Grief
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Nov.20, 2013, under Grief, Real life, Romance, Student Reviews, Teen Top 10
Review by Lacey T.
Who would like this book? This would be a good book for middle school and high school girls who are looking for a beautiful and tragic love story.
The goods on this book: If I Stay is a book about a girl named Mia who had an amazing life. She had a great family, which was her mom, her dad, and her little brother Teddy. One morning, all the schools were cancelled and her parents’ jobs were cancelled because of a snow day. So the whole family went on a road trip to go see some friends. On the way there, they got in a car crash. Mia and her brother survived, but her parents both died. But Mia… she is sort of a ghost. She is between life and death and she has to choose between the two. As she is in the hospital, she doesn’t know what to choose. Mia just wants someone else to make the decision for her. But the person that really makes this story such a great one is Mia’s boyfriend, Adam. He is always there by her side, and he is the one to help her make the decision of a life time.
The details: 259 pages; 2009 Review by Lacey T.
I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Nov.15, 2013, under Free Verse, Grief, Romance, Student Reviews
Review by Isabel R.
Who would like this book? This book should be good for ages 12 and up.
The goods on this book: The book is about a girl named Ava. Her boyfriend has died, and his dead soul haunts her. The book goes back in time a lot to when he was not dead, which is cool. Ava is very sad and depressed through the whole book. The thing I loved the best about this book is that it is writen like a poem.
The details: 226 pages; 2008 Review by Isabel R.
Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze by Alan Silberberg
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Nov.03, 2013, under Battle of the Books 2013-2014, Grief, Real life, Student Reviews
Review by Erin J.
Who would like this book? Kids in middle school would like this book.
The goods on this book: This book is about a kid named Milo. He moves a lot, and he is just beginning 7th grade in a new school. He falls in love with a girl he sneezed on. Throughout the book he makes two friends. Their names are Hillary and Marshall. In his family there are three members: his dad, his sister, and him. His mother has passed away. I really enjoyed this book. In the book, there are some drawings that are really creative and cute.
The details: 275 pages; 2010 Review by Erin J.
See you at Harry’s by Jo Knowles
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Oct.07, 2013, under Grief, Real life, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? Girls, ages 12 and up, who like books about families that make them laugh and cry will definitely want to read this book.
The goods on this book: Fern, at 12, is the classic “middle child” in her family of six. Her big sister Sarah, at 18, is missing her friends who have gone off to college while she is working in their family’s restaurant/ice cream parlor. Her brother Holden, 14, is struggling to come to terms with his sexual identity. Then there’s Charlie, their 3-year-old brother who is the center of the family’s world and also the center of their dad’s new marketing campaign for the restaurant. Their dad drives them all crazy with his out-of-control enthusiasm, and their mom escapes into her office to meditate. Fern, as the narrator, is trying to find her way. Dealing with her family’s idiosyncrasies and her trouble at school seem like a lot to Fern until a greater tragedy occurs. Have a pile of tissues ready for what happens because this family has to travel through a painful journey. Going with them is well worth it!
The details: 310 pages; 2013 Review by Samrarian
Milo: Sticky Notes & Brain Freeze by Alan Silberberg
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Aug.17, 2013, under Battle of the Books 2013-2014, Grief, Humorous, Real life, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? Not only fans of Wimpy Kid books, but people looking for a story that is funny and ultimately moving and life-changing will like this book.
The goods on this book: Milo lets the reader know right from the start that he is having a very bad time, indeed. Through words and simple pencil illustrations, he lays out the brutal facts: his dad has moved them to yet another house (the fifth in his life so far), he has no friends, the creepy old neighbor lady has taken an interest in him, and the love of his life would not know he exists except that he sneezed all over her. Milo gradually gets his footing with a best friend, the ultimate nerd Marshal, aka “One Eyed Jack,” and his neighbor Hillary, the most persistent friend anyone could imagine. As their friendship grows and changes, Milo realizes that the neighbor lady is maybe not as creepy as he thought, and the reality of the loss of his mother to cancer can’t be ignored. This book had me laughing out loud in parts and needing many kleenexes for my tears in other parts. First appearances aside, Milo’s story is a profound and inspiring story of dealing with grief and loss.
The details: 275 pp. 2010 Review by Samrarian
The Book Thief by Markus Zusack
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Mar.03, 2013, under Grief, Historical Fiction, Student Reviews, War
Review by Ryan D.
Who would like this book? Boys and girls would like this book. It’s historical fiction for the ages of middle school and high school.
The goods on the book: This book takes place during WWII in Germany and is narrated by Death. An orphan whose brother just died gets introduced to her new foster parents. Throughout the story you see the girl Leisel grow up in life in Nazi Germany. She gets taught how to read and gets obsessed with books, even to the point of stealing. But all this changes when their family takes in an unwelcome Jew to hide in their basement. Will they last until the end of WWII or will they all get sent away by the ruthless Nazis?
The details: 552 pp. 2005 Review by Ryan D.
Julia Gillian and The Dream of the Dog by Alison McGhee
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Feb.24, 2013, under Animal, Grief, Humorous, Real life, Student Reviews
Review by Miwako
Who would like this book? In my opinion younger, kids will enjoy this book.
The goods on the book: It’s about the girl, Julia, who is a true dog person.
They are good friends. At the end of the book, the dog dies but girl thinks the dog is looking at her up from the sky.
The details: 327 p. 2010 Review by Miwako
The Summer I Turned Pretty (Book 1) by Jenny Han
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Nov.14, 2012, under Girl Drama, Grief, Romance, Student Reviews
Review by Margaret
Who would like this book? Girls who like romance and drama.
Why? The Sumer I Turned Pretty is about two families that have known each other forever. In one family we have Belly, her mom, and her annoying older brother Steven. In the other we have Jeremiah, Conrad and their mom Susannah. Belly has, for as long as she can remember, been in love with Conrad while Jeremiah has always been like another brother. Every summer Belly and her family visit Susannah’s beach house. However, this summer Belly wants it to be different. She wants Conrad to notice her and fall in love with her, too.
I think that this book is so great! I love this book and the characters all seem real and the author does a great job with the entire story. If you’re looking for a good romance with a little bit of drama, read The Summer I Turned Pretty.
The details: 276 pp. 2009 Review by Margaret
It’s Not Summer Without You (Book 2) by Jenny Han
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Nov.14, 2012, under Girl Drama, Grief, Romance, Student Reviews
Review by Margaret
Who would like this book? Girls who enjoyed The Summer I Turned Pretty, romance, and drama.
Why? This summer will be the only summer Belly can remember that they will not visit the beach house. She will not get to see Conrad and Jeremiah, and never again will she see Susannah. The summer begins to pass slowly when Belly gets a frantic call from Jeremiah saying that Conrad is missing from school. Together, the two of them go looking for him and when they find him more fights begin. Throughout the story things start to piece together: flashbacks from Belly’s prom, fights between her and her mom, and flashbacks of when Susannah was there and everything was perfect . Belly will have to deal with everything happening and try to fix it, or summer will never be the same again.
Jenny Han is amazing. Really she is. I think that It’s Not Summer Without You is great! Be warned though, it is a bit sad, but the romance and the way that Jenny Han lets us hear from other characters’ Point Of View is great!
The details: 275 pp. 2012 Review by Margaret
We’ll Always Have Summer (Book 3) by Jenny Han
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Nov.14, 2012, under Girl Drama, Grief, Romance, Student Reviews
Review by Margaret
Who would like this book? People who enjoy Jenny Han and the other two books in the series, and romance, drama.
Why? Two years. It’s been two years since Conrad told Belly to choose Jeremiah. Two years and Belly and Jeremiah are still dating, at the same college, and they seem perfect. Soon, though, Jeremiah will do something so horrible that Belly will have to decide if she made the right choice or not and find out who she really loves.
Ending the trilogy of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” series is difficult. Jenny Han did such a great job getting us to see all the characters’ flaws and the background of each one that it’s difficult to say goodbye. However, this book is a great way to end the series! Belly will get her life-changing summers, fighting through heartbreak, tears, and finally finding who she loves.
The details: 291 pp. 2011 Review by Margaret
