Language: PG (1 swear 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: (Bullying, self destructive behavior)
BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
13yo Jake listens to the voice in his head. The voice tells him he's nobody, that no one loves him, that he's repulsive. Jake has an eating disorder and has become dangerously thin, so his parents have put him in Whispering Pines, a facility for youth struggling like he is. But even with medical, emotional, and psychiatric help, Jake has to want to change for himself.
Oh my, John Schu's novel in verse is compelling, engaging, and hard to put down. I can't believe I read it in nearly one sitting. I loved his choice to tell the story through verse, I was turning pages quickly as Jake's anger and fear levels rose, and more slowly when things were calmer. I LOVED all the Broadway musical references, his complicated relationship with his parents, and his interactions with the other teens at the facility. A well-paced read which I highly recommend, it's not for everybody, but it should be for most middle school libraries. The characters default white.
Lisa Librarian
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