Tangled Tongue: A F.U.S.E. Adventure by Jean Husband

Tangled Tongue is a middle grade realistic fiction book that was sent to me by the author. 12-year-old Duff struggles with speech disfluency, and his father invents FUSE, a focused ultrasound electronic. This device sends micro-focused sound waves into sensory-motor systems of Duff's brain to smooth his speech. When the device works, it attracts some negative attention from other scientists nearby who want to steal the rights to the technology. When his father is kidnapped, he manages to communicate with Duff through the FUSE. Duff teams up with an old friend and a new one to get his dad back- no matter the danger. 

I really enjoyed the story! While it is just 162 pages, a lot happened and was suspenseful and fascinating. Duff's character development was strong, and I liked watching him become more confident, stand up for himself, and even embrace openness to new friends and forgiveness outside of the soccer field. Duff's bravery and love for his father was strong, and I love that he never gave up hope. Kids can be more resourceful than adults give them credit for. The book is mostly fun to read, and the kidnapping is not gory or anything like that. Tangled Tongue could also create an interest in STEM. 

I like this cover better than the other version, but they still need some work, especially as the style of the art makes it seem for a younger audience and easier reading level than it can be. While I understand the symbolism, it also is a bit misleading with the illustration of the tongue when stuttering is usually caused by abnormalities in the pathways in the brain responsible for language, not controllable by moving your tongue differently. 

I won't go into the technicalities of the specific differences of gray and white matter and fractional anisotropy, but the book actually does a good job of condensing some of the science into an easily understandable way. Focused ultrasound neuromodulation, the basis of the FUSE invention in the book, is currently used to treat psychiatric disorders, traumatic brain injuries, dysmotility disorders, chronic pain, and epilepsy. Neuromodulation is actually fascinating and is one of the fastest growing areas of medicine. Most research supporting non-invasive neuromodulation's use for speech impairments and stuttering use transcranial direct current stimulation, as focused ultrasound is rarer and mostly proven for behavioral disorders, however there is no reason not to assume that it could still work. In the future, these devices could become much more prevalent in society. The book was also realistic in which letters people who stutter struggle with the most.

I recommend that you read this book and I am excited to read the next book whenever it is ready!

Here's information on the technology if you are interested: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6881273/ 

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-28320-1

https://www.neuromodulation.com/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780123742483000021

Title: Tangled Tongue: A F.U.S.E. Adventure
Author: Jean Husband

Publisher: Jean Husband
Series: Yes, Book 1
Rating: 5 Stars
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Gym Candy by Carl Deuker

Gym Candy is a YA realistic fiction book that exposes the dangers of steroids and the mental/physical consequences of playing football. Mick Johnson is a Runningback for his school football team, and he has dreams of being a hero and winning games instead of being the reason the team loses- because he isn't strong enough. Fast enough. Desperate to fit and become better, he tries steroids. After that one dose, his life is changed forever and begins to deteriorate.

Gym Candy emphasizes one of the many dangers of football and one of the main reasons why I dislike the sport. Aside from physical injury, this book explores emotional and psychological damage. More than most sports, Football encourages its players to be the absolute best and is the nightmare of body image and peer pressure. The immense pressure involved in the popularity and idolization of the game leads to body image issues and a desperation to be accepted by any means possible. Football is by far the most cruel sport there is, and I love how Gym Candy thoroughly showcases these risks and consequences.

This was an extremely intense and sad books that I know will move others to change themselves and their beliefs. The end of this book can make you cry. Mick has a conscious and he is an extremely intelligent boy. He just made a mistake and became sucked into a fantasy with strong ideals that ended in catastrophe- but he is still an inspirational, good person who simply gave into peer pressure and made a mistake. Deuker will keep you on your toes until the very end, and I came to care immensely for Mick.

I cannot wait to read even more books by Deuker! I highly recommend this book!

Read my review of another book by this author, Gutless! If you are interested in other books portraying the negative effects of football, I recommend that you read Hit Count and Second Impact.

Title: Gym Candy
Author: Carl Deuker
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
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Buddies, Bullies, and Baseball by Phyllis J. Perry

Buddies, Bullies, and Baseball is a middle grade inspirational book that was sent to me by the publisher. Fifth-grader Jack is having trouble at school dealing with bullies Steve and Cliff. They steal his lunch, flatten his bike, ruin his work and steal items precious to him. Jack has pretty much given up hope until a new kid shows up to school- Hans, from Germany. They soon become great friends, and while working on a project together, Hans gives him the strength to stand up for himself.

The cover is cool and I enjoy the symbolism of the yellow. This short, cute read is perfect for leisure reading! Its concept is one that (mostly) everyone can relate to. While being a relatively common topic of overcoming bullying, this book still managed to include some unique elements, like its inclusivity of other cultures and languages. I enjoyed Jack's character development. He went from being scared and pessimistic to being confident and willing to stand up for himself.

I enjoyed how Steve's character was portrayed by the end and the important messages he gave with the origins of his mean behavior stemming from his difficulty at home. Sometimes we forget that school is not all that a person is. I could totally see myself in Lizabeth's character. Hans was a unique character to say the least. I liked how this book tackled stereotypes and common assumptions, showing that despite his not knowing English, he still is intelligent and has many talents.

I highly recommend this book!

Title: Buddies, Bullies, and Baseball
Author: Phyllis J. Perry
Publisher: TCK Publishing
Pages: 104
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
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Here to Stay by Sara Farizan

Here to Stay is a YA inspirational realistic fiction book that tackles bullying, racism, homophobia, and Islamophobia. When Bijan Majidi scores the winning basket in a varsity basketball game, his world is turned upside down. There are those who cheer for him, but jealousy and ignorance of his middle-east heritage leads to a bully emailing all the students in his school a picture of him photoshoped as a terrorist. However, Bijan refuses to let it break him or stop him from playing his favorite sport.

Basketball is personally my favorite sport to play, and I loved how accurate the descriptions of the games were and I felt like I was playing right there with him. Bijan is extremely brave. He never let the bullies win or bring down his confidence. He was not afraid to stand his ground and prove himself equal. I love how Here to Stay proves that even when it seems like the world is against you, there will always be people by your side who will continue to stand up for what's right.

Racism and Islamophobia are real issues and very present at this time in America and all over the world. Here to Stay clearly illustrates how ignorance leads to fear.  Especially in sports, jealousy is a powerful force that often results in hatred. This book combats the hatred with kindness and relentless determination. It's extremely diverse set of characters in races, religion, and sexual orientation adds to the inspirational tone.

I highly recommend this book!

Title: Here to Stay
Author: Sara Farizan
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Pages: 304
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
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Gutless by Carl Deuker

Gutless is a YA inspirational book that challenges one's character and morality. Brock Ripley is a football player who is afraid under pressure, and is very reluctant to tackle someone in the game. Off the field, he has the same dilemma. His new friend, Richie Fang, is being bullied by Brock's teammates, and he needs to find the strength and bravery to stick up for his friend before it's too late.

I greatly enjoyed this book! Gutless replays a scenario that we know all too well these days, and shows teens what can happen when you pretend that everything is okay. No matter how much Richie hid behind humor and jokes, it was obvious that he was in really deep pain, and it really angers me that these people never get what they deserve.

Brock struggled a lot being the bystander. On one hand, he can stand up for Richie and do the right thing, but betray his team and put himself in the line of fire, as well. On the other hand, he can just give Richie moral support, which was what he ended up doing most of the time until it was too late and he missed the warning signs.

All sports fans will understand the emotion of victory and painful loss. Teens struggling with fear and pressure to succeed will also relate to Brock. It's a story of triumph over fear and learning how to do the right thing even when it doesn't seem to be the right thing at all. This book teaches people to always speak out if someone is in danger, regardless of the social consequences with their peers. I liked how he made mistakes and was not always a great friend because that teaches the readers what to do differently, how to support and stand up for someone before things get taken too far.

I highly recommend this book!

Title: Gutless
Author: Carl Deuker
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Pages: 336
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
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Hit Count by Chris Lynch

Hit Count is a YA realistic fiction book about brain injury and the dangers of football. Arlo Brodie loves playing football, just like his brother, following in his footsteps all the way to the top. Hitting others, and getting hit back. Arlo becomes known as "Starlo," showing no mercy and helping to win games. As his personal life spirals downward, he pushes himself harder and harder, ignoring concern from the coaches. Despite the grueling headaches, blackouts, dizziness, and confusion, the cheering crowds convince him that he is fine. However, the brain can only handle so much.

This book largely expands on how football makes people violent. Football promotes violence, and Hit Count shows the story of two brothers who became almost addicted to the rush of adrenaline they got from tackling someone. All the time, Arlo would talk about wanting that rush, no matter the pain. Football shaped him into almost a sadist. The depiction was extremely accurate and almost scary. I loved it and the thrill!

I also loved the intense account of pain. Specifically, how he felt after every tackle. I have never seen a picture of pain quite like this, especially since he did not give in and cry or ask for help. It just kept building and building. I also enjoyed the conflict with his family and following in his brother's footsteps. It was fascinating to witness how once he saw a brother consumed by violence and doing everything wrong, to doing almost exactly what he was doing, not able to stop it. The cause and effect scenario relating to football was very loud and clear.

Even with the clarity of the theme, it lacked the clarity for Arlo. My one major issue with this book is the lack of guilt and reflection. Arlo never once says "I shouldn't have hit as hard," or "I should have listened to the coach," or "I should've payed attention to my body and stopped." It is inferred that he learned  his lesson and reflects on his life, but he is so indirect about it that I find Hit Count's argument not as productive. It was very show and not tell. Usually that is a good thing, but I wanted more of him telling the reader what not to do, actually voicing to the reader the danger and not to push themselves. Again, the correlation to the changes in his personality and the personality of his brother was extremely clear to the reader, however it was not so clear to the character.

It was so good in the beginning and the middle, but I feel like the book fell flat at the end and failed to fully deliver its real message and warning to football players. However, I did really enjoy the book and its vivid descriptions, imagery, and emotion. Hit Count is a 5-star book up until the end, which is the real downfall; the lack of reflection and regret.

I recommend that you read this book for fun and for a firsthand account of pain. However, if you are interested in more of the seriousness of the theme, I recommend that you read Second Impact instead, which is more developed in theme, guilt, and life lessons.

Title: Hit Count
Author: Chris Lynch
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Pages: 368
Series: No
Rating: 3 Stars
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Second Impact by David and Perri Klass

Second Impact is a YA sports fiction book written by a brother and sister exposing the dangers of football and head injuries. The city of Kendall is obsessed with football. For Jerry Downing, that is great news since he is the quarterback of the high school. After a car accident, he was barely given a second chance. Carla Jenson is a former soccer star and the lead reporter of the sports section of their newspaper. She recently recruited Jerry to co-author a blog about the current football season from their perspectives.

When Jerry's best friend gets tackled too hard and gets hurt, Carla starts to research about head injuries, and questions whether the injuries are worth playing. But in a town fixated on football and a mean principal, not everyone wants to hear this news, and Jerry and Carla find themselves in deep waters.

Unlike David Klass' Losers Take All, this is a serious book about head injuries and dangers of football. I loved this book and would gladly read it again! Second Impact is told through alternating blog posts that Carla and Jerry write, something I have not seen before. The format caused there to be quite a few tangents, but I did not mind.

Carla is strong and brave. She stood up for what is right and was not afraid to speak her mind on the issues. She was a soccer player, but stopped because of an injury, and she learned that sometimes injuries can be more serious than the coach tells you. Jerry is passionate, hard working, and honest. The two of them tell a great story.

A lot of information was told through this book and it is very educational about concussions and other brain injuries as well as surgeries. This book is not just about football, it's also about journalism and ethics. Freedom of the press came up a lot, and right to privacy. If somebody exposed a real issue and a huge problem, does it really matter that they broke a law to get it?

The ending was amazing, and really shows the main idea- a player's health is more important than the game. Second Impact teaches about teamwork, safety, and responsibility.

I highly recommend that you read this great book!

David Klass is also the author of the hilarious Losers Take All! Read my review of Losers Take All!

Title: Second Impact
Author: David Klass, Perri Klass
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Pages: 288
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
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Radiate by Marley Gibson

Radiate is an inspirational YA realistic fiction book about never giving up and the power of positive thinking. Hayley was in band, but senior year she decided she wanted more with her life. Hayley wanted to stand out and be something important. So, Hayley tries out for cheerleading, and makes it! She pushes herself hard to be the best she can possibly be. Soon, she notices that her left leg is bothering her. She ignores it, until one day she has a painful bump on her leg. She goes to the doctor and is informed that she has osteosarcoma. She has malignant cancer. She could lose her leg, even lose her life. But Hayley stays positive. She never loses hope and stays strong and brave. Hayley will not let cancer strip her from her dreams, no matter what. She is determined to fight and most importantly, cheer. 

Hayley is one of the most inspirational characters I have ever encountered! She took the awful thing given to her and turned it into strength. She used cheerleading and her positive thinking to beat the cancer. She had a possibility of losing her leg, but she never let that push her down. There are a lot of generalizations about cheerleaders in the world, and Hayley showed that there is more to being a cheerleader than meets the eye. She showed how hard the sport actually is. There are a lot of controversies and generalizations about cheerleading and cheerleaders, but Radiate proved them wrong. 

Radiate also showcased problems in society with acceptance. It showed the importance in being who you are, and not caring what others think about you. The author was very descriptive about the cancer and used medical terminology that I now know. The book is educational in learning about cancer. This is also the type of story that teaches about being thankful for what you have. Gabriel was the sweetest guy. Any person would be lucky to know him. 

I loved the section in the back of the book called A Mother’s Perspective. It told the true story that was the motivation for writing the book. I love Radiate even more now that I know it is based off of a true story. I loved the romance in the book, and the love triangle added so much to the book. There were a lot of different plot lines in the story, and they blended and intersected nicely. 

Radiate is a story of friendship and positivity, a book about not giving up a fight. This book is about faith, love and family, and teaches to radiate. I highly recommend that you read this book!


Title: Radiate
Author: Marley Gibson
Publisher: Graphia
Pages: 395
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
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The Revenge Playbook by Rachael Allen

The Revenge Playbook is an inspirational YA realistic fiction book about equality and revenge. Football players at this school are treated like royalty, and four girls have had enough of it. Peyton is tired of preferential treatment in her geometry class. The teacher even lets them correct their tests! Ana was taken advantage of at a party. When she told the guidance counselor, she told her to not risk him being kicked off the football team! Liv and Melanie Jane were dumped by their boyfriends because their teammates told them to. They come up with a plan to steal the most important thing to them in return for getting rid of the inequality.

Each chapter alternates. One chapter is about the scavenger hunt and stealing the football, and the other chapter is the background stories and prior events. I like how the author did it, but I would have wanted to switch the order. The first chapter was about getting revenge, but without any background knowledge.

This book is inspirational. It deals with self-confidence and standing up for yourself. It showcases empowerment in girls. The Revenge Playbook also deals with bullying and what to do in certain situations.

The characters were interesting and fun to observe. I enjoyed the struggle with Melanie Jane and Ana. They lost their friendship long ago, and it was nice to watch them try to be friends. Peyton was very brave and spoke up about geometry class, and I liked her bravery and determination, especially at the end.

I recommend that you read this book!

Title: The Revenge Playbook
Author: Rachel Allen
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 365 pages
Series: No
Rating: 4 Stars
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Kid Owner by Tim Green

Kid Owner is a realistic fiction sports book about football and leadership for middle grade readers. Ryan Zinna's parents are divorced, and his mom does not ever talk about his dad. In fact, "father" is viewed as another F-word in their family. However, when his father unexpectedly dies, Ryan learns that he was the owner of the Dallas Cowboys! Against his mother's wishes, in the will Ryan's father gave him ownership of the football team, despite the fact that he is 12! However, Ryan's horrible stepmother takes legal action to try to make her son, Dillon, the owner instead. He soon learns that the Cowboys are not the only thing he might lose.

Meanwhile, Ryan takes advantage of this new authority and connections to the players to convince his middle school football coach to change the plays to make them more suitable to him. He also gets to be quarterback!

I liked the irony of the situation. While Ryan is getting so much attention and could be one of the most famous people ever and owning the Cowboys, he is also almost completely ignored on his own team! Ryan is in two different situations, and I enjoyed how they came together in the end.

Furthermore, it was interesting how close their games were to the real game, and how much detail about football was put into Kid Owner. I learned a lot about how football works from reading the book. However, I would have preferred to know what the specific plays were. The book said what the play was called, not what it was. That left me a little bit clueless during the book when they played.

I recommend that you read this book!

Title: Kid Owner
Author: Tim Green
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 336
Series: No
Rating: 4 Stars
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Losers Take All by David Klass

Losers Take All is a funny realistic fiction book where sometimes losing is winning. Jack Logan's high school has a new rule that all students must play on a sports team. Jack's whole family are football stars, and the new principal is not happy at all that Jack will not play football. Instead, he and his other anti-sports friends start a soccer team where their goal is to lose. At their first game, they make so many mistakes that a video of them went viral, and they have fans all over the world laughing and admiring what they are doing. They soon are winning in ways they don't quite know how to handle.

While they enjoy their fame, there are also many problems. Secret information has been leaked to news reporters, their principal and football team is out to get revenge, and tension heats up with Jack and his dad. On top of it all, Jack is good at soccer, which proves an internal conflict. They soon learn that they are in more trouble than they accounted for.

I liked the internal conflict with Jack. His whole family are huge football players and his family members are legends except him. Then when he gets noticed for playing soccer so well, he starts getting recruited. Jack has to decide what means more to him and where his loyalties to the team actually stand. I liked how he balanced both feelings.

This was the funniest sports book I have ever read! The team made hilarious mistakes, some staged, but most accidental, including the goalie falling asleep! I liked how things backfired on them, and it was really hilarious when they did! Even the principal being mean was funny, as the insults were so crazy.

Another thing I enjoyed was the tone. The tone was relaxed and laid back. I also liked that the book was only a little bit about sports. Mostly it was about getting along with others, problem solving, and having fun in life. Losers Take All is a very funny, relaxed great read for everyone of all ages!

I highly recommend this book!

Title: Losers Take All
Author: David Kass
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Pages: 320
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
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True Legend by Mike Lupica

True Legend is an inspirational realistic fiction book about being a team player, on the court and in life. Drew Robinson is a famous basketball player at his high school. His teammates call him True, for true talent. He gets passing grades he doesn't deserve so he can play, and his mom's job was given to her because of his skills. Pretty soon, the whole "true" thing starts to go to his head, and gets him in trouble, in school and out.

One night on the playground basketball court, Drew sees someone playing who is amazing. He turns out to be Urban Donald Sellers, a famous basketball player. He is a guy who knows about being a legend and the game of basketball. He teaches Drew how to get back on track, and what it really means to be a legend.

One thing I really liked was that the book taught about basketball terms without flat out saying them. The words used would imply what it meant very easily, which is good for someone who is not familiar with all the terms. I also liked that the book is more than just basketball. True Legend teaches about how to handle jealousy and being a team player and the consequences of not being one.

Drew was a very interesting character. He got easily distracted from real life and often lost himself. Drew did not know who he was, and he let everyone take care of him, so he didn't really take care of himself. Donald helped him come out of his shell, and I really liked to watch how Drew changed and progressed, good and bad, throughout the story.

I highly recommend that you read this book!

Title: True Legend
Author: Mike Lupica
Publisher: Philomel Books

Pages: 304

Series: No

Rating: 5 Stars

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Lost Boy by Tim Green

Lost Boy is a middle grade realistic fiction book with a touch of mystery. On Ryder’s way home from baseball practice, he and his mom are arguing about visiting a friend. After Ryder accidentally pushes his mom into the street, she is hit by a truck and has only weeks to live. In order for Ryder's mom to survive, they would need $200,000 to give her an important heart surgery. With the help of his neighbor Mr. Starr and a firefighter, he goes on a quest to find his father, the only hope for finding the money to pay for the surgery. The problem is that Ryder knows nothing about his father whatsoever, and only has a baseball and a letter.

There was not enough of a plot or action for me to get into it. I also did not like how dramatic the events were, and also how undramatic Ryder was. He blamed himself for the accident, but as a character he was isolated, and didn't really connect with me. He just struck me as another character in another book, nothing really special. For me, being able to connect with a character is important when a character is injured or has an internal conflict.

Another thing is that it was really predictable. I easily guessed who the father was and what was going to happen. I did like, however, that at the end there was an epilogue that was a couple months later.

I do not recommend that you read this book.

Title: Lost Boy
Author: Tim Green
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 304 pages
Series: No
Rating: 2 Stars
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The Pitcher by William Elliott Hazelgrove

The Pitcher is an inspirational realistic fiction book for young adult readers. Ricky is Mexican, and he is constantly teased and called racist comments. His mom has lupus, and they don't have enough money for her to get the treatment she needs. It doesn't help that his abusive father comes back just to steal the only money they have. Yet, when Ricky discovers that he has an amazing arm that can throw a ball 74 mph, his mom uses all the money that they have to get him to play. Across the street, a former World Series player, Jack Longford, is living in his garage after his wife died. He eventually agrees to coach Ricky.

The Pitcher teaches about believing in yourself, and moving forward even when things get rough. Ricky has it hard, but he keeps going. This is an emotional book, and it shows that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

You don't need to know anything about baseball to read the book. All the terms and expressions about baseball are explained. I was a little worried about that, but it was not a problem at all, so I was pleasantly surprised.

My only complaint is that Mr. Longford uses way too much inappropriate language. The guy calls everyone a rockhead, and says the same three cuss words tons of times in the book! He is a very strong character, but maybe a little too much.

I recommend you read this young adult book if you don't mind all the cuss words.


Title: The Pitcher
Author: William Elliott Hazelgrove
Publisher: Koehler Books
Pages: 241 pages
Series: No
Rating: 4 Stars
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The Big Game of Everything by Chris Lynch

While I was browsing at my public library for something to review, the title of this book caught my attention. Although the story did not seem that interesting, I decided to give it a try. The summer before Jock starts eighth grade, he and his brother (Egon) and his sister (Meredith) go work at their grandfather's golf course. He believes the key to life is to have money, and Egon soon becomes greedy and obsessed with money, too. It doesn't help that their grandfather's ex-Marine friends come to visit, who are pretty much the richest people on earth.

One of the many problems about The Big Game of Everything is that it just went on and on about useless stuff that really could have just taken up a couple sentences, rather than a couple paragraphs. Also, there are some important details that were mentioned early on, but in the mix of the other stuff it was really easy to miss, since there were only a few sentences about it. A lot of times in the book I had to reread some stuff for it to make sense. Not because of the reading level, but because of the voice and the way that it was worded. I will say that it takes a lot of reading in between the lines to figure stuff out.

There were some events that I felt could be left out, and the story and the outcome would still be the same without it. The ending seemed a little rushed, like there was only allowed to be a certain number of pages in the book.

I don't recommend this book, but if you decide to go ahead and read it anyway, please note that it is boring, hard to comprehend, and I really think it is best for high school students.

Title: The Big Game of Everything
Author: Chris Lynch
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 288 pages
Series: No
Rating: 1 Star
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Losing It by Erin Fry

This is a great realistic fiction book for teens. Bennett Robinson lost his mother to cancer when he was five, and to cope, he and his dad watch baseball. Bennett is a huge Dodgers fan, but doesn't think that he could ever play, because he is so overweight. He is so overweight that he sweats just getting off the couch. One day while watching baseball, his dad has a stroke because of his weight, and Bennett doesn't know if his dad will live or die. With no other family members, Bennett is forced to move in with his Aunt, who is personally taking up a new role- to help Bennett lose weight and be healthier. At school, Luis and his gang take a special interest in bullying fat kids. Tired of it all, Bennett decides to put his fate in his own hands, and with determination to help his dad and put the day-to-day struggles to a stop, he joins the cross country team.

One of my favorite things about Bennett is that he doesn't give up. Instead of thinking that his dad will die, he puts all his energy into helping him get better. Instead of giving in to Luis's insults and demands, Bennett just does his best to ignore it. And most of all, when his legs hurt like they're going to fall off, or when everybody tells him he can't do it, or when he just wants to give up and go back to bed, Bennett doesn't! He keeps going, even when it seems that it can't get any worse. It takes a lot of self-esteem and courage to do what he did, and that should be admired.

Losing It expresses that you can't give up, and you can do anything that you put your mind to. It showcases a lot of things that happen to us, and I believe that this book could motivate or help people just like Bennett. I very, very, very strongly recommend this book.

Title: Losing It
Author: Erin Fry
Publisher: Two Lions
Pages: 271 pages
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
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The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen

One of the best books for teens is The Running Dream. The book focuses on 16-year-old Jessica, who has lost one of her legs due to a fatal accident. Now, she must face the fact that she might not be able to run again.

What I love the most about this book is how realistic it is. The Running Dream calls attention to a lot of real life problems and concerns that most of us fail to notice, even when they are sometimes right before our eyes. The book showcases day-to-day struggles with family, friends, and high school as well as the more uncommon ones such as losing a body part and Cerebral Palsy. It has elements that everyone can relate to.

Overall, the book starts out as fairly sad, but as the story progresses, the mood becomes more positive. I very strongly recommend this book, and I hope you love it as much as I do.


Title: The Running Dream
Author: Wendelin Van Draanen
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages: 332 pages
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
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