Alex Flinn, . . HarperTempest, $7.99 (288pp) ISBN 978-0-06-447257-9
In what PW
called "a gripping tale," a 16-year-old, who is considered perfect by his classmates, suffers a turbulent home life with an abusive father, and he himself follows the pattern of violence. Ages 13-up. (Oct.)
Note:
Additional reviews of children's books can be found in the Children's Religion section (p. 69).
"Ever feel like you're breathing underwater, and you have to stop because you're gulping in too much fluid?" For 16-year-old Nick Andreas, these words from his violence counselor Continue reading »
Heavy-handed writing undermines Flinn's (Breathing Underwater) stated goal for her second novel, namely, to "stimulate discussion" among teens about Continue reading »
Michael Daye has been living under an assumed name and traveling with a carnival for the past year, but he returns with the carnival to Miami just as his mother is about to stand trial for Continue reading »
Flinn (Diva
) delivers a lighthearted and contemporary twist on Beauty and the Beast, and while there is nothing shocking nor any striking departure from the Continue reading »
In the same vein as Flinn's Beastly, this clever and humorous retelling of ""Sleeping Beauty"" follows an aimless American boy who awakens a princess who has been slumbering for 300 years. Jack Continue reading »
As she did in Beastly and A Kiss in Time, Flinn mixes traditional fairy tales with a modern setting in a romance that is clever but not always compelling. When the beautiful princess of Aloria visits Continue reading »
Flinn (Beastly, Cloaked) again puts a modern spin on a classic fairy tale. In this Rapunzel retelling, Wyatt, a teen mourning the devastating loss of his best friend and his best friend's sister, Continue reading »
Some of Us: A Story of Citizenship and the United States
Rajani Larocca
“Some of us are born American. Some choose,” begins Newbery Honoree LaRocca in this elegantly limned work about U.S. citizenship. An initial section examines how and why people Continue reading »
“Flamboyant and somewhat rambunctious” gay teen Brian, who lives in Canon, W.Va., runs a secret podcast called Shampoo Unicorn in Lovett’s superb debut about queer pride and Continue reading »
After coming out as trans-gender at her Buffalo high school, Grace Woodhouse struggled to manage the loss of her girlfriend, her tight-knit social circle, and her place on her Continue reading »
As the only girl in her wealthy family, 11-year-old Zarina feels as if she leads a charmed life in 1947 Poona, India—until Zarina and her Muslim family flee from India to the Continue reading »