This graphic novel, pitched for 8-12 year olds, is the story of Emmie, a middle schooler who is so shy and introverted that she feels invisible. It’s also the story of Katie, who is sort of the anti-Emmie, and what happens when Emmie and Katie’s worlds collide. Emmie and Katie take turns narrating this story, which takes place over the course of a day at school. Emmie is the youngest of three kids, and the only one still living at home with her parents. Emmie […]
YA Lit, Grief and Trauma: Part II
I Kill Giants is a graphic novel geared toward teens and young adults. It was nominated for and/or won a number of prestigious awards, including an Eisner. Much like the last book I reviewed (I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter), this story centers on the effect of grief and trauma on a young girl. In this case, our protagonist is 5th grader Barbara Thorson, a girl who revels in Dungeons and Dragons, has no friends amongst her peers, is frequently bullied, is defiant toward […]
Tackling Grief and Mental Health Issues in YA Lit
But how do we live with these secrets locked within us? National Book Award nominee I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter is a powerful young adult novel that deals with the very real trauma of grief and depression. Fifteen-year-old Julia Reyes, our narrator, lives in Chicago with her parents and older sister Olga, who has just died in a tragic accident. Julia is struggling with feelings of grief, guilt and anger, and her already fragile relationship with her parents is at the breaking point. […]
Good Read for Summer
I recommend Cinnamon and Gunpowder for your “beach reads” list this summer. It features kidnapping, pirates, adventure and battle on the high seas with a twist. The pirate who does the kidnapping and spreads terror throughout the British Empire is a woman — Mad Hannah Mabbot, a fearless captain with a bounty on her head. Our narrator is a chef — Owen Wedgwood, kidnapped from Lord Ramsey’s home in August of 1819 when Hannah arrives unexpectedly and kills Ramsey right before his eyes. Owen tries […]