Published by Feiwel and Friends

Summary:  On page 1, Riley has just entered a treatment program for her anorexia, and has started a journal to record her experiences.  During the next 53 days, she slowly and painfully looks at what got her there: her perfectionism; a gymnast sister with a “perfect” body; parents who don’t always listen or try to understand the implications of their actions.  Riley makes a new friend, reconciles with her old friends who have been hurt by her eating disorder, and rediscovers her passion for drawing and art. She describes therapy sessions and some of the drama with the other girls in the program.  By day 53, she’s ready to go home again, fearful of a relapse, but hopeful that she has acquired the tools to stand up for herself and do what’s best to keep herself healthy. 272 pages; grades 5-8.

Pros:  Anyone who has ever had to deal with an inner critic or feeling not good enough will relate to Riley’s struggles as learns how to be kind to herself and tell people around her how she is feeling and what she needs.  Jen Petro-Roy has also written a nonfiction book (published simultaneously with this one) called You Are Enough: Your Guide to Body Image and Eating Disorder Recovery.

Cons:  I was extremely frustrated by Riley’s parents who seemed unwilling to even look at any behaviors that might have led to their daughter’s eating disorder.

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Published by HarperCollins

Summary:  Rain and her parents have just moved from Vermont to New York City, partly because of her mother’s new job and partly to escape the memories of her older brother’s death almost a year before.  Rain has heard that three out of four couples divorce following the death of a child, and it seems like her parents may be on their way to becoming part of this statistic. She escapes from her difficult home life through running.  Her middle school track team gives her some new friends, as does Ms. Dacie’s house, a place where kids drop in after school to bake cookies and get help with their homework. As the story unfolds, readers get glimpses of the night Guthrie died and Rain’s role in helping him sneak out that night.  She learns to express her feelings through poetry, and a poetry slam in her English class allows her to open up to her new friends about what is going on with her. Rain and her parents survive the one-year anniversary of Guthrie’s death, and, although there are still plenty of uncertainties in her life, she knows she has a team of people supporting her as she moves forward.  304 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Lindsey Stoddard’s second novel is every bit as moving as last year’s Just Like Jackie, and Rain is another strong character who has to learn that she can’t always go it alone.  Keep the Kleenexes close at hand when you get to the poetry slam chapter.

Cons:  I think reading this right after finishing Eventown was too much; I had to force myself to keep going through the first several chapters as the family is dealing with their grief over Guthrie’s death.

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Published by Katherine Tegen Books

Summary:  Elodee’s family is moving from Juniper to Eventown, and not a moment too soon.  Elodee is tired of the searching, pitying looks people give her and her twin sister Naomi.  Naomi tends to get quieter and try to fit in, while Elodee gets angry and sometimes lashes out.  In Eventown, though, everything is simple and easy. The sun is always shining, everything Elodee cooks turns out perfectly, and, best of all, Mom and Dad seem happy and relaxed again.  As part of their orientation, the girls have a session at the Welcoming Center, where they have to tell six stories about their happiest and saddest memories. After the memories have been shared, they go away forever.  Elodee’s storytelling gets interrupted, though, and the memories she hangs onto seem to change the whole town. The townspeople aren’t happy with those changes, and soon Elodee’s family is the target of whispers and stares once again.  Elodee and her new friend Veena become determined to find out what is going on in Eventown, and what it is doing to them and their families. 336 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  A beautifully written, moving story about the nature of grief, memory, and storytelling.  Everyone in Eventown is burying their sadnesses and living a simple, happy life, but at what cost?  Did a Kleenex or two come into play for me as I read the final chapters of this book? Maybe….

Cons:  The pace is a bit slow, and at times Eventown felt a little too much like one big extended metaphor, which may not grab the average middle grade reader.

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