CUT by Patricia McCormick

Cut is about a girl named Callie. She was sent to "sick minds" (Sea Pines) because she was cutting herself. Callie has been hiding a lot about her life but she can't stay quiet much longer. Callie cuts herself and just lets it bleed, but this time she gets worried and goes to see the nurse Ruby. Callie has been hiding the guilt that her brother's sickness is her fault but finally she talks. She talks all about her brother, her mother and her father but avoids talking about herself. She breaks the silence multiple times saying it's her fault but she won't explain why. She gets so worried she breaks out of "sick minds" and runs away, calling her dad to come get her. The silence about the day her brother got sick finally comes out. Her father takes the blame, and Callie knows now that it wasn't her fault after all, and she asks her dad to take her back to Sea Pines.

I learned that you can't run away from your problems and there is always help to whatever problems you face, but cutting isn't the answer.

Yes I would recommend this book to a friend, her story is inspiring and gives hope to people who are cutting themselves to solve their problems.

Recommended for grades 9-12.


KH in Greenville

THE LUCKIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD by Steven Levenkron

This book is about a young girl named Katie who is involved in figure skating while maintaining an A+ average in a private school. She faces troubles with her mother because not only does her mother expect more from her all the time, she also puts so much pressure on her because she wants her to do better when this isn't what Katie wants, it is what her mother Katherine wants. Katie has no friends and does not socialize with anybody at all. Her father is not involved in her life at all because he walked out on them. Katie finally had it when she started cutting herself because it felt good to release the pain she had. She finally got caught when it was getting worse and she finally blew up. She got herself help and started counseling and was finally able to tell her mother how she felt and how this wasn't her dream, it was her mother's, and she wants to go to public school and she wants to have a normal life. Getting caught cutting herself and getting the proper help she needed changed her life in such brilliant ways.

From this book I gained courage and I learned that holding in your feelings can lead you to very bad places. Not only did Katie have the courage to open up to the Counselor and say what she said to her mother she was able to stop cutting herself because she wanted to get help before she got emotionally sicker.

I believe that if you are seriously hurting yourself emotionally and physically it might feel like you're going to just destroy yourself and you're never going to get better but in all reality this book shows you that there are ways to come out from that hole that you're in to see in the sunshine. There are ways to come about your problems. And that it is going to be okay.

Recommended for all teens.


AH in Howland

BEATING THE BULLIES by Polly Clarkson

At some point in life, nearly everyone experiences bullying -- by brothers, sisters, neighbors, adults or schoolmates. Many people dismiss this behavior as a normal part of one's development, but bullying can in fact be very harmful -- it can lead to death, self-harm, suicide and even murder. This book addresses all types of bullying, including cyber-bullying and the use of text messages.

This book is packed with information, and reminds you to watch what you say and do because it can hurt other people.

Recommended.
Musfera in Esopus