Student Saturday: The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry

Student Reviewer: Sophie H.

A 16 year old teenage girl wakes up in a cabin in the middle of the woods. She has no memory of who she is or how she got here. She is tied up, scared and confused. She has obviously been tortured and as she regains consciousness she overhears  two guys talking about killing her. She tries to stay one step ahead of the people after her. Aong the way she meets this guy named Ty. He helps her find a safe place to stay. The teenage girl is very strong and reminds me of the trait of perseverance. She goes 100% at any challenge she faces despite the difficulty or delay in her success. This reminds me of families. You have to trust your family because of how much you love and care for them. She also had to trust her fellow peer, Ty to help her get to a safe place and survive this mess she is in. I would recommend this book to my peers and young adults.

 

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

Genre: Middle Grade Realistic Fiction
Source: I own a copy

Jason Reynolds has written a powerful book here with a powerful message. Rashad Freeman is a young African American who has stepped into  a local store to buy a snack. His trouble begins when a white lady trips over him. The store owner causes him of trying to steal and the cop in the store takes things a little too far. Rashad is beaten to the point of being hospitalized.

Quinn Collins is a white boy on  his way to a party with friends when he heads to the local store to get some beer.  What Quinn gets is a front row seat to a young boy being beaten. The problem is that it is someone he knows and looks up to. 

What struck me was how the events that happened could have been ripped right out of the headlines today. As a teacher I could read how the teachers were feeling knowing they were told not to talk about it. I've been in their shoes where we've been told not to discuss certain incidents with students in the classroom.  I felt like some of the teachers were told how they were supposed to feel.

I was happy the way the author handled the tensions within the school and community. Awesome book everyone should read.

Kondi's Secret By Sylvia Stewart

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Christian, Mystery

Source: I own a copy

This is the third book in this trilogy. The author starts us off with a heart-stopping scene. Kondi is trying to cross the street to get to her house. She has just come from school. She sees her young brother in the front yard playing with a stick. She tries to call to him and tell him to go back to the house. Her brother hears her voice and sees her and heads for the ditch. The water filled ditch has a current that whips his feet out from under him. In a panic she darts across the street getting whacked by one car. She dives into the ditch grabbing for her brother. She saves her drowning brother but is injured.  My heart was ready to stop. I was so scared for both Kondi and her baby brother. It was obvious how much she loves her baby brother.

Kondi's best friend from the first book finds herself entangled in the same issue Kondi does. They and their family will need to rely on God when secrets become dangerous.

I love, love, love this series.  I need to see if this author has more.