Tag: QP2018

Immigrants and refugees are such a timely topic, that many new books are being written to inform the public of the realities those seeking sanctuary endure. The following selections put a face to the issues…faces that cannot be denied. Whether historical fiction or non-fiction memoirs, these Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers nominees help raise awareness for teens.

Refugee by Alan Gratz
Scholastic Press
July 25, 2017
978-0545880831

Three countries in strife…three different periods in time…three families seeking one universal goal: FREEDOM. Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud offer realistic, fictionalized accounts of attempts to find refuge from 1939 Nazi Germany, Castro’s 1994 Cuba, and war-torn Syria in 2015. Methods of escape include a ship, raft, trains, taxi, and tedious, wearisome treks by foot. With obstacles like Nazis, sharks, police, the coast guard, fences, and thieves along the way, realization of both freedom and safety are not guaranteed.

The cover portrays a black and white, very lifelike image of a boy in a boat facing a storm, with the title and boat in bold red, clearly foreshadowing the story and igniting curiosity. The action is fast-paced and intensifies during the heartwrenching journeys of the three families. Although three separate tales, Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud face similar struggles across different lands and eras. Told from three alternating points of view, each protagonist has authentically courageous, yet vulnerable qualities that will have readers sympathizing with their plight and supporting their quest for deliverance for their families. Each compelling chapter seems to end  with a mini-cliffhanger, just as the narrator changes. This suspenseful technique naturally makes the reader keep going to find out what happens next with each of the three refugees. The intricately plotted storyline eventually comes full circle, as connections are made amongst the three families. Continue reading #QP2018 Nominees: Immigrants and Refugees

Social media is a huge part of the lives of most teens. Naturally, this is being reflected in young adult books. While platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat, to name just a few, are hugely popular, the magnetism they develop can have serious consequences when intentions are unethical or downright sinister. The following selections serve as fascinating yet cautionary tales of sorts due to cyberstalking, catfishing, cyberbullying, and the exposing of deep secrets. The following nominees for Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers 2018 all explore how social media can effect the lives of teens. 

One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus
Delacorte Press
May 30, 2017
978-1524714680

Five teens show up for detention after school, but only four make it out alive. Simon Kelleher, the creator of a malicious gossip app targeting his classmates, dies of an allergic reaction during detention. Somehow, his epi pen has gone missing, in addition to the unaccounted for stash of them kept in the school nurse’s office. When police discover peanut oil was in Simon’s water, the facts start adding up that this was no accident.

Cover image is intriguing with the four suspects depicted as faceless inside a yearbook type layout with contrasting red title. The fast-paced first chapter snags the reader’s attention right away, and the plot intensifies throughout the book as more secrets are exposed. Each chapter consists of brief points of view from the detention survivors, unfolding the menacing tone Simon has created via social media in a disturbing and twisted way. Diversity in ability, culture, and LGBTQIA are present amongst the characters. Some results in bullying and threats of exposure as the gritty app reveals secrets the survivors, now suspects, want kept under wraps.  The social media aspect, diverse character representation, and suspenseful plot will appeal to a broad range of teens.

Characters considered the Brain, the Beauty, the Criminal, and the Athlete are reminiscent of The Breakfast Club, with a modern day mystery twist. Fans of Sara Shepard’s Pretty Little Liars series or books featuring social media/internet bullying such as Nerve by Jeanne Ryan or Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Abertalli are ideal readers.

-Lisa Krok

Bombshell by Rowan Maness
Simon Pulse
July 4, 2017
978-1481441643

Online, Joss can be anyone she wants, so she is a lot of different people. Rosie restores art in NYC, Emma is a lonely Southern beauty queen, and Anna’s a jet-setting international model, just to name a few of the people Joss pretends to be, and each has their own distinct identity fabricated entirely by Joss on the Internet – identities she uses to meet people and to escape the drudgery and boredom of her regular life. Unfortunately, someone has figured out what she’s up to and is threatening to reveal her secret on a website called josslies.com to the people she’s met by pretending to be Emma, Anna, Rosie, and all the others. When “Believer” really starts to close in on her, Joss has to decide whether to give up her catfishing and be herself or run away and try to make a life as someone else. Continue reading #QP2018 Nominees: Social Media in YA Fiction