Teen Pick: 45 Pounds (More or Less)

45 Pounds (More or Less)
by K.A. Barson
Viking
2013
256 pages
ISBN: 9780670784820

"You'll love this book so much that you'll wish you had a friend like Ann." --Cynthia Leitich Smith, New York Times bestselling author

Poignant and savvy, 45 Pounds (More or Less) will tug at the  heartstrings. Sixteen year old Ann Galardi's life revolves around food, so much so that she is now wearing size 17 and some of those clothes are starting to feel pretty snug. Picture perfect size 6 Mom is constantly fighting with Ann over food choices.

Ann hates her weight, and she hates arguing about it and her mother's constant harping and veiled looks when Ann puts even  a bite of food in her mouth. Ann decides to take action when her Aunt Jackie announces plans for her upcoming wedding. Ann wants to lost weight to look nice for the wedding.

Armed with her debit card and a new resolve Ann orders a diet plan from an Infomercial. She eats the tasteless, unappealing food and soon sees the pounds dropping off. When she gets hired  at The Twisted Pretzel, a food court pretzel eatery, Ann has to  fight her demons. She will not eat pretzels or anything else from the food court.

Weeks pass and Ann continues to lose weight. People start to notice, too. Ann is on cloud nine when a cute guy stops by the pretzel shop and flirts with her. Later, she finds out he is her co-worker's cousin.

Family life is tense at home when Ann's stepfather's mother spends the night. Meal time is always tense with Ann's mother and little sister constantly fighting over food. Libby doesn't like to eat what is served to her, and Ann's mother tries forcing her to eat. Eating issues plague this family and the reader begins to see what drives Ann to find solace in food.

Highly, highly recommended for anyone who has ever been on a diet and anyone who loves a slightly flawed character who is not a size 0. Ann has spunk and charm--she is no quitter and no pushover. This is a real character who will resonate with teens.

Grade 7 and up with this warning: Ann's father cheated on her mother and she divorced him. Also, Ann's Aunt Jackie is a lesbian and marrying a woman. The publisher says age 12 and up. Depending on your community, this book may be high school level only. No language, no sex.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I purchased this book for my library. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

High School Pick: A Really Awesome Mess

A Really Awesome Mess
by Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin
Egmont
2013
288 pages

Available July 23, 2013

Poignant and true, laugh out loud hilarious and  at the same time gut-wrenchingly sad, A Really Awesome Mess is the story of two broken teens who are desperate for answers even if they think they have life all figured out.

Emmy is sent to Heartland Academy when she pulls a prank on a male student. Her parents are mortified and realize that Emmy needs help. Emmy is angry; she has never fit in with her "perfect" American family. Her parents and sister are tall and white. Emmy is adopted from China--not tall, not white-- and while she is grateful for her opportunity to live a "normal" life, in the back of her mind she wonders what happened to her real mother. Who could walk away from her own child? Emmy harbors resentment that she's not the perfect American daughter and feels like her white parents love their own natural child more than her.

Justin is sent to Heartland Academy when his rich father catches him in an embarrassing situation with a girl and Justin takes a handful of Tylenal and lands in the emergency room. Heartland counselors work with Justin on his anger issues. Rounding out the group of teen misfits is Mohammed--an angry, aggressive kid from Sierra Leone--who is pretending to be something he's not, Jenny  who refuses to speak--she has "selective mutism," Chip--a real "tool"  and Diana--the girl who likes to stir things up. The group has to work together for one week and get no demerits to begin to earn extra phone and Ipad time. The kids are on their best behavior and some of them are doing better than they have ever done.

Told in alternating chapters by Emmy and Justin, A Really Awesome Mess captures teen angst and anger at its best and at its worst. A trip to the fair turns manic when the kids "rescue" pigs--and it reminded me a bit of Bless the Beasts and the Children. Readers who like novels told from the male and female point of view will like this novel. Readers who liked Notes From the Blender--Cook's and Halpin's first venture--will likely enjoy their second novel.

Highly, highly recommended for grade 9-up. Language, mature situations, sexual situations, snarky, bad teen behavior. Not for middle school!

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)