January 2016

STARRED

Elementary

Nightborn

Author: Lou Anders

Illustrator: Justin Gerard

Crown, 2015

ISBN: 9780385390361

Grades 4 - 8: Thrones & Bones book 2. Karn is just settling in after his last quest when Orm the dragon, sends him on a quest to find another ancient magical horn. Orm has already sent Karn’s best friend, Thianna, after it, but she has not returned or been heard from since. Karn’s extremely worried about her and agrees to go. Karn’s trusting demeanor allows him to be duped by a dark elf, Desstra, who’s also on a quest for the same horn and to prove herself worthy of being a soldier. Karn and Desstra work to find Thianna and the horn, only to have Desstra betray them to the dark elves. Over the course of their journey, Desstra learns the meaning of friendship and ends up helping Karn and Thianna knowing that she is not going to be allowed back with her people. The horn is taken by another rival group leading is into the final installment in the triology. This is a fantastic fantasy adventure will appeal to a broad audience. Boys and girls will both enjoy the strong characters and the power of friendship. The small, highly detailed illustrations at the beginning of each chapter give the readers a small peak at what’s to come and add further enjoyment to the story. This one is a must have for your library.

Reviewer: Debby Iverson, Coweeman Middle School

What's Your Favorite Animal?

Authors: Eric Carle and Friends

Illustrators: Eric Carle and Others

Henry Holt & Company, 2015

ISBN: 9781627793032

Grades P - K: Be prepared to fall in love with this little board book compilation of renowned author/illustrators who have each contributed a page about their favorite animals. The pages are as diverse as the authors, some of whom provide very eloquent rationales for their animal choices, some of whom use humorous poetry to communicate their choices, and others who simply state their preferences. Each page is beautifully illustrated and includes a copyright attributed to the individual author. The board book is an excellent way to introduce young children to authors like Mo Willems, Chris Raschka, and Peter Sis as well as the iconic writing and illustration styles that accompany those authors’ works. The book, itself, is small enough for little hands to embrace. Librarians and early educators will love it for the opportunities it affords to introduce children to authors they will love at a very early age, and the price makes it an affordable addition to collections for the littlest readers.

Reviewer: Jodi Kruse, R. A. Long High School

Fort

Author: Cynthia DeFelice

Farrar Straus Giroux, 2015

ISBN: 9780374324278

Grades 4 - 7: Summer friends Augie and Wyatt are on a mission to build a fort in the woods. They’re excited to have a place of their own and a place away from the local bullies, J.R. and Morrie. The boys paint the pink wood and fill the fort with scavenged items. When they discover their fort has been messed with, all the clues point to Gerard, a developmentally disable boy. Augie and Wyatt confront Gerard and learn that the bullies were behind it. They hatch a plan to get back and the bullies and include Gerard. Hilarious antics ensue as J.R. and Morrie get what they deserve. This is another homerun by Cynthia DeFlice. Upper elementary and middle school boys will surely enjoy this adventure!

Reviewer: Debby Iverson, Coweeman Middle School

Duncan the Story Dragon

Author & Illustrator: Amanda Driscoll

Alfred A. Knopf, 2015

ISBN: 9780385755078 I

Grades K - 3: What an absolutely delightful book! Duncan loves books, but desperately wants to finish an adventure! He wants to read those two little words….The End…….but it has never worked out for him because his imagination catches fire and the book is burnt. He decides to ask someone to read for him, but all the animals are afraid of him……..or he is afraid of them. He goes back home and begins to cry. His teardrop runs across the floor and splats into a mouse reading a story. (The mouse’s story is cleverly illustrated as The Friendly Dragon.) The mouse wonders if it is a sad story that made Duncan cry. Sadly, Duncan states he may never know and with that the two book lovers begin to share many wonderful adventures together as the mouse reads and Duncan provides a nice fire for toasting marshmallows and roasting hotdogs. The illustrations are magic and convey the imagination of Duncan and his new best friend!

Reviewer: Nikki Williams, Castle Rock Elementary

Sleeping Beauty

Author & Illustrator: Sarah Gibb

Albert Whitman & Co., 2015

ISBN: 9780807573515

Grades P - 2: The classic Sleeping Beauty story is presented in this absolutely gorgeous book with amazing illustrations. Even the paper is high quality and feels good under your fingertips. I can see this book as a cozy bedtime read for young children, as well as a loved book for older children who can still appreciate the illustrations. It is a book we can be proud to have on our shelves.

Reviewer: Rhonda Lowe, Castle Rock Elementary

The Rookie Blue Jay

Author: David A. Kelly

Illustrator: Mark Meyers

Random House Children's Books, 2015

ISBN: 9780385378758

Grades 1 - 5: You can’t go wrong with Ballpark Mysteries on your library’s shelves! Kelly incorporates a mystery with fascinating facts of stadiums from the MLB. This is all done through the eyes of cousins, Mike and Kate. In this tale, the cousins are trying to figure out what is causing their favorite rookie, Dusty, some trouble in the game of baseball. They see ghost lights and wonder what that means, so set out to uncover the truth. This book even caused me to consider a trip to Toronto just to stay in the hotel located inside its stadium.

Reviewer: Nikki Williams, Castle Rock Elementary

Weird & Wild Animal Facts

Author: Jessica Loy

Henry Holt and Company, 2015

ISBN: 9780805079456

Grades 1 - 3: An informational text with a table of contents, page numbers, colorful photographs, and additional resources of websites included in the back is essential and inviting to our young readers. This copy is not library bound and will need reinforcements to survive. Loaded with many unusual facts of creatures it is like a trivia book for Jeopardy and kids love to know the unusual. Hippos sweat their own sunscreen, a penny is heavier than a hummingbird, and frogs have no teeth are some of the weird facts included in the book. Written in clear, bold text the sentences are short and easy to read for the beginning learner. Buy this book in library binding.

Reviewer: Debbie Johnson, Wallace Elementary School, Kelso, WA

Who Wants a Hug?

Author & Illustrator: Jeff Mack

HarperCollins Publishers, 2015

ISBN: 9780062220264

Grades P - 3: This is such a great story! Bear is handing out hugs to anyone that wants one. He asks Skunk, but is turned down flat. Furthermore, Skunk is a bit disgusted by Bear’s happiness and sets out to sabotage him. Each rotten trick he tries backfires on him though, and in the end Bear sees Skunk is unhappy. He asks if Skunk needs a hug, and Skunk finally gives in. Skunk determines that he loves hugs and wants another……..this time it is Bear who slinks away saying he’ll save one for later. Later comes and this time Bear is wearing a clothespin on his nose as he hugs Skunk. The illustrations are sweet, and cause the reader to fall in love with the story!

Reviewer: Nikki Williams, Castle Rock Elementary

Power Down, Little Robot

Author: Anna Staniszewski

Illustrator: Tim Zeltner

Henry Holt and Company, 2015

ISBN: 9781627791250

Grades K - 3: This is such a cute story! The concept is spectacular! Little Robot does all the things typical children do when it is time to go to bed. The difference is he is a robot and therefore he opens his stalling program, asks for a can of oil, cleans his cogs, asks Mom Unit to read him a manual and complains that his circuits hurt. Mom Unit wants him to recharge, but he says he’s not tired……his power level is still yellow. In the end, dream sequence is initiated. The pictures are exquisite and make Little Robot and his story so charming.

Reviewer: Nikki Williams, Castle Rock Elementary

Tractor Mac Friends on the Farm

Author & Illustrator: Billy Steers

Square FIsh, 2015

ISBN: 9780374301682

Grades B - K: When Carla the chicken has lost her ten chicks, she enlists the help of Tractor Mac to find them. Together, they look through the variety of vehicles on Tractor Mac’s farm to round up the wayward chicks. This board book incorporates flaps for little fingers, but not all of the flaps are hiding a chick. Some include information about transportation. The illustrations are comically adorable. Tabs along the outside are an excellent way to introduce little readers to the concept of an index or table of contents.

Reviewer: Jodi Kruse, R. A. Long High School

Survival Strategies for the Almost Brave

Author: Jen White

Farrar Straus Giroux, 2015

ISBN: 9780374300845

Grades 4 - 7: Twelve-year-old Liberty and her eight-year-old sister Billie have been abandoned by their father at a desert gas station. At first they think it’s a mistake, but as time goes on Liberty realizes that they are on their own. She plans to get them back to San Diego to their guardian, Julie’s house. Their mom passed away earlier in the year and this is the first time they’ve seen their dad in years. He takes them on a camping trip across the county but things don’t go as any of them planned. Liberty is resourceful and keeps the girls mostly safe and sound. When they are caught sneaking back into a big rig, the driver takes the girls to the hospital and the authorities help them find Julie and their dad. This is a heartfelt, poignant story that keeps readers cheering for Liberty until she’s safe and sound.

Reviewer: Debby Iverson, Coweeman Middle School

Secondary

Battle of the Bulge

Author: Rick Atkinson

Henry Holt, 2015

ISBN: 9781627791137

Grades 7 - 12: This is a book that is adapted from The guns at last light. It gives the history of this historic episode from the end of WWII, from the inception as Hitler’s last ditch attempt at battlefield supremacy, to the epilogue that rounds out the events with a reflection on its effect on the generals who were involved. I learned a lot from this book and found it to have just the right mix of interesting detail, historical events and personal story. The text is supported by an explanatory notes at the end of the book, an index, glossary and a numbers section for the casualties. Graphics and photographs with “grommeted frames” and informative captions provide text enrichment. I’m keeping this book for my high school library because it will provide a great “jumping off point” for any student who wants a snapshot of this historic battle.

Reviewer: Lisa Sudar, Mark Morris High School

Chasing Secrets

Author: Gennifer Choldenko

Illustrator: Hugh D'Andrade

Wendy Lamb Books, 2015

ISBN: 9780385742535

Grades 5 - 8:

Thirteen-year-old Lizzie is the daughter of a compassionate San Francisco physician in 1900. While Lizzie attends a posh school, she has no friends and wants to become a doctor, highly frowned upon at the time by those in high society. Rumors of the plague are circulating through the city and when her family’s cook doesn’t return from Chinatown, Lizzie becomes determined to find him. Lizzie discovers a boy, Noah, hiding in their home who turns out to be the cook’s son. Lizzie and Noah become secret friends. With help from her older brother, Lizzie brings their cook home. Tragedy strikes when the plague gets into their house. This is a great story that will appeal to a wide variety of girls. Lizzie is a strong heroine who is forced to make difficult decisions as she stays true to herself. A perfect fit for upper elementary and middle school girls.

Reviewer: Debby Iverson, Coweeman Middle School

Vivian Apple at the End of the World

Author: Katie Coyle

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015

ISBN: 9780553499117

Grades 9 - 12: My opinions about this title are a tangled mess. As someone who identifies herself as a Christian and who has family members who are Latter Day Saints, the storyline comes a little close to home. It all starts with a couple of holes in the roof of Vivian Apple’s family home and the disappearance of both of her parents who are Church of America believers. In Coyle’s imaginings, the church has become all powerful, it’s message all pervasive, its control of commerce and information all encompassing. Vivian Apple is a seventeen year old girl who doesn’t buy it. In the background is an apocalyptic world that is imploding as a result of natural disasters and this implosion is feeding into the frenzy. When Vivian receives a mysterious phone call from California, she is determined to get to the bottom of her parents’ disappearance. What unfolds is a great conspiracy theory and a fascinating juxtaposition of morality versus religion. The religious cult members are depicted as hyper religious people who are willing to blindly accept whatever doctrine is handed to them. It is that unflattering association with fundamentalist Christian organizations that is likely to cause the pinch for Christian readers. Frankly, any fundamentalist religion could have been chosen, and the same effect achieved, but arguably, Christianity has tended to be the most pervasive. The message, sprinkled lightly with gratuitous f-bombs, is still thought-provoking, and Coyle develops characters that are both likable and sympathetic. She manages to tease her readers with a love interest that remains surprisingly chaste—in spite of the assumption that all young women with sexual urges are “whores”—and characters who are thrust into action and become unexpected role models. This is a book that I have recommended as one of literary merit because of the level of genuine thought about actions and convictions that are required of the readers. It is also a book that has been highly appreciated by my students.

Reviewer: Jodi Kruse, R. A. Long High School

Vivian Apple Needs a Miracle

Author: Katie Coyle

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015

ISBN: 9780544390423

Grades 9 - 12: At the end of Vivian Apple at the End of the World, Vivian had discovered that her mother was still alive, the Church of America had faked the rapture—although the raptured people were nowhere to be found, and that her half-sister, Winnie, was part of a militia formed with the sole objective of bringing down the Church of America. Bit players from the first book are revived in ways that are satisfying to readers, since Coyle is especially adept at imbuing even the most inconsequential seeming characters with a pathos that is endearing. Even Beaton Frick, the hapless leader of the cult, is a sympathetic figure as he is shamelessly manipulated by three “angels” who are neither angelic nor holy. The themes of questioning one’s belief system and the comparison of true relationship with a higher being as opposed to religious behavior are even more prominent with the reemergence of Edie, a believer who leaves the cult because of its inconsistencies as well as the doggedly moral behavior of Vivian, the star of the story. The f-bomb is much more frequently and gratuitously used in this book, which is unfortunate because it does nothing to enhance the story or forward the characters. At times it becomes almost distracting. Still, this sequel has merit in its own right. Coyle has ingeniously concluded the story while still leaving open the possibility for other books in the series—a series I would gleefully read if a third book is in the offing.

Reviewer: Jodi Kruse, R. A. Long High School

Forgotten Bones: Uncovering a Slave Cemetary

Author: Lois Miner Huey

Millbrook Press, 2016

ISBN: 9781467733939

Grades 4 - 12: Talk about sucking me in! The introduction starts with the present day accidental excavation of a human skull in New York. Huey is an archaeologist herself, and has a flair for storytelling. The introduction is the least compelling part of the narrative. What makes this unique is the analysis of a period about which little is published: the practice of keeping slaves in the North. Bit by bit, the uncovering of a slave cemetery along with the forensic detective work that went with piecing together the lives of its inhabitants is revealed. My immediate thoughts went to the Geographic Anthropology class that our school is adding. Huey does an excellent job of including source notes, and the back matter includes—in addition to her note—not only resources in the form of a bibliography, but also websites and, equally valuable in my opinion, a “Places to Visit” listing. Written at a more middle school level, this is the kind of text that is ideal for upper elementary students who need a stretch and older students who need something that is easy to understand. VERDICT: An excellent choice for budding archaeologists and historians alike.

Reviewer: Jodi Kruse, R. A. Long High School

All the Bright Places

Author: Jennifer Niven

Alfred A. Knopf, 2015

ISBN: 9780385755887

Grades 10 - 12: (Spoiler Alert) “Mrs. Kruse,” one of my favorite students howled, “you don’t understand. . .Finch DIES!” Honest-to-Pete, it happened. Not just once, multiple times—even before I started reading the first engaging page, my students were coming to me wailing and gnashing their teeth. It wasn’t until I got to that spot in the book that I fully understand how thoroughly successful Niven was in creating two broken characters who meet at the top of a bell tower as one flirts with death and the other is contemplating it. Violet Markey is grieving the loss of her older sister while Theodore Finch is battling the demons of bipolar disorder. He is known for being completely offbeat, but he owns his quirkiness, and Niven embues him with a completely endearing—if irreverent—personality. Finch makes several jokes about sexuality—most specifically about Violet wanting him—that border on sexual harassment, and there are a few scenes of sexuality of which readers should be aware. Still, this is a book that will wrap its pages around its readers and not let them go.

Reviewer: Jodi Kruse, R. A. Long High School

Iron Rails, Iron Men

Author: Martin Sandler

Candlewick Press, 2015

ISBN: 9780763665272

Grades 5 - 12: This is a wonderful book. It’s the story of an accomplishment that was declared the marvel of the world at the time it was built. The story of the trans-continental railroad has many side stories and is a piece of history that marks multiple turning points in the history of our nation. The players are larger than life; Leland Stanford, Abe Lincoln, Thomas Durant to name just a few. The epic story is told in easy to read narrative, primary source newspaper articles and letters and insets with the side stories about the politics, individuals and other factors that wove into the entire story of the monumental engineering feat that galvanized our country and signaled the demise of the American native peoples and buffalo. There is an epilogue that follows up on what happened to the key players after the building of the line, a timeline of major events and excellent source notes for each chapter. The old photographs add to the fascination and supplement the learning for students who cannot imagine a time without cell phones or easy access to everything they need. I loved this book and learned so much!

Reviewer: Lisa Sudar, Mark Morris High School

Faceless

Author: Alyssa Scheinmel

Scholastic, 2015

ISBN: 9780545676014

Grades 9 - 12: This is a book that merits multiple copies—not because it is amazingly well written, though it is better than average—but because it is a compelling story that invites readers into a completely fascinating scenario. After surviving a lightning strike, Maisie Winters is offered a life-altering opportunity: she can receive a face transplant. Her options: go through life with severely disfiguring burns on an obvious part of her body, or go through life with someone else’s face. As if the struggle to figure out who one is isn’t enough for a high school student, this conundrum adds whole new dimensions. At times Maisie’s descent into self-pity is aggravating for an adult reader, but the teens who have devoured the book have loved the premise. This is an ideal book for discussing medical ethics and could be paired easily with informational text about teens and their participation in healthcare decisions with lasting implications. VERDICT: Buy two copies. Kids will be fascinated with Maisie’s journey into the world of disfigurement, relationships, and potential.

Reviewer: Jodi Kruse, R. A. Long High School

The Disappearance of Emily H.

Author: Barrie Summy

Delacorte Press, 2015

ISBN: 9780385739436

Grades 6 - 8: Eighth grader Raine bounces around as frequently as her mom changes boyfriends. She is getting ready to start yet another middle school when she learns that she is now living in the house where another middle school girl, Emily, disappeared. Raine has a special ability to draw memories out of some objects, she calls them sparkles. Raine quickly becomes the target of mean girls at school and through sparkles learns that Emily was also bullied by these girls. Raine begins a quest to find out what happened to Emily and to stop the mean girls in their tracks. This is a fantastic mystery that will widely appeal to middle school girls. Raine’s ability is unique and a bit quirky, but the message of taking matters into your own hands to deal with bullies will resonate and empower many.

Reviewer: Debby Iverson, Coweeman Middle School

The Great War

Illustrator: Jim Kay

Candlewick Press, 2014

ISBN: 9780763675547

Grades 6 - 12: Tasked with writing “memories” from the First World War each contributor was asked to choose an object that they used or had seen others use during the war. What was their connection to this artifact? Did it change the war for the better or worse? Poignant, personal stories handed down from those who fought in the war and many who supported those fighting. These stories together with the drawings draw the reader into the action and sometimes the feelings of those fighting the war. “The Great War” contains so many memories that need to be “passed on” in order for future generations to know and understand the history of our nation.

Reviewer: Tina Campbell, Toutle Lake JR/SR High School

Everything, Everything

Author: Nicola Yoon

Illustrator: David Yoon

Delacorte Press, 2015

ISBN: 9780553496642

Grades 9 - 12: Madeline has SCID. Severe combined immunodeficiency is a disease that means she is allergic to everything, everything. She watches the world from her white environment in her white clothes and is getting by with books and tutors, until Olly and his family move in next door. She is intrigued and entertained when he mimes an entire life and death to a bundt cake that her mother rejects when Olly and her sister come over as new neighbors with a gift. They start messaging via computer and then her nurse lets him in through the decontamination chamber and the scene is set for big changes. When Madeline rushes outside after watching Olly’s abusive father punch him for protecting his mother and nothing happens to her health, the genie is out of the bottle. Madeline rebels and she and Olly run away to Hawaii in search of a world she has only glimpsed in a photograph, in a time before the car accident that took her brother and father. Secrets come out when the inevitable illness fells her and she is rushed to the hospital to re-start her heart. Spoiler Alert: this is not straight Munchhausen like you see in CJ Lyons’ Broken, but the thought of a mentally ill parent inflicting “illness” on a healthy child is creepy at best, but I liked this book. There is a brief “first sex” interlude (for which she has planned), and in the end love really is everything, everything. Reviewer: Lisa Sudar, Mark Morris High School

RECOMMENDED

ELEMENTARY

Good Night Firefly

Author & Illustrator: Gabriel Alborozo

Henry Holt, 2015

ISBN: 978162779226

Grades K - 3: This story is about a girl who needs to sleep with a nightlight. One night the nightlight burned out. She called to her mom and dad but they would not wake up. She saw a glow out the window and saw hundreds of fireflies. She got a jar and put a firefly inside. She kept the firefly in her room, after a while the light began to be dimmer and dimmer. She knew she need to take the firefly outside and let him free. I light the black and white in the illustrations, with just a little color. It makes the illustrations very interesting. Sweet story.

Reviewer: Tracy Robinson, Robert Gray Elementary

Who was Steve Irwin?

Author: Dina Anastasio

Illustrator: Jim Eldridge

Grosset & Dunlap, 2015

ISBN: 9780448488387

Grades 2 - 6: Steve Irwin was a fascinating person. This book on his life pays special tribute to his youth and family in Australia, as well as describing his success and fame. I enjoyed all Steve’s unique catch phrases: Danger, Danger, Danger and Gorgeous and Crikey! While the book does touch on Steve’s passion for wildlife, I feel that more emphasis could have been shown on his endearing personality as a force in the worldwide success of the show. I am so glad that a new generation of students will be able to read and learn about Steve Irwin. He is a great choice for the 100th title in this series.

Reviewer: Rhonda Lowe, Castle Rock Elementary

Can We Help? Kids Volunteering to Help Their Communities

Author: George Ancona

Candlewick Press, 2015

ISBN: 9780763673673

Grades K - 3: This non-fiction text explores a variety of ways that kids can help their community. The engaging text is accompanied by colorful photos of children involved in eight various activities. While this book is geared toward primary aged students, it would also be a good read aloud for upper elementary, and possibly middle school students, to give them ideas about activities that would be easy to do in many communities.

Reviewer: Debby Iverson, Coweeman Middle School

Explorers

Author: Penelope Arlon

Scholastic, 2015

ISBN: 9780545791229

Grades 5 - 6: This entry in the Discover More series covers explorers from ancient times until the present day. Thirty-two double page spreads give fact boxes, mini-bios, timelines, maps, drawings, and photos illustrating the journeys of Marco Polo, Columbus, Da Gama, Magellan, Drake, Lewis and Clark, and lesser known individuals (some female, and from other ethnic cultures) and groups like Vikings, Conquistadors, and explorers of rivers, mountains, the poles, caves, ocean depths and space. The variety of information makes this a good introduction to the subject, and a jumping-off point for further research. Includes a glossary and index.

Reviewer: Carol Blix, Cathlamet Public Library

Boats for Papa

Author: Jessixa Bagley

Roaring Brook Press, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-62672-039-8

Grades K - 3: This is an extremely sweet, deep, meaningful story which creates much empathy in the reader. Buckley and Mama live near the ocean, and Buckley is fascinated with boats. He makes lots of boats and sends them out to sea. He believes that if they don’t come back, then his papa has found them. It never comes right out and says what happened to Papa, but the reader gets the sense that Papa might have passed away or been lost at sea. One day, Buckley forgets to write the note for Papa so rushes back home to take care of it. When he goes to get paper from Mama’s desk, he discovers that all the boats he thought reached Papa were actually in Mama’s desk. He is surprised. He writes his note and goes back to Mama to send the little boat out into the ocean. When he is tucked into bed, Mama goes out to the beach and finds the boat with a sweet note that states, “For Mama, Love, Buckley.” The illustrations are sweet and simple with warms hues and tones.

Reviewer: Nikki Williams, Castle Rock Elementary

I'm Trying to Love Spiders

Author & Illustrator: Bethany Barton

Viking, 2015

ISBN: 978-0670016938

Grades K - 5: This is a cute way of giving lots of interesting information about spiders. It is done through the eyes of a child who is afraid of spiders but is trying to love them.

Reviewer: Tracy Robinson, Robert Gray Elementary

SECONDARY

The Education of Ivy Blake

Author: Ellen Airgood

Nancy Paulsen Books, 2015

ISBN: 9780399162787

Grades 5 - 8: Companion to Prairie Evans. Eleven-year-old Ivy is living with her friend Prairie’s family as her mom has been living out of town. When her mom suddenly returns and wants Ivy to live with her, Ivy is torn but gives her mom chance. At first things are okay, but then her mom is accused of stealing and loses her job. Her mom vandalizes her ex-boyfriend’s car and house and creates a scene at a local restaurant. Things are spiraling down, but Ivy refuses to let Prairie’s family know, determined to make her own way. Her mom gets back together with her ex, and later she is jailed for domestic violence. Ivy chooses to go into foster care than burden Prairie’s family again. Ivy stays true to herself and quickly learns that she has a strong support system. The story’s ending is open-ended, leaving the possibility of another story about Ivy. Upper elementary and middle school girls interested in dysfunctional families and the desire to overcome them will certainly eat this up.

Reviewer: Debby Iverson, Coweeman Middle School