Objects in Mirror by Tudor Robins
Summary: Fifteen year-old Grace is heart-broken when Sprite, the horse she rides at the stables is sold to new owners. When the stable owners offer her a job and she will be able to keep an eye on Sprite, Grace jumps at the opportunity. At home, she lives with her step-mother Annabelle and her little brother Jamie while her father is away teaching overseas. Issues with body image and control over her life mean Grace is dealing with anorexia, but a co-worker named Matt helps her to see herself in a new way. Though she doesn’t know it, everyone close to her is doing their best to support her while she builds her confidence and starts eating in a healthy way again.
Number of Pages: 211
Age Range: 13-14
Review: There were a lot of things I loved about Objects in Mirror, but my favourite was Tudor Robins’ juxtaposition of people supporting Grace through anorexia against the care Grace and others provide to the horses in the stable. I just loved that idea, that even though Grace had her doubts, everyone except her father and her therapist were rooting for her and caring for her in different ways, working to bring her back from her scarred sense of self to build a more confident, healthier young woman.
Like Grace, I loved Matt too. His gentle nature with the horses translated into him being gentle with Grace too, and in a way it was almost like she was one of the horses that had been abused who needed time to trust people again. Matt was the perfect person to coax Grace into eating again, and he also provides her with the right motivation to turn things around.
Another great character was Annabelle, Grace’s step-mother. It isn’t often in teen books that the step-mother is a favourable, loving character, but in Objects in Mirror Annabelle completely had Grace’s back and her best interests at heart, even when Grace’s own father didn’t. I wish Robins let her readers know more about how Annabelle came into Grace’s life when she was only six months old, but the background story wasn’t too clear.
It’s a wonderful, character-driven read for younger female teen readers, with vivid descriptions of horses and a happy ending.
Memorable Quotes:
“I don’t want to give it up. The words sear through me, tumbling my emotions, bringing tears dangerously close to the surface. Despite the hunger, despite the worry on Annabelle’s face, despite here, now, nearly fainting in the sand ring, my disorder – if that’s what I have to call it – has given me so much. Structure, goals, regular small achievements. It’s shown those who judge me – Drew, my dad – that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to.
But Sprite, Whinny, Iowa, Matt, I can’t lose them. Not today. I’m weak and hungry and very confused. I’m not convinced of the right long-term decision. But I do know what I have to do in this moment.
I hold my hand out for the power bar and look Matt straight in the eye. I take a bite and chew.
It’s delicious and I hate every mouthful.” – Grace from Objects in Mirror by Tudor Robins, pages 108-109
“Because I like Matt. I really, really like him. And not just in the ‘he has piercing brown eyes and makes me lose my concentration kind of way. In the ‘being a decent human being who always does his best to do what’s right’ way. When you spend time with somebody like that every single day, it lightens your life. Getting to know Matt has enriched me. That might sound stupid, but it’s just the plain truth. I’m better for being his friend, and I want to be better to deserve his friendship.” – Grace from Objects in Mirror by Tudor Robins, page 122
“As upset as I am for Sprite, it’s not what happened to him that’s making me cry right now. It’s Matt, caring about me. Wanting to take care of me. A sob heaves out of me at the thought.
For months now, I’ve been trying to change – literally reshape myself – so I’ll be more likable? Lovable? God, it sounds stupid put like that, and I know it’s irrational, but I still can’t shake this feeling that being smaller will make me more appealing.
And the thing is, it seems like Matt likes me whatever way I am.” – Grace from Objects in Mirror by Tudor Robins, page 155
Objects in Mirror by Tudor Robins is published by Red Deer Press (2013).
(Buy this book: Amazon
| Canadian Booksellers)
Tilt by Alan Cumyn
Summary: Sixteen year-old Stan has a complicated home life. His parents are divorced and his mom often goes out at night to see her boyfriend. His little sister, Lily, is precocious, often making up stories to get attention. Stan is the stable one in the family, doing his best to make things easier on his mother and taking care of Lily. As a teenage boy though, Stan has dreams of his own. He’s worked all summer long to make the Junior Varsity basketball team, and has fallen for Janine Igwash, a girl others at school call ’tilted’ because they think she is into girls. When Stan’s dad shows up with Feldon, his son from his new relationship and it turns out some of the stories Lily was telling were true after all, Stan’s life is thrown into disarray. On top of that he’s dealing with his first relationship with someone who might be bisexual and his basketball hopes don’t turn out quite as planned. Somehow Stan must find a way to pull his family together again and sort things out with Janine.
Number of Pages: 269
Age Range: 15-17
Review: Upon reading Alan Cumyn’s Acknowledgements, I discovered that he was inspired to write Tilt after hearing a lecture about desire. I was surprised when I read that comment, because I thought this book was more about lust than desire.
In Stan’s world, he is the adult. His father’s a liar and a deadbeat, his mother is a borderline alcoholic. It seems like Stan is the one with the most sense who really takes care of people in his house. But he’s still just a sixteen year-old kid. Cumyn does an excellent job of showing how Stan’s brain is baked in hormones, and although he does act like an adult more than the other adults in his life, he still leaps to conclusions and makes stupid decisions.
I was quite puzzled though by his relationship with Janine. I understand that he’s attracted to her and I think they could be great friends, but I ended up thinking she was actually gay and not bisexual. The part about the dance where Janine tells Stan that she only invited him to make her mother happy because she was dying made it seem that way. I really don’t know if she had sex with him because she is genuinely attracted to him or because she was trying to be someone her mother wanted her to be, finding comfort in closeness in the face of losing her.
I enjoyed the scene where Stan confronts his father and rescued Feldon, but over all I found it to be a scattered and vague read. There were many unanswered questions and unexplored topics, like the fact that Ron, Stan’s father, is a pathological liar, but Lily, Stan’s sister, is praised at school for being highly imaginative. I wondered if the one influenced the other.
This is my second time reading Tilt, and unfortunately I still don’t think I am any closer to understanding it.
Memorable Quotes:
“The perfect jump shot begins in the soles of the feet. It moves like a wave through the calves and the thighs up to the hips and along the spine to the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand and out the fingertips, a natural stroke as at ease in the universe as an ocean wave that curls and falls. Easier than breathing. Truer than thought.” from Tilt by Alan Cumyn, page 10
Tilt by Alan Cumyn is published by Groundwood Books (2011).
(Buy this book: Amazon
| Canadian Booksellers)
Snitch by Allison Van Diepen
Summary: Julia DiVino lives in Brooklyn, New York, attending a school and living in a neighbourhood run by gangs. Against gang affiliation, Julia and her friend Q have managed to stay independent. When Julia meets and falls in love with Eric, though, a chain-reaction sequence of events is initiated that will have her making decisions she never thought possible. Julia’s formerly black and white world is suddenly gray, and it is anyone’s guess whether she will make it out alive.
Number of Pages: 297
Age Range: 15-17
Review: Snitch by Allison van Diepen moves. I sped right through it because it was so engaging and well-paced. The plot twists and characters had me frantically turning the pages to find out what happened, and the ending, though not the happiest in some ways, was believable and satisfying.
But what I loved the most was that though sometimes books that are dramatic and full of action have weak plots and characterization, Snitch didn’t. Instead, it holds its dramatic tension right up until the end of the story, and the suspense at times was incredible. I can’t say too much about it because I don’t want to wreck what van Diepen has worked so hard to create, but suffice it to say it was a very enlightening read on the subject of gangs. Her writing dropped me into a world completely foreign to my own, and helped to increase my understanding of those who were in it.
I know it’s 297 pages long, but I think this is a great reluctant read choice for mid to late teen readers. Julia is a memorable, real character that engages her reader, and van Diepen’s writing will have readers hooked.
Memorable Quotes:
“‘All teachers are weird. I don’t get why anybody would spend their days in front of thirty kids who don’t wanna be there.’
‘It’s a power thing. You can’t be the leader of your own country, so you get your own classroom. Mr. Greenwood always says, “You can’t join this nation’s democracy until you’re eighteen. Until then, I’m your dictator.”‘” – Conversation between Eric and Julia from Snitch by Allison van Diepen, page 40
“I didn’t care too much either. It just sucked that my teachers – like Ms. Ivey – were going to hear about it. She’d be thinking that I’d changed so much since joining a gang.
But she really didn’t know anything about me.
Ivey was from the suburbs. She saw the world in black and white. Good and evil. Right and wrong. She didn’t get gray.
I lived in gray.” – Julia from Snitch by Allison van Diepen, page 223
I don’t know what I would have done without my poetry. When you’re laid up and want to cry but don’t want to bust your stomach open, you have to find some way of venting your feelings.” – Julia from Snitch by Allison van Diepen, page 285
“I couldn’t look at him. I loved him like a brother, and I forgave him for what he’d done – but I knew we couldn’t be friends anymore. It was too risky. If any of the Crips found out that we were still in touch, they might use him to get to me or Eric. So I had to disappear.
We’d both made our choices.” – Julia from Snitch by Allison van Diepen, page 295
Snitch by Allison van Diepen is published by Simon Pulse (2007).
(Buy this book: Amazon
| Canadian Booksellers)
The Silent Summer of Kyle McGinley by Jan Andrews
Summary: Kyle McGinley has reached the end of his rope. On his way to yet another foster home since his dad abandoned him when he was a kid, he takes a vow of silence in an effort to regain some control. Along with the silence comes Ingen, an imaginary friend of sorts who acts as a counter to the negative voice of his father in his head. His new foster parents, Scott and Jill, provide an understanding environment for Kyle to work out his issues, especially when his father decides to come back into his life. Like the injured crow they take in, Kyle starts to heal and become more confident, but when his father comes around he must speak up for himself once and for all.
Number of Pages: 198
Age Range: 14-16
Review: After I got into Jan Andrew’s style, I really loved The Silent Summer of Kyle McGinley. At first I had trouble with Kyle’s silence and the voices in his head, because it was difficult to keep things straight but it was just something I needed to adjust to.
The best part about this book were the relationships with animals. Despite being abused by his father, Kyle has an open heart that remains vulnerable and able to love. When the little crow comes to stay, he immediately attaches to her, wanting to do everything he can to help her fly again. It’s because he sees a bit of himself and his experiences in her, and the friendship and trust that develops between them helps them both. It’s touching and beautiful, as well as being a lovely example of the healing power of animals.
What sets this book apart from other books about foster kids are Scott and Jill, Kyle’s foster parents. I love how they are consistent in their care and give Kyle quite a bit of leeway to work things out. If he had been more restricted by authority, I believe it would have turned out badly for him. Instead, Scott and Jill let Kyle know that his anger has the right to be expressed because they, too, have personal experience with family issues. They’re a great fit, and finally Kyle has a chance at a healthy, supportive family environment.
I don’t want to wreck the ending, but I will say this is a worthwhile read about one teen’s imaginative journey to healing through love and creativity.
Memorable Quotes:
“Big thing about dogs is not to get too fond of them. I found that out the hard way. Dogs are tougher to leave than people. A whole lot tougher in fact.” – Kyle from The Silent Summer of Kyle McGinley by Jan Andrews, page 12
“That’s it, isn’t it? She was dumped off, she was left, she was abandoned, she was on a doorstep like I was. She’s frightened. Frightened as hell. I know what I’d do if I could. I’d pick her up. I’d hold her. I’d tell her everything’ll be all right.” – Kyle from The Silent Summer of Kyle McGinley by Jan Andrews, page 78
“‘I know you’re not going to want to hear this but the fact is sometimes they just give up. Nobody knows why. We do our best. We do our best always. Sometimes it’s just not enough. We come out. They’re dead. There’s nothing we can do about it. You should be prepared for that. It’ll help you.'” – Jill from The Silent Summer of Kyle McGinley by Jan Andrews, page 88
“Little crow, I’ll cluck my heart out if that’s what you’re wanting. I’ll pok from here to the ends of the earth.” – Kyle from The Silent Summer of Kyle McGinley by Jan Andrews, page 113
“I stare down the laneway even harder. I know. My dad… It’ll never stop hurting. I’ll never not want it to be different. That’s not ‘rational’ either. But it is how it is.” – Kyle from The Silent Summer of Kyle McGinley by Jan Andrews, page 197
The Silent Summer of Kyle McGinley by Jan Andrews is published by Great Plains Teen Fiction (2013).
(Buy this book: Amazon
| Canadian Booksellers)
Shadow in Hawthorn Bay by Janet Lunn
Summary: Connected to her cousin Duncan in a way she can’t explain, Mary hears him call to her from his home in Upper Canada all the way at her home in Scotland. Mary wastes no time in finding a way to book passage to Canada, but when she finally gets there she finds the news is too terrible to believe – Duncan is dead, and her aunt and uncle have already gone back to Scotland. Alone in a country she doesn’t understand with neighbours who are helpful but don’t believe in things like fairies and ghosts and having second sight, Mary decides to work and save money for passage back to Scotland. Living on her family’s vacated estate haunts her though, and it isn’t until she learns what really happened to Duncan that she is free to do what she wants.
Number of Pages: 216
Age Range: 13-15
Review: I love the idea Janet Lunn presents her reader with at the end of the novel, that Scotland is an ancient country, and alot of people lived there before Mary did. But Canada is different. In Canada, Mary herself is one of the first. And perhaps that explains why she doesn’t find the same mystical history there as she knew in Scotland. Instead, the people who have died during Mary’s time will be the ghosts haunting people in the future. She and others are building Canada’s history simply by living their lives.
It’s beautifully written story, vivid and descriptive, but the base of it is something I didn’t expect from Lunn, a highly controlling and abusive relationship. Even from the death Duncan manages to hold on to Mary by haunting her constantly. I wondered early on how he died, and I have to give kudos to Lunn because I did not figure things out ahead of time. Her revelation of Duncan’s true intentions is perfectly unfolded, although I did feel it took a long time to get to that unveiling.
I loved the characters though. They were vibrant and unique, and I especially loved how they meshed together to create a supportive community.
My favourite part lies in the last quote I included in the Memorable Quotes section. Luke is an excellent love interest for Mary, especially after Duncan, and the way he voices his affection for her and his intention to marry her was just simple, concise, and heartfelt.
I would recommend Shadow in Hawthorn Bay for mid to older female teen readers looking for a bit of romance.
Memorable Quotes:
“Temper flared in Mary, hot and sudden. ‘Am I so very funny?’ she cried. ‘Am I more funny than Julia Colliver or Sarah Pritchard or you who bounce around like a great, blue hen shouting out every word that comes into your head, telling all the world that is not like yourself that it is funny? I am not funny! I came here by myself because. . . because I had good reason. But I will not stay. And I do not mean to marry.'” – Mary from Shadow in Hawthorn Bay by Janet Lunn, page 137
“‘We were as one, it is what we both thought – did we think about it at all? Reflections, our mams said, and we could not see, not you, not me, that life could be without the other. But – ‘ Mary had a flash of understanding that made her gasp and spring to her feet. ‘But Duncan,’ she cried aloud, ‘I did go on without you! Even at home after you had gone. But you could not go on without me. You turned from me for four years – four long years. When you wanted to die, then you called. You wanted me to die with you.’ She sank back into her chair. ‘What you did was not my fault,’ she whispered, ‘it was not. Luke was right. A shadow, he said.’ Wonderingly she repeated it aloud. ‘A shadow. Alive and dead, you were like a shadow. And I thought I could not manage life without you. I thought you were so strong because you were beautiful and exciting. Time was I would follow you anywhere. When you called me I could not believe evil of you. I thought it must be a devil. Mam was right.'” – Mary from Shadow in Hawthorn Bay by Janet Lunn, page 200
“‘I never met anybody like you before,’ Luke stared fixedly at a spot somewhere just above Mary’s head. ‘It’s what I told you – I never give a thought to marrying before you come,’ he said slowly and this time he did look at her. ‘But I couldn’t help it. It wasn’t like they say about getting sweet on someone, it was like looking at someone I was supposed to be with, and I wasn’t even all that surprised. It just felt natural and I guess I figured you’d be bound to feel that same sooner or later.'” – Luke from Shadow in Hawthorn Bay by Janet Lunn, page 207
Shadow in Hawthorn Bay by Janet Lunn is published by Puffin Books (1986).
(Buy this book: Amazon
| Canadian Booksellers)
In the Garage by Alma Fullerton
Summary: Barbara Jean and Alex are the best of friends. To her, he is a hero and the perfect friend, and to him, she is a stunning example of being able to be yourself. But when the popular girls at school befriend Barbara Jean, they plant seeds of doubt in her about her friendship with Alex. When Barbara Jean steals Alex’s journal to find out the truth, not only is she shocked but it falls into the wrong hands and his carefully constructed persona is ruined. Anguished by her betrayal of her best friend, Barbara takes drastic action against herself as retribution.
Number of Pages: 181
Age Range: 15-17
Review: I love the complexity of In the Garage by Alma Fullerton. Alex is an amazing, decent person, but he can’t see it because of the constant pressure from his father to be perfect. Better grades, better basketball scores, and a future of a wife and children are all mapped out for him. But what no one knows is that while Alex appears to have it all, he’s hiding a secret about himself that will change his perfect status. He’s gay.
Not even Barbara Jean knows, and she’s his best friend. An outcast of sorts herself with a face marked by a port wine birth mark and a scar, she is the target of bullying at school. Her friendship with Alex begins when Alex stands up for her on the playground when they are kids, but it is cemented by their shared experiences with unsupportive parents and lost mothers.
I wanted a different ending for Alex. So much hate for such a wonderful person who was conditioned not to see how wonderful he really was. My heart broke for Barbara Jean too, because the allure of being acknowledged by the popular girls led her down a terrible path. I could understand how good it felt to be popular after being socially shunned because of her looks, but I ended up wishing Alex’s friendship could have been enough for her, at least until she was out of her horrible high school environment. Except I could see how approval from those girls might feel like approval from her mother who left her years before. The flashback scenes between Barbara Jean and her mother were heart-rending.
But my favourite, favourite part was the continual, unconditional love Alex receives from his four year-old brother, Jacob. I love the poems Alex writes about him, and how you can tell that his simple, child-like displays of affection get to Alex in a way nothing else does. Jacob lets Alex know he is loved by someone just as he is because Jacob doesn’t care about perfection and labels, but unfortunately it’s not enough to completely overcome the other voices in his life.
I wish I could have had more information about how Barbara Jean got her scar, and things like whether Alex and his step-mother got along since she also seemed like a very loving person. I also wish there had been a direct conversation between Alex and Barbara Jean about why exactly they were friends because I feel like that could have helped them both feel better about themselves. I especially liked that Alex was drawn to Barbara Jean because she was forced to be herself since her differentness was immediately visible. He held his differentness inside, afraid, for good reason, to reveal his true self. Alas, the ending is not a happy one.
A mix of free-verse poetry and prose, In the Garage is a faster but still thoughtful read about two teens trying to figure out who they are in the midst of high school. I’d recommend it for mid to older teens because of mature themes.
Memorable Quotes:
“There’ll always be shit that happens in your life that’ll make you wonder what the hell God was thinking when he made humans.” – Barbara Jean from In the Garage by Alma Fullerton, page 8
“Hugs from A Kid
While I’m playing my guitar
everything bad in my world
disappears,
and I feel like I do
when my four-year-old half-brother, Jacob,
comes to find me
just to hug me
for no reason. – Alex from In the Garage by Alma Fullerton, page 32
“Listening to a good singer can make you float inside. Listening to a bad one can make you cover your ears and run out of the room screaming.” – Barbara Jean from In the Garage by Alma Fullerton, page 44
“Finally being accepted by your peers can drive you crazy.” – Barbara Jean from In the Garage by Alma Fullerton, page 103
“He leans forward and looks at me – not the way other people look at me. He actually looks at me – not all my fat, not at my scar, not at the blotch under the scar. He looks at me, and he smiles. ‘Yes, I do see you, BJ. I see you.
And then it happens.
I cry.” – Conversation between Dr. West and Barbara Jean from In the Garage by Alma Fullerton, page 143
“Then I remember what
she did to me,
and the anger builds up
inside me like brick walls.
Every day, those walls get
stronger, and soon I feel like
I’m in a vault
Inside that vault
I feel safe.
Inside that vault,
nothing can hurt me.
Inside that vault,
I don’t feel anything.
Inside that vault,
I can’t even feel Jacob’s hugs for nothing.
I don’t like that.” – Alex from In the Garage from Alma Fullerton, pages 158-159
“Best Brother
When the guys leave,
I sit alone in the garage,
and cry.
Jacob comes in and pats my head,
like I’m a dog.
He wipes my cheek
with his little hand,
and says, ‘Don’t cry. It’s okay.
I’m here now.’
Then he hugs me,
and whispers, ‘I love you, Alex.’
And I wonder how someone
so small
can make me feel
so much better.” – Alex from In the Garage by Alma Fullerton, page 165
“‘But I don’t want to be gay,’ I say.
‘No one wants to be gay.
It’s just the way some of us were made.
We have to learn
to deal with it the best we can.'” – Conversation between Alex and David from In the Garage by Alma Fullerton, page 175
In the Garage by Alma Fullerton is published by Red Deer Press (2006).
(Buy this book: Amazon
| Canadian Booksellers)
About Amy
Amy Mathers has been passionate about reading from a very young age, and hopes others will share her enthusiasm for funding a teen book award. Read more Follow Amy
Sponsors
