Sweethearts by Sara Zarr and Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman
Monday, March 3rd, 2008If you haven’t heard from Ally Carter or Standhart yet, you need to read Sweethearts.
It’s funny (okay, so it’s a drama) that the book has some plot, but not in a giant way.
It’s life, and that’s alright. How do we define ourselves? Can we/do we change from junior high to high school and beyond? This is a great follow-up to Story of a Girl. The characters and setting are very believable and the serious issues are dealt with in a respectful, and intriguing, way that doesn’t downplay but also makes it accessible to junior high students.
A first-time novelist, Polly Shulman succeeds with Enthusiasm. Even if students don’t catch the Pride and Prejudice references, it’s still a fun book. “He said, she said, but does he really mean this?” situations make this a great romantic comedy.
Librarians - get both of these books. Students - read both of these books. Authors - make more of these books.
