Review: I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

I've heard many amazing things about Jandy Nelson's I'll Give You the Sun and I'm so happy to say that this book definitely held up to all the praise. This book is heart-wrenching, beautiful, inspiring, and incredible, and I loved every minute of it. 

Summary: Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

Nothing I could say about this YA novel can really justify the depth and power of the story. Both Jude and Noah not only struggle with their mother's death, their broken family, and their tormented twin-bond, but a myriad of other heartbreaking issues from identity crisis, to sexual orientation, to addiction. 

This book is written for YA readers ages 14 & up due to the mature language and themes. Nonetheless, it is already a celebrated novel among bloggers and reviewers. It is extremely well-written and highly acclaimed. Among its many awards and starred reviews, I'll Give You the Sun has already picked up the 2015 Printz Award and the 2015 Stonewall Honor. 

Move over Fault in Our Stars. There's a new beautiful, soul-crushing YA novel in town. 

4 Stars 

Review: Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana

Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana is a moving and memorable middle grade novel that centres on one young girl's survival through one of the world's worst natural disasters. I loved everything about this book, from its realistic main character, to the moments that broke my heart, to the exploration of the bonds of family and community in times of emergency.

Summary: Armani Curtis can think about only one thing: her tenth birthday. All her friends are coming to her party, her mama is making a big cake, and she has a good feeling about a certain wrapped box. Turning ten is a big deal to Armani. It means she’s older, wiser, more responsible. But when Hurricane Katrina hits the Lower Nines of New Orleans, Armani realizes that being ten means being brave, watching loved ones die, and mustering all her strength to help her family weather the storm. A powerful story of courage and survival, Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere celebrates the miraculous power of hope and love in the face of the unthinkable.

Armani wants nothing more to grow up, but growing up means having to deal with grown-up things that no person adult (or child) should ever have to face. Her house floods, she loses several members of her family, she is partly at fault for her family failing to evacuate, and she watches everything--her home, her town, her community--destroyed. From the sights, smells, and sounds of suffering and destruction, to the happy ending that leaves you with hope, this is a powerful story about one little girl's bravery, strength, and heroic perseverance through unimaginable tragedy. 

There is some mature content for teachers and educators to consider from language to mature themes of death and loss. Armani loses many people she loves, including half her family, and these deaths may be upsetting to younger readers. However, Lamana's writing is eloquent, purposeful, and ringed with fact and honesty. Any content that might be objectionable to sensitive younger readers is not present for shock value, but it is a sincere effort to help the reader understand what people actually lived through.

Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere is a beautiful and unforgettable novel, and it has definitely earned its place on my favourites shelf! I truly believe that this is one of the best pieces of fiction for young readers on the Hurricane Katrina tragedy. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys inspiring stories or survival tales. 

4 Stars

Review: Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Where She Went is the sequel to Gayle Forman's touching YA novel, If I Stay. I'll admit I was hesitant to read the sequel. What if it ruined everything I loved about If I Stay? How could the story even go on? But I'm so glad I finally decided to give it a chance. But Gayle Forman has written something beautiful to follow up to Mia and Adam's story; something that every teen who has ever felt pain and heartbreak and loss will be able to appreciate. And those who haven't will still feel the power of this tearjerker. 

Summary: Picking up several years after the dramatic conclusion of If I Stay, Where She Went continues the story of Adam and Mia, from Adam's point of view. Ever since Mia's decision to stay - but not with him - Adam's career has been on a wonderful trajectory. His album, borne from the anguish and pain of their breakup, has made him a bona fide star. And Mia herself has become a top-rate cellist, playing in some of the finest venues in the world. When their respective paths put them both in New York City at the same time, the result is a single night in which the two reunite - with wholly satisfying results.

This is a novel about fate and of what's meant to be. It's a story about loss, learning to cope, moving on and, of course, of true love. Adam and Mia's story does end with this novel and you won't be disappointed. In fact, you'll be hooked on every word as Adam and Mia are unexpectedly reunited in a moment of fate and are given a second chance to fix the massive rift between them.

Teachers and educators: Where She Went contains several content warnings including: swearing, sexual situations, and mature content. Before adding this novel to your classroom, you should be aware of the darker subject matter than that of If I Stay. However, the content is handled with purpose and care. Adam's fallout after the accident allows readers to explore tough issues such as psychological trauma, depression, unhealthy relationships, and anxiety.

Gayle Forman is an incredibly talented author. Her duet of novels are unforgettable and will resonate with teen readers everywhere. I loved both of these books and consider this YA series to be one of the best available to teen readers today. 

4 Stars

You can check out my review of If I Stay by clicking here.

Review: Is It Night or Day? by Fern Schumer Chapman

Is It Night or Day? is a beautifully written and touching story for YA readers set during World War II. Fern Schumer Chapman tells mother's story of how she was sent to America by her parents to have her best chance at life. This novel is an excellent choice for students studying World War II, particularly because it brings to life America's One Thousand Children project; a virtually unheard of, but heroic and extraordinary humanitarian effort to save German children during the Nazi regime.

Summary: It’s 1938, and twelve-year-old Edith is about to move from the tiny German village she’s lived in all her life to a place that seems as foreign as the moon: Chicago, Illinois. And she will be doing it alone. This dramatic and chilling novel about one girl’s escape from Hitler’s Germany was inspired by the experiences of the author’s mother, one of twelve hundred children rescued by Americans as part of the One Thousand Children project. 

Edith's story, like all wartime stories, is tragic. But the story is told through the eyes of a little girl with hope, strength, and an inspiring resilience. The language and content is clean, though the novel does mention suicide. Edith's mother becomes depressed early in the novel and is caught by Edith stringing a rope in the attic. Ultimately, this is not how her mother dies, but this moment in the plot is a notable content flag.

Is It Night or Day? offers readers a unique view into the effects of the war on German and Jewish people. I very much enjoyed reading this novel and recommend it for both educational and personal uses. My copy of the book includes bonus material, including a discussion guide and a real story of how Edith and another emigrant child are reunited after the novel was published.

4 Stars

Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

If I Stay by Gayle Forman will easily be the next great YA page-to-screen adaption. It will have you reaching for the tissues and will have you desperate to talk to others about this book. It is a beautiful story about life and death, about family, love, and about making a seemingly impossible choice. 

Summary: In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen ­year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces- to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heartwrenchingly beautiful, this will change the way you look at life, love, and family. Now a major motion picture starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Mia's story will stay with you for a long, long time.

I’m giving this novel 5 stars. I loved it, and I have nothing bad to say about If I Stay. Gayle Forman is incredibly talented writer, crafting a story that is both moving and memorable. It is impossible not to think about the burden of Mia’s choice, and to consider whether or not you would be strong enough to choose. It is a terrible tragedy to think about, but as Forman points out, there is always hope and happiness to be found in life. You just have to be brave enough to want it. Dying is easy—life is hard. 

The story is told in alternating flashbacks in Mia’s life with her family, friends, and her boyfriend. It’s impossible not to lose yourself in the ups and downs of life and to recognize your own problems and worries in Mia’s life before the crash. For a novel that is about choosing to live or die, If I Stay is a surprisingly balanced read. This is an emotional read, but you don’t spend the novel fighting back tears. It’s about far more than the tragedy of the choice. 

Aimed at readers 14 & up, If I Stay is officially one of my favourite YA novels. Unfortunately, it is difficult to put down, which may result in reading this book in public places—which means awkwardly crying on public transit through the final pages of the book. Luckily I had sunglasses on me. Add If I Stay by Gayle Forman to the top of your to-read pile. The movie will be out August 22nd, and you can watch the trailer below! 

5 Stars

Review: Curses and Smoke: A Novel of Pompeii by Vicky Alvear Shecter

Since this title was announced on Scholastic's 2014 summer list, I have been anxious to get my hands on an ARC. I minored in Classical Studies, with emphasis on Etruscan and Roman civilizations, so this book is basically literary gold for me. I am obsessed with anything to do with Roman history; it's fascinating, and this book did not disappoint me!

Curses and Smoke: A Novel of Pompeii by Vicky Alvear Shecter will be published on May 27, 2014 by Arthur A. Levine Books (a division of Scholastic Inc). It is a YA novel centred on the forbidden love affair of a young aristocratic girl and a slave, who works as a healer at her father's gladiatorial school. Their love affair, a scandalous relationship, escalates up to climax of the novel: the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii in 79 AD.

For those of you who aren't as embarrassingly nerdy as I am, Pompeii and Herculaneum are two fascinating ancient sites. Unlike other Roman archaeological sites, these two cities tell us so much about the way people lived. The eruption covered everything--people, houses, animals, jewelry, household items--in ash and molten rock, preserving the city exactly as it was when the volcano erupted.

Images: Above: Pompeiian ruins. Below left: a dog, below right: multiple bodies found in the wreckage.






This novel is a great YA historical read, though it's not "historical" in the sense of accuracy (this isn't a Rick Riordan novel!). There are many inaccuracies and anachronisms, but I am forgiving in this instance. I think it's more important to get kids reading and to get them interested in learning more about history, than it is to accurate.

I do have an ARC, so I'm hoping the mistake of using the Greek name Poseidon won't show up in the finished copy. Furthermore, the language is very modern and there is minimal use of cultural terminology or Latin words. You don't need knowledge of Roman history to be able to enjoy the book.

The forbidden love story is a great angle from which to tell the story. Aside from what the eruption was like, there is a lot of historical information that readers will gain from reading. Property ownership, slavery and the treatment of slaves, women's rights, gladiator schools, medical practices, class division, and true Roman practices such as exposure (discarding unwanted newborn infants) and marriage are all important tropes. Also, the author incorporates a fabulous comparison of pregnancy/birth with the eruption of the volcano. They are the same; the birth of a baby is a violent and potentially fatal moment, as is the eruption of a volcano, which is the violent and lethal birthing of nature.

There are two major twists at the end that had me turning the pages as fast as I could. This, combined with the excitement of the volcano raining down on the city, makes this book a huge success for me.
This is a heart-stopping story of survival, of forbidden love, and of a terrifying natural disaster.

Shecter does an exceptional job of balancing history with fiction, presenting both in such a way that is appealing to YA readers. There isn't any gore and the book isn't frightening; it is subtly educational and certainly exciting!

Curses and Smoke gets 4 stars from me. I appreciate the hell out of an author who will get the younger generations interested in ancient civilizations! I also appreciate that there is a YA alternative to the hype around Pompeii in 2014 with Pompeii the movie, and the subsequent attention on the book from which it was adapted: Richard Harris' Pompeii.

Review: The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve

The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve has been on my to-read shelf for a long time. I first read Fortune's Rocks by Anita Shreve back in high school and loved it. Shreve is able to write about twisted social issues and immoral romantic drama like no other. Don't let the fact that The Pilot's Wife is an Oprah's Book Club book put you off from reading it. Shreve is a masterful fiction writer who deserves the acclaim surrounding her books. She's accessible, detailed, and unique in her storytelling.

Summary:  A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plan flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable-one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question, How well can we ever really know another person?

As I largely read and review YA books, I often find myself impatient to get through an adult novel. Thankfully, reading The Pilot's Wife was easy for me; I love her storytelling and the complicated lives she weaves for her characters. Shreve makes you feel invested in these characters. Kathryn could be anyone's sister, friend or neighbour. She's an ordinary wife who has a seemingly easy and happy marriage until someone knocks on her door and turns her world upside down. I was so absorbed in finding the answers to the mysteries of the plane crash and of Jack's final moments that I had no problems getting through this book.

The drama of the characters (the death of a loved one, a fractured family, adultery, having a secret life, a failing marriage, etc. ) is wrapped around the mysterious plane crash that killed Kathryn's husband and the other passengers on-board. Although this book was originally published in 1998, the horrific tragedy of September 11, 2001 has made plane-related accidents and words like "terrorists" strike hard with readers. The tragedy of that day makes the events of this book more real and therefore the book to be more powerful. I needed to know if this seemingly average and decent man could possibly be a terrorist; a word that is all too real to me.

The Pilot's Wife feels like a chick-lit/contemporary fiction hybrid, which is great for readers like me who don't have a lot of patience to withstand a heavy read. You get the complicated romance angle of chick lit, but it's wrapped up in something dark and grim. Don't look for a love-you-forever, standard happy ending. Shreve likes to write about love in its most complicated forms, usually in that love is never easy, it's never what you expect it to be, and often it means loving the wrong thing.

The narrative is fast-paced and is character-driven. The unknowns surrounding Jack and his final moments keep the reader wondering and wanting throughout the book. Moreover, Shreve addresses ugly [possible] realities like adultery and the loss of a spouse and father; subjects we do enjoy experiencing safely through a good book.

The Pilot's Wife makes for a great weekend read you won't want to put down. Looking for something with a little more shock-factor? Try Fortune's Rocks. 

3.5 Stars

Review: The Fault in our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars is a heartbreakingly beautiful story.

It is a YA novel about two teenagers who both have been diagnosed with fatal illnesses. This is a love story, a story of survival, and a story of pursuing moments that make life worth it.

I was reminded of Jodi Piccoult's heart-wrenching My Sister's Keeper in the way that we see the world-altering importance of having people who love us stick by us no matter what.

It's not a happy read, as books about kids with cancer cannot be, but it is enlightening. Everyone knows someone who has been diagnosed with cancer, but unless you've had the illness, you can never REALLY understand. Having cancer and knowing someone with cancer is very different. Green allows us a glimpse into that experience. The sympathy, the hopelessness, the struggle, and the disdain for the world and the unfairness of it all is very moving. It was nice to understand just a little bit better and be able to better appreciate what people go through.

The book ends all too abruptly for me, but I have no other complaints. John Green is an amazing writer and he's written a sweet, but tragic tale with room for smiles, for tears, and for catharsis in seeing these brave teens rise above something awful and unstoppable. This is a novel that all young people should read. It's a wonderful piece of fiction and soon to be yet another YA page to screen adaption.

After reading this book, I DESPISE the tagline for the movie poster, but that's just my opinion. Here's to hoping the movie doesn't destroy the power of the book, as My Sister's Keeper did.

4 stars. A YA must-read.

Review: Allegiant by Veronica Roth

"I fell in love with him. But I don't just stay with him by default as if there's no one else available to me. I stay with him because I choose to, every day that I wake up, every day that we fight or lie to each other or disappoint each other. I choose him over and over again, and he chooses me."

I had high hopes for the final book of the Divergent series. I loved Divergent, enjoyed Insurgent, but Allegiant was only good, not great.

Normally, the history of the characters/ the world occurs early in the series, but we get most of it in Allegiant. As I waited three books for the dramatic conclusion to the series, the informational part of the narrative bored me to the point of annoyance.

With a pub. date in 2013, Roth cannot claim The Hunger Games had no influence whatsoever in Allegiant. I found this book to be very similar to Mockingjay in both the state of the heroine and in the rebellion against the corrupted government (with the opposing power not looking so competent either). If you want an exciting, fast-paced, flowing narrative, read Mockingjay instead. Essentially, Allegiant could have used an editor with a stronger hand. I would made many cuts to the editorial to make this book more concise. The tendency toward unnecessary detail in the mundane affected the book's overall impact.

Then again, Allegiant does go to darker places than Mockingjay. There is more vivid detail in the horror and there's more BANG in the violence. There's more death and far more tragedy. This book has no short of injections, guns, explosions, betrayals, suspense, and tragedy.

My biggest complaint is the fact that there were too many enemies! I was getting whiplash as Roth makes you hate and distrust one person after another. It made the narrative seem a little aimless and not as effective as it could have been. For example, the ending sees a reunion between Four and his mother--after we're made to dislike her for a book and a half. Let's pick a villain and build on him or her. The multiple villains makes for too many flat characters.

I won't spoil the ending. Allegiant might have bored me for most of the book, but around page 280, shit really hits the fan. Excuse the language (but there's no other way to describe it). More than the heart-pounding conclusion, Roth makes a very bold choice in her story arc that I did not see coming. When Roth is writing action, she's a powerhouse author. Bold, breathless, and brilliant.

Regardless of the fact that Allegiant was a little dry to start, it is the final book in a popular series. You, like me, NEED to finish the series. It might not be AS good as the first two books, but it's still definitely worth your time! Allegiant is dark and violent. It's filled with twists and turns, and the ending will leave you with a hole in your chest--and not just because the series is over.

Fortunately, the movie is coming... and with the competition of Catching Fire (click to see the trailer!), I think there is a VERY good chance that Divergent (the movie) will not let fans down.

Review: Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I Am By Harry Mazer and Peter Lerangis

In Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I Am, Ben Bright makes a decision that not many people can understand: to volunteer to be a solider. When all of his friends are going to college, Ben has known that this is what he wants to do. I'm not a supporter of war, but I can appreciate his decision and his courage.

The book is quite short at just over 140 pages and is divided into "Before," "During" and "After" the incident where Ben loses his memory. The action moves quickly and the reader is spared the gory details. It is also interesting to note that as soon as Ben is injured, the protagonist becomes a minor character for the rest of the book. The story becomes about how his friends and family handle how Ben's decision to join the army and his resulting injuries from his time in Iraq have turned him into a shadow of the person he was before. It's quite heartbreaking.

Guilt, anger, fear, and hope are all working against Ben's family and friends as they attempt to cope with his condition. Arguably the decision to go to war and the risks associated are ones that will not only ruin your own life, but the lives of everyone around you. This is a story about a boy who made a very brave choice, but a choice that has devastating consequences.

The story ends on a hopeful note as Ben makes progress with his recovery, although the ending is rather abrupt. At the centre of all the devastation is Ben, and just as his near-death experience was the cause of a lot of dysfunction and despair, his recovery might allow for the damage to be repaired.

An interesting book, but the reader will have many unanswered questions at its conclusion. This YA novel is short, sweet, and to the point. It is an easy read and portrays the ugly realities of going to war.

Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

A touching, memorable, and gripping story about finding hope, happiness and power in a seemingly hopeless world.

Markus Zusak writes a tragic, yet wonderful, and heartfelt story about a little girl growing up in World War II, Germany. As many books on this tragic moment in our history, Zusak's story stands out from the crowd. This is a must-read book for young adults and adults alike.

The Book Thief is narrated by Death and follows the life and struggles of nine-year-old girl Liesel. Death is neither evil or good, but simply someone fulfilling his role in the world. Death makes a point in revealing important events to come, but never the manner in which they will occur. I think this narrative style is fitting for the time period, because we all know the devastation that is coming, we just don't know when or where or how it will strike. If anything, this technique built more suspense as I dreaded the inevitable as I fell in love with the characters.

Zusak shows the other side of Germany--the people who protected their Jewish friends and risked everything to do so. It shows the German people who didn't agree with the Nazis, who wanted no part in the war, and the effect of the war on these innocent German people (hunger, bombings, and death), and it shows how people express their refusal to give into despair.

Liesel's theft and reading of stolen books is representative of the power of words in Nazi Germany. Words can destroy a country, but they can also provide hope and relief from despair. For all the terrible words that Hitler puts out in the world, Liesel steals some of them back. Reading bonds her with her foster father and it allows Liesel to bring comfort to crowds of people waiting in the bomb shelters. Zusak shows that the power of words is endless.

Although the book is slightly long, everything about the book makes the length justifiable. The writing is accessible for the younger audience, the characters are interesting and well-rounded, and the story is hard to put down. The writing is vivid, without delving into the gory details as Zusak gives the reader just enough to be able to construct the horrors on your own.

I have not seen the movie yet, but I do hope it will encourage people to read the book. It might taken readers a little longer to get through, but it's definitely worth it. I hope that the film is a faithful adaption. Catching Fire certainly set the page-to-screen adaption bar extraordinarily high.

5 stars

Review: The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher

The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher is an addicting read, full of suspense, shrouded in mystery, and paired with danger. Lucy Christopher has written a teen murder mystery novel that will leave you breathless-- and that's a fun and ironic choice of words.

A modern who-dunnit tale of a group of teenagers who play a dangerous version of Hide-and-Seek in the woods, The Killing Woods explores tough subjects like drugs, alcohol, and PTSD. It's about teens who make wrong choices and about teens who have to deal with the death of a fellow student and friend. It's about uncovering the truth, no matter how terrible it might be. It's about bad things that happen alone in the woods.

I normally shy away from anything scary. I'll admit it: I'm a huge chicken. I'm not a fan of horror movies and I very, very rarely read mystery, crime, or horror novels. I'm just far too jumpy to be able to appreciate them. Fortunately, Lucy Christopher's novel was nothing like I expected--it was far better. The murder of a young girl in the woods did not set off a chilling murder mystery story as I expected. While the murder is the central incident of the book, Lucy Christopher's story takes a hard look at the characters and at tough subjects of grieving, psychological and emotional distress, as well as illegal substances. I only lost sleep because I could not put this book down.

I am recommending this book to anyone who enjoys teen books with a dark twist, mystery stories, or danger. This book will really hit home as the characters are so realistic to what teenagers are now. Everyone knows someone who makes wrong choices with substance abuse. It is sad that most people now attend a high school where a death has occurred.

The Killing Woods is one of the best teen books I've read this year. The writing is addictive and the characters are so relatable to young people today. I love that PTSD and the psychological and emotional aspects of this murder mystery are a huge part of this story, because a lot of time, authors ignore these issues, or at least they don't understand that they can play a huge role in a tragedy like this. The idea that the truth isn't being withheld because there's a criminal hiding it--but because the human brain has literally repressed it [for one reason or another] is realistic and a startling real truth.

The Killing Woods will be published on January 1st, 2014. This is a must-read for 2014. Pre-order your copy now!

Review: The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen by Susin Nielsen

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen by Susin Nielsen was published in 2012 by Tundra Books. It is about a young boy who struggles with life after his brother's suicide. The book centres on issues that many young children and teenagers face today: bullying, fitting in, issues of self-esteem, identity and self-acceptance. Nielsen's book is a wonderful novel that every young adult should read. These issues are so prevalent in schools, in the media, and in mainstream culture that even if you don't know someone who has lost a loved one to bullying or violence in school, the book is an incredibly personal and a touching read.

Nielsen's narrator, though deeply troubled by the psychological damage of losing a family member to suicide, is incredibly relatable and very much likeable. I did not notice that sometimes the narrator loses touch of staying in the voice of a modern thirteen-year-old boy, using bigger words and a larger vocabulary, but for the most part, the dialogue is flawlessly realistic. On the other hand, the author's minor inconsistencies are helpful for the young readers who are getting used to reading and comprehending longer texts. Moreover, the dialogue and the vocabulary subtly masks the real suffering that this boy feels in reaction to his brother's death.

The topic of teen suicide is not the only relatable subject that young readers today can connect with. Nielsen also includes difficult topics such as loneliness, regret, longing to find happiness, cyber bullying, feeling displaced, fear of being bullied, guilt, and more. It also calls attention to the stress and deterioration of family ties that occurs with tragedies such as suicide.

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen is a wonderful piece of Canadian fiction published by Tundra Books. I couldn't put the book down once I started reading it. Henry's heartbreaking tale is an eye-opener into a subject matter that should be discussed more openly, as kids are exposed to more and more true and horrific stories from schools of bullying, suicides, death, and violence. Fictional books like this one can help children to come to terms with the reality of bullying and the detrimental effects of the schoolyard social hierarchy. By raising kids' awareness of these issues and of their participation in what may seem like harmless teasing or taunting, we can make a difference to the lives of kids around the world.

Nielsen is a talented writer who has written a wonderful book for young readers. This book should be considered incorporated into school curriculums. Henry's struggle to understand and move beyond the great pain of losing his brother teaches kids of similar situations that there IS hope; that there IS help out there.