Week 11 – Kissing in America by Margo Rabb

Written by: Margo Rabb
APA citation: Rabb, M. (2015) Kissing in America. New York: HarperCollins:
Cover image: http://www.amazon.com/Kissing-America-Margo-Rabb/dp/0062322370

My summary of the plot: Eva copes with her father’s death from a plane crash by reading a lot of romance novels – 118 in the last two years. She meets a boy at school and after one glorious night he suddenly moves to California. She convinces her friend to enter a contest so that they can travel to see him. Of course, taking a plane is out of the question, so they take the bus on an epic road trip. Much hilarity ensues.

Keywords: Death, grief, romance

My assessment: I liked this book. It was funny and sad and sweet. As a reformed romance reader and women’s studies minor I loved that Eva’s mom was a women’s studies professor. This is what happens when she looks at Eva’s reading choices:

“My mom would come into my room and gaze at the books on my night table, at Ewing on his bronco or Gurlag swinging from a tree, and she’d sigh, ‘I didn’t raise you to worship imbecilic apes.’ Other times she’d grow more serious, looking at my books, ‘I’ve failed you as a mother, as a woman, and as a citizen of this world,’ she’d say” (p. 2).

That her mom is more opposed to her reading romance novels than if she had piercings or tattoos is hilarious.

Audio review: This novel is very well read by Laura Knight Keating.
Citation for audio book: Rabb, M. (2015). Kissing in America. [Audio Recording]. New York: Harper Audio.

Review from a library journal:
Gr 9 Up — Two years ago, Eva Roth’s father was killed in a plane crash, which is still being investigated. Eva’s grief is as fresh as it was the day he died, but her mother seems determined to move on and expects Eva to do the same. As her mother becomes increasingly uncommunicative and obsessed with work, Eva tries to escape her pain by focusing on preparing for college; studying with her best friend, Annie; and losing herself in the pages of romance novels. When the teen is paired with high school heartthrob, Will, in an after-school tutoring session, she discovers that he, too, has lost a family member. Their shared understanding of loss and pain draws them into a relationship that is abruptly halted when Will has to move from New York to Los Angeles. Following the advice of her favorite romance novelist, Eva determines to find a way to go “get her man.” She convinces the brilliant Annie to enter the two of them in an academic teen game show that promises a trip to Los Angeles and a $20,000 scholarship to the winner. Together they embark on a cross-country adventure that will test their friendship, and ultimately bring Eva to a deeper understanding of herself and her family. With a full cast of multidimensional characters, this novel explores the complex nature of relationships and the many faces of grief and love with equal parts humor and poignancy. VERDICT A first purchase for most YA collections.
Citation for book review: Frostick, C. (2015). Kissing in America. School Library Journal, 61(3), 161.

Recommendations for library or classroom use: I would recommend this book to teen girls.

Week 15 – Bone Gap by Laura Ruby

Written by: Laura Ruby
APA citation: Ruby, L. (2015). Bone gap. New York: HarperCollins.
Cover image: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18806240-bone-gap?from_search=true&search_version=service

My summary of the plot: Two brothers, Sean and Finn live in a strange small town called Bone Gap. A girl named Roza comes to live with them. Finn sees Roza being kidnapped but the entire town believes she left.

Keywords: Kidnapping, brothers, bullying

My assessment:  I enjoyed Bone Gap. I am a big fan of magical realism and I would say that this book was in between magical realism and fantasy. I just thought this book was beautifully written. It is the story of how beauty and love can both help and hurt you.

“There will be boys who will tell you you’re beautiful, but only a few will see you” (N.P.).

Audio review: This book was read by Dan Bittner. He did a good job.
Citation for audio book: Ruby, L. (2015). Bone gap. [Audio Recording]. New York: Harper Audio

Review from a library journal:
Gr 10 Up— It is a rare book that sits comfortably on the shelf with the works of Twain, McCullers, Conroy, Stephen King, and D’Aulaires’ Greek Myths-rarer still that a novel combines elements of these authors together. Bone Gap does just this, to superb effect. We start with a boy named Finn and his brother, Sean. Sean is the classic hero: strong, silent, great at everything he does. Finn is a pretty boy whose otherworldly goofiness has earned him the nicknames Spaceman, Sidetrack, and Moonface. Along comes Rosza, a beautiful and damaged young woman, fleeing from some unknown evil. When she disappears, only Finn witnesses her abduction and he is unable to describe her captor. He is also unsure whether she left by force or choice. The author defies readers’ expectations at every turn. In this world, the evidence of one’s senses counts for little; appearances, even less. Heroism isn’t born of muscle, competence, and desire, but of the ability to look beyond the surface and embrace otherworldliness and kindred spirits. Sex happens, but almost incidentally. Evil happens, embodied in a timeless, nameless horror that survives on the mere idea of beauty. A powerful novel.—Nina Sachs, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME
Citation for book review: Sachs, N. (2014). Bone Gap. School Library Journal, 60(12), 142.

Recommendations for library or classroom use: I would recommend this to both male and female teens, especially teens that like fantasy. I would be more likely to recommend it to a good reader.

 

Week 15 – Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Written by: Becky Albertalli
APA citation: Albertalli, B. (2015). Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens agenda. New York: HarperCollins.
Cover image: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19547856-simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda

My summary of the plot:  Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda was a nice light story about a young gay man that has been corresponding with someone from his school. He doesn’t know the identity of the person he has been emailing so he is constantly wondering who it is.

Keywords: Gay, coming-out, high school

My assessment: This is a light, easy to read book. It is an important book for young gay teens to read. It might help them deal with the coming-out process. While important, it is also a very funny book. There were many moments such as this one:

“I take a sip of my beer, and it’s – I mean, it’s just astonishingly disgusting. I don’t think I was expecting it to taste like ice cream, but holy fucking hell. People lie and get fake IDs and sneak into bars, and for this? I honestly think I’d rather make out with Bieber. The dog. Or Justin.
Anyway, it really makes you worry about all the hype surrounding sex” (N.P.).

Audio review: Michael Crouch brings a believable voice to this book.
Citation for audio book: Albertalli, B. (2015). Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens agenda. [Audio Recording]. New York: Harper Audio

Review from a library journal:
Gr 8 Up-Simon Speir, high school junior, walks away from his computer at school for just a moment, and that is when his biggest secret is discovered. He has been emailing a boy in his grade anonymously ever since a poetic waxing on his high school’s gossip Tumblr caught his eye, and now Martin Addison has taken a screenshot and has a powerful way to blackmail Simon into getting his friend, Abby, to date him. Although it is filled with trendy pop-culture and digital-age references (Tumblr, Justin Beiber, The Bachelor, etc.) that may not stand the test of time, the message will resonate. Rife with realistic, high school relationships and drama, with a laugh or two at every turn, this is a coming-of-age, coming-out, and defying-the-odds story with which many teens will identify. With a very tidy, feel-good ending, the book will appeal to readers who enjoyed Tim Federle’s Better Nate Than Ever (2013) and Five, Six, Seve, Nate! (2014, both S. & S.) and will find a familiar, slightly more mature home with Simon.

Citation for book review: Staszak, B. (2015). Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda. School Library Journal, 61(1), 105.

Recommendations for library or classroom use: I would strongly recommend this for young gay male students.

Week 15 – Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman

Written by: Neal Shusterman
APA citation: Shusterman, N. (2015). Challenger deep. New York: HarperTeen.
Cover image: https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/18075234-challenger-deep

My summary of the plot: Caden is on a ship that is going to the deepest part of the ocean. Caden is also a high school student/artist who is designing a game with his friends. His friends and family are starting to notice his increasingly erratic behavior. Caden is torn between his two realities. Is he on a ship or living with his parents?

Keywords: Schizophrenia, teenage artists,  mental institutions

My assessment:   Challenger Deep was interesting. I figured out pretty quickly that the boat sequences were imaginary or fantasy. I didn’t expect them to be hallucinatory because of the main character’s mental illness so that was an interesting twist. I thought this book was weird in a cool way if that makes any sense. This book was scary, and confusing, and heartbreaking, but ultimately hopeful. It was very well written.

“Dead kids are put on pedestals, but mentally ill kids get hidden under the rug” (N.P.).

Audio review: Michael Curran-Dorsano is believable as a teen.
Citation for audio book: Shusterman, N. (2015). Challenger deep. [Audio Recording]. Ashland, OR: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Review from a library journal:
 Gr 9 Up— Caden Bosch lives in two worlds. One is his real life with his family, his friends, and high school. There he is paranoid for no reason, thinks people are trying to kill him, and demonstrates obsessive compulsive behaviors. In his other world, he’s part of the crew for a pirate captain on a voyage to the Challenger Deep, the ocean’s deepest trench. There he’s paranoid, wary of the mercurial captain and his mutinous parrot, and tries hard to interpret the mutterings of his fellow shipmates as they sail uncharted waters toward unknown dangers. Slowly, Caden’s fantasy and paranoia begin to take over, until his parents have only one choice left. Shusterman’s latest novel gives readers a look at teen mental illness from inside the mind of Caden Bosch. He is a credible and sympathetic character, and his retreat into his own flawed mind is fascinating, full of riddles and surrealism. Shusterman based the novel on his son’s mental illness, and Brendan’s input regarding his diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder and psychiatric care makes the novel ring true. Teens, especially fans of the author’s other novels, will enjoy this book. VERDICT This affecting deep dive into the mind of a schizophrenic will captivate readers, engender empathy for those with mental illnesses, and offer much fodder for discussion.

Citation for book review: Miller Cover, H. (2015). Challenger Deep. School Library Journal,61(2), 108.

Recommendations for library or classroom use:  I would recommend this book to anyone (adults also) that is interested in learning more about mental illness.

Week 14 – Riot by Walter Dean Myers

Written by: Walter Dean Myers
APA citation: Myers, W.D. (2009). Riot. New York: Egmont.
Cover image: http://www.amazon.com/Riot-Walter-Dean-Myers/dp/1606842099

My summary of the plot: In 1863, tensions rise between the Irish-American and African-American people in New York City. Fifteen-year-old Claire is the daughter of an Irish mother and a black father. Riots break out and Claire is torn between two worlds.

Keywords: Civil War, Irish American, African American

My assessment: This is a riveting look at a part of history that I knew nothing about. This screenplay examines the intersection of race and poverty as one minority is pitted against another. Claire, the main character, says with such innocence and naivete:

“Maybe, when this is all over, when the streets are quiet again, we’ll be able to sit down and sort it all out. Maybe one day we can even forget about the ugliness and not worry about what color we are…And anyone who walks through our front door can just be a human being.”

A hundred and fifty years later and it seems that America still has not reached this point. Perhaps if more students are exposed to texts like this, there will be more acceptance. In short, this is an engaging and enjoyable way to learn history.

Audio review: The full cast production was excellent. Even people that don’t ordinarily enjoy audio books would love this one.
Audio citation: Myers, W.D. (2009). Riot. [Audio Recording]. CITY: Listening Library

Review from a library journal: Written in screenplay format like his Printz Award–winning Monster, Myers’s historical novel is set in 1863 New York City during the Civil War draft riots, which began as a protest against conscription and resulted in a clash between the city’s Irish and African-American populations. The streets are no longer safe for 15-year-old Claire, whose parents (her father is black, her mother Irish) run the Peacock Inn restaurant/tavern. “I don’t see why you have to be a black person or a white person,” Claire says, after being cautioned to stay inside. “Why can’t you just be a person?” But when the Colored Orphan Asylum is looted and burned, Claire feels an obligation to help. Myers writes poignant dialogue, laying bare the prejudices of the period, while exploring Claire’s emotional transition out of childhood. Stage directions (“CLOSE-UP of MAEVE. Her face is a picture of incredible anger as she screams at the POLICE”) pull readers into both the setting and characters, though the transitions between scenes are occasionally jarring. Readers should find this story moving—a direct result of Myers’s empathetic portrayal of those on both sides. Ages 12–up. (Sept.)
Citation for book review: Riot. (2009). Publishers Weekly, 256(36), 48.

Recommendations for library or classroom use: This book would be excellent in a 7th or 8th grade classroom. It would be great for an all classroom read aloud. I would be less likely to recommend it for an individual to read.

Week 14 – Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

Written by: Sarah Dessen
APA citation: Dessen, S. (2008). Lock and key. New York: Viking
Cover image: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1295102.Lock_and_Key

My summary of the plot: Ruby is seven months away from turning 18, when she is discovered living alone. Social services makes her go to live with her sister, Cora, who she hasn’t seen in 10 years. Cora lives in an upper middle class neighborhood and insists that Ruby go to a private school. Cora’s husband owns a social media site.

Keywords: Family, poverty, social media

My assessment: This is an important book because it shows a character struggling with poverty and family issues. It is also important because it includes a character that is being physically abused by his father. Ruby is unable to help the character and feels helpless. Ultimately, Ruby realizes that she has people that care about her.

“What is family? They were the people who claimed you. In good, in bad, in parts or in whole, they were the ones who showed up, who stayed in there, regardless”(p. 399).

Audio review: This audio book is well done. The narrator’s voice is believable as a teen.
Audio citation: Dessen, S. (2008). Lock and key. [Audio Recording]. New York: Penguin Audio

Review from a library journal: Gr 7 Up Ruby, 17, is taken in by her older sister and brother-in-law when her mother abandons her. Ruby and her sister haven’t spoken since Cora left for college a decade earlier. She moves from a semi-heated, semi-lighted farmhouse to a McMansion in a gated community. The theme of abandonment permeates the narrative-Ruby’s mother’s disappearance, Cora’s perceived abandonment, and all of the small abandonments around every corner throughout Ruby’s life. The plot hinges luxuriously on character arc. Ruby’s drama of pathological self-reliance to eventual trust plays out through thoughtful, though occasionally heavy-handed, inner monologue and metaphor. As always, Dessen’s characters live and breathe. Ruby’s sweet hipster brother-in-law and Nate, the freakishly affable hottie next door, are especially vivid, and Cora’s change from bitter control freak to sympathetic co-protagonist is subtle and seamless. Though Ruby and Nate don’t have quite the cinematic chemistry of many of Dessen’s couples, their cautious friendship into romance seems that much more realistic. The author’s feel for setting is as uncanny as ever, and Ruby’s descriptions of the homogenous nouveau riche Anytown are sharp, clever, and honest. The dialogue, especially between Ruby and Cora, is crisp, layered, and natural. The slow unfolding adds to an anticipatory mood. What’s more, secrets and situations revealed in the second half of the novel are resolved more believably by already deeply developed characters. Recommend this one to patient, sophisticated readers.

Citation for book review: Lewis, J. (2008). Lock and Key. School Library Journal, 54(5), 121.

Recommendations for library or classroom use: I would recommend this book to teen girls for individual reading.

 

Week 13 – Beyond Magenta: Transgender teens speak out by Susan Kuklin

Written & photographed by: Susan Kuklin
APA citation: Kuklin, S. (2015). Candlewick:
Cover image: http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Magenta-Transgender-Teens-Speak/dp/0763673684/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461004540&sr=1-1&keywords=beyond+magenta

My summary of the plot: Six young people tell their transgender coming out story. There are a range of parental reactions.

Keywords: transgender, teens, coming out

My assessment: It would be difficult to exaggerate how important this book is. Teens and children are coming out as transgender at an early age. This book would be informational for both a trans teen and their parents. This

Audio review: The audio book was disappointing. The voices weren’t right and no pictures were included.
Citation for audio book: Kuklin, S. Beyond magenta: Transgender teens speak out. [Audio Recording]. Grand Haven, MI: Brilliance Audio.

Review from a library journal:
Gr 9 Up–Extended interviews with six very different transgender, genderqueer, and intersex young adults allow these youth to tell their stories in their own words. Author-interviewer-photographer Kuklin interjects only briefly with questions or explanations, so that the voices of these youth-alternately proud and fearful, defiant and subdued, thoughtful and exuberant-shine through. While the interview subjects do occasionally ramble or become vague, the power of these 12-to-40 page interviews is that readers become immersed in these young adults’ voices and experiences. The youth interviewed here do not uniformly share It Gets Better-style happy endings, but their strength is nonetheless inspirational as they face ongoing challenges with families, sexual and romantic relationships, bullies, schools, transitions, mental health, and more. The level of detail about their lives, and the diversity of their identities-including gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, and geography-provide a powerful antidote to the isolation and stigma that some transgender youth experience. Photographs of four of the subjects, including some before-and-after transition pictures from childhood and adolescence, help tell their stories and bring their transitions to life. Extensive back matter includes an interview with the clinical director of a health program for LGBTQI youth, a glossary, and books, media, websites, and organizations of interest to transgender youth. While this book’s format and subject matter are probably never going to attract a broad audience, there is much here that will resonate with and hearten the kids who need it and will foster understanding and support among those who live and work with transgender teens.–Sarah Stone, San Francisco Public Library
Citation for book review: Stone, S. (2014). Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out. School Library Journal, 60(2), 125.

Recommendations for library or classroom use: Every high school and library should own this important book. It would be a great book for a Gay Straight Alliance to use as a book for a book club.

 

Week 12 – Hold me Closer, The Tiny Cooper Story by David Levithan

Written by: David Levithan
APA citation: Levithan, D. (2015). Hold me closer: The Tiny Cooper story. New York: Dutton Books
Cover image: http://www.amazon.com/Hold-Me-Closer-Levithan-Hardcover /dp/B010WEOS4W/ref=sr_1_2?s=books+closer+the+tiny+cooper+story

My summary of the plot: This is the musical from the novel, Will Grayson, Will Grayson written by John Green and David Levithan. The book takes us from Tiny Cooper’s birth to his teen years and dating.

Keywords: LGBT, musical, dating

My assessment: This is a lighthearted musical. However it has moments that are very serious. In this excerpt, Will is telling Tiny about his serious depression:

Will: “I’m always standing on the edge of something bad. And sometimes someone like you can make me look the other way, so that I don’t know how close I am to falling over. But I always end up turning my head. Always. I always walk off that edge” (p. 179)..

As a musical, I would guess that this book is harder to market than a novel. In 20 years of teaching, I’ve only had one student who said that he prefers plays to novels.

Audio review: No audio recording is currently available.

Review from a library journal:
Gr 10 Up — Written as a two-act musical complete with stage directions and 25 provocatively titled songs, such as “The Ballad of the Lesbian Babysitter” and “Summer of Gay,” this companion to John Green and Levithan’s award-winning Will Grayson, Will Grayson (D2utton, 2010) shines a spotlight on the larger-than-life Tiny Cooper, who was born “big-boned and happily gay.” Accepted by his supportive parents, Tiny suffers no angst over his sexual orientation, despite having to contend with schoolmate bullies and a homophobic coach. Phil, his straight BFF, offers advice through Tiny’s unsuccessful relationships with 18 different boyfriends, helping him eventually to realize that love is painful but worth it. Replete with laugh-out- loud one-liners (“sort of like a gay dance club has opened on Sesame Street”), in-your-face language (faggot and the invented term dick- stracting), and showcasing Will and Tiny’s “onstage” kiss, this edgy, au courant novel tackles a potentially difficult subject head- on, while giving sound, if liberal, counsel on sexual issues for gays and straights alike. Its solid story line and realistic, “colorful” dialogue will appeal to high school readers. VERDICT A welcome addition to progressive library collections, this unapologetic gem will encourage teens’ discussion of a sensitive topic and potentially broaden their understanding of the meaning of “tolerance.”
Citation for book review:Menaldi-Scanlan, N. (2015). Hold Me Closer: The Tiny Cooper Story. School Library Journal, 61(3), 159.

Recommendations for library or classroom use: This book would be perfect for a Gay Straight Alliance to read out loud. I would also recommend it for LGBT teens.

Week 11 Cut by Patricia McCormick

Written by: Patricia McCormick
APA citation: McCormick, P. (2000). Cut. Asheville NC: Front Street.
Cover image: http://www.amazon.com/Cut-Patricia-McCormick/dp/0545290791

My summary of the plot: Callie is a 15 year old girl that has been sent to a psychiatric hospital because she has been cutting herself. Her therapy is stalled because she refuses to speak to her therapist or anyone else.

Keywords: Cutting, mental illness, psychiatric hospitals

My assessment: This book helps me understand just a little bit about cutting. I would definitely recommend it to someone who wants to understand what their friend or student is going through.

“Sometimes when we’re in situations where we feel we’re not in control, we do things, especially things that take a lot of energy, as a way of making ourselves feel we have some power”(N.P.).

Audio review: The audio book is well performed by Clea Lewis. She is very believable as a teen.
Citation for audio book: McCormick, P. (2003). Cut. [Audio Recording]. New York: Listening Library.

Review from a library journal:
Gr 8 Up –Callie’s first-person account of her stay at Sea Pines, a mental-health facility, is poignant and compelling reading. Through flashbacks and anecdotal accounts, the teen describes group therapy, her anger and fear, and, after digging deeply, the circumstances that contributed to her need to cut herself. Callie closets herself with silence and cover-up clothing. Her astute observations resonate with reality: the lack of privacy; “guest” control; the constant smell of vomit; and the other teen residents’ anger, sadness; and fear. Personalities and addictions are woven subtly into the story: anorexic Becca and Tara; Debbie, eating everything, unable to control her smothering maternal instinct; Tiffany and :Sydney, addicted to tobacco, alcohol, and drugs, railing at incarceration, but afraid to go back to the streets. Then Callie’s Group has a new guest: Amanda, scarred from self-abusive cutting. Exposure of her own behavior is Callie’s first step in breaking free of her mental bonds, but first she has to face her fear and guilt, real or imagined. McCormick’s first novel is powerfully written. Not for the squeamish, the young women’s stories avoid pathos and stereotypes. Shelley Stoehr’s Crosses (Bantam, 1991) and Steven Levenkron’s Luckiest Girl in the Worm (Viking, 1998) dealt with cutting, but Cut takes the issue one step further-to helping teens find solutions to problems.
Citation for book review: Richmond, G. (2000). Cut (Book Review). School Library Journal, 46(12), 146.

Recommendations for library or classroom use: This would be an excellent book for both a book club and I would also recommend it for individual reading.

Week 9 – Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher

 

Written by: Chris Crutcher
APA citation: Crutcher, C. (2001). Whale talk. New York: Greenwillow Books.
Cover image: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49746.Whale_Talk

My summary of the plot: T.J. Jones is the ultimate teen-aged hero. He forms a high school swim team so that he can get a group of misfits letter jackets.

Keywords: Sports, swimming, racism

My assessment: This book has it all. It deals with small town racism, adoption, foster care, high school sports, swimming, basketball, motorcycles and therapy. There is some good advice to be had. That is what is genius about the book: there is good psychology in a book that we can actually get boys to read. This book is realistic fiction and would be easily marketable.

“I walk outside and scream at the top of my lungs, and it maybe travels two blocks. A whale unleashes his cry, and it travels hundreds or even thousands of miles. Every whale in the ocean will at one time or another run into that song. And I figure whales probably don’t edit. If they think it, they say it…Whale talk is the truth, and in a very short period of time, if you’re a whale, you know exactly what it is to be you” (N. P.).

Audio review: The book is well read by Brian Corrigan, however he is not believable as a high school student.
Citation for audio book: Crutcher, C. (2003). Whale talk. [Audio Recording]. Santa Ana, CA: Listening Library.

Review from a library journal:
Gr 8 Up –T. J. Jones, the mixed-race, larger-than-life, heroic, first-person narrator of this novel, lays out the events of his senior year, with many digressions along the way. The central plot involves T. J.’s efforts to put together a swim team of misfits, as he tries to upset the balance of power at his central Washington high school, where jocks and the narrow-minded rule. However, a number of subplots deal with racism, child abuse, and the efforts of the protagonist’s adopted father to come to grips with a terrible mistake in his past. Crutcher uses a broad brush in an undeniably robust and energetic story that is also somewhat messy and over the top in places. T. J. himself is witty, self-assured, fearless, intelligent, and wise beyond his years. In fact, he has all of these qualities in such abundance that he’s not an entirely plausible character. The novel’s ending sweeps to a crescendo of emotions, as T. J.’s mentally tortured father saves a life and atones for past sins by diving in front of a bullet and dying in his son’s arms. Young adults with a taste for melodrama will undeniably enjoy this effort. More discerning readers will have to look harder for the lovely passages and truths that aren’t delivered with a hammer.
Citation for book review: Morning, T. (2001). Whale Talk (Book Review). School Library Journal, 47(5), 148.

Recommendations for library or classroom use: I would use this for a book club or to recommend to students. I think male students would appreciate it more.