The Impact of Missing Fathers

 The impact of a dead or missing father on a child's sense of identity and well-being is explored frequently in young adult novels.  In Jandy Nelson's (I'll Give You the Sun) new novel, When the World Tips Over, the Fall kids' father mysteriously disappears, affecting each of the three children differently. Then a rainbow-haired girl comes into their lives, saving each of them in a variety of ways. For She is Wrath by Emily Varga is a Pakistani-inspired retelling of The Count of Monte Christo. Dania is imprisoned for a crime she did not commit. When she escapes and finds her father was killed for defending her, she seeks revenge with the help of a friend and some magical zoraat seeds. Nothing Like the Movies, the sequel to Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter, picks up when Wes and Liz head off to UCLA, only to have him drop out and break up with her when his father dies unexpectedly.  

The Fall kids' father mysteriously disappears in When the World Tips Over, leaving behind a shattered family.  Twelve-year old Dizzy reads romance novels, sees ghosts and longs to be reunited with her estranged best friend Lizard. Seventeen-year-old Miles is supposedly the smart, athletic, and handsome "perfect one," but he struggles with his sexuality and lack of connection with his siblings. Nineteen-year-old Wynton is a violin prodigy, who causes trouble wherever he goes.  Their mother runs a restaurant and longs for her absent husband, leaving a gourmet meal out for him each night.  Enter the rainbow-haired girl, Cassidy who saves each of them when she meets them - two from accidents and Miles from himself.  Cassidy has had her own issues with abandonment, which are explored in a parallel plotline. When the kids go in search of Cassidy, catastrophe strikes and the secrets of the Fall family curse begin to surface, giving all of them an opportunity to rewrite their futures.

For She is Wrath focuses on two female prisoners, who escape from prison and reclaim a cache of zoraat seeds and powerful djinn magic which allow them to establish themselves as wealthy women in the city of Basral.  Both Noor and Dania are seeking revenge against the power-hungry emperor Vahid, who came to power himself using djinn magic.  Dania's father, an esteemed sword maker, was killed when he tried to defend her.  She, an expert swordsman herself, disguises herself using the zoorat seed magic, and executes an elaborate scheme to hurt her betrayers, including Mazin, the lover who betrayed her. But seeking revenge becomes complicated as the magic threatens to overtake Danai, Noor disappears, and her feelings for Mazin reemerge despite his betrayal.  Dania ultimately learns the power to destroy her enemies comes with a price.  

In Nothing Like the Movies, tragedy strikes after Liz and Wes start their freshman year at UCLA.  Wes's dad dies of a heart attack, and he must go back to Nebraska to support his mom and sister, leaving Liz behind.  Deciding she is better off without him, Wes breaks up with her and begins to work on getting his life back together.  Fast forward two years and Wes is back playing baseball at UCLA, but Liz wants nothing to do with him.  Unfortunately, her internship with a production company has her focusing on the baseball team, throwing them together constantly. She enlists the help of her camera man Clark to pretend to be her boyfriend, but Wes will not give up on getting her back.  Each chapter begins with a quote from a popular romcom and an extensive playlist of romantic songs is woven throughout the narrative. 

SLJ Virtual Trade Show finds: Like No Other, Let's Get Lost and I'll Give You the Sun.

I  attended the School Library Journal Virtual Trade Show last week and once again was introduced to some amazing gems in YA Literature.  Una LaMarche's Like No Other explores the relationship between a Hasidic Jewish girl and an African American Catholic boy. Alsaid Adi's Let's Get Lost follows the interactions a 17-year-old girl has on a cross-country trip to see the Northern Lights. Jandy Nelson's I'll Give You the Sun introduces artistically talented twins who struggle with jealousy and loss. These three unique novels mine the depths of emotion teens experience when they face struggles with family, illness, death, sexuality and ultimately growing up.

In Like No Other, Devorah, a Hasidic Jew, meets Jaxon, an African American Catholic, when they are stuck alone together on a hospital elevator during a storm.  The bond they forge is something they can't ignore.  Sneaking around to see each other, Devorah is terrified of being caught and disowned by her family, but Jaxon feels like they are destined to be together. Each has arrived at a pivotal moment in their lives, where their relationship gives them the strength to tackle the challenges that face them.  But will their love be strong enough to weather the disapproval of their families and society in general?

Let's Get Lost introduces 17-year-old Leila who is on an epic road trip from her home in Louisiana to see the Northern Lights.  Along the way she encounters four different teens, whose lives are enhanced immeasurably through meeting her.  Hudson, an honor student and excellent mechanic who repairs her car, falls madly in love with her. Bree, an orphaned runaway, hitches a ride with Leila, only to land them in jail through her reckless disregard for the law. Elliot, reeling from unrequited love, enlists Leila help after he steps out in front of her car in traffic.  Using 80's movies as inspiration, she helps him prove his love to the girl of his dreams.  Sonia, whose soul mate dies unexpectedly, needs Leila's support for moving on.  Meanwhile Leila works through her own problems in aiding these strangers.

Jude and her twin brother Noah, who have spent their childhood trading parts of their universe for favors, (thus the title I'll Give You the Sun) are both talented artists hoping to be accepted by an elite art school.  Jealousies, misunderstandings and loss complicate their relationship and the once inseparable twins become estranged.  Told in alternating chapters, Noah chronicles their lives at age 13, Jude at age 16.  Both are struggling with their sexuality, Noah with his love for the boy-next-door, who fears losing his sports scholarship if anyone finds out, and Jude with her self-imposed celibacy after a forced sexual interaction.  As they find their way back to each other, they find that love can tear people apart, but it is ultimately what heals.

All three of these authors have created deeply affecting characters, whose struggles are at once unique but relate-able. The endings include reveals that may take the reader by surprise, but are completely satisfying. I found all three books to be page-turners and can't wait to share them with teen and adult readers alike.

The Sky is Everywhere

It has been a music filled week! We saw Widespread Panic at Red Rocks, Jesse Cook at the Boulder Theater, and last night we watched The Planets shoot a music video for You Tube at Immersive Studios in Boulder. As we were watching the technicians work out the video logistics, I began to think about people expressing their emotions through music and in particular a book I just read. In the Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson, the main character works through the grief she is feeling over her sister's death through music, poetry and her own sexual awakening.


Lennie, who has always been the "companion pony" to her sister Bailey’s racehorse, is devastated when Bailey suddenly drops dead from a heart arrhythmia. A normally reserved band geek, who has read Wuthering Heights twenty-three times, Lennie is overwhelmed by her grief, which permeates every waking hour. In bits of poetry which Lennie hides under rocks and throws into the wind, she says, "My sister dies over and over again, all day long." Her profound loss awakens unexpected emotions and sexual desire in Lennie. She is utterly confused by a fierce mutual attraction to Bailey's boyfriend, Toby. Their attempts find comfort in each other's arms leave Lennie feeling guilty and ashamed.


Then Joe Fontaine, a brilliant musician who has recently returned from living in France, arrives at school and joins the band. She is amazed at how easily she falls into a relaxed banter with him, but is afraid to feel any happiness. When summer vacation begins, Joe shows up at her house daily with his guitar and breakfast for Lennie and her grandmother and uncle. He helps Lennie regain her love for playing the clarinet, and gently coaxes her to leave her cocoon of grief. When she finally lets go and they fall deeply in love, she again feels guilty because it "doesn't seem right that anything good should come out of Bailey's death." Looming in the background is Toby, whose attentions threaten her relationship with Joe.

The element of this novel that separates it from the chick lit genre is Lennie's poetry. Her missives help the reader connect with the intense pain that Lennie is feeling. She has lived in her sister's shadow her whole life and can't navigate coming out into the sun. She says, "In photographs of us together, she is always looking at the camera and I am always looking at her." Bailey's death forces Lennie to think about her own life and give herself permission to pursue her dreams. Due to the brief scenes of underage drinking and sexual exploration, I would recommend it for the more mature reader.