Tag Archives: grief

How to Talk to Your Succulent by Zoe Persico

Posted on September 5, 2025 by Victoria Waddle

How to Talk to Your Succulent by Zoe Persico While I usually focus on YA and adult books for high school students (age 14 and up), sometimes very edgy, I received this sweet graphic novel because I have a Substack … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged books, communication, family, fiction, Graphic Novel, grief, middle-grade-fiction, plants, succulents | Leave a comment

Meet the Moon

Posted on August 30, 2023 by Victoria Waddle

A teen girl’s journey through grief after her mother dies in a car accident. Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Grief, Young Adult Literature | Tagged book reviews, death, family problems, grief, parent-teen relationships, Teen Issues, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

Parameters of the YA Novel: Is Bridge of Clay Still YA?

Posted on February 18, 2020 by Victoria Waddle

Bridge of Clay and YA Novels What are the parameters of the YA novel? Is Markus Zusak’s Bridge of Clay still YA? I asked myself this as I read this gorgeous novel. If you’re writing a novel that focuses on … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Grief, Over 375 pages, Young Adult Literature | Tagged Bridge of Clay, brothers, death, grief, Markus Zusak, siblings, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

“All the Bright Places”

Posted on July 13, 2016 by Victoria Waddle

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 | 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 | 2 Comments

Sports Books: “The Final Four”

Posted on July 8, 2016 by Victoria Waddle

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 | 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 | Leave a comment

Adult Fiction: “Skippy Dies”

Posted on June 16, 2016 by Victoria Waddle

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 | 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 | Leave a comment

Supernatural: “Frozen Fire”

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Victoria Waddle

Frozen Fire by Tim Bowler Fifteen-year-old Dusty picks up her phone to find that a strange boy is calling her to say that he is dying. She tells him to call the police, but he refuses. As they talk … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Grief, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Supernatural, Young Adult Literature | Tagged book reviews, death, family problems, Frozen Fire, grief, parent-teen relationships, Tim Bowler, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

“How to be Brave”

Posted on March 29, 2016 by Victoria Waddle

How to be Brave by E. Katherine Kottaras Georgia Askeridis defines herself through her fears, which are many. She has every right to remain the girl in the shadows. Her severely overweight mother has recently died of complications of … Continue reading →

Posted in bullying, Family Problems, Fiction, Grief, Romance, Young Adult Literature | Tagged book reviews, diabetes, E. Katherine Kottaras, grief, How to be Brave, romance, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Victoria Waddle

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews There really is a dying girl in this novel, so to say that most of it is a lot of fun seems weird. But it is fun. You should … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Grief, Humor, Young Adult Literature | Tagged book reviews, cancer, child-parent relationships, children of alcoholics, coming of age, creativity, death and dying, family problems, fiction, friendship, grief, humor, Jesse Andrews, JLG, Junior Library Guild, life skills, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, mental depression, Teen Issues, YA fiction | Leave a comment

Sci-Fi/Future Dystopias: “Oryx and Crake”

Posted on August 3, 2015 by Victoria Waddle

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood Snowman (as in Abominable), who was once known as Jimmy, appears to be the last human being on earth. His existence doesn’t seem much worth living–the environment is in ruins and he cannot … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Controversial Issue/Debate, Environmental Issues, Family Problems, Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Over 375 pages, Sci-Fi/Futuristic | Tagged Adult books for teens, biotechology, book reviews, death and dying, divorce, environmental destruction, family problems, fiction, future dystopia, genetic engineering, global climate change, global warming, grief, human rights, Margaret Atwood, Oryx and Crake, science fiction, technology | 1 Comment