Wild Blues by Beth Kephart - OPTIONAL

Wild Blues by Beth Kephart, 317 pages.  Atheneum Books, 2018.  $18.  

Language: G; Mature Content; G; Violence: PG.  

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS – OPTIONAL  

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW 

Thirteen-year old Lizzie loves visiting her Uncle Davy, so when Lizzie’s mom gets cancer and has to take a radioactive treatment, Lizzie chooses Uncle Davy’s place to get away from the treatment.  Lizzie and her best friend, Matias, love discovering all the beauty of the woods around Uncle Davy’s, but one day when Matias isn’t at their meeting place, Lizzie starts to realize that something is very wrong.  

This book has a compelling storyline and I don’t mind the stream of conscience writing style, but I’m not sure young readers will be patient with that style.  There were also a couple of turns in the plot that were unrealistic and frustrating and I was disappointed in the weird ending.  

Reviewer, C. Peterson.

The Great Upending by Beth Kephart - ESSENTIAL

The Great Upending by Beth Kephart, 259 pages. Atheneum (Simon), 2020. $18

Content: G                 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS  - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH   

12yo Sara, her brother Hawk and their happy family live with their parents on a big farm.  They are in the midst of a big drought, there is a fire in the haybarn, Sara has Marfan syndrome, and she needs heart surgery. Everybody pitches in to help and mom makes pies to sell for extra money. A mysterious and reclusive tenant has moved into the remodeled silo on the farm. Sara and Hawk call him ""The Mister."" Under no circumstance are they to disturb The Mister. Sometimes Sara is sure he is watching them; and they are certainly watching him. Sara and Hawk find out that The Mister is a famous, best selling author.       

I liked how this family stuck together and worked to keep the farm going. It's cute how Hawk has named the animals after characters from his favorite book. I could feel the hardships they had on the farm. Sara knew that her illness added to the weight and worry her parents. I loved the book and it gave great insight into what it is like to live with Marfan's syndrome. I highly recommend this book. I could not put it down and read it in one sitting.        

Ellen-Anita, Librarian

 

You Are My Only by Beth Kephart - ESSENTIAL

Kephart, Beth You Are My Only, 256 pgs. Egmont USA/Laura Geringer Books, 2011. $16.99. Language – PG; Sexual Content – PG; Violence - PG.

You Are My Only tells the intersecting stories of Emmy and Sophie. Emmy is a young mom whose daughter is kidnapped when she turns away for a moment. The resulting breakdown lands her in a mental hospital. Sophie and her mother have been constantly on the move, escaping from the No Good for as long as she can remember, but the boy living next-door to her new house reaches out to her. For the first time Sophie is ready to defy her domineering mother to form a connection with someone else. Will Emmy find her kidnapped daughter? Will Sophie solve the mysteries in her past?

The story is lovely and heartbreaking and bittersweet, filled with moments both tragic and beautiful. Both Emmy’s and Sophie’s stories are suspenseful, and many readers will appreciate Kephart’s poetic voice.

HS – ESSENTIAL. Reviewer: Caryn

Small Damages by Beth Kephart - ADVISABLE

Kephart, Beth  Small Damages, 288 pgs.  Philomel Books, 2012.  $17.99 

Content:  Language: PG (4 swears; 3 God); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: PG

MS-OPTIONAL. HS-ADVISABLE

Kenzie is eighteen years old and pregnant with her best friend/boyfriend’s baby.  She thinks of herself as a “half-orphan” since her father died less than a year ago and she doesn’t get along with her mother, who has sent her to Spain because she doesn’t want anyone to know that Kenzie is pregnant.  In Spain, Kenzie is living with friends of her baby’s soon-to-be parents.  As Kenzie adjusts to the Spanish culture and reflects on her unhappiness with her boyfriend and her situation, she meets the parents who want her baby and tries to picture her baby’s life.  As Kenzie is waiting to deliver her baby she develops a strong relationship with the cook, Estela, and uncovers a sad secret from Estela’s life.  She also befriends, Esteban, an orphan who has been raised by Estela.  Esteban is Kenzie’s same age and his calm nature helps her to be able to figure herself out.  

This story is beautifully written and the setting almost becomes one of the characters.  The emotions of being a pregnant teenager are expressed in a realistic way.  I think this would be a great book for a high school, but would leave it as optional for middle school because the character is older and probably not as relatable to middle school age kids.  Great book on the topic of teenage pregnancy and consequences to our actions.  

  Reviewer, C. Peterson.

Dangerous Neighbors by Beth Kephart –NOT RECOMMENDED

Kephard, Beth Dangerous Neighbors, 192 pgs. EgmontUSA, 2010. $12.40. Language-G, Violence-G; Sexual Content-PG.
Katherine is full of grief at the loss of her twin Anne. Through various flash backs we see the better times in their relationship, when the sisters were best friends. We also see how they grow apart, much to Katherine’s dismay, when Anne begins to secretly date a neighborhood baker. Throughout this we find Katherine wandering, grief stricken, through her city, where the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition is occurring.
I failed to buy into Katherine’s grief because she was so pathetic. Even though there were lovely descriptions of the events going on in the city, I was so annoyed at being along for the ride with the main characters gloom, I couldn’t enjoy the scenery. I think students will check out within pages. The only thing that kept me going was to find out how Anne actually died and to find out more about 'dangerous neighbors' -yawn. Though the plot probably led to something redeeming about the nature of love and grief, I was so numbed by the whole drab experience, that those lessons were lost on me.
MS –NOT RECOMMENDED Reviewer: Stephanie MLS graduate.