Not If I See You First

Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom, 310 pages

“Parker Grant doesn't need 20/20 vision to see right through you. That's why she created the Rules: Don't treat her any differently just because she's blind, and never take advantage. There will be no second chances. Just ask Scott Kilpatrick, the boy who broke her heart. When Scott suddenly reappears in her life after being gone for years, Parker knows there's only one way to react--shun him so hard it hurts. She has enough on her mind already, like trying out for the track team (that's right, her eyes don't work but her legs still do), doling out tough-love advice to her painfully naive classmates, and giving herself gold stars for every day she hasn't cried since her dad's death three months ago. But avoiding her past quickly proves impossible, and the more Parker learns about what really happened--both with Scott, and her dad--the more she starts to question if things are always as they seem. Maybe, just maybe, some Rules are meant to be broken. Combining a fiercely engaging voice with true heart, debut author Eric Lindstrom's Not If I See You First illuminates those blind spots that we all have in life, whether visually impaired or not.” This book was amazing.  I loved it.  Any teen who likes realistic stories should read this book.

The War That Saved My Life

The War ThatSaved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, 316 pages

“Nine-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada's twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn't waste a minute--she sneaks out to join him. So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan--and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?”  This book was amazing.  I loved the characters, especially Ada, and her journey, although Susan’s journey was almost as compelling to read about.  I would give this to any child who liked realistic or historical fiction.

Insignificant Events In The Life Of A Cactus

InsignificantEvents In The Life Of A Cactus by Dusti Bowling, 262 pages

“New friends and a mystery help Aven, thirteen, adjust to middle school and life at a dying western theme park in a new state, where her being born armless presents many challenges.” This book was so much more than I expected it to be.  It was funny and mysterious, and real all at the same time.  Kids who like realistic fiction will enjoy this book a lot.

And Then There Were Four

And Then There Were Four by Nancy Werlin, 415 pages

“Let's not die today. Not even to make things easier for our parents.  When a building collapses around five teenagers-and they just barely escape-they know something strange is going on. Little by little, the group pieces together a theory- Their parents are working together to kill them all. Is it true? And if so, how did their parents come together-and why? And, most importantly, how can the five of them work together to save themselves? With an unlikely group of heroes, sky-high stakes, and two budding romances, this gripping murder mystery will keep readers guessing until the last page.” This was typical Werlin.  I love her books and I really liked this one as well.  I could have done without one of the main character’s stream-of-conscious” thoughts, but except for that, which wasn’t awful, just a little distracting once in a while, I would highly recommend this to teens who like thrillers and mysteries.

The Boys in the Bunkhouse

The Boys in the Bunkhouse: Servitude and Salvation in the Heartland by Dan Barry    352 pages

"In the tiny Iowa farm town of Atalissa, a group of intellectually disabled men, all from Texas, lived in a tired old schoolhouse. Every morning, well before dawn, they were bussed to a processing plant to eviscerate turkeys in return for food, lodging, and $65 a month. From 1974 until 2009, the men lived in near servitude, enduring increasing neglect, exploitation, and physical and emotional abuse—until state social workers, local journalists, and one tenacious government lawyer helped these men achieve their freedom.

New York Times columnist Dan Barry reveals how these men in an Iowa schoolhouse remained nearly forgotten for more than three decades. Drawing on exhaustive interviews, he dives deeply into their lives, recording their memories and suffering, their tender moments of joy and persistent hopefulness—their endurance of harrowing circumstances. Barry explores why this small heartland town remained all but blind to the men’s plight, details how those responsible for such profound neglect justified their actions, and chronicles the lasting impact of a dramatic court case that has spurred advocates—as well as President Obama—to push for just pay and improved working conditions for people with disabilities."


I felt it was easier to use the summary from Goodreads than write my own --- mostly because I don't think I would have been able to write something this compelling (and I would left something out, I'm sure).  This was a book that was hard to read, but hard to put down. You feel like you must be reading fiction at times, because you don't want to believe that all of this happened. And that people could be treated this way.  Actually, I can believe that humans would treat other humans this way, which is why this book was upsetting at times.  Dan Barry does a wonderful job of bringing this story to life, in a way where you get to know the different men in the story, in a way that is compassionate, but heartbreaking.  

Earth Flight

EarthFlight by Janet Edwards, 365 pages

“Jarra never wanted to be a celebrity. All she ever wanted was to gain some respect for the people left on Earth: the unlucky few whose immune system prevents them from portaling to other planets.  Except now she's the most famous Earth girl in the universe - but not everyone in the universe is happy about it, nor the fact that she has found love with a norm. Jarra's actions have repercussions that spread further than she ever could have imagined, and political unrest threatens to tear apart the delicate balance of peace between humanity's worlds.  On top of everything, the first alien artifact ever discovered appears to be waiting for Jarra to reveal its secrets. But to do so, she must somehow find a way to leave Earth - or else the alien artifact will be lost forever. Is there a way for Jarra to travel to another planet? Or is her destiny only to look to the stars - but never to reach them?”  I loved the finale to this series.  These books just kept getting better in my opinion.  This series is a must for teen science fiction fans.

Earth Star

Earth Star by Janet Edwards, 287 pages

In this sequel to Earth Girl, Jarra is once again called upon to help save the Earth from possible destruction.  When an alien sphere appears in the sky above Earth, Jarra and her boyfriend, Fian, are drafted into the military so that they can help with the crisis from a historian standpoint.  Jarra's status as Handicapped but from a military family makes her uniquely qualified to assist with what the military has in mind.  The situation is extremely dangerous, as no one knows if the sphere is hostile and it has not responded to any communication efforts.  If a peaceful solution cannot be reached, the governments may decide to take aggressive action, which could easily end up with the destruction of Earth.  I think I liked this book better than the first and can't wait to finish the third book also.  I would definitely recommend this series to teen science fiction fans.

Blind

Blind by Rachel DeWoskin, 394 pages

Emma was hit in the face with a firecracker and as a result, she is blind.  This story begins about the time that she realizes that being blind doesn't actually mean that her life is over.  However, just because she has started working toward her future, everything isn't all light and happiness.  Life is still pretty tough, especially when a girl from her class apparently commits suicide.  Working through all of her feelings about being blind and trying to deal with the trauma of a friend being dead takes a toll and Emma isn't sure she's up to the challenge.  I really enjoyed this book.  It would probably have more girl appeal to teens but teens who like realistic fiction will probably like it.

Dangerous

Dangerous by Shannon Hale, 408 pages

Maisie is ecstatic when she wins a contest that will allow her to attend an astronaut training camp for three weeks.  She has been homeschooled all of her life and at the camp she meets a boy who is called Wilder.  Maisie is surprised that Wilder seems interested in her and even more surprised that she is interested in him.  Even better than that, her group wins a trip to the Beanstalk that attaches the earth to a space station.  When they arrive, they are actually allowed to go part way up to the halfway point where the camp benefactor, Dr. Howell shows the group something very unusual that ends up changing their lives, but maybe not for the better.  This is part romance and science fiction and all excitement for a large part of the book.  Many teens will enjoy it.

We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarrassingly, a True Story

We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarrassingly, a True Story by Josh Sundquist, 326 pages

This is a book about how bad Josh Sundquist is at relationships. Repeatedly, unknowingly bad.

But more importantly, this is a charming, (sadly) relatable, funny book about overcoming disability, learning about yourself, making true friends, and finding out that the biggest hurdle we face is often our own unwillingness to communicate - due to fear of rejection, fear of awkwardness, or in some cases, fear of acceptance. And it's all delivered in an entertaining way that lets you laugh at (or along with?) the author, and perhaps, at yourself.

I enjoyed this book enough that I feel like I should write my usual 2-page-long essay, but really, there's not much more to say. It's fun, it's honest, and it made me laugh.

Centaur Rising

Centaur Rising by Jane Yolen, 258 pages

Ari and her family are shocked when their pony, Agora, gives birth to a centaur.  Kai is a sweet, bright boy who grown fast and learns quickly.  Because they are concerned about him being exposed to the public in a negative way, especially before he is old enough to handle groups of people, the family tries to keep it a secret.  However, this means that several of the people who board their horses on the farm remove them which seriously cuts into the family’s income.  They were having a hard time getting by before so they’re not sure what they will do now.  And when a nosy child of a boarder finds out about Kai, their whole plan could be shot.  This was an amazing realistic fantasy story.  Except for the centaur, the rest of the story is about families and human nature and it’s incredibly well done.  This will appeal to a variety of young fantasy fans.

Formerly Shark Girl

Formerly Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham, 341 pages

This book told in verse is the sequel to Shark Girl.  The story of Jane, who lost her arm in a shark attack a year ago, is told from Jane’s perspective.  Jane is still struggling with some aspects of her life.  Since the accident she has considered becoming a nurse instead of an artist.  She is struggling with pain in the stump of her missing arm, but afraid that it may be more than just regular phantom pain.  She is still struggling to draw and paint with her left hand and feels that her work isn’t as good as it used to be.  She is also interested in dating, but isn’t sure she’s interested in the boy who seems to be interested in her.  Honestly, this is really just a story about a teen dealing with regular life and the choices that come with growing up.  Although some of the book is about her missing arm, teens will be more likely to see themselves in Jane and less likely to focus on the difference of her missing limb.  Teens that like novels in verse will probably like this book a lot.

Say What You Will

Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern, 343 pages

Amy has Cerebral Palsy.  She doesn’t speak or walk very well and one side of her body doesn’t work very well either.  She doesn’t really have any friends but for her senior year of high school, Amy asks to have peer helpers instead of adult aides.  Even though these teens will be getting paid, she will have the chance to interact more with kids her own age.  Matthew is one of the aides.  He and Amy actually start to become friends.  Except, Amy thinks she might want to be more than friends.  Will Matthew ever want the same thing?  Although this is definitely a romance, it’s really more about Amy and Matthew navigating the world and learning who they are.  This was a really good book that I would give to teens, especially girls, who like realistic fiction.