Pasadena Public Library
review by Aminda Zou, age 13 What They Don’t Know by Nicole Maggi Coming from an extremely traditional family, Mellie has a secret that she cannot share: she was raped in her basement and is now pregnant. She struggles to make the right choice and is stuck in a dilemma: to keep the […]
review by Nina Dinan, age 14 A Land of Permanent Goodbyes by Atia Abawi In this harrowing, heartbreaking, and utterly necessary tale, Atia Abawi tells the story of Tareq, a Syrian teenager who is forced to flee his country after the destruction of his home and the consequent loss of several family […]
review by John Chon, age 15 Spinning by Tillie Walden Spinning, by Tillie Walden, is a graphic autobiography about a young figure skater who fights against prejudices to allow herself to exist. The writer recounts her young life as she grew up and includes milestones such as her figure skating, learning she […]
review by John Chon, age 15 In Real Life by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang In Real Life, a short graphic novel by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang, was a change of pace for me. This short book is about a girl, Anda, who starts playing online games and quickly falls into […]
review by Jacob Chon, age 15 Among The Red Stars by Gwen C. Katz Set in the heart of the largest conflict in human history, Among The Red Stars is a historical fiction novel with real roots in the Second World War’s Eastern Front. Valentina Grizodubova is a young pilot with large […]
review by Nina Dinan, age 14 Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers by Deborah Heiligman This book is a portrait in words, filled with vivid descriptions of scenes and locations that are by turns devastating and breathtakingly beautiful. This is fitting in a sweeping dual biography of two brothers who lived […]
review by John Chon, age 15 That Thing We Call a Heart by Sheba Karim That Thing We Call a Heart by Sheba Karim is an interesting novel about the modern Muslim family. Not most teen books are about this topic. This book does a fair job with it, balancing it out with […]
review by Jacob Chon, age 15 House of Furies by Madeleine Roux House of Furies is a gripping tale of a young beggar who is thrust into a boarding house straight out of a horror movie. Louisa Ditton runs away from her status as a beggar to become a maid at […]
review by Kira Toal, age 16 The Art of Feeling by Laura Tims Summary: The Art of Feeling is a YA romance/drama by Laura Tims about pain, emotional and physical, and the different effects it has on two foils: a girl with chronic pain, and a boy with congenital analgesia. Characters: The […]
review by John Chon, age 15 The First Time She Drowned by Kerry Kletter Summary: Cassie O’Malley has been trying to keep her head above water—literally and metaphorically—since birth. It’s been two and a half years since Cassie’s mother dumped her in a mental institution against her will, and now, at eighteen, Cassie […]