Sharon Verbeten

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

Orphan Eleven

Review by Sharon Verbeten

Life hasn’t been fun and games for Lucy. She used to be a happy, talkative child with a beautiful voice, but she hasn’t spoken in a long time. At the Home for Friendless Children, talking just got her into too much trouble. It will take an entire circus and the camaraderie of all its performers to help Lucy find her voice and reconnect with the one thing in her life she misses most—her little sister, Dilly.

Orphan Eleven unfolds over just a two-week period in the lives of Lucy and three other Friendless Children, but it’s an action-packed, rollicking rollercoaster that chronicles the quartet’s adventures as they escape from the oppressive Home. A series of fortunate coincidences lead them to a circus troupe, where they meet a kind soul who helps them find their true strengths, learn about themselves and bond with each other. However, their past is never far behind, so as the group moves forward together, they’re constantly looking over their shoulders.

Gennifer Choldenko, a Newbery Honor recipient for Al Capone Does My Shirts, has always been a thorough researcher, and her skill is on full display in Orphan Eleven. Lucy’s treatment at the Home is, in fact, based on an actual medical experiment conducted at an orphanage in Iowa in the late 1930s. Scientists used children as research subjects to test their hypothesis that stuttering could be induced through constant humiliation. Lucy’s efforts to work through the cruelty she has experienced are rendered with great empathy, but knowing real children were actually treated this way by adults gives the book an even deeper poignancy.

The tension and excitement of running away and the fun and fascinating daily life of a circus will keep young readers turning the pages, but it’s Lucy’s real-life backstory that makes Orphan Eleven a true and compelling triumph.

Life hasn’t been fun and games for Lucy. She used to be a happy, talkative child with a beautiful voice, but she hasn’t spoken in a long time. At the Home for Friendless Children, talking just got her into too much trouble. It will take…

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates

Review by Sharon Verbeten

Freddie is an 11-year-old British boy who loves facts. He recites them (sometimes at inappropriate times). He collects them. He wows people with them. But when his grandmother dies, he discovers a truly surprising fact: His father might be alive.

That discovery is enough to send Freddie and his BFFs on a rollicking, pound-foolish adventure across Wales to track him down. Along the way, they find themselves in one unlikely situation after another, stowing away overnight on a docked boat, accidentally setting fire to their clothes, entering an onion-eating contest, dashing around the country dressed as superheroes—all while stirring up hilarity and trying to stay one step ahead of some criminals. In short, keeping a low profile just isn’t in their DNA, and thankfully for readers, debut author Jenny Pearson has some truly comical calamities in store for Freddie and his friends.

Pearson’s pacing is precise, propelling readers from one escapade to another to see what the boys will get tangled up in next. Although Freddie’s mission is serious stuff, the detours he makes along the way are played for comedy while remaining grounded in the (mostly) plausible. The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates is the quest of a lifetime, with a generous helping of laugh-out-loud adventure and more than a pinch of heroism along the way.

Freddie is an 11-year-old British boy who loves facts. He recites them (sometimes at inappropriate times). He collects them. He wows people with them. But when his grandmother dies, he discovers a truly surprising fact: His father might be alive.

That discovery is enough to send…

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

What Stars Are Made Of

Review by Sharon Verbeten

At one time or another, most people find themselves making a quid pro quo deal with the universe. In Sarah Allen’s What Stars Are Made Of, 12-year-old Libby does just that. But rather than asking the universe for fortune or fame, she’s making an unselfish wish: She wants her niece to be born healthy.

Libby is a charismatic and brainy narrator. She was born with Turner syndrome, a genetic condition that means she’s missing an X chromosome. Turner syndrome makes some things more difficult for Libby, but science is not one of them. So when she enters a science contest with an entry about her favorite scientific figure—Cecelia Payne, the woman who discovered what stars are made of—she’s determined to win so that she can use the prize money to help her financially-challenged older sister.

That’s where Libby’s deal with the universe comes in. If Libby wins and gives the money to her sister, the universe will ensure that her niece will be born healthy and not share any of the challenges Libby herself experiences. If she gets her wish, Libby reasons, “Instead of missing a piece in my own body, I’d fix a missing piece in the lives of the people I loved.”

In her stunning debut middle grade novel, Allen, who was also born with Turner syndrome, explores themes of family loyalty and personal resilience and resolve, wrapping them up in a clever story of science, how the universe works and how stars can truly guide the way. What Stars Are Made Of is a tender portrait of a compassionate heroine trying to make things right in her universe and in the lives of the people she loves. Allen is a remarkable new voice in children’s fiction.

In her stunning debut middle grade novel, Sarah Allen explores themes of family loyalty and personal resilience and resolve, wrapping them up in a clever story of science, how the universe works and how stars can truly guide the way.

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

Pixie Pushes On

Review by Sharon Verbeten

Life isn’t easy for anyone on a farm in the nation’s heartland in the 1940s, but it’s especially hard for Pixie, the spunky heroine of Tamara Bundy’s Pixie Pushes On. Pixie’s mother has died, and her sister has contracted polio and been taken to a hospital. Pixie blames herself for these tragedies and struggles to cope with her family’s losses. 

Unfortunately, Pixie’s school life isn’t much better than what waits for her at home, and she finds it hard to feel thankful—even on Thanksgiving, when she’s not allowed to visit her beloved sister in the hospital. Life seems to have handed Pixie a raw deal.

Things come into perspective, though, when a baby lamb, Buster, joins the farm, and Pixie is charged with his care. As her Granddaddy says, “Every day’s a lesson in beginnings and endings.” Pixie learns compassion and understanding as she pushes on through her pain and learns to laugh and find joy again.

Amid the tough farm work, Pixie’s family is her guiding force, and neighbors who’ve also experienced loss help open her heart. Glimpses into life during wartime—iron lungs, back-breaking work, war rations and doing without—make this a poignant piece of historical fiction for young readers.

Pixie Pushes On is a touching story of love, loss and learning about the world beyond your own backyard. 

Life isn’t easy for anyone on a farm in the nation’s heartland in the 1940s, but it’s especially hard for Pixie, the spunky heroine of Tamara Bundy’s Pixie Pushes On. Pixie’s mother has died, and her sister has contracted polio and been taken to a…

YA FictionYA

The How and the Why

Review by Sharon Verbeten

In Cynthia Hand’s The How and the Why, delving into the past is a difficult journey.

Eighteen years ago, a teenage girl placed her baby for adoption. That girl grew up to be Cass. Although her wonderful parents adore her, Cass still wonders where she came from. As she considers whether to search for her past, Cass learns that her first mother wrote a series of letters to her years ago—letters that will hold many clues, but could also spark new questions or concerns. Should she dig into her past? What will her parents think? Does her first mother even want to be found?

Cass’s dilemma is set against the backdrop of her preparations for college—which in itself provides plenty of challenges for Cass, her father (who is pushing her to attend his alma mater) and her best friend, Nyla (who wins the coveted drama scholarship Cass wanted). Cass’s story is interwoven with letters from S, Cass’s first mother, reflecting on her life at the home and struggling to write words for her daughter to read many years from now.

The How and the Why presents an honest and accurate view of how many adopted teens must feel—wanting to plan their futures while still wondering about their pasts. A well-rounded cast of characters and fully developed story make this an absorbing read.

In Cynthia Hand’s The How and the Why, delving into the past is a difficult journey.

Eighteen years ago, a teenage girl placed her baby for adoption. That girl grew up to be Cass. Although her wonderful parents adore her, Cass still wonders where she…

YA FictionYAGraphic Novels & Comics

Are You Listening?

Review by Sharon Verbeten

Young adults Lou and Bea meet up unexpectedly as they both travel alone—for various reasons—across West Texas. Whatever the reasons, they seem to be better off together than alone in this graphic novel that addresses issues of sexual abuse, loneliness, sexual identity and betrayal.

The duo chat about their lives back home, which are often more frightening and uncertain than the ones they face ahead. Along the way, they face some odd occurrences—like a mysterious cat tagging along and the presence of two dark looming figures. Walden evocatively sets the mood and tone with deepening, ominous tones of black and white. Only the first few pages (presumably reality?), contain color, albeit in dark tones.

There are tears, fears, some raw language and evil foreboding in this graphic novel that will leave readers pondering and contemplating the power of human connection.

Young adults Lou and Bea meet up unexpectedly as they both travel alone—for various reasons—across West Texas. Whatever the reasons, they seem to be better off together than alone in this graphic novel that takes on tough issues of sexual abuse, loneliness, sexual identity and betrayal.

YA FictionYA

I’m Not Dying with You Tonight

Review by Sharon Verbeten

All hell breaks loose at an Atlanta high school when a Friday night football game devolves into mass fighting and chaos. Two teenage girls—one black and one white—are thrown together as an unlikely duo fighting to stay alive.

Racial tensions fuel the violence that spills from the football field to the streets, making it a life or death challenge for Lena, who is black, and Campbell, who is white, to get safely home. Thrown together by fate, the girls must find a way to relate to each other, to trust each other and to look past their biases to work together and navigate their dangerous path.

Told in alternating chapters in the girls’ distinct voices, I’m Not Dying with You Tonight shows how Campbell’s challenges are not quite the same as Lena’s—and that the community’s perception and prejudices of them both will either aid or hinder their journey. They may be together physically, but their paths are divergent because of their race.

This is a potent novel about cooperation in the face of anger, ugliness and prejudice. An ideal companion to The Hate U Give and the books of Jason Reynolds, this is a must-read for all teens. Amid the very of-the-moment themes of racial tensions and police intervention, the tenuous but authentic relationship of the two girls rises to the forefront. They just want the same thing—safety and security in an uncertain world.

All hell breaks loose at an Atlanta high school when a Friday night football game devolves into mass fighting and chaos. Two teenage girls—one black and one white—are thrown together as an unlikely duo fighting to stay alive.

Children's & YAPicture Book

Llama Destroys the World

Review by Sharon Verbeten

When a picture book begins with the dramatic opening line “On Friday, Llama will destroy the world,” it gets your attention. Jonathan Stutzman’s Llama Destroys the World is so ridiculous and hilarious that it works.

While the wide-eyed, self-assured Llama might have an end-of-the-week mission, much gets in his way—namely cake and LOTS of it. From that fateful moment on, the apple cart of Llama’s world is upset, leading to Heather Fox’s illustrations of big burps, tight-fitting (and eventually ripped) pants, silly Llama dances, amazing bologna sandwiches, well-dressed turtles and, well, black holes.

It’s all a playful, zany distraction for Llama as well as for young readers, who will remain glued to the fantastical illustrations and the impending sense of doom in llama’s unconventional world.

Will the black hole consume everything? Will there be another bologna sandwich? What will happen to the turtles with top hats? Will the universe right itself?

This is a super silly, amazingly original, best-when-read-aloud picture book. Thankfully, Llama really does rule the world here. This is a fine debut by this married author-illustrator team.

When a picture book begins with the dramatic opening line “On Friday, Llama will destroy the world,” it gets your attention. Jonathan Stutzman’s Llama Destroys the World is so ridiculous and hilarious that it works.

YA FictionYA

How to Make Friends with the Dark

Review by Sharon Verbeten

Sixteen-year-old Tiger Tolliver never wanted to learn how to make friends with the dark. But that’s what happens when her mom dies unexpectedly and her ensuing grief becomes overwhelming.

“If you looked at yourself in a mirror right now, could you see pieces of bone close to the surface?” Tiger wonders. “Is this how it will feel every day from now on?” Tiger may be strong, but she’s genuinely scared of what’s to come. 

She initially channels her “Grand Canyon of grief” by wearing the same ugly dress for days on end—the same dress that Tiger and her mom argued about. During that argument, they exchanged their last words.

In these early days of grieving, Tiger feels like she is surrounded by the dark. All she feels is fear, sadness and uncertainty as she takes on the responsibilities of organizing her mother’s funeral and end-of-life documents. She never knew her father, and she doesn’t have any extended family that she knows of, so she becomes a ward of the state of Arizona, and she’s soon shuttled from foster home to foster home.

When a previously unknown half-sister is discovered, Tiger becomes her charge, and together they reach out to their incarcerated father and try to navigate an uncertain (but hopefully forward-looking) future as a family. Secondary characters feed the narrative and provide balance to Tiger in her journey, which she measures in minutes since her mother’s death.

Bestselling author Kathleen Glasgow’s second novel, How to Make Friends With the Dark, is an honest and extremely harrowing read. As young readers take this journey with Tiger, they will learn that grief takes all forms and that life, somehow, does go on—even amid the surrounding dark.

She initially channels her “Grand Canyon of grief” by wearing the same ugly dress for days on end—the same dress that Tiger and her mom argued about. During that argument, they exchanged their last words.

YA FictionYA

The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried

Review by Sharon Verbeten

Shaun David Hutchinson’s The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried is a weird, surreal ride—one that might be bumpy in the hands of a less adept writer. But Hutchinson (We Are the Ants) has become known for his unique and offbeat takes on the young adult experience, and in his latest, he pairs a quirky premise with vitally alive—or, in one case, half-alive—teen characters. 

Dino’s parents own a funeral home, so he’s no stranger to death. But he’s not expecting his best friend, July, to die suddenly. Their relationship was, like many teen friendships, challenged when Dino started dating. It’s clear the two had unfinished business, so it’s lucky that just days before her funeral, July comes back to life—as an animated corpse. July and Dino try to come to terms with this supernatural occurrence while revisiting their friendship and trying to find out how Dino’s relationship with his new boyfriend will be impacted. 

Could Dino and July really have done things differently to stay friends while July was alive? And what does this mean for the future? Does July even have a future? This quirky novel has just enough surrealism to keep teens wanting more.

 

Shaun David Hutchinson’s The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried is a weird, surreal ride—one that might be bumpy in the hands of a less adept writer. But Hutchinson (We Are the Ants) has become known for his unique and offbeat takes on the young adult experience, and in his latest, he pairs a quirky premise with vitally alive—or, in one case, half-alive—teen characters. 

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise

Review by Sharon Verbeten

Five years ago, 12-year-old Coyote lost her mom and two sisters in a car crash. Since then, Coyote and her dad, Rodeo, have been roaming and rambling around the U.S. in an old school bus.

They live a vagabond life, to be sure, but it’s one that has allowed Rodeo to block out the sorrows and memories of his old life. Not so much for Coyote, who misses the rest of her family immensely. And then she learns that the park in her neighborhood is being demolished, and, along with it, the secret memory box she and her siblings buried before they died.

Rodeo would never agree to go back, so Coyote cooks up a plan to head them back towards home. It’s a risk she feels she must take in order to save her memories and, ultimately, get her dad back to reality.

The trip covers thousands of miles, and the duo picks up a cast of wayward characters along the way—each running to or from various complications—like a gay teen running from her parents, a jazz musician pursuing his lady love and a Latinx boy and his mother who are looking for a new life.

Can you go home again? All the inhabitants of the bus are both wondering that as well as seeking new beginnings.

Author Dan Gemeinhart has a few stellar middle grade readers already; The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise will add to his canon and could possibly garner a few awards. This is not just a story about Coyote’s remarkable journey—this novel solidifies Gemeinhart as a remarkable children’s author.

Author Dan Gemeinhart has a few stellar middle grade readers already; The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise will add to his canon and could possibly garner a few awards. This is not just a story about Coyote’s remarkable journey—this novel solidifies Gemeinhart as a remarkable children’s author.

YA FictionYA

On the Come Up

Review by Sharon Verbeten

“I might have to kill somebody tonight.” It’s a powerful opening line for multiple award-winning author Angie Thomas’ sophomore novel, On the Come Up, which brings readers back to the neighborhood of Garden Heights, the setting of her debut, The Hate U Give. But what 16-year-old Bri really wants to slay is her competitor in the Ring, a place where wannabe rappers come to compete against each other. She’s beyond confident; after all, she’s the daughter of Lawless, a legendary and influential rapper who was killed in the midst of gang violence.

Fueled with a desire to be like her father, Bri goes big with her verse—maybe too big. When she wins the rap battle and a buzzworthy video of her performance goes viral, she discovers that her war has just begun. Bri’s raw and controversial lyrics put her in danger when they incite misunderstanding and anger, and her classmates label her as “hood.” Add to that an eviction notice, a drug-dealing aunt and an out-of-work mom who’s a recovering addict, and it looks like Bri has bitten off more than she can chew on her way to the top.

Can Bri remain true to herself while rapping behind a tough persona? And is free speech really free—especially for young black people? Bri discovers that this fighting-for-your-life thing gets real in more ways than one.

Thomas knocked it out of the park with The Hate U Give—amassing scores of literary awards and a blockbuster movie deal. In the introduction to her new book, she calls that experience “surreal.” But Thomas should prepare for even more attention and accolades, because On the Come Up is another raw and powerful look at the challenges of being young and black in America.

 

This article was originally published in the February 2019 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

“I might have to kill somebody tonight.” It’s a powerful opening line for multiple award-winning author Angie Thomas’ sophomore novel, On the Come Up, which brings readers back to the neighborhood of Garden Heights, the setting of her debut, The Hate U Give. But what 16-year-old Bri really wants to slay is her competitor in the Ring, a place where wannabe rappers come to compete against each other. She’s beyond confident; after all, she’s the daughter of Lawless, a legendary and influential rapper who was killed in the midst of gang violence.

RomanceYA FictionYA

What If It’s Us

Review by Sharon Verbeten

Arthur is only visiting New York for the summer, but a trip to the post office brings the teen face-to-face with a dreamy, box-carrying young man; they flirt but then quickly lose sight of each other during a flash mob. Arthur is crushing on “box boy,” but will he ever see him again? With only a crumpled shipping label as a clue, Arthur begins his search, and through social media sleuthing and a missed connection poster, he finally finds Ben. Their attraction is mutual, but lots of forces are conspiring against them, and they wonder if they are meant to be together (albeit temporarily) or if the universe is trying to send them a bigger message.

Becky Albertalli (Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda) and Adam Silvera (More Happy Than Not) are stars of young adult fiction thanks to their authentic depictions of gay characters, and this collaboration will certainly boost their popularity. This not-to-miss addition to the YA canon seems tailor-made for a movie adaptation.

 

This article was originally published in the October 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Arthur is only visiting New York for the summer, but a trip to the post office brings the teen face-to-face with a dreamy, box-carrying young man; they flirt but then quickly lose sight of each other during a flash mob. Arthur is crushing on “box boy,” but will he ever see him again?

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