LAST NIGHT I SANG TO THE MONSTERS by Benjmin Alire Saenz

Zach's had an extremely rough life, his father was an alcoholic and his mother was a manic depressive. His brother who always did drugs would often go on angry rages and break things. Zach's mother would try to touch him, his father would drink and drink and his brother would beat him even one time breaking one of his ribs. Zach was surrounded by bad influences, but there was no way he could avoid it. Zach decided to binge drink and almost died, he was taken to the hospital and suffered alcohol withdrawal and was then sent to rehab. Zach's therapist Adam thinks of Zach as a very difficult client, Zach doesn't enjoy talking about his past and some of it he says he can't remember. Zach's only true way to get better is if he talks about what happened. Zach becomes close with his roommates Sharkey and Rafael. Rafael is the only true man he knows. He feels like he can relate to Rafael, because as a teen, Rafael was extremely similar to Zach. After weeks go by he finally decides to give in and realizes that "maybe living is supposed to be more than survival".

Everyone has monsters and you will find ways to face them.

Excellent book from start to finish really touching story.

Recommended for grades 9-12 and adults.


KH in Greenville

BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS I'LL BE DEAD by Julie Ann Peters

This book is about a girl named Daeyln who was bullied her entire life. After many failed suicide attempts she decides this time will work. She stumbles upon a website, basically a count down to her death, but this all changes when a boy named Santana won't leave her alone.

I gained a new perspective on how one person can really help save someones life. She was set on killing herself and all it took was Santana to not give up on her to make her decide against it. This book was powerful because of her struggle. She was struggling between emotions, she didn't want to feel them. Her stories also made it powerful as well she drank ammonia and bleach to kill herself when Santana was struggling to stay alive.

Very deep story really hits you hard.

Recommended for grades 11-12.


KH in Greenville

UNCOOL by Erin Elisabeth Conley

Uncool is a book about being uncool and how being uncool can be, well, cool. It tells you to break out of your shell of fitting in and being like everyone else so you can be yourself. It also gives you ideas on misfit music, movies etc. This book really shows you that just being you is cool.

I learned that no matter what if you just be you, you will have friends and a good life. You will also be happy. Fitting in is not always the right choice.

This book can really get you to realize you don't need what everyone else has to be cool. Just being you is cool and you will be a lot happier.


Recommended for girl's grade 6-12.


KH in Greenville

HOW I MADE IT TO EIGHTEEN by Tracy White

This book was basically a picture book about a girl named Stacy who is going through a lot of struggles in her life: drugs, boy friend problems, eating problems. So, she decides to check herself into a mental hospital. This book shows her journey where she fights the entire way to get better.

I gained so much from this book, learning about her struggles and how she got help and how her friends stuck by her.

This is a page turner. You really won't put this book down until it's over. You want to follow her journey till the end.

Recommended for Grades 9 - 12.


KH in Greenville

KAYLA CHRONICLES by Sherrie Winston

Kayla is a feminist, but when she gets involved with the school dance group, the Lady Lions, she begins to wonder if she can be a feminist while still being a normal girl.

I enjoyed reading the book. I believe that people can learn many things, like what it is to be a feminist and how to start a feminist group in your community. I felt like the book was telling people that to be more than one thing was alright and that you don't always have to fit a stereotype. I would recommend it to others who enjoy the same type of book.

Recommended for all teens.



GK in Greenville

KEYS TO DEVELOPING YOUR CHILD'S SELF-ESTEEM by Carl Pickhardt

This is a good book for parents to understand how to help their child's self-esteem, and if their child has a self-esteem problem how to deal with your child so that they don't hurt themselves. It discusses moods, successes, failures and many other things that are a key part of a child's self-esteem.

It's a good read for parents and shows the link between self-esteem and depression, and how self-esteem can rise and fall with a child's moods.

Outstanding.
Musfera in Esopus

GATHER TOGETHER IN MY NAME by Maya Angelou

Angelou, age sixteen, has just given birth to an illegitimate baby boy. World War II has just ended and African-Americans returning home from the war re-encounter racism -- which is not a temporary aberration. Angelou turns tougher and her remembering evokes an immediacy of long-ago dejection.

This book manages to teach the reader how wrong racism is without being too "teachy". It's an interesting story that shows us not to judge people by where they came from or what skin color they are.

Recommended.
Musfera in Esopus