Tough Fiction for Tough Teens
This month I wanted to highlight some books dealing with tough issues. These are books that will make you cry, that will make your heart ache, and that will leave you with a different perspective on not just your life, these tough books for the teens in your schools or libraries going through tough things.
Some of the Parts by Hannah Barnaby
http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/19349someoftheparts
Sometimes bad things happen, and we are not the same when they are over. For months, Tallie McGovern has been coping with the death of her older brother the only way she knows how: by smiling bravely and pretending that she’s okay. This deeply moving novel asks questions there are no easy answers to as it follows a family struggling to pick up the pieces, and a girl determined to find the brother she wasn’t ready to let go of.
Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E.K. Johnston
http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/19720exitpursuedbyabear
Heartbreaking, powerful, and most importantly empowering, this contemporary novel tells the story of Hermoine Winters, a cheerleading captain in her senior year. When Hermoine is raped at cheer camp over the summer she must come to terms with how her life has changed, and how people treat her differently. Everyone except her best friend Polly, who stands resolutely by her side through everything.
You Were Here by Cori McCarthy
http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/19368youwerehere
Jaycee is dealing with her brother’s death in the only way that works: by recreating Jake’s crazy, dangerous, daredevil stunts. A mixedmedia look at the way one teen and her group of mismatched friends deal with change, loss, and heartbreak.
The Fix by Natasha Sinel
http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/18466thefix
At the same time devastating and hopeful, THE FIX tells the story of sometimes badgirl Macy Lyons and her journey of selfdiscovery and awakening, friendship and honesty. A strong contemporary debut about truth, love, and finding your own fixes when life gets rough.
The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/19529theserpentking
Three friends. Three very different lives. Three separate worlds that they live in. Dill, Lydia, and Travis are best friends living in a small Southern town. Dill is the son of a jailed preacher, Lydia a nationally famous fashion blogger, and Travis a huge fan of an epic fantasy series. Their relationships change and undergo intense pressure during their last summer as high schoolers.
Eden Grey is a User Services Librarian at the Jessamine County Public Library in central Kentucky. Eden is a contributor to Teen Services Underground, and reviews books for YABC and School Library Journal. Eden can be found reading, knitting, sewing, cosplaying, and playing Pokemon. You can always find her on Twitter (@edenjeangrey).