Tag Archives: Father-Daughter Relationships

YA – Running

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Sylvester, Natalia. Running. Clarion Books, 2020. 978-0-358-12435-1. $17.99. 323 p. Grades 9 and up.

Mari’s father, Anthony Ruiz, is running for President of the United States. She is proud of her father and knows he’ll make a great president, but she is not so crazy about how much his campaign and potential win will disrupt her life. Not only might he have to move to Washington, but the constant intrusion of his campaign manager, the demanding schedule of interviews and events, and cameras following her around every corner are also exhausting. In school, Jackie, the leader of a student protest group and ruthless editor of the school newspaper seems determined to embarrass Mari with an interview regarding her father’s recent comment that was insensitive to his fellow Latin American constituents. Despite everything, Mari can’t imagine not supporting her father… until she is assigned a community service project in school and finally talks to Jackie about some of the questionable policies for which her father’s campaign stands. The final straw for Mari is when she sees how his campaign platforms affect others she cares about. Like Gloria, the family’s beloved housekeeper who feels she has to hide who she is and who she loves for the sake of her boss’s conservative campaign. Like Vivi, her best friend whose grandmother is sick because of their water which was allowed to become dangerous because of her father’s own legislation. Now, not only is Mari unsure she can support her father’s campaign, but she might also have to stand up against it.

THOUGHTS: Inspired by real events in the Florida legislature in 2018, Running is an incredibly timely and important read for teens who may not see eye to eye with their loved ones when it comes to politics but are too afraid to talk about it. It manages to teach important lessons without being overly preachy. Additionally, there is no love plot in this book whatsoever, which is somewhat refreshing and worth noting as many students crave a good story without the romance, and they’re often hard to come by. A good addition to any high school collection, and a possible independent read or conversation starter in a Language Arts or Social Studies class.

Realistic Fiction          Sarah Strouse, Nazareth Area SD

TAGS: Presidential election, campaign, student protests, family, father and daughter relationships, Miami, Latinx protagonist, environmental concerns

MG – The List of Things that Will Not Change

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Staed, Rebecca. The List of Things that Will Not Change. Wendy Lamb Books, 2020. 978-1-101-93810-2. 218 p. $16.99. Grades 4-7.

Bea was eight when her parents divorced and gave her a green notebook with a list of “Things that will not change” written into it.  The first two items on the list are that her mom and dad will always love her and each other. Bea has been adding to that list ever since getting her notebook. The thing is, lots of things in Bea’s life are changing, and being the worrier that she is, it’s not always easy to adjust. Seeing her therapist helps, as does having both parents love and support her. When her dad tells her that he and his boyfriend are getting married, Bea is filled with excitement, for her father and his boyfriend, and for herself as Jesse has a daughter that is her age.  Bea has always wanted a sister, but things aren’t as easy as Bea wishes. As the wedding gets closer, Bea comes to terms with her past secrets and the fact that things don’t always have to be perfect to be perfect for her.

THOUGHTS: A must purchase for any middle grade library collection.

Realistic Fiction                   Krista Fitzpatrick- Waldron Mercy Academy

The Islands at the End of the World

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islands

Aslan, Austin.  The Islands at the End of the World.  New York: Wendy Lamb Books, 2014.  978-0-375-99145-5.  358p.  $17.99.  Gr. 7 and Up.

Sixteen-year-old Leilani is the daughter of a native Hawaiian and a professor at the University of Hawaii.  Leilani has never fit in because of her mixed heritage and her epilepsy.  At the beginning of this novel, she and her father (Mike) have traveled from the big Island of Hilo to Oahu.  Leilani will be participating in a research study for a promising new medication that might control her epilepsy, and she is hoping for a seizure-free future.  While they are in the city of Honolulu, tsunamis hit the Hawaiian Islands’ Eastern Shore.  The tsunamis are followed by a strange green “presence” in the sky.  The residents of Oahu have named this phenomenon the Emerald Orchid.  These unusual natural events are accompanied by the catastrophic failure of power and communication systems.  Native Hawaiians begin to turn on tourists in a fight for meager resources, and those who are trapped in Honolulu are moved to military-run refugee camps.  After spending weeks in the refugee camp, Mike and Leilani realize they must escape if they ever want to get home.

The journey home seems impossible.  Nothing works, and anything that does function comes at a dear price.  Leilani is running out of her epilepsy medication, and there is danger around every corner.  When Leilani has a seizure, she experiences strange dreams and hears voices.  Her experiences hint at some kind of connection between her epilepsy and what is going on in the outside world.

The Islands at the End of the World is a wonderful book in many ways.  Leilani is courageous and special, while being a typical teenager in other aspects.  The relationship between Leilani and her father is loving and filled with mutual respect.  Themes of Hawaiian religion, mythology, and culture run throughout the book and the Hawaiian language is used throughout the book, giving the story a real sense of “place”.  This is the first volume in what will be at least a two-book series, and students will certainly want to see how Leilani’s story ends.

As a word of warning, there are a few YA moments in the book including a marijuana smoking scene between father and daughter.  However, this book is so different and enjoyable; it should still be a part of your library anyway.

Science Fiction          Susan Fox, Washington Jr./Sr. High School