About the Book I know I should stay away from Ian Parker. But when my drug-dealing stepdad kicks me out, I have nowhere to go. Squatting in an abandoned shed on Ian’s grandpa’s farm seems like as good a plan as any. Ian finds me there, of course, and he insists on me moving into… Continue reading The Wreckage of Us by Brittainy Cherry
Tag: Poverty
Opiate Jane by Jessica K. Baker
Originally published in School Library Journal, October, 2019. Gr 9 & up: In and out of foster homes and unable to trust anyone, Jane, 15, is thick-skinned and wise beyond her years. Not a typical teenager, Jane takes care of her 4 year old sister and heroin-addicted, single mother each time she relapses. After switching schools… Continue reading Opiate Jane by Jessica K. Baker
Blackberry & Wild Rose by Sonia Velton
Originally published in Library Journal, May 2019. Velton's intriguing historical fiction spotlights both the successes and hardships of Huguenot silk weavers in 18th century England. Young and alone, Sara Kemp, arrives in Spitalfields, London. She is soon swept away to the Wig and Feathers tavern by a forceful brothel proprietress, thus beginning a dangerous, dismal… Continue reading Blackberry & Wild Rose by Sonia Velton
The Latecomers by Helen Klein Ross
Originally published in Library Journal, October 15, 2018. In her third novel, Ross (What Was Mine; Making It) weaves a tale of the wealthy Hollingworth family and a secret that spans five generations. Rich historical details bring time periods to life from early 1900 wartime to the Great Depression and all the way up to September… Continue reading The Latecomers by Helen Klein Ross
The Amazing Adventures of Aaron Broom by A. E. Hotchner
Originally published in School Library Journal. Gr 9 & up - Hotchner's historical fiction, coming-of-age tale set in Depression-era St. Louis will capture readers at the start with a mysterious robbery which creates an uncertain future for the amiable protagonist. Aaron Broom, is street-smart beyond his 12 years, fending for himself with a mother in… Continue reading The Amazing Adventures of Aaron Broom by A. E. Hotchner
The Heartbeats of Wing Jones by Katherine Weber
Review first appeared in School Library Journal, January 2017. WEBBER, Katherine. The Heartbeats of Wing Jones. 336p. Delacorte Press. Mar. 2017. $17.99. ISBN 9780399555022. Gr 8 Up - Set in 1990's Atlanta, this coming-of-age story is realistic fiction with a touch of magical realism, is full of diverse and strong female characters. Bullied for her looks,… Continue reading The Heartbeats of Wing Jones by Katherine Weber
At the Edge of Summer by Jessica Brockmole
At the Edge of Summer will be published on May 17, 2016. It is the summer of 1911, and 15 year old, Clare, is sent from her home in Scotland to Mille Mots, a castle in the French countryside. Her father passed away, so she was send to live with the Crepets, artists and friends… Continue reading At the Edge of Summer by Jessica Brockmole
Miller’s Valley by Anna Quindlen
Miller's Valley is set to be published on April 5, 2016. I've always been a big fan of whatever Anna Quindlen writes, one of my favorites is Black and Blue. Quindlen has a knack for making the reader feel like they are really submersed in the story and in the life of the family being… Continue reading Miller’s Valley by Anna Quindlen
Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain
This is a fabulous story set in the 1960's in the rural South. Jane is a newlywed, fresh out of college and eager to start her first "professional" job as a social worker. As she becomes increasingly involved in the daily lives of her poverty stricken clients, both white and black families, her wealthy pediatrician… Continue reading Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain
Water from my Heart by Charles Martin
Charles Martin's new book Water from my Heart will be published May 19, 2015. My favorite part of the book was the vivid description of the different places in which the story took place, such as Bimini and Nicaragua. The rich details of the setting cause the story to really come alive in the reader's… Continue reading Water from my Heart by Charles Martin
Librarian Laura 