse or proverbial the garage until you can shout our Gloria, Smells Like Teen Spirit, or Satisfaction was beyond my courage factor. I always had a soft spot for the kids with drumsticks in his back pocket and very little interest in what was going on in my high school English class.
With in The Disenchantments Nina LaCour gets it right in many ways. Join Colby and Bev as they redefine what it means to be bandmates, friends, and to pursue individual and collective dreams. Do yourself a favor and join them as they tour with the band, chase down the meaning of old tattoos, and redefine friendship. I'll just bet you will get the urge to listen to some old records, to call an old friend, or dust off an old instrument to see if you are ready for a new adventure--or to rekindle an old dream.
|
|
|
Weekend Pick for Jan. 8, 2021 by Susan James
Admission: A Novel by Julie Buxbaum
As my guest blogging comes to a close, I wanted to select the perfect Weekend Pick. I thought about continuing to share some of my favorite middle grades selections but was quickly inspired to include Julie Buxbaum’s YA book, Admission, for some seriously well-founded reasons. First, who doesn’t love Julie Buxbaum? This adorable little spitfire has such voice in her writing. What to Say Next is one of my all-time favorite YA books. Quite frankly, all of her books are worthy of praise! But what really directed my pick for this week was the sad loss of my dear Mother. My mom was the person who fostered my love of reading, and not only would she have loved Admission, she would have loved Julie Buxbaum! Julie has the type of personality my Momma loved, and this book is one that Mom would have enjoyed reading and discussing for hours. Finally, for those out there with young adults, I remind you of my passion of encouraging parents to read 20 minutes each night with your youth (yes, middle and high school students LOVE this) and then having a short 20-minute discussion about what was read. This past year, I initiated the Commit-2-Connect 2020 Challenge, and I hope those who participated will take it into 2021. The discussions I have had with my daughter and her friends surrounding YA Literature are some of the best (and most important) I have ever had, and Admission is the PERFECT book for parents and their kiddos to read together. Trust me, you won’t want to pass up the opportunity of sharing this book with all the young adults in your life!
Admission introduces us to Chloe Wynn Berringer, the child of B-List Hollywood star Joy Fields-- a mom Chloe tells us can “weep on demand” and tends to be “a little dramatic.” So, when the FBI shows up toting guns and demanding Chloe open the door, Chloe thinks it is a joke. And when Chloe later sees the headlines that read “JOY FIELDS, SITCOM STAR, ARRESTED ON MULTIPLE FRAUD CHARGES IN COUNTRYWIDE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS SCANDA,L” Chloe tells us this is the moment she knows it is all her own fault. Afterall, Chloe’s mom has had nothing on her mind but wanting Chloe to attend South California College (SCC), a highly sought-after institute, and Chloe connects the dots between her once low scores and the sudden unimaginable increase of her latest SAT results.
This is only the beginning, as Admission is told in a nonlinear narrative that shows Chloe’s perfect life before the arrest and the challenges of her family after said arrest. Heck, Chloe’s life is so perfect before the scandal that when she ponders how to respond to the common college admissions essay prompt about the adversities she has faced, what inspires her, or what interests she has outside of school, the only thought that comes to mind is the handsome and intelligent “Levi Haas” and her interest in kissing him. Levi, her once hands-off friend who is certainly headed to Harvard, has left the friends’ zone and is showing her nothing but love.
That is…. until the news of her mother’s arrest is released. With this news, Chloe is dumped by Levi through text, which is at least one step up from her “ride or die” best friend Shola’s reaction-- radio silence. Now, all Chloe is left with is her thoughts and the distinct realization that the themes from her assigned reading in Mrs. Pollack’s English class of the classic book Crime and Punishment (which Chloe “read” via Sparknotes) are suddenly relevant to her crumbling world. This leaves her pondering past discussions with Shola, one of which included Shola firmly reminding Chloe of Chloe’s privilege and how whining about it was the “height of entitlement.” Chloe insinuates that Shola has an advantage for being Nigerian American when in reality Shola has an SAT score and list of accomplishments that would easily land her at Harvard’s doors, if only she could secure financial aid.
Although Chloe studies non-stop for the SAT, her Mom provides the extra “support” by enlisting help from Dr. Wilson, a college counselor that is easily accessible to Chloe, as her parents have the money. Chloe finds this college counselor’s visit to be over the top (especially her parents flying him first class from New York and arranging for his stay at the Four Seasons), but she goes with the flow because her parents’ dreams of her attending Southern California College (SCC) seem to mean everything to them. And, quite honestly, Chloe would love to keep up with her peers and attend SCC but is feeling less than smart enough to accomplish this. Her parents’ investment seems to be worthwhile, when Chloe receives that increase in score by 240 points. Yet, she can’t shake the feeling she had when she took the test and guessed on many of her answers. Should all of these feelings and “noticings” have added up for Chloe? And if she was subconsciously aware of what was going on, does that make her complicit?
This book kept me on the edge of my seat during a rough time in my life, which speaks volumes of Buxbaum’s writing. I kept thinking about what amazing discussions can be had with this book. First, Julie Buxbaum does a great job reminding us of the people behind the scandal. One of the most important reasons for reading is to be able to place ourselves in the shoes of others, and Julie successfully allows readers to do so. Oftentimes when headlines signal a scandal (usually typed in BOLD print on page 1), we envision monsters instead of real people. Chloe’s family is close and loving, but they are not perfect (who is?). It leads readers to discuss the appropriate/inappropriate level of help students should be given and why parents would go to the lengths that Chloe’s parents do in order to ensure their children’s entrance into college. Buxbaum’s book also allows for discussion about how Chloe’s younger sister suffers due to the decisions her mother made, as well as Chloe’s possible role in the scandal. The cause-and-effect impact on relationships (both familial and peer) is well developed by Buxbaum, and I can see my students wanting to dissect this topic (or in the words of the novel’s English teacher, Mrs. Pollack, “unpack” this theme). But most of all, I loved how Chloe was able to self-reflect and grow from her experience. She shares her realization that money cannot buy everything, and it especially does not buy courage. The characters in Buxbaum’s novel teach us (yes, parents, too) strong lessons and allow for deep thought about topics that are not easy to discuss-- a true win for our young adults, parents, and educators!
This review is written in honor of my dear Mother, Margaret Densmore James, a woman who inspired my passion for reading and my incessant talking about books. My Mom never met a stranger, which probably is why I inherited the courage to meet the author, Julie Buxbaum, in the woman’s bathroom at the Teen Texas Book Festival. In the spirit of my Mom, I did not pass up the opportunity to meet one of my favorite authors, despite poor Ms. Buxbaum probably feeling she needed to call security. Thanks, Mom!
As my guest blogging comes to a close, I wanted to select the perfect Weekend Pick. I thought about continuing to share some of my favorite middle grades selections but was quickly inspired to include Julie Buxbaum’s YA book, Admission, for some seriously well-founded reasons. First, who doesn’t love Julie Buxbaum? This adorable little spitfire has such voice in her writing. What to Say Next is one of my all-time favorite YA books. Quite frankly, all of her books are worthy of praise! But what really directed my pick for this week was the sad loss of my dear Mother. My mom was the person who fostered my love of reading, and not only would she have loved Admission, she would have loved Julie Buxbaum! Julie has the type of personality my Momma loved, and this book is one that Mom would have enjoyed reading and discussing for hours. Finally, for those out there with young adults, I remind you of my passion of encouraging parents to read 20 minutes each night with your youth (yes, middle and high school students LOVE this) and then having a short 20-minute discussion about what was read. This past year, I initiated the Commit-2-Connect 2020 Challenge, and I hope those who participated will take it into 2021. The discussions I have had with my daughter and her friends surrounding YA Literature are some of the best (and most important) I have ever had, and Admission is the PERFECT book for parents and their kiddos to read together. Trust me, you won’t want to pass up the opportunity of sharing this book with all the young adults in your life!
Admission introduces us to Chloe Wynn Berringer, the child of B-List Hollywood star Joy Fields-- a mom Chloe tells us can “weep on demand” and tends to be “a little dramatic.” So, when the FBI shows up toting guns and demanding Chloe open the door, Chloe thinks it is a joke. And when Chloe later sees the headlines that read “JOY FIELDS, SITCOM STAR, ARRESTED ON MULTIPLE FRAUD CHARGES IN COUNTRYWIDE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS SCANDA,L” Chloe tells us this is the moment she knows it is all her own fault. Afterall, Chloe’s mom has had nothing on her mind but wanting Chloe to attend South California College (SCC), a highly sought-after institute, and Chloe connects the dots between her once low scores and the sudden unimaginable increase of her latest SAT results.
This is only the beginning, as Admission is told in a nonlinear narrative that shows Chloe’s perfect life before the arrest and the challenges of her family after said arrest. Heck, Chloe’s life is so perfect before the scandal that when she ponders how to respond to the common college admissions essay prompt about the adversities she has faced, what inspires her, or what interests she has outside of school, the only thought that comes to mind is the handsome and intelligent “Levi Haas” and her interest in kissing him. Levi, her once hands-off friend who is certainly headed to Harvard, has left the friends’ zone and is showing her nothing but love.
That is…. until the news of her mother’s arrest is released. With this news, Chloe is dumped by Levi through text, which is at least one step up from her “ride or die” best friend Shola’s reaction-- radio silence. Now, all Chloe is left with is her thoughts and the distinct realization that the themes from her assigned reading in Mrs. Pollack’s English class of the classic book Crime and Punishment (which Chloe “read” via Sparknotes) are suddenly relevant to her crumbling world. This leaves her pondering past discussions with Shola, one of which included Shola firmly reminding Chloe of Chloe’s privilege and how whining about it was the “height of entitlement.” Chloe insinuates that Shola has an advantage for being Nigerian American when in reality Shola has an SAT score and list of accomplishments that would easily land her at Harvard’s doors, if only she could secure financial aid.
Although Chloe studies non-stop for the SAT, her Mom provides the extra “support” by enlisting help from Dr. Wilson, a college counselor that is easily accessible to Chloe, as her parents have the money. Chloe finds this college counselor’s visit to be over the top (especially her parents flying him first class from New York and arranging for his stay at the Four Seasons), but she goes with the flow because her parents’ dreams of her attending Southern California College (SCC) seem to mean everything to them. And, quite honestly, Chloe would love to keep up with her peers and attend SCC but is feeling less than smart enough to accomplish this. Her parents’ investment seems to be worthwhile, when Chloe receives that increase in score by 240 points. Yet, she can’t shake the feeling she had when she took the test and guessed on many of her answers. Should all of these feelings and “noticings” have added up for Chloe? And if she was subconsciously aware of what was going on, does that make her complicit?
This book kept me on the edge of my seat during a rough time in my life, which speaks volumes of Buxbaum’s writing. I kept thinking about what amazing discussions can be had with this book. First, Julie Buxbaum does a great job reminding us of the people behind the scandal. One of the most important reasons for reading is to be able to place ourselves in the shoes of others, and Julie successfully allows readers to do so. Oftentimes when headlines signal a scandal (usually typed in BOLD print on page 1), we envision monsters instead of real people. Chloe’s family is close and loving, but they are not perfect (who is?). It leads readers to discuss the appropriate/inappropriate level of help students should be given and why parents would go to the lengths that Chloe’s parents do in order to ensure their children’s entrance into college. Buxbaum’s book also allows for discussion about how Chloe’s younger sister suffers due to the decisions her mother made, as well as Chloe’s possible role in the scandal. The cause-and-effect impact on relationships (both familial and peer) is well developed by Buxbaum, and I can see my students wanting to dissect this topic (or in the words of the novel’s English teacher, Mrs. Pollack, “unpack” this theme). But most of all, I loved how Chloe was able to self-reflect and grow from her experience. She shares her realization that money cannot buy everything, and it especially does not buy courage. The characters in Buxbaum’s novel teach us (yes, parents, too) strong lessons and allow for deep thought about topics that are not easy to discuss-- a true win for our young adults, parents, and educators!
This review is written in honor of my dear Mother, Margaret Densmore James, a woman who inspired my passion for reading and my incessant talking about books. My Mom never met a stranger, which probably is why I inherited the courage to meet the author, Julie Buxbaum, in the woman’s bathroom at the Teen Texas Book Festival. In the spirit of my Mom, I did not pass up the opportunity to meet one of my favorite authors, despite poor Ms. Buxbaum probably feeling she needed to call security. Thanks, Mom!
|
|
|
Weekend Pick for Jan. 1, 2021
Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson.
Yesterday, I listed Grown as one of Bick's Picks for 2020. I finished the book about three weeks ago and I knew it would be a weekend pick and a pick for 2020. To say, that I was stunned by this book is an understatement. It was one of those books that compels you to keep reading. It is hard to decide to even find a stopping point. Each chapter leaves you wanting to continue.
I have grown daughters and I a bit terrified that I really don't know much about their temptations and the challenges they faced to reach adulthood. I know now that we still need some conversations. Growing up for adolescents in any circumstance is not easy, but if you are surrounded by predators the odds become even more challenging.
Tiffany D. Jackson is a commanding author. Currently, with four tremendous novels under her belt, it is hard to imagine that she hasn't been writing and influencing YA fiction for a couple of decades. Yet, her first novel, Allegedly, was published in April 2018. It was followed in April of 2019 by Monday's Not Coming and, then, in May of 2020 Let Me Hear a Rhyme hit the shelves. The first three were roughly a year apart, but this fourth hit the shelves on Sept. of 2020. Tiffany is definitely on my radar. I was thrilled to have her as an individual speaker at the ALAN Workshop in 2019, when I was the president. I would love to host her at UNLV Summit on the Research and Teaching of Young Adult literature. I will keep working on that dream.
Tiffany's novels are both realistic and gritty. They are surrounded by mystery and uncertainty, in other words, they are right up my alley. I am not sure why I waited so long to read this wonderful book. My advice, don't wait, read this book as soon as possible. It is one of the few books that caused me to pause. I finished reading the book and after I closed it and continued sitting in my chair. In actuality, I was quietly rereading the novel and trying to wrap my mind around this fantastic narrative.
Yesterday, I listed Grown as one of Bick's Picks for 2020. I finished the book about three weeks ago and I knew it would be a weekend pick and a pick for 2020. To say, that I was stunned by this book is an understatement. It was one of those books that compels you to keep reading. It is hard to decide to even find a stopping point. Each chapter leaves you wanting to continue.
I have grown daughters and I a bit terrified that I really don't know much about their temptations and the challenges they faced to reach adulthood. I know now that we still need some conversations. Growing up for adolescents in any circumstance is not easy, but if you are surrounded by predators the odds become even more challenging.
Tiffany D. Jackson is a commanding author. Currently, with four tremendous novels under her belt, it is hard to imagine that she hasn't been writing and influencing YA fiction for a couple of decades. Yet, her first novel, Allegedly, was published in April 2018. It was followed in April of 2019 by Monday's Not Coming and, then, in May of 2020 Let Me Hear a Rhyme hit the shelves. The first three were roughly a year apart, but this fourth hit the shelves on Sept. of 2020. Tiffany is definitely on my radar. I was thrilled to have her as an individual speaker at the ALAN Workshop in 2019, when I was the president. I would love to host her at UNLV Summit on the Research and Teaching of Young Adult literature. I will keep working on that dream.
Tiffany's novels are both realistic and gritty. They are surrounded by mystery and uncertainty, in other words, they are right up my alley. I am not sure why I waited so long to read this wonderful book. My advice, don't wait, read this book as soon as possible. It is one of the few books that caused me to pause. I finished reading the book and after I closed it and continued sitting in my chair. In actuality, I was quietly rereading the novel and trying to wrap my mind around this fantastic narrative.
|
|
|