Archive for May, 2014

The List by Vivian Siohban

Published May 12, 2014 RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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thelist

 

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

333 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

2014-2015 Iowa High School Award Winner

Every year a list is posted the Monday before Homecoming listing the four prettiest and four ugliest girls, one for each grade respectively.  Each chapter follows one of the eight girls and how they cope with the existence of this list.  Danielle, the ugliest freshmen, must deal with the fallout of how her boyfriend handles the news that she was voted on this list.  Meanwhile, Abby, the prettiest freshmen faces possibly not being allowed to go to the dance at all due to grades.  The “ugliest” sophomore is actually a cute, but very mean girl who is deemed “ugliest” on the inside.  The “prettiest” sophomore girl is a girl who has been home-schooled for her entire life and is trying to find independence from her mom with great difficulty.  The prettiest junior, Bridget, feels pressured into an eating disorder in order to maintain her image while the ugliest junior reacts quite strongly and refuses to shower or change her clothes for the entire week after the list comes out.  The ugliest senior is the first ever to earn that particular honor for all four years of high school and she pretends she is totally fine with it.  The prettiest senior feels the pressure to follow in her sister’s footsteps who was the prettiest senior the year before and seemed to fall apart afterward.  Each chapter follows a different girl as she navigates through this very difficult week.

This book has earned many awards for good reason.  This book delves into many serious issues for high school girls including insecurity, the fear of being excluded, worrying about what others think, eating disorders, dating problems, academic trouble, lying, and problems at home.  No one on the list finds happiness no matter which side of the list she is on.  While the circumstances around the list may seem unbelievable, the issues surrounding it are completely believable and exist at every high school.  A great book to recommend to high school girls, especially ones who are having trouble adjusting.

Dead Ends by Erin Jade Lange

Published May 8, 2014 Adventure , RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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dead ends

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of Pages:  328

RAC:  Yes

Dane is a bully who is a mere few strikes away from expulsion, but he still can’t seem to keep his fists under control.  One day he notices a boy with Down Syndrome following him to school and he decides to put him in his place, but surprisingly the boy immediately has an effect on him.  His name is Billy D and he is Dane’s new neighbor.  Billy D wants Dane to teach him how to fight and find his father and in return he will tell the Warden at school how much Dane is helping him navigate the new building and protecting him from other bullies.  As Dane walks Billy D to and from school everyday they start to become friends and Dane helps Billy D solve the clues his father left for him in an old atlas.  Billy D is sure that the clues will lead to his father’s location, but Dane is starting to grow concerned that this path to Billy’s father might end with him getting hurt in some way.  Can Dane help Billy D long enough to avoid expulsion?  Can Billy D solve the clues and do those clues lead to his father?  What is the reason why he does not know where his father is?

Dane and Billy’s unlikely friendship pulls readers in as they try to follow the clues left by Billy’s dad.  You can’t help but want to know about Billy’s backstory and all the things he doesn’t want to tell Dane about.  Meanwhile, Dane is dealing with a single mom, an absent dad, and unexplainable rage issues.  Can these two find a way to help each other grow?  The characters are incredibly complex and sympathetic which fuels the entire story.  Recommended for reluctant readers.

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