Being a good citizen means standing up for what’s right-and here’s just the way to start. From the author of The Gutsy Girl comes a book for those with a fierce sense of justice, a good sense of humor, and a big heart. This guide features change-maker tips, tons of DIY activities, and stories about the kids who have paved the way before, from famous activists like Malala Yousafzai and Claudette Colvin to the everyday young people whose habit changes triggered huge ripple effects. So make a sign, write a letter, volunteer, sit-in, or march! There are lots of tactics to choose from, and you’re never too young to change the world.
My review You Are Mighty drew me in with its upbeat tone and practical steps for how to make a difference in your community and even in the larger world. I loved all the true stories about famous and little-known activists who stood up for causes they believed in and saw amazing results. More than that, I loved how simply this book breaks down the process of fighting for a cause. It makes me want to sit down with my own kids and encourage them to take action on causes that are important to them and to us as a family. I’m actually hoping to do some of that this summer, and we’ll definitely be using You Are Mighty as our guide. I highly recommend it.
Recommended for Ages 10 up.
Cultural Elements
Discusses social justice issues across lines of race and sexual orientation.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content None.
Spiritual Content None.
Violent Content None.
Drug Content
None.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
About We Come Apart
Nicu has emigrated from Romania and is struggling to find his place in his new home. Meanwhile, Jess’s home life is overshadowed by violence. When Nicu and Jess meet, what starts out as friendship grows into romance as the two bond over their painful pasts and hopeful futures. But will they be able to save each other, let alone themselves?
For fans of Una LaMarche’s Like No Other, this illuminating story told in dual points of view through vibrant verse will stay with readers long after they’ve turned the last page.
My Review
I wanted to read this book after having read One by Sarah Crossan, a novel in verse about conjoined sisters, which I liked. You can check out my review here.
This book was a little darker than One. The descriptions of prejudice against immigrants in England are sharp and raw and made me want to slap some people. I felt for Nicu and the difficult situation he found himself in, caught between his family’s expectations and wanting desperately to fit into his new home. It took a little longer for me to warm up to Jess. I wanted her to be smarter about her friends (who abandoned her and let her take the fall for a shoplifting venture) and I hated that she went along with her stepdad’s cruelty, though I get that she was in a really tough position there, too. She definitely grows as a character through the story. As she begins to recognize the value and goodness in Nicu, I think I felt like there was more to her than my original expectations.
And then there’s the ending. Okay. Wow. Talk about a knife to the heart. I really wanted there to be some shining rainbow of a happy ending, and it just doesn’t go at all the way I hoped. The story definitely makes a point, and Nicu’s heroism remains true to the bitter end, which was, in its own way, so sweet. And so SAD.
Though We Come Apart isn’t as dark or graphic as some of the novels in verse by Ellen Hopkins, I can see it appealing to fans of her books as it contains some similar elements: star-crossed love, social justice issues, and mistaken judgments about others.
Recommended for Ages 13 up.
Cultural Elements
Fifteen-year-old Nicu and his family are immigrants from Romania and face some severe prejudice. Nicu wants to fit in but finds it difficult to understand English language and culture. (The story is set in England.)
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently.
Romance/Sexual Content Nicu brings Jess to his house and jokes that his parents will only be upset if they discover the two “making sex.” (They don’t.) Nicu’s parents have come to England to save for a bride for fifteen-year-old Nicu, who does not want to get married. At school, a girl accuses Nicu of touching her rear. At one point, Jess’s stepdad get a bit creepy, inviting her to go swimming with him. It definitely makes her feel like he wants something inappropriate from her, but she finds it hard to express why she feels that way when telling her mom later. One brief kiss between a boy and girl.
Spiritual Content None.
Violent Content Jess and Nicu meet at a community service project after each are separately busted for shoplifting.
Boys bully Nicu in the locker room after gym class. One boy attacks Nicu and he retaliates.
Jess’s stepdad physically and verbally abuses her mom. He makes Jess record videos of her mom doing chores he assigns her and of the times he beats her up. Jess hates it but feels powerless to stop it when her mom won’t defend herself or go to authorities.
Drug Content
None.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
