Abuse
Because I Am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Oct.17, 2014, under Abuse, Real life, Student Reviews
Review by Annalea H.
Who would like this book? Anyone who can handle a deep, powerful and awesome storyline that revolves around abuse and a terrible truth. This book is definitely for older readers that are quick and understand the way it’s written, in poetry.
The goods on this book: Because I Am Furniture is a raw, powerful book about the struggle of an abusive father and a family who lets him abuse them. Anke is an average girl who lets her steam out with volleyball: what kind of steam? Her father is an abusive man who hurts everyone around him except Anke; he cheats on his wife and abuses her siblings. Will the nightmare end? Maybe. Read Because I Am Furniture to figure it out.
The details: 352 pages; 2009 Review by Annalea H.
One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Aug.16, 2014, under Abuse, Battle of the Books 2014-2015, Real life, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? People ages 12 and up looking for a realistic book about a foster care kid overcoming the odds.
The goods on this book:
In her 12 years, Carley Conners has gathered many reasons to distrust people and to put up a defense of anger. After her stepfather beats her and her mother severely, Carley is placed in a foster home with the Murphys while her mother recovers in a hospital. Carley has never experienced a family like the Murphys, full of love, humor, and acceptance. Her defensive bad attitude cannot hold up for long in the midst of Mrs. Murphy’s patient, loving nature and her young sons’ rambunctious inclusion of Carley. As she is gradually enfolded into the Murphy family, experiences at school also surprise her. When the inevitable return of her mother into her life comes, how will Carley react? One for the Murphys is a tearjerker for sure, and a moving drama about overcoming the odds and discovering self-worth. The author makes Carley come to life, and Carley’s transitions are very believable. People who like this book might also appreciate Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor.
The details: 2012; 224 pages
This book is a 2014-2015 Battle of the Books selection. Review by Samrarian
Stay by Deb Caletti
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Feb.24, 2014, under Abuse, Real life, Student Reviews
Review by Lexi H.
Who would like this book? I would recommend this book for anyone who likes mystery, suspense, and realistic fiction.
The goods on this book: This book is about a girl named Clara, who is being stalked by her ex-boyfriend, Christian, who just cannot let go of her. Clara and her father leave town for the summer so Clara can get away from Christian. The story of Clara’s mother’s death is unraveling throughout the book, and with Christian still trying to get ahold of Clara, Clara has a hard time sometimes trying to feel comfortable at Bishop Rock, where she is staying. The story has a lot of twists, sadness, and suspense in it. The author, Deb Caletti, makes the story very organized and surprising. I thought the overall moral of this story is that everything can change easily, and some people may not be who you think they are. I enjoyed this story very much.
The details: 311 pages; 2011 Review by Lexi H.
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Oct.07, 2013, under Abuse, Adventure, Animal, Newbery, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? People, ages 8 and up, who like stories told from the point of view of animals (in this case, a silverback gorilla) with a strong theme of friendship and hope.
The goods on this book: Ivan has lived a depressing life for 27 years at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, a terrible type of inhumane “zoo” that used to be common. Stella, an old elephant, and a feisty dog name Bob, keep him company, but Ivan has given up hope for a better life. He tries to console himself with his art, but he is close to giving up hope. Things in the zoo are turned upside down when Ruby, a baby elephant, arrives and awakens Ivan’s protective nature. Ruby is the spark that makes Ivan and Stella hope for a better life, and Ivan comes up with a highly unlikely plan that capitalizes on his unusual artistic talent. The layout of the book, with timely illustrations and lots of white space, adds to Ivan’s storytelling. I found this book to be moving and inspiring, and I especially loved the ending. It’s not a surprise that it won the prestigious Newbery Award for 2013.
The details: 305 pages; 2012 Review by Samrarian
Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Nov.01, 2012, under Abuse, Bullying, Girl Drama, Real life, Student Reviews
Review by Margaret
Who would like this book? I think mainly girls that enjoy books about real life problems and that also like books about school problems.
Why? Deanna has a big problem. When she was 13 her own father found her having sex in the back of a car with her brother’s best friend Tommy. Even though she was only 13 when it happened, when she reaches high school everyone already knows about her and what happened. Her brother and his girlfriend are moving out soon, and she doesn’t want to live with her parents anymore, so she gets a job working at the local pizza place to save up money. While she works there, she encounters more problems because guess who works there? Tommy. She has to deal with being made fun of, her father, who hasn’t talked to her since, and her “friends”.
Deanna is a really great character and you really get to know her and connect with her throughout the book. I think that the book itself was really good. It was a little bit of a drama, but also about a girl with real problems that actually happen in real life. Sarah Zarr is a really great writer, and I think that this book is fantastic.
The details: 192 pp. 2007 Review by Margaret R.
Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Feb.12, 2012, under Abuse, Battle of the Books 2010-2011, Real life, Student Reviews
Who would like this book? Anyone who likes books with ups and downs in a character’s life.
Why? Addie’s mom, Mommers, and Addie’s stepdad, Dwight, have just broken up, and Dwight has put them in his trailer without a car, and only a little bit of money. Mommers has a “job” and doesn’t come back from the job for days and nights at a time. Addie has to learn to take care of herself while Mommers is away, and she has to take care of Mommers while she’s here. All Addie wants is for her life to be normal, but having her mom away for days, and her stepdad dating another woman, and her little sisters living with Dwight, it never equals normal.
Leslie Connor shows what Addie is feeling so well, it almost feels like you are Addie.
The details: 290 pp. 2008 Review by Annie
Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Dec.22, 2011, under Abuse, Real life, Student Reviews, YRCA
Who would like this book? If you like romance mixed with trauma, this is a great book. I think girls would like this book more than boys.
Why? Ruby’s mom abandons her, and she lives on her own for two months until she gets discovered and has to live with her sister. Throughout the book she tries to figure herself out, while trying to be a normal teenager. She has to get used to the transition from her mom’s broken down house to her sister’s expensive luxury home. On her emotional journey, she also meets a few new friends like Nate, and Olivia. In the end, Ruby finally comes to term with her situation.
The details: 422 pp. 2008 Review by Hanadi
North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Nov.17, 2011, under Abuse, Real life, Romance, Student Reviews
Who would like this book? Girls 13 and up.
Why? This book I think every girl should read. This book reminds girls that outer beauty doesn’t matter but true inner beauty does, which I think we sometimes forget. The main character, Terra, forgot that too, but when she met Jacob everything changed. She then realized that her port wine stain doesn’t matter, it doesn’t define who she is, doesn’t make her less beautiful than anyone else. I am someone who wears makeup almost everyday, but when I finished this book I honestly didn’t wear makeup the next day and I probably won’t wear it all that much anymore because when I read this book, I remembered too, outer beauty doesn’t matter.
The details: 373 pp. 2010 Review by Abbey
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Nov.17, 2011, under Abuse, Real life, Student Reviews
Who would like this book? Boys and Girls 13 and up
Why? Yes, this book may be a little mature and some could argue it isn’t school appropriate but it really opens your eyes to what some people can actually go through. This book is real, it is harshly honest, and doesn’t leave out a single detail of what the main character, Jeanette, went through. Moving from place to place, Jeanette got confused on what to call home and what to call just a stop on the way to home. She believed so much in her dad but when it comes down to it, he was selfish and let her down. There’s no way I will tell you the ending, so read it for yourself and see how great of a book it really is.
The details: 288 pp. 2005 Review by Abbey
Okay For Now by Gary Schmidt
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Oct.14, 2011, under Abuse, Historical Fiction, Real life, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? Anyone, grades 6 – 9, looking for a well-written novel focusing on the family and school problems of a high school guy in the 1960s.
Why? Doug Swieteck, a minor character in the excellent book The Wednesday Wars, gets his chance to tell his story in Okay for Now. The book starts with Doug’s blowhard dad losing his job, forcing the family to move from Manhattan to a small town in upstate New York. Doug hates the new town but makes friends with the grocer’s daughter, Lil, and gets a job doing deliveries on Saturday mornings. These deliveries lead to surprising connections, as does Doug’s weekly sessions drawing the birds from a treasured volume of Audubon’s Birds of America under the direction of the art-inclined librarian. When Doug discovers that the precious pages are missing because they are being sold to support the library, he takes on a mission to recover them. Bringing together the fragments of this book becomes a rich metaphor of his own life. What makes the book especially engaging is Doug himself, who tells his story with a mixture of sarcasm, humor, and honesty. I did not want the book to end!
The details: 360 pp. 2011 Review by Samrarian
