I
have been reading some newly available Young Adult Fiction and even though they
are from different publishers there was certainly similarities and a great deal
of teenage angst over relationships in each.
My favorite
was The Last True Love Story by Brendan Kiely. Normally, I would shy away from a book with “love
story” in the title, but this one is not so much about romance as it is about
family, belonging, the legacy of Vietnam, coming of age and responsibility,
Alzheimer’s, and racial identity. Sounds
like almost too much, but award-winning author Brendan Kiely effectively raises
important questions while offering an entertaining travelogue.
The main
characters are Teddy Hendrix, his grandfather, Gpa, and his school friend,
Corinna. The three embark on a cross country
trip from LA to Ithaca, New York in order to help Gpa more firmly retain his
memories of Gma and an earlier time. Along
the way, music and playlists from the 60’s and 70’s are cleverly incorporated
into the The Last True Love Story
in a very enjoyable way. One recurring
theme in the book is “the point of living is learning how to love” so readers
do learn about the courtship between Gpa and Gma, plus flashback to their
marriage during the Vietnam war era. All
of which contrasts with the growing attraction between Hendrix and Corrina. She
is from Guatemala and struggles with identity both as an adoptee and as a person
of color, yet she is able to reach outside herself and help Gpa and Hendrix as
they deal with the range of emotions and behaviors associated with Alzheimer’s.
The
Last True Love Story received
starred reviews from both Kirkus and School Library Journal. Students will
find something to relate to in this story, which will definitely encourage
discussion and reflection.
In addition,
I read a preview of Kids of Appetite by David Arnold. This title also
shares the adventure of a road trip where main characters Victor Benucci and Madeline
Falco take off in reaction to his Mom’s decision to remarry and her need to
flee an abusive situation. Along the way, Vic and Mad need to confront a murder
and plan to disperse his dad’s ashes. The preview of a few chapters was
intriguing, but less memorable than expected from the author of Mosquitoland
which won numerous awards. Kids of
Appetite received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Voya.
I am certainly curious to read the entire book which will be available on
Tuesday, September 20.
Finally, I began The Boy Who Killed Grant Parker by Kat Spears. I have very much enjoyed her other novels,
like Breakaway
or Sway,
but this one was simply too “high school” for me. The characters, especially Luke Grayson, were
rather immature and so very self-centered (and therefore almost caricatures) that
it was difficult to feel any empathy for them. Sadly, Luke moves to a new school in an insular
community and is subjected to bullying from other students and from adults (like
the police chief and principal) who should know better. Luke receives little, if any, support from
his family and no-one except for Roger, who employs him and is a bit of a
social outcast, seems willing to listen. I thought that Kat Spears’ earlier
works (reviews linked above) were stronger than The Boy Who Killed Grant Parker and would recommend beginning with those
other titles instead.
Do
you have a new Young Adult (YA) title that you have really enjoyed? Let us know as we have begun booktalking them
to classes and want plenty of popular works to be available. Some past student favorites are shown on this
ever-changing Libguide: http://newtrier.libguides.com/independentreadingsophomore212
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