{"id":6905,"date":"2022-06-14T09:00:09","date_gmt":"2022-06-14T16:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/?p=6905"},"modified":"2022-06-28T13:22:07","modified_gmt":"2022-06-28T20:22:07","slug":"we-can-be-heroes-teen-book-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/2022\/we-can-be-heroes-teen-book-review\/","title":{"rendered":"We Can Be Heroes &#8212; Teen Book Review"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Reviewed by Sam Redfearn, age 15<\/p>\n<div class=\"Qr7Oae\" role=\"listitem\">\n<div class=\"OxAavc NVbRL\" data-required=\"true\" data-item-id=\"562620771\">\n<div class=\"xMZTse Ih4Dzb\">\n<h2 class=\"Mh5jwe JqSWld yqQS1\" aria-describedby=\"c54\"><em>We Can Be Heroes<\/em> by Kyrie McCauley<\/h2>\n<div class=\"Qr7Oae\" role=\"listitem\">\n<div class=\"OxAavc NVbRL\" data-required=\"true\" data-item-id=\"953412614\">\n<div class=\"xMZTse Ih4Dzb\">\n<div class=\"Mh5jwe JqSWld yqQS1\" aria-describedby=\"c70\">Beck and Vivian\u2019s entire lives changed in a single day\u2014 the day their best friend, Cassie, was shot. Cassie was the glue that kept the three of them friends, so in the first few months after she died, Beck and Vivian stopped talking. This all changed when Vivian saw Beck painting a mural commemorating Cassie over an advertisement for the gun company that had killed her. As they were driving away, the pair thought they heard their deceased friend humming along with the radio\u2014 because she was. As Cassie\u2019s ghost reframed the story of her murder, her friends realized the town has moved on from the pressing issue of gun violence far too quickly, and they devised a plan to help avenge their friend, and to subsequently save the next girl who falls prey to domestic abuse.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Qr7Oae\" role=\"listitem\">\n<div class=\"OxAavc NVbRL\" data-item-id=\"1097642746\">\n<div class=\"pYfr3c\">\n<div class=\"prOLdf\">\n<div class=\"g53bl\">\n<div class=\"cTDvob D1wxyf\" role=\"heading\" aria-describedby=\"i.desc.1097642746\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When I first began reading We Can Be Heroes, I was concerned that the way it switched between writing formats would get in the way of the story\u2019s flow. There are several chapters dedicated to Cassie speaking in broken-up sentences, along with clips from podcasts, and Beck and Vivian take alternating turns being narrators. As a result, one may assume that the story is clunky, moves slowly, and is difficult to understand, but this could not be further from the truth. Although initially somewhat abrupt, this style of writing is utilized perfectly to not only move the story forward, but give it depth and make the world feel three-dimensional. The topics addressed in the book may also lead someone to believe that the story has little content beyond the issues of gun control and domestic violence, but in fact, Beck, Cassie, and Vivian\u2019s friendship takes the forefront for much of the book. It is perfectly balanced between these two things, intertwining whimsical stories about the girls\u2019 childhoods with far more serious stories about Cassie\u2019s abusive ex-boyfriend. If anything, this format allows the reader to see deeper into Cassie\u2019s character, and be more invested in Beck and Vivian\u2019s plans to avenge her. It also allows the reader to share in their outrage that the local papers talked far more about Cassie\u2019s killer than Cassie herself. All in all, this was one of the best books I\u2019ve read in a while. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys stories about fighting for social justice with a side of paranormal activity. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Qr7Oae\" role=\"listitem\">\n<div class=\"OxAavc\" data-required=\"true\" data-input=\"L9xHkb\" data-item-id=\"2068990993\">\n<div class=\"pYfr3c\">\n<div class=\"cTDvob D1wxyf\" role=\"heading\" aria-describedby=\"i.desc.2068990993 c61\">5 stars.<\/div>\n<div role=\"heading\" aria-describedby=\"i.desc.2068990993 c61\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Find this book in our catalog: N\/A<\/p>\n<p>Catalog Number: N\/A<\/p>\n<p>512 pages<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Reviewed by Sam Redfearn, age 15 We Can Be Heroes by Kyrie McCauley Beck and Vivian\u2019s entire lives changed in a single day\u2014 the day their best friend, Cassie, was shot. Cassie was the glue that kept the three of them friends, so in the first few months after she [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":7029,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[120,54],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6905","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-book-reviews","category-teen-reviews"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2022\/06\/Wecanbeheroes.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5ZwbD-1Nn","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4653,"url":"https:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/2018\/the-first-time-she-drowned-teen-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":6905,"position":0},"title":"The First Time She Drowned &#8212; Teen Review","author":"Teen Blogger","date":"May 5, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"review by John Chon, age 15 The First Time She Drowned\u00a0by\u00a0Kerry Kletter Summary:\u00a0Cassie O\u2019Malley has been trying to keep her head above water\u2014literally and metaphorically\u2014since birth. It\u2019s been two and a half years since Cassie\u2019s mother dumped her in a mental institution against her will, and now, at eighteen, Cassie\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Book Reviews&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Book Reviews","link":"https:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/category\/teen-reviews\/book-reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2018\/05\/the-first-time-she-drowned.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6139,"url":"https:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/2020\/teen-advisory-board-november-2020\/","url_meta":{"origin":6905,"position":1},"title":"Teen Advisory Board &#8212; November 2020","author":"Jane Gov","date":"December 17, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Pasadena Public Library - Teen Advisory Board, 11\/14\/2020 \u00a0 Present:\u00a0 Jasmine, Cassie, Leo, Genevieve, Luke, Noah \u00a0 What have you been doing to help calm you down? Holding\/playing with younger sibling Reading, writing, journaling Spending time outdoors Doing community services Completing homework early Facetime with friends \u00a0 What is your\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Agendas &amp; News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Agendas &amp; News","link":"https:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/category\/agendas-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2020\/12\/tab_2020-11-web.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2020\/12\/tab_2020-11-web.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2020\/12\/tab_2020-11-web.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2020\/12\/tab_2020-11-web.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":799,"url":"https:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/2014\/flash-fiction-celeste\/","url_meta":{"origin":6905,"position":2},"title":"&#8220;It was the greatest meal I\u2019d had in my entire life&#8221; &#8212; Flash Fiction by teens","author":"Teen Blogger","date":"June 2, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Untitled story by Celeste Rivera (teen) \u00a0 Have you ever had your friend ask you one of those questions that go along the lines of, \u201cIf me or your mom were about to die who would you save?\u201d I\u2019m Lauren and my friend Cassandra had started asking me those questions\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Writing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Writing","link":"https:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/category\/writing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6296,"url":"https:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/2021\/teen-advisory-board-january-2021\/","url_meta":{"origin":6905,"position":3},"title":"Teen Advisory Board &#8212; January 2021","author":"Jane Gov","date":"March 16, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Pasadena Public Library - Teen Advisory Board, 1\/16\/2021 \u00a0 Present:\u00a0\u00a0 Genevieve, Noah, Jasmine, Leo, Yenyi, Vivien, Luke,\u00a0 \u00a0 Agenda:\u00a0 Edited videos so far Scavenger hunt debrief blog post with clues Shifts for facilitators + less number of days Walkable locations Back up hints for each location MHI grant - positive\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Agendas &amp; News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Agendas &amp; News","link":"https:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/category\/agendas-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2787,"url":"https:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/2016\/ya-book-club-orphan-train\/","url_meta":{"origin":6905,"position":4},"title":"YA Book Club &#8212; Orphan Train","author":"Teen Blogger","date":"March 31, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"YA Book Club recap by Kara Eng, grade 11 \u201cA nice combination of American history and a look into the experience of orphans and the foster care system. 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