About Victoria Waddle
Victoria Waddle is a Pushcart Prize-nominated writer and has been included in Best Short Stories from The Saturday Evening Post Great American Fiction Contest. Her books include a collection of feminist short fiction, Acts of Contrition, and a chapbook on grief, The Mortality of Dogs and Humans. Her YA novel about a polygamist cult, Keep Sweet, launches in June 2025. Formerly the managing editor of the journal Inlandia: A Literary Journey and a teacher librarian, she contributes to the Southern California News Group column Literary Journeys. She discusses both writing and library book censorship on her Substack, “Be a Cactus.” Join her there for thoughts on defiant readers and writers as well as for weekly library censorship news.
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman “‘But dreams give you insight,’ I point out. “The captain leans closer, the acrid smoke of his pipe stinging my eyes. ‘Not these dreams.’” Fifteen-year-old Caden Bosch is sure that someone at school is trying … Continue reading →
Posted in Adventure Stories, Fiction, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged adventures, art, artists, medication, mental hospitals, mental illness, parent-teen relationships, sailing, schizophrenia, ships, teenage boys
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Simon and the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli Although Simon believes that coming out as gay isn’t going to be a big problem in his life, he is hesitant to do it. His family will still love and support … Continue reading →
Posted in bullying, Family Problems, Fiction, Romance, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged book review, book reviews, coming out, cyberbullying, Georgia, humor, LGBTQ, romance, theater arts students
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My Kind of Crazy by Robin Reul Hank Kirby comes up with a great idea for asking popular Amanda Carlisle to the prom. How then does he manage, with just a box of sparklers, to light up Amanda Carlisle’s … Continue reading →
Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Grief, Humor, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged book reviews, family problems, friendship, high school students, parent-teen relationships, romance, school problems, Teen Issues, YA fiction, YA literature
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All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven We meet Violet Markey and Theodore Finch out on the ledge of their school’s clock tower. They haven’t gone there together, but rather accidentally run into one another as they as both … Continue reading →
Posted in Adventure Stories, bullying, Family Problems, Fiction, Grief, Romance, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged book reviews, bullying, child-parent relationships, death and dying, family problems, friendship, grief, high school students, parent-teen relationships, romance, school problems, Teen Issues, YA fiction, YA literature
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The Final Four by Paul Volponi The hoop action between the Michigan State Spartans and the (underdog) Trojans of Troy University is nonstop, heart-pounding excitement. While the semifinal NCAA championship game is played, the novel focuses on four players: … Continue reading →
Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Grief, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Multicultural, Read 180, Sports, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged basketball, book reviews, death, family problems, Final Four, friendship, grief, hi-low reading, NCAA semifinals, Read 180, reluctant readers, sports, YA fiction, YA literature
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Bone Gap by Laura Ruby Finn, the teen oddball in the tiny country town of Bone Gap, is both loved for his quirky personality by most of the town and bullied by the family of Rudes–a common scenario in … Continue reading →
Posted in bullying, Fable/Fairy Tale/Fantasy, Family Problems, Fiction, Romance, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged book reviews, bullying, family problems, Fantasy fiction, friendship, romance, Teen Issues, YA fiction, YA literature
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Skippy Dies by Paul Murray Skippy Dies has been described by more than one professional reviewer as ‘hilarious and horrifying.’ I would say that it is hilarious for a very long time, and then suddenly horrifying. This is true … Continue reading →
Posted in bullying, Faith-Based/Religious Element, Family Problems, Fiction, Humor, Mature Readers, Over 375 pages
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Tagged Adult books for teens, book reviews, bullying, Catholic boarding schools, child-parent relationships, death, death and dying, family problems, friendship, grief, Ireland, parent-teen relationships, Paul Murray, romance, school problems, Skippy Dies, Teen Issues
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Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir by One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WW II by Chester Nez with Judith S. Avila Chester Nez was one of the original 32 (some say 29, but Nez informs the … Continue reading →
Posted in Biography/Memoir, Historical Fiction/Historical Element
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Tagged Adult books for teens, American Indians, book reviews, Code Talkers, Common Core standards, friendship, memoir, Navajo Indians, nonfiction, prejudice, school problems, World War II
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In Ecstasy by Kate McCaffrey Fifteen-year-old Sophie and Mia are longtime best friends, who, as the novel opens, are getting ready for a big party. Sophie is more outgoing. Mia is socially awkward and just hopes to get through … Continue reading →
Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Read 180, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged book reviews, drug abuse, drug addiction, drug dealers in literature, drug use, drugs, family problems, friendship, hi-low reading, In Ecstasy, Kate McCaffrey, parent-teen relationships, Read 180, Teen Issues, YA fiction, YA literature
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Love and Other Theories by Alexis Bass After freshman year of high school, Aubrey and her three best friends are on to an important reality: high school relationships don’t often last; in fact, given that high school students move … Continue reading →
Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Mature Readers, Over 375 pages, Romance, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged Alexis Bass, book reviews, boy-girl relationships, friendship, Love and Other Theories, mean girls, parent-teen relationships, romance, school problems, Teen Issues, teen sexuality, YA fiction, YA literature
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School Library Lady 