Good Reads & Views

Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson
J Fiction

What it’s about: ZJ’s dad is a hero to everyone... except ZJ. You see, ZJ’s dad is an NFL player, a very good one, and everyone looks up to him. But to ZJ, he’s just dad. After a few too many hits, his dad starts to act strangely. He forgets things, has pounding headaches, and becomes irrationally angry. He has to stop playing professionally, and ZJ doesn’t understand why. 

Why you might like it: Jacqueline Woodson is a lyrical mastermind. Her free verse novels flow and stop at the perfect moments. Even though this book is shelved in youth services, adults (especially parents) will feel empathy for ZJ and his family as it is revealed that ZJ’s dad has CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), which is a very recently discovered degenerative brain disease caused by too many head injuries. It’s interesting to see this diagnosis through the eyes of a young child, how it affects him and his relationships with his friends. It’s almost gut-wrenching. 

Reviewers say: “Eloquent prose poetry creates a moving narrative that reveals the grief of a child trying to understand why his father has changed and why nothing can be done. An ardent account of the multitudes of losses experienced by those who suffer from chronic traumatic encephalopathy and its effects on their families, ZJ's doleful tale unveils the intense nostalgia and hope one can feel despite realizing that sometimes what is lost can never be regained” (Publishers Weekly).

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Dread Nation: Rise Up by Justina Ireland
YA Fiction

What it’s about: The dead rose up at Gettysburg just after the battle, and the nation is still recovering from the war and the zombie apocalypse. Now Jane McKeene is training to become a lady’s attendant (bodyguard) against the shamblers and trying to find out what happened to her ex-boyfriend’s sister and her family, but she makes powerful enemies in the process.

Why you should read it: This reads a bit like Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets the Wild West. African-American Jane is smart, sassy, and ferocious, protecting those she cares about and commenting on the world as she knows it. Well worth finding on audio too.

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Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
YA Fiction

Shaun was shot and killed. According to The Rules, his brother Will must not cry or snitch, and he has to kill the one responsible. He gets his brother’s gun and enters the elevator to go kill the man he believes has shot his brother… Ghosts of his past get in too. Will sharing their tragic stories change Will’s path and stop the cycle of violence? This novel-in-verse uses powerful imagery and several voices to weave together a tale of an-eye-for-an-eye as well as revenge gone wrong. Although it is a very fast read (less than two hours as an audiobook), it is emotionally moving and thought provoking.

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Yvain, The Knight of the Lion by M. T. Anderson
YA Fiction

In the days of knights and castles, Yvain is a swashbuckling knight of King Arthur’s Round Table who runs into trouble when he breaks a promise to his wife. A ferocious lion is his sidekick. He is suicidal until he finds a damsel in distress who gives him a cause that gives his life meaning. This graphic novel takes the famous medieval classic and turns it into a reader-friendly, if gory, story. This is an adaptation of Chrétien de Troyes’s 13th century work that greatly defined the developing fantasy genre known as “romance,” which is not today’s meaning of romance in literature. You have here all the elements of medieval romance: swordplay, courtly love (and the obligatory cruel lady), chivalry, knights errant, ladies in need of rescue, tournaments, adventure, horses. Lots of horses. And a lion. Imagine Medieval Times® with a more complicated, drawn out plot.

Wonder by R. J. Palacio
Fiction

Can you imagine being born with an extreme facial deformity and going through 27 corrective surgeries before entering 5^th grade? That's August Pullman, who loves Star Wars, eats ice cream, rides his bike, plays ball, and has an x-box... Sounds like an average 10 year old. He is very much an ordinary kid on the inside. August, aka Auggie, is a 5^th grade boy about ready to start school at Beech prep after being homeschooled all his life. Auggie and his father do not think this is a good idea. Auggie’s tight knit family is very loving and supportive. His one and only older sibling, Via, is very protective of her younger brother. Auggie’s favorite furry friend is Daisy the family dog. What could be worse than starting at a new school and not knowing a single person? Aggie is about to find out. This book is about expectations and fitting in, no matter what your external appearance. Find out what it's like to be Auggie, but also what it’s like to be the people around him.

Ms. Marvel #1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson
YA Nonfiction

She was born in Jersey City, but her parents expect Kamala to act like a good Pakistani girl. She idolizes superheroes, but she certainly didn’t expect to get Ms. Marvel’s powers! Now Kamala’s struggling to balance her protective parents’ wishes with some secret crime fighting while being grounded. The writing is entertaining and fast paced, and the illustrations are bright and colorful. Kamala is a gutsy heroine who thinks for herself. Even those who don’t know the history of the previous Ms. Marvels will find this easy to follow, but there are a few hints layered in for fans too. Here’s hoping the series stays as strong as the new Ms. Marvel!

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
YA Fiction

This book was captivating from the very beginning. It is told from the perspective of Clay Jensen, a high school student who receives a box of audiotapes narrated by a girl whom he had a crush on, Hannah Baker, who has recently committed suicide. The book interweaves her words from the audiotapes with his comments and memories. On the audiotapes Hannah shares her thirteen reasons for why she did what she did and names specific people and how they contributed to what happened and her ultimate decision. They too will receive the audiotapes and are instructed to mail them to the next person mentioned on the tapes. It really made me think about the ways we effect people's lives with what we do or don't do, say or don't say, and when we know we need to do something but don't, or do something we shouldn't have done. It highlights, I feel, how our interactions, words, and choices can have a profound impact on others.

March: Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell
Nonfiction

This graphic novel was much buzzed about before its release, and it grabbed me right from the start. Congressman John Lewis shares his life story growing up poor in Alabama, his awakening to preaching about racial equality and the beginnings of his work with the Civil Rights movement in this first volume. The powerful story jumps back and forth in time but never loses focus. Lewis' dedication to nonviolent protest amazed me, especially when Nate Powell's expressive drawings showed some of the violence and hatred directed at him and other students during the lunch counter sit-ins.

The Girls Guide to Rocking: How to Start a Band, Book Gigs, and Get Rolling to Rock Stardom by Jessica Hopper
YA 781.66 HOP

The Girls Guide to Rocking has all the info you need to start your own band. The tone is lively and fun, just as a girl band should be! The book has all the information you’ll ever need on songwriting, band practices, targeting an audience, and touring. The author, Jessica Hopper has had her own band since she was 15, and has been through it all!

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
YA FIC Oliver, Lauren

Samantha Kingston is popular and pretty, and she takes her privileged life for granted. That is, until her life is taken away. Samantha dies in a car accident on her way home from a party. After death, she is forced to relive her last day over and over again, and each time has the ability to change one of her actions. Will Samantha be able to change the end result, though, and get another chance at life? This unique look at life and death will haunt you long after you’ve discovered the answer.