Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy by Faith Erin Hicks

 

Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy

by Faith Erin Hicks

YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

Summary:

        Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy is, essentially, exactly what the title says, with some fun self-discovery plot points thrown in, too. Alix, the star hockey player on her team, asks the calm and cool-headed drama geek, Ezra, for help with anger management. Alix learns how to stand up for herself while not giving in to violence, while romance develops between her and Ezra.

Justification:

        This is sure to be a crowd pleaser on any middle or high school campus. The bright cover looks a lot like the romances circulating on the ever-popular BookTok accounts, while still being school-appropriate, unlike many of the titles popular on social media. While being a romance, this one also promotes social-emotional learning in the format of a fun read. 

Reader Response:
        While I didn't love this one nearly as much as the other graphic novels I have reviewed, I still found it to be a solid read for the demographic. The art style opts for a more neutral color scheme, using only whites and blues. Though I personally prefer a wider color palette, the art was very detailed and well done, and it contributed to the plot in a significant way. This art style also gives it a more mature feel than the elementary or middle grade graphic novels, which have a cutesy and colorful style. One aspect of this novel I enjoyed was how it explored sexuality. Ezra is known as gay around school, but he actually likes all genders, which leaves Alix shocked when she finds out that he likes her. The lack of labels for Ezra was very empowering to read about, and I think it could benefit students who are still exploring their sexuality, too. 

Hicks, F. E. (2023). Hockey girl loves drama boy. First Second, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press. 

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

 

The Hate U Give 

by Angie Thomas

Walter Dean Myers Grant Winner

Summary:

        Starr lives in the "ghetto" but attends a prestigious (mostly white) private school. After a party gone wrong, she and her childhood friend, Khalil, get pulled over. Khalil gets shot by "One-Fifteen," as Starr knows him, the officer who pulled them over. The novel is about Starr learning what it means to stand up for what you believe in and how to stay true to who you are and where you come from while still doing what is best for your personal growth.

Justification:

        The Hate U Give spent something like 70 weeks on the NYT Bestseller List, and it deserved every second of it and more. This book is something every person should read. It is a deeply riveting book and handles the deep issues with such tact, while still being brutally honest and genuine. This is a fantastic book for class studies or independent reading alike. Students will learn about personal bias, privilege, and how to be a responsible human.

Reader Response:

        What an impactful book. Even as an adult, I found myself tearing through these pages and devouring the words. Starr's story is filled with tragedy, empowerment, belonging, and self-discovery. Starr learns how to use her voice for the better, even when it requires intense bravery in the face of potential violence. This book really challenged my own personal biases and offered a view of the world from a perspective I hadn't seen before. I found myself uncomfortable at some parts, but it was necessary to sit with it, consider why I felt that way, and challenge it. One aspect of this book that I really enjoyed was the inside look at a "ghetto" community that others might look at from the outside and offer pity or disgust. This book really highlights that it is a beautiful community full of hardships, yes, but also joy and teamwork. 

Thomas, A. (2017). The hate U give. Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. 

Queer Ducks (and Other Animals) by Eliot Schrefer

 

Queer Ducks (and Other Animals)

by Eliot Schrefer

Printz Honor Book

Summary:

        Queer Ducks (and Other Animals) is a riveting nonfiction that will grip teen readers by fascinating them with information about the animal kingdom and challenging their bias about heterosexuality. Inside the pages of this book, students will find information about animals, sexuality, and how it relates to the humanity in all of us.

Justification:

        Schrefer's book is a great one to include in any nonfiction collection. It is informational in many ways. Yes, it informs the readers about animal sexuality, but underneath it all is this underlying message that homosexuality is natural, it is okay, and it should be celebrated. There is no doubt why it received the Printz Honor Award. 

Reader Response:

        I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I had no idea before reading this that homosexuality was so prevalent within the animal kingdom. Society has pushed the standard of men & women as the default for such a long time that no other option existed in my brain. This book was extremely eye-opening and gave me a lot of things to think about in regards to societal norms, internal biases, and my understanding of the natural world. I also really appreciated how the author gave a brief spiel on the different terms he would be using throughout the book, why he chose them, and what they mean. It really highlighted that information can be shared while still being sensitive to the communities that they include, which in this case, is the LGBTQ+ community. 

Schrefer, E., & Zuckerberg, J. (2022). Queer Ducks (and other animals): The natural world of Animal Sexuality. Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. 

Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh

 

Every Body Looking

by Candice Iloh

Novel in Verse

Summary:
        Every Body Looking is a novel in verse, memoir-style, about the author’s struggles with growing up in poverty and trying to make something of herself. She struggles with religion, sexuality, and grappling with the fact that she has to fight a system that was designed to oppose her at every direction. 

Justification:
        Having a robust collection of novels-in-verse is extremely beneficial to a library’s collection. Many students that struggle with a full-size novel will appreciate the short and simple nature of this novel in verse, but will enjoy the difficult themes. 

Reader Response:
        This novel is a fairly easy one to read. The prose is simple, the poems are short, and it is broken up into chapters that do not take very long to get through. The novel more than makes up for it in depth of themes, however. This novel is a great experience in stepping into someone else's shoes. Candice, the speaker of the poems, has lived a life completely different from mine, but I found myself relating to some of the issues she deals with in the novel. Being a first-generation student and finding yourself after growing up in a strict environment is extremely difficult. The way Iloh perfectly encapsulated those feelings with such simple phrases was very meaningful to me. This is a great novel for students of all types. This may be a great one to use for reluctant students as an entry-level introduction to poetry. 

Iloh, C. (2020). Every body looking. Dutton Books. 

She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen

 

She Drives Me Crazy

by Kelly Quindlen

LGBTQ+/Romance

Summary: 

        Scottie Zajac, high school senior, loses an important basketball game against the school's rival, who just so happens to have her ex-girlfriend on the team, too. Leaving the already-disappointing game, she gets into a fender bender with her archrival, a cheerleader named Irene. Scottie is devastated to learn she must chauffeur Irene to and from school until her car is repaired. This time together gives Scottie the opportunity to devise a fake-dating plan to get back at her ex-girlfriend and gain some popularity for herself and her basketball team, too. 

Justification:

        This is a great LGTBQ+ book to include in a library's collection, especially in areas where books with LGBTQ+ characters might be contested, as this book is absolutely squeaky-clean. The characters only briefly discuss their sexual pasts, and no details are exchanged. There is truly no reason why this should be contested in a high school collection. Additionally, the novel is not all about the coming-out experience. While books about coming out are crucial, just as important are novels about LGBTQ+ characters simply existing. 

Reader Response:

        I had such a great time reading this novel. The characters were sassy, fiery, and sweet, all at once. The characters had wonderfully supportive and affirming family members, and though they did experience some bullying at school related to their queerness, it was not the main conflict of the novel. I found this to be notable because just as much as the LGBTQ+ community needs books that depict a difficult coming-out or stories about those experiencing homophobia, they need wonderful, simple, non-traumatic stories that are just about queer love, too. This book supports all kinds of representation, which I greatly appreciate. One aspect about the main character, Scottie, that I really enjoyed was that she wasn't afraid to challenge her worldview or admit that she was wrong. She starts out the book thinking negatively about cheerleading, thinking that it isn't a true sport and that they are simply doing it for the sake of others. After talking to Irene throughout the semester they spent together fake-dating, she changes her opinion and begins to understand that cheerleading is a difficult sport that takes discipline and practice. She even gets defensive over Irene when she hears others negating cheerleading as a sport. 

        Overall, this is a wonderfully fun novel that celebrates queer love and representation. I would recommend this book to any student, queer or straight alike. The themes of friendship, love, and second chances are universal and applicable to all. 

Quindlen, K. (2021). She drives me crazy. Roaring Brook Press.