After the Moment, by Garrett Freymann-Weyr (Guest Review)

Title: After the Moment
Author: Garrett Freymann-Weyr

Hardcover: 336 pages

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children; 1 edition

Publishing Date: May 18, 2009
Language: English

Price: Hardcover $16.00
ISBN-10: 061860572X

Classification: Fiction
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Range: Young Adult

Reader's Annotation: Maia Morland is smart but challenged while Leigh, new to town, is popular and totally in love with Maia. What happends after the moment? And what happens if it is a little to real and not like some pretty romance story?

Synopsis: After the Moment is a touching and realistic novel that shows a girl, Maia Morland, who suffers from many aspects of self mutilation (eating disorders, cutting). Leigh Hunter is a popular, smart jock that moves to Maia's town because his half sisters father passed away and needs help coping. When Leigh and Maia meet, he sees past the exterior and becomes immediately attracted and interested in Maia. Overtime, you notice the story unfold and head down the paths of violence, war, failed love, and so on.

Evaluation: The book, to me, was good (not great), but I would still recommend it for people looking for the issues dealt with in this book. It was slightly challenging to follow all the side character's stories, so I kind of just focused on Maia and Leigh's story and allowed myself to become confused while reading about the supporting characters.

Reason this Book was Chosen: The novel is a good, easy read, and touching. Again, not incredible, but it definitely deals with many real life topics that teens may face. It was written by Printz Honor author Garret Freymann-Weyr.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: This book deals with heavy issues that many teens face such as eating disorders, self-mutilation, and the sorrows of failed love. Parental suggestion for mild sexual innuendo.

Teenreads.com brings up an interesting point: “Garret Freymann-Weyr's novels for young adults are inevitably distinct. Her teenagers seem serious beyond their years, deeply invested not only in their own lives but also in the often complicated lives of their adult family members. AFTER THE MOMENT is no exception, and its male protagonist further cements Freymann-Weyr's reputation as a risk-taking author unafraid of tackling topics, and taking perspectives, unusual in young adult literature.”

Author Website: http://www.freymann-weyr.com/

Wintergirls, by Laurie Halse Anderson

Title: Wintergirls
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Publish Date: February 23, 2010
Publisher: Speak
Pages: (Paperback) 288
ISBN: 014241557X
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Range: Young Adult

Price: Paperback $9.99

Annotation: After the death of her best friend, Lia is forced to deal with her own struggle with an eating disorder, or else face a similar fate.

Summary: Lia and Cassie have been friends since childhood. They make a pact to be "the skinniest girls in school" but both have different yet equally dangerous ways of reaching that goal. After going separate ways as friends, Cassie passes away and Lia is forced to face the loss of her best friend, the reality of her sickness (anorexia and cutting), and the relationships she has with her broken family and people around her. With the ghost of Cassie following her around, will Lia be able to break the cycle of self-destruction and save herself from the only path that lays in front of her: death?

Evaluation: A triumph worthy of textbook status for people dealing with or knowing people with eating or cutting disorders.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Bulimia, Anorexia, Cutting, Broken Families

Reason this Book was Chosen: Though chalk full of "tips" it's supersedes being a manual for girls looking for a how to guide by shear worth and relatable content for girls who really need help and not wanting to feel alone. It gets inside the head of a girl stricken by a disease that is often misunderstood. It's beautifully emotional and a definite page turner!

Book Trailer: Official

Amazing Fan Made Trailers:

Identical, Ellen Hopkins

Title: Identical

Author: Ellen Hopkins

Publish Date: August 2008

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Pages: 576pp

ISBN: 1416950052

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Range: 12 and up

Price: $12.95

Annotation: Kaeleigh and Reanne are identical twins, completely the same on the outside. But on the inside they have lead completely different lives.

Summary: Identical twins Kaeleigh and Reanne are daughters of a Norman Rockwell appearing family. With a mother on the campaign trailer and the father a judge this horrifying tale takes a dark turn. One sister is the object of fathers love. The other is always fighting for equal attention. But, when the reason becomes clear for the actual motives behind this misplaced love both sister need face reality and stand up for each other. Both sister are having troubles, both different, both desperate. Who will be the one to help the other one?

Evaluation: I can't say enough all the things I love about this book. The fact that it's written in verse is stunning. It's wonderful to see expression in this form, I often write my feelings in verse. This book was so emotional and seeing it from the perspective of identical twins was mind-blowing. There is so much dysfunction in this book it makes it hard to breathe. But, it was awfully honest and a great read for someone who is looking for a book that can help them feel not so alone.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Standing up to your abuser, asking for help, drugs, feeling out of control, abusive and absent parents, issues with siblings

Reason this book was chosen: Ellen Hopkins is amazing. Her subject matter is frank and unapologetic. And her style is beautiful.

Website: http://www.ellenhopkins.com/

Fan Made Book Trailer:

Interview with Ellen Hopkins:

Cut, By Patricia McCormick

Title: Cut

Author: Patricia McCormick

Publish Date: January 2002

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.

Pages: 160pp

IBSN: 0439324599

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Range: 12 and up

Price: $16.95

Annotation: Callie is hiding a fatal secret, she a cutter. When she is found out she is sent away to an institution where she meets many different people with all sorts of issues and she begins to finally understand herself.

Summary: Callie is a 15 year old girl who is seemingly normal. But she is hiding a scary truth. She deals with her pain by cutting her own skin. When her parents find out they send her to get help. But she won't talk. Not to anyone. her parents deal with her in different, hurtful way. Her dad begins to drink and folds into his work as an escape. her mother a frantic, frail mess who is a hair short of agoraphobic. The family problems that lead to her pain in the first place need to be dealt with and until finally she begins to let go, she can't begin to heal.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: psychology of cutting a form of self-abuse, family dysfunction, therapy

Evaluation and reason this book was chosen: I loved that this was a quick read because I had trouble connecting to it. I felt like it just ok. I didn't think the writing was that sophisticated and the the plot kinda under developed or something. I was excited to read it but in the end I didn't connect. However, it is accessible and there are levels of hope and change and possibilities of being healed which is good for people who are looking for a book who aren't generally into reading 500 page novels. For that this book may really hit the spot. I have heard people say they really responded to this book so that is why I included it.