The Girl With The Broken Heart

The Girl With The Broken Heart by Lurlene McDaniel, 273 pages

“Kenzie Caine is enrolled at Vanderbilt University, with the goal of becoming a veterinarian. When she lands a summer job caring for and helping to rehabilitate abused horses at the Bellmeade Estate stables, she is over-the-moon happy. One place she does not want to be is at home with her parents. Since the tragic death of Kenzie's younger sister, her mother has unraveled and her father has lost Kenzie's trust. At the stables, Kenzie is in her element. But a serious heart condition limits her ability to complete the more physical aspects of the job, so her employers have tasked the charming Austin Boyd with helping her. But Austin has secrets. And as Kenzie and Austin become closer, those secrets threaten to harm their relationship, as well as reveal other startling truths.” I admit, I had guessed at some of the secrets early on in the story, but not all.  This was a good story for teens who like a good romance, mixed with a little action.

Monday’s Not Coming

Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson, 435 pages

Claudia’s best friend, Monday, doesn’t show up for the first day of school, or the second, or the whole first week.  When Claudia tries to find out where she is, it seems that no one knows or really cares.  She talks to her parents, teachers at school, and even goes by Monday’s house, although, because Monday lives in a bad neighborhood, her mother would kill her if she found out.  Teacher’s check and say Monday is being home schooled, but her family said that she was with her dad, or maybe her aunt.  Claudia doesn’t believe that Monday would just abandon her and she’s determined to get to the truth, no matter what.  This was an amazing, sad, beautiful book that everyone should read.  I didn’t expect it to end the way it did, but looking back, I’m not entirely surprised either.  This is a great book for teens who like realistic books.

Tyler Johnson Was Here

Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles, 299 pages

“When Marvin Johnson's twin, Tyler, goes to a party, Marvin decides to tag along to keep an eye on his brother. But what starts as harmless fun turns into a shooting, followed by a police raid.
The next day, Tyler has gone missing, and it's up to Marvin to find him. But when Tyler is found dead, a video leaked online tells an even more chilling story: Tyler has been shot and killed by a police officer. Terrified as his mother unravels and mourning a brother who is now a hashtag, Marvin must learn what justice and freedom really mean. Tyler Johnson Was Here is a powerful and moving portrait of youth and family that speaks to the serious issues of today--from gun control to the Black Lives Matter movement.”  This was an excellent story about the problems of race and police violence in the community.  I would highly recommend it for teens who like realistic fiction and books about current issues.

Merci Suarez Changes Gears

Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina, 355 pages

“Thoughtful, strong-willed sixth-grader Merci Suarez navigates difficult changes with friends, family, and everyone in between.”  I loved Merci, the book and the character.  She is fantastic, very real and immensely likable.  This is a great read for kids who like realistic fiction.

Blended

Blended by Sharon Draper, 308 pages

“Piano-prodigy Isabella, eleven, whose black father and white mother struggle to share custody, never feels whole, especially as racial tensions affect her school, her parents both become engaged, and she and her stepbrother are stopped by police.” I wasn’t completely expecting how this story was going to go but I loved it.  I’m sure that plenty of kids can relate to Izzy’s story and even kids who haven’t had her experiences can sympathize with her troubles.  She’s an extremely likable and relatable character.  I would highly recommend this for older elementary kids.

Leah On The Offbeat

Leah On The Offbeat by Becky Albertalli, 343 pages

“In this sequel to the acclaimed Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda--now a major motion picture, Love, Simon--we follow Simon's BFF Leah as she grapples with changing friendships, first love, and senior year angst. When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat--but real life isn't always so rhythmic. She's an anomaly in her friend group: the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she's bisexual, she hasn't mustered the courage to tell her friends--not even her openly gay BFF, Simon. So Leah really doesn't know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways. With prom and college on the horizon, tensions are running high. It's hard for Leah to strike the right note while the people she loves are fighting--especially when she realizes she might love one of them more than she ever intended.” I haven’t read the first book yet but it wasn’t necessary.  If I had realized before I’d started that it was a sequel I might have gone back and read it first, but I loved this story anyway.  Leah was a great character, easy to like even when she doesn’t like herself much.  This is a great read for teens who like realistic fiction or are questioning their identity.

Riding Lessons

Riding Lessons by Jane Smiley, 183 pages

Ellen has a mind of her own and doesn’t always behave the way she should but she tries to behave most of the time so that she can keep taking riding lessons.  She loves horses and riding and especially jumping.  She is excited when she meet a new horse, Ned.  Ned seems to talk to her and Ellen is always happy when she gets to see him.  She wants nothing more than to own a horse of her own someday.  This is a great book for kids who love horses.  It’s historical, but not much in the story is dated.  It’s definitely realistic, but has a more slice-of-life feel to it.

Turtles All The Way Down

TurtlesAll The Way Down by John Green, 286 pages

Aza is mentally ill.  She can’t stop the racing thoughts that attack her nearly all of the time.  Even though she wants to feel better, she worries that taking her medication and stopping the thoughts will make her someone she is not.  She misses her father, who died in a car accident several years ago.  Daisy hatches a plan to find missing billionaire, Russell Pickett, and collect the reward money.  Daisy thinks that it’s fate, because Aza knew his son from camp a few years prior.  When Aza and Davis meet again they find that they have a connection but it may not be strong enough to overcome Aza’s illness and Davis’s worries about his father and how his money affects his relationships.  This was a fantastic book that I plan to recommend to all teens.

Checked

Checked by Cynthia Kadohata, 408 pages

When Conor finds out that his dog, Sinbad, has cancer, he realizes that he may have to choose between his dog and hockey.  Sinbad is his soulmate, so it really isn’t a choice, but Hockey is his life.  Luckily, although he has to cut back on some lessons for a while, he doesn’t have to quit completely.  Conor has a lot going on his mind, worry about his dog and his dad, hockey, figuring out the rest of his family, and his place in the world.  This book was really about relationships and growing up, but the hockey is a big part of that for Conor and I really enjoyed every part of the book.  Kids who like realistic fiction, sports stories, family stories, or dog stories will probably all love this book, unless they are bothered by the length.  I would highly recommend it.

My Father’s Words

My Father’s Words by Patricia MacLachlan, 135 pages

Fiona’s world is turned upside down when her father is killed in a car accident.  She, her little brother Finn, and her mother have to learn how to cope without their father.  While Fiona struggles, she thinks that Finn has a harder time than she does.  She wants to help Finn but isn’t sure how.  Their neighbor, Luke, finds an opportunity volunteering at a dog shelter.  Fiona hopes that Finn will respond to the dogs’ need and be able to find a way to deal with his feelings.  This was a sweet book for younger chapter book readers.

Ghost Boys

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes, 214 pages

"After seventh-grader Jerome is shot by a white police officer, he observes the aftermath of his death and meets the ghosts of other fallen black boys including historical figure Emmett Till."  This was a difficult books to read.  Although the story is sad, there is hope.  It’s well written and I think that a lot of kids would enjoy reading it, even if it is upsetting to them. 

The Friendship War

The Friendship War by Andrew Clements, 173 pages

When Grace finds 27 boxes of buttons in an old textile mill that her grandfather just bought she has to own them.  She’s not sure why, but she knows that she does.  Then, when school starts and she sees her best friend, Ellie, for the first time that year, she tries to Ellie about her trip and about the buttons, but Ellie, as usual, interrupts to tell Grace all about her summer.  A series of events at school leads to kids bringing buttons, comparing, crafting, and trading.  And Grace has more buttons than anyone, many that are rare, unusual, and highly coveted.  This leads to big problems for Grace and Ellie’s friendship, because Ellie isn’t used to anyone upstaging her and Grace is tired of being second fiddle.  This is an awesome story about how fads get started and about friendship in middle school.  Kids who like realistic fiction will love it.

Hello Universe

Hello Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly, 313 pages

“Virgil feels out of place in his crazy-about-sports family. Valencia is deaf, smart, and loves everything about nature. Kaori is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister, Gen, is always following her around. And Chet wishes the weird kids would just stop being so different so that he can concentrate on basketball. They aren't friends. But when Chet pulls a prank that traps Virgil and his pet guinea pig at the bottom of a well, Kaori, Gen, and Valencia begin a quest to find the missing Virgil.” I loved this story about friendship.  I will definitely be recommending it to grade school kids in the future.

All Summer Long

All Summer Long by Hope Larsen, 170 pages

“Thirteen-year-old Bina faces her first summer without her best friend, Austin, who has left for soccer camp.” So, I clearly like realistic graphic novels.  This is a great story about friendship and growing up.  Kids who like graphic novels and realistic fiction will enjoy this a lot.

The Parker Inheritance

The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson, 331 pages

“Twelve-year-old Candice Miller is spending the summer in Lambert, South Carolina, in the old house that belonged to her grandmother, who died after being dismissed as city manager for having the city tennis courts dug up looking for buried treasure--but when she finds the letter that sent her grandmother on the treasure hunt, she finds herself caught up in the mystery and, with the help of her new friend and fellow book-worm, Brandon, she sets out to find the inheritance, exonerate her grandmother, and expose an injustice once committed against an African American family in Lambert.”  This was a great story.  Kids who like realistic fiction, mysteries, or puzzles, will love it.

What Light

What Light by Jay Asher, 251 pages

“Sierra's family runs a Christmas tree farm in Oregon--it's a bucolic setting for a girl to grow up in, except that every year, they pack up and move to California to set up their Christmas tree lot for the season. So Sierra lives two lives: her life in Oregon and her life at Christmas. And leaving one always means missing the other. Until this particular Christmas, when Sierra meets Caleb, and one life eclipses the other. By reputation, Caleb is not your perfect guy: years ago, he made an enormous mistake and has been paying for it ever since. But Sierra sees beyond Caleb's past and becomes determined to help him find forgiveness and, maybe, redemption. As disapproval, misconceptions, and suspicions swirl around them, Caleb and Sierra discover the one thing that transcends all else: true love. What Light is a love story that's moving and life-affirming and completely unforgettable.” This was a sweet romance and a good story besides.  This book would appeal to teens who like romance and maybe realistic fiction as well.

Top Prospect

Top Prospect by Paul Volponi, 270 pages

“Travis Gardner lives to play quarterback. He's a standout QB by the middle school, and he's prepared to put everything he has into the game. Then Gainesville University's head coach makes Travis a promise: Travis will have a place on the team, and a scholarship to go with it. He just has to get through high school first. As Travis starts ninth grade, he'll have to earn his teammates' trust and dodge opponents aiming to sack the star quarterback. But his biggest challenge might be staying focused in the face of sudden fame. Because now the pressure is on, and Travis has to prove himself with every pass.” This was a good story with well developed characters.  I’m not sure that I really liked the main character, because he was pretty arrogant, but I was still rooting for him.  He was definitely real and Volponi does a good job of making you care.  This is a good read for teens who like sports stories.

American Street

American Street by Ibi Zoboi, 324 pages

“On the corner of American Street and Joy Road, Fabiola Toussaint thought she would finally find une belle vie--a good life. But after they leave Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Fabiola's mother is detained by U.S. immigration, leaving Fabiola to navigate her loud American cousins, Chantal, Donna, and Princess; the grittiness of Detroit's west side; a new school; and a surprising romance, all on her own. Just as she finds her footing in this strange new world, a dangerous proposition presents itself, and Fabiola soon realizes that freedom comes at a cost. Trapped at the crossroads of an impossible choice, will she pay the price for the American dream?” I liked this book but not as much as I wanted to.  This is a good book for teens who want gritty, realistic fiction.

Exit, Pursued By A Bear

Exit, Pursued By A Bear by E. K. Johnston, 243 pages

“Hermione Winters is captain of her cheerleading team, and in tiny Palermo Heights, this doesn't mean what you think it means. At PHHS, the cheerleaders don't cheer for the sports teams; they are the sports team--the pride and joy of a tiny town. The team's summer training camp is Hermione's last and marks the beginning of the end of...she's not sure what. She does know this season could make her a legend. But during a camp party, someone slips something in her drink. And it all goes black. In every class, there's a star cheerleader and a pariah pregnant girl. They're never supposed to be the same person. Hermione struggles to regain the control she's always had and faces a wrenching decision about how to move on. The assault wasn't the beginning of Hermione Winter's story and she's not going to let it be the end. She won't be anyone's cautionary tale.” This story is a little unrealistic in that Hermione has a great support system, which is not typical.  However, the author admits that she wanted to give Hermione that.  Frankly, I don’t care.  I loved this book.  I’ve just finished reading three books that I absolutely loved and this one has been my favorite of the three.  Everyone, especially teens should read this book.

Dear Martin

Dear Martin by Nic Stone, 210 pages

“Justyce McAllister is a good kid, an honor student, and always there to help a friend--but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. Despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can't escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out. Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up-- way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it's Justyce who is under attack.” All I really want to say is, read this book.  I can’t believe how well it’s put together and how well the Justyce is developed so that you are really inside his head the whole time.  Even the pieces that are not his thoughts feel like you’re experiencing them from his perspective.  This may be the most powerful book I’ve read all year.  I will be giving it to any teens who want realistic fiction.