Turtle Boy

Seventh grade is turning out to be as much of a disaster as Will Levine thought it would be.  The kids call him turtle boy because of a deformity in his chin and jaw.  That's nothing new, but things are getting worse, and the doctor says he will need braces and surgery to correct the problem.  He hates hospitals because his father died unexpectedly after a routine surgery when Will was little.  

Also, he kind of is a turtle boy since he's obsessed with herps.  He spent his summer sneaking into the wooded area behind the school collecting turtles which he now keeps in aquariums in his bedroom.  Then his former science teacher finds out and tells him he has to return all the turtles to the wild.   

Plus, his act of service for his bar mitzvah is going to visit a sick kid in the hospital.  And, oh yeah, Will hates hospitals!  At first, he's only doing the bare minimum and sneaking out as soon as possible, but it's not long before he actually starts to like hanging out with RJ.  That's when RJ shares his bucket list with Will:  ride a roller coaster, go to a dance, go to his favorite band's concert, swim in the ocean, etc.  It's a great list, but RJ is never getting out of the hospital.  He begs Will to help him out by completing the list for him.  

Will has always been the quiet kid, never wanting to draw attention to himself.  He hates his chin and the way it makes eating difficult.  Plus, he has acne.  Completing even one of these tasks will take him way out of his comfort zone, but it might be worth the risk for a friend.  

This new novel by M. Evan Wokenstein is a story of friendship and developing self-confidence.  RJ manages to become a real character rather than just an "inspirational sick kid," and the two boys develop a real and believable friendship.  Will's struggles with social and medical anxiety also feel realistic.  Information about turtles is well integrated into the plot.  Ultimately, readers will cheer for Will while they mourn for RJ and the end of a brief but beautiful friendship.

Wink

 Ross wants 7th grade to be normal.  Too bad he has cancer.  In his eye.  The surgery over the summer means he's starting with one squinty tear ductless eye, and a scar on his forehead from the pellets they will use to direct the radiation.  The treatments?  A metal cage fitted over his head to keep him still while he's bombarded with radiation.  Plus, he has to stare at an X the whole time or his eye might explode or something.  Yeah...not normal.  At all.

His best friend Abby is still by his side adapting to all the weirdness with her usual crazy style, but the third leg of their trio disappeared when he found out about the cancer.  It seems like they were all pledging their eternal loyalty to each other one minute and the next Isaac has ghosted both of them.  

The radiation treatment may save his good eye, but the goo he has to use to calm his blistered skin is pretty gross.  And then he has to start wearing a cowboy hat to protect his skin from the light.  All the time.  Even at school!  Things only get worse when someone creates cruel memes about his situation and starts texting them all over school.

Frank, one of his radiation techs, decides to introduce Ross to "real" music during his radiation treatments, and he finally feels a connection.  As he learns to play the guitar, he can focus some of his anger and frustration into the music and find support from some pretty unlikely friends. 

Rob Harrell's book is based on his own experiences with cancer.  The book does justice to the indignities of cancer treatment, but it is also full of humor, and Ross has a good support network.  This is not a story about cancer but a story about a kid living his life who also has to deal with cancer.  Highly recommended.

Lucky Broken Girl

Ruthie and her family have recently immigrated to New York from Cuba.  Her father loves America and the freedoms of New York, but her mother is homesick for Cuba, her beloved home before it was ruined by Castro.

As for Ruthie, she knows she's smart, but she is in the "dumb" class at school because she is learning English.  She is working hard to learn English, and she is so excited when the time finally comes to move up to the "smart" class.

Then disaster strikes, Ruthie's family is in a terrible accident that destroys their brand new car and leaves her with a broken leg.  When she wakes up in the hospital, she is in a full body cast that goes all the way up to her chest!  The doctor says it is so one leg won't grow longer than the other, but all Ruthie knows is she will be stuck in bed for months.

Over the months of recovery, Ruthie struggles with loneliness, anger, and depression, but she also finds new friends in unexpected places and new talents in herself.

This semi-autobiographical book by Ruth Behar is based on her real experiences as a bedridden child.  By the end, I really enjoyed this book.  The tone is just a little younger than I expected, so it took me a while to readjust.  Additionally, I would not recommend the audiobook.  It is read by the author, and she reads everything a strange sing-song voice that is difficult to listen to.  So, read the book for a story about the immigrant experience and overcoming challenges, but skip the audio!

One for Sorrow

Annie's life changes drastically when her family moves to Mount Pleasant and she begins at Pearce Academy for young girls.  She hopes to make new friends and try to fit in, but what she gets instead is Elsie.  Elsie is the school outcast, universally disliked, and she's decided to latch onto Annie before anyone else does.

Annie struggles to speak up when Elsie's friendship proves to be too much.  She is a jealous friend who won't let Annie talk to the other girls, and when Elsie invites herself over to Annie's house after school, her behavior is cruel and destructive.  All of the adults, including Annie's parents, see Elsie as the victim of circumstances.

It takes an illness and absence from school for Annie to break away from her new "friend."  While Elsie is gone, Annie makes friends with the most popular girls in school, and when Elsie returns, she joins in with the bullying.

As the Spanish flu rages through New England leaving mountains of bodies in its wake, the girls, led by Rosie, ramp up their bullying.  They are taken aback when they learn that Elsie has died from the Spanish flu.

But Elsie refuses to stay buried.  Annie rejected her in life, but in death, she can be anywhere and do anything she wants.  She can take control of Annie's body and words, and she's not leaving.  At first, Annie's parents are confused by her behavior, but they soon begin to wonder if she is mentally ill, and Annie is terrified they will lock her up in an asylum where she really will be trapped alone with Elsie forever.

Mary Downing Hahn's newest ghost story is a perfect blend of historical fiction and supernatural thriller.  Be aware that the bullying in this book is intense, and the girls on both sides are pretty awful.  Kids will come for the ghost story, but they will also be hooked by the relatable social dynamics and the real life horror of the Spanish flu epidemic.  Recommended!

Saint Anything

Sydney's older brother Peyton has always been the golden child, but now he's in prison after paralyzing a 15 year old while driving drunk.  This has thrown her family into disarray.  Her mother has become dedicated to Peyton's recovery in an all-absorbing manner that leaves Sydney to her own devices.  Her father tries to live life as normally as possible while going along with any idea her mother has.

As for Sydney, she realizes the family finances are suffering because of Peyton's legal fees, so she decides to leave her expensive private school and transfer to public school.  She's pretty much lived in the shadow of her older brother her whole life, and now she retreats even further into herself.

But public school turns out to be just what she needs.  She makes a new friend named Layla who is confident, warm, and genuinely interested in Sydney.  She becomes the kind of friend Sydney has never had.  Along with Layla, Sydney get a group of guys who are in a band, including Layla's brother, Mac.  She also gets the Chatham family who seem to be the opposite of her own now empty home.

As her new friendships develop, Sydney begins to acknowledge her own feelings about her brother and her family.  But her new life is also causing friction at home which pushes her even closer Mac.

Sarah Dessen's new book is an engaging story about friendship, loyalty, and family dynamics with a sweet romance on top.  Grades 8 and up.