Review: Restart

To say Chase isn't the nicest person is a huge understatement; he's downright mean. Or at least he used to be. After falling off the roof and hitting his head, Chase doesn't remember anything. He's not sure why people cower in front of him at school or why his friends act like Neanderthals.

It's not hard to guess that he used to be the biggest bully in school - but he's changed. As Chase navigates the halls of middle school, he becomes interested in things besides football, which he can't play due to his head injury. He joins the video club, under protest of some of the members.

Chase's new actions gain him new friends but leave his old friends feeling neglected. Could this be a permanent change?

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. I loved the premise. I liked the story told from perspectives of Chase and those he bullied. I liked watching Chase and Mr. Solway build a relationship. I really liked Chase's interactions with others from his friends to victims of his past bullying. I felt the other characters were brave and trusting. I don't know if I could be that trusting. The ending seems a tiny bit unrealistic, but it was a nice touch. I hated Chase's downfall, but enjoyed him struggle past it. Another hit for Gordon Korman.

Cover Thoughts: Great
Source: My Library
Read for: Cybils' short list

Library Recommendation: A must have for all public and school libraries.

Tween Tuesday Review: The Littlest Bigfoot

Alice isn't like other kids - she has a hard time fitting in wherever she goes. No one seems to like her, not even her parents. She's attempted school after school, but everything results in failure. More than ever, Alice wishes for a friend.

Her newest school seems strange, but also freeing. Alice finds herself a friend, one who's just as strange as she is and who is hiding a huge secret.  The two of them form a tight bond, but Alice's new friend is a yeti child and can't be seen in the human world.

Their bond of outsiders brings them close together until an incident captures Millie on camera. Unless the two of them can come up with a plan, Millie and her tribe will move and Alice will lose the only friend she's ever known.

My Thoughts: Honestly this book didn't grab me at the start, but I really liked it. I loved the book's message - to be who you are and to be proud of it. I love how both Millie and Alice were outsiders in their communities and how they found each other and formed a tight bond. I loved how Millie was obsessed with all things human. I liked how different the school was - but how they came together. I loved Alice learning how to cook. I liked the other girls and their quirks. A great middle grade debut for Jennifer Weiner that's perfect for discussion, readers needing to accept themselves, and those interested in bigfoot. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute
Source: Sent for review
Final Thoughts: A wonderful book about being yourself and owning it. Great for school and public libraries.

Review: Dear Bully

70 Teen authors share their stories about being bullied, not stopping bullies, and sometimes acting in a bully like manner.

My Thoughts: There were poems, essays, and stories throughout the book written by favorite authors. Some of them used writing to escape their emotions. Some of them used their bullies as characters in their novels. Some of them turned to humor. Some of them ran. Some of them fought back. Some of them did nothing and endured the torment.

I can't say that I LIKED this book, because it's so emotional, so heart-wrenching, and so hard to read at times. I will say that I read it in two sittings. It was hard to put down. And that it's a book that EVERY teen should read.

Cover Thoughts: I like it

Source: My library

No Name Calling Week

Sticks and Stones DO hurt, but so do words.

No Name-Calling Week is an annual week of education activities aimed at ending name-calling of all kinds and providing schools with the tools and inspiration to launch an on-going dialogue about ways to eliminate bullying in their communities.

Here's a list of books dealing with bullies (it's from the Eastern CT Librarian Blog that I help run) While you're there, check out some of our other book lists. As always it's a work in progress.

For more information - check out the site