Category Archives: Contemporary

Review: The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten

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The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa TotenThe Unlikely Hero of Room 13B
Teresa Toten
Delacorte Press

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Almost-fifteen-year-old Adam meets Robyn at his group therapy session for teens with obsessive-compulsive issues. It’s hardly the setting for romance, but Adam can’t deny how he feels for her. Robyn seems drawn to him, too. Maybe. But while Robyn’s most troublesome days seem to be behind her, Adam’s life continues to spiral out of control. He’s at the mercy of his half-brother’s anxiety issues, and his mother refuses to get help though the threatening letters she receives only seem to be getting worse. As Adam desperately struggles to hold everyone together, he begins to split … Continue reading →

Review: Just My Luck by Cammie McGovern

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Just My Luck by Cammie McGovernJust My Luck
Cammie McGovern
Harper/HarperCollins

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Bad things keep happening to fourth-grader Benny and his family. His best friend moved away, and he hasn’t been able to find a new one. His dad’s still recovering from a brain injury (was it Benny’s fault?) His mom tells him to focus on being kind to others, and with a new kindness program at school, Benny’s trying his best, but no one seems to notice. As things get worse, Benny worries his family will never be able to recover, and nothing will be the same again.

Benny is quite possibly the most lovable boy in literature. He strives to be a good brother both to … Continue reading →

Review: The Girl in the Well is Me by Karen Rivers

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The Girl in the Well is Me by Karen RiversThe Girl in the Well is Me
Karen Rivers
Algonquin Young Readers

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When tough circumstances force Kammie’s family to relocate, she’s determined to make the most of the change. She approaches the prettiest, most popular girls and attempts to join their group. Only what results is Kammie standing on a board that splits and sends her tumbling into a well. Trapped and slowly sinking further, Kammie begs her new “friends” to help her get out. As she waits for them to bring help (and wonders if they’ve simply abandoned her) she begins to think about the good times lost and the struggles her … Continue reading →

Review: Cleo Edison Oliver, Playground Millionaire by Sundee T Frazier

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Cleo Edison Oliver Playground Millionaire by Sundee T Frazer

Cleo Edison Oliver, Playground Millionaire
Sundee T. Frazier
Scholastic, Inc.

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About Cleo Edison Oliver, Playground Millionaire

Cleo wants to be just like her role model, Miss Fortune A. Davies, a famous businesswoman with a nightly TV show motivating young entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams. Cleo has lots of ideas to make money, from selling avocados off the tree in the back yard to her latest and greatest idea ever: a nearly painless tooth-pulling service. As Cleo’s business succeeds, she gets even more excited. Unfortunately, not everyone in her life is as thrilled as she is. Her best friend begins to withdraw, and Cleo has some … Continue reading →

Review: Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer

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Belzhar by Meg WolitzerBelzhar
Meg Wolitzer
Dutton Books for Young Readers

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When Jam can’t recover from her boyfriend’s death, her desperate family sends her to The Wooden Barn, a boarding school for distraught teens. There Jam finds herself enrolled in Special Topics in English, an elite, invitation-only course. This year, Jam and her classmates will study the works of Sylvia Plath, and will write about their own experiences in special journals given to them by their fascinating instructor, Mrs. Quenell.

As Jam begins to write in her journal, she’s transported to a place where Reeve still lives, and they can be together. A place she calls Belzhar. As the semester winds down, and the … Continue reading →

Review: Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate

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Seven Ways We Lie by Riley RedgateSeven Ways We Lie
Riley Redgate
ABRAMS Kids/Amulet Books

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Everyone has a secret to hide. Olivia seems like a girl who has it together. She knows what she wants, and she’s not afraid to say so. At home, she watches her father and sister sink deeper into isolation following her mom’s disappearance, and for once, there’s nothing Olivia can do to fix it. Matt’s parents never stop fighting, and his little brother too often ends up caught in the cross-fire. After months of tuning out his parents’ battles in a haze of pot smoke, is it too late for Matt to confront them? Claire can’t let … Continue reading →