Jessica Lee Anderson

To represent a young adult with mental illness in a book can be challenging. To depict them beautifully and with any kind of honesty is even more difficult. However, that is exactly what Ms. Anderson winds up doing. She masterfully writes about the frightening descent into schizophrenia. Soon enough we feel Manz's terrifying paranoia that everyone is out to get him. His fear of being deported, despite his being a legal citizen is crippling him. Manz's family does not discuss their problems. show more His mother drowns the grief of the loss of Gabriel (Manz's half brother) in the whiskey bottles she hides. Tom, Manz's stepfather covers his grief in constant jokes.

Manz wants to help Jed, his best friend and Jed's sister Sally. Their father is physically abusive to the entire family. Sadly, he can't seem to ignore the voices long enough to see any avenues of assistance for them.

This book was lovely, in a heartbreaking sort of way. It was sad to see Manz deteriorate and fall under the spells his own mind was casting on him. As a parent, you long to be the balm that soothes, to have the hand that heals. Mental illness is a cruel monster indeed. You loved one often looks whole and healthy, while inside the confines of their mind, they're waging a war for their very life. Ms. Anderson depicts that desperation, the spiral that pulls you in deeper so well. I appreciated this book for exactly what it was, an honest story, beautifully told. Four big kisses for the honesty and integrity of this one! show less

Fifteen-year-old Calli’s world seems to be falling apart. She just saw her foster sister, Cherish, kissing her boyfriend, Dub, in the hallway at school, and Dub didn’t even try to push her away. Things haven’t been going well since Calli’s two moms brought Cherish into their home, and to make matters worse, they are looking at bringing in yet another foster child. As tension between Cherish and Calli rises, so does the tension between Calli’s two moms as they struggle to keep peace show more in the house, and keep Calli’s biological mother’s Lupus in check. When Calli decides to teach Cherish a lesson, the fights between the girls become violent leaving Calli forever changed.

I really enjoyed this book. Calli is a character many young women will identify with. She’s a very average girl (a size thirteen), and she’s okay with it. Her worries, hopes and dreams are all realistic. Ms. Anderson’s writing is fluid and the story breezed by for me. I read this book in just a few hours. I especially enjoyed the fact that Calli had two moms and it wasn’t an issue to her. It was just the way it was. Sure, she has to deal with narrow-minded people because of it (people think since her mom’s are gay, she must be gay, too), but she shrugs it off as part of life. This is a refreshing YA book, free of love triangles and over-dramatic circumstances that I thoroughly enjoyed.

(Review based on an Advanced Review Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley) show less

Animal fans will enjoy this read as they accompany a friendly girl and her desire to help any animal she can, especially snakes.

Naomi is excited when her mother brings home an exotic snake to heal after a surgery at the rescue. As she helps to care for Beauty, she has an idea—there are snakes in the neighborhood, who might need help too. So, she forms a snake rescue club with the support of her parents, best friend and b
rother. All's going great except for the neighbor girl, who not only show more hates snakes but seems to have a difficult attitude in general. Still, Naomi is determined to do the best she can.

This is a book in a series, which centers around various animals and a girl's love for each and every one. The author does a terrific job at creating a familiar setting with a character to like and wish was a reader's friend. Readers will have no trouble identifying with her, and not only her love for animals but the relationships with her family and friends. She's simply a normal girl, and it's this which will have readers wanting to help the animals around them as well.

The text is great for those readers, who are very sure of their words but not quite ready to dive into a longer, middle grade novel. There are bright and colorful illustrations strewn in and the font is slightly larger for easier reading. There are snake facts peppered in, which allow readers to learn more about the reptiles. At the end of the book, there are several activities such as snake facts, questions, writing suggestions, and more.

Rescuing animals is kept down at a very realistic level, making sure readers are aware of the dangers, problems, and benefits Naomi faces when heading on this venture. Not only does this rotate around the animals, but also hits on the fears and reactions people have, and what influence this has on the situations. To round it off, there's the side-plot concerning rockier relationships and forming friendships. So, there is quite a bit of goodness in these pages, and I'm excited to see what Naomi will be up to in the future. I received a complimentary copy and found this to be an interesting and well done read. show less

Personal response:

This book was fascinating to me, as the main character was struggling to survive while terribly conflicted, and yet he managed to do so for some time despite all the overwhelming circumstances in his young life. It hit home for me, a Chicano whose skin color may become a liability with the impeding SB1070. The aspect of mental illness was described in a way that was totally believable. The conflict of involvement with his White friend's family was also important. This small show more book addressed many types of conflicts and presented many racial attitudes that are present in the Southwest today.

Cirriculum/programming connections:

I would consider this book of value in a Teen Health Information Fair, as AIDS, suicide, eating disorders,teen pregnancy, and drug/acohol/smoking are often highlighted, but mental illness is not touched on or often overlooked. show less