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 »
Clare, the undead fox of Deadwood Forest, is cast as a monster by the local children who gather each Halloween around the forest’s edge to chant about how he “waits to feast/ On Continue reading »
Poet and educator Keith (How the Boogeyman Became a Poet) delivers a poignant, hip-hop-fueled collection of poetry that’s equal parts memoir, love letter, and rallying cry to Continue reading »
Sixteen-year-old Sabel is puzzled by tonight’s family meal, which seems to be a special spread of her and her four siblings’ favorite foods. Sickness and savagery have toppled Continue reading »
Willis Hudson movingly exalts the power of African American spirituals in a lyrics showcase that pairs existing verses with feelings they can evoke. On the first page, a Black Continue reading »