Amy Goldman Koss

Recession, reshmession! Her teacher's talk about unemployment and the greatest depression since the Great Depression pretty much goes over Jacki's head. She's charmingly oblivious to the seriousness of the situation even as her mother loses her job and is looking to sell the house. But there are moments that give her pause, such as her sister Brooke not being able to buy a $600 prom dress, or hearing that her friend's cousin and aunt are essentially homeless. Still, throughout it all, Jacki show more maintains a humorous, teen-Pollyanna-like vibe that's hard to resist. show less

This is the first Amy Koss book I've read, although I've observed her other titles flying off the shelves often enough. Perky and voluble Jacki has an almost-perfect life; sure she wishes her just-about-to-graduate older sister was more fun to be around, she can't stand their "nanny" and she's pretty average in school. But she's got good friends and a nice life. Until her mom loses her job. Suddenly, everything is changing and her family and friends aren't the same anymore.

There aren't, as show more far as I know, any middle grade or young adult books out on the recent recession. There are books like Rachel Vail's Lucky that deal with financial disaster, but nothing more tied to contemporary events. So, a pretty timely book. Jacki is a fun character, always hoping for the best and I can see her fitting into the groups of other fourteen-year-old girls I know.

On the other hand, this book really irritated me. I found Jacki's constant upbeat attitude insanely irritating and her mother's refusal to face facts as well as her helplessness dealing with practical issues even more irritating. The thing is, the characters are very realistic. It's just that I didn't like them. I can't imagine having their casual approach to money and the kids' initial complaints and horror at being faced with, gasp, CHORES really bugged me. But yeah, very realistic. The thing is, based on my personal experiences and background I have more in common with their laid-off and invisible housekeeper, Hortensia, than to any of the characters in the story.

The only problem I had with the story, apart from my personal reactions, was the ending. It was a Jacqueline Wilson spun sugar ending, basically.

SPOILERS
Jacki's mom gets a new job, granted it's at half the pay, but it's something she really loves to do. They all move into a nice apartment near Jacki's best friend, Jacki can't wait to transfer to public school, and her older sister Brooke decides to have an off year before college and her ballet teacher creates a foundation so she can teach poor kids to dance for free but get paid herself while she applies for financial aid so she can go to the college of her dreams the next year.

Um, yeah, realistic much? How about Jacki's mom gets a crappy job that she hates, but hey you've got to pay the bills. Brooke works at a fast-food restaurant trying to save money for classes at the local community college and they all move into a crappy apartment that smells like smoke, has a sleazy landlord, and the a/c doesn't work. Oh, and they can't afford a car so they have to use the bus.

Basically, in my opinion, Koss's ending is a pretty fairy tale that's not going to offer much comfort to kids from Jacki's educational and economic level whose parents have lost their jobs.

Verdict: But I've still ordered the book, because it is, for the most part, a good realistic story and there's nothing else really on this topic. Plus, girls like Koss and most of them will be perfectly satisfied with the fairy tale ending.

ISBN: 1596436131; Published May 2010 by Roaring Brook; ARC provided by publisher at ALA; Purchased for the library show less

It takes a strong stomach for a bullying-victim to read a book about a bullying-victim seeking justice, but I zipped through this book once I got over my flashbacks.

An over-zealous teacher forces Ivy to bring a mock civil suit against her tormentors in order to demonstrate the legal system to the middle-school's third period American Government class. Told from the varying perspectives of the students, we gain insight into the personalities of the studnets who range from the geek to the show more jock to the wise acre. We also get a startling peek into the psyches of the accused bullies. Each character is fleshed out without sympathy and the outcome of the book is surprising.

This would be the perfect book for a tween/teen book club or reluctant readers. show less

Are you tired of books with sick kids dying bravely, teaching everyone a lesson? Then this book is for you! Not only does Izzy, 15, NOT die from lymphoma, but she doesn't always have a positive attitude about it. Learn from Izzy what it's really like to get diagnosed, be whisked off to the hospital to be poked and prodded and have surgery, then go through chemo with side effects like hair loss and nausea. She stops caring about school, gets annoyed that everyone who loves is either show more overhelping or doesn't know what to say, and finally learns how to go on when she realizes that cancer isn't necessarily a death sentence, and after the pain and needles and drugs, life goes on. show less