The Secret Language of Sisters by Luanne Rice

Pages: 336

Intended Audience: Mature Tweens and Teens

Genre: Real Life

Notes for Parents: Some mature content

The Back Cover

When Ruth Ann (Roo) McCabe responds to a text message while she’s driving, her life as she knows it ends. The car flips, and Roo winds up in a hospital bed, paralyzed. Silent. Everyone thinks she’s in a coma, but Roo has locked-in syndrome—she can see and hear and understand everything around her, but no one knows it. She’s trapped inside her own body, screaming to be heard.

Mathilda (Tilly) is Roo’s sister and best friend. She was the one who texted Roo and inadvertently caused the accident. Now, Tilly must grapple with her overwhelming guilt and her growing feelings for Roo’s boyfriend, Newton—the only other person who seems to get what Tilly is going through.

But Tilly might be the only person who can solve the mystery of her sister’s condition—who can see through Roo’s silence to the truth underneath.

Somehow, through medicine or miracles, will both sisters find a way to heal?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

Luanne Rice is a New York Times bestselling author of over 30 adult novels, many of which have been made into television movies. This is her first young adult novel.

What’s good?

This story begins as a cautionary tale about texting and driving, but at its heart is a story about two sisters dealing with the aftermath of the accident. The narrative alternates between Roo, thought to be comatose but actually suffering from locked-in syndrome, and her younger sister Tilly, who was the one who sent Roo the last text before her accident. The two lead characters are strong and likeable, and the secondary characters are well-crafted. The plot is simple, easy to follow and includes a few subplots and side stories that make it interesting.

Best Part: The dog.

What isn’t good?

It was slow, and many parts felt contrived. The outrage people felt toward Tilly felt forced, and the way the newspapers reported about Roo’s condition seemed unlikely. It was also odd that the doctor said the patient didn’t feel emotion when normally loved ones are encouraged to talk to a patient in a coma. It was disappointing that the reader wasn’t given more information about “locked-in syndrome.”

Worst part: The pace was slow.

Recommendation ☺☺☻☻☻ (2/5)

The premise and character development probably deserve three smiley faces, but the plot moved so slow that I was relieved to get to the end of the book. The story explored some interesting ideas, but lacked the kind of action or emotion that’s necessary to sustain a young adult book. 

Rice, Luanne. The Secret Language of Sisters. New York: Point, 2016.

Irena's Children: A True Story of Courage by Tilar Mazzeo (adapted for young readers by Mary Cronk Farrell)

My copy looked like this but included
"Young Readers Edition" under the title
and "adapted by Mary Cronk Farrell"
under the author's name.

Pages: 243

Intended Audience: Mature Tweens and up

Genre: Biography / Holocaust

Notes for Parents: Some mature content and disturbing scenes

The Inside Cover

This young readers edition of Irena’s Children tells the incredible untold story of Irena Sendler, a courageous Polish woman now nicknamed “the female Oskar Schindler” who saved the lives of 2,500 children during one of the worst times in modern history. With guts of steel and unfaltering bravery, Irena smuggled children out of the walled Jewish ghetto in Warsaw. She put them in toolboxes and coffins, snuck them under overcoats at checkpoints, and slipped them through the dank sewers and into secret passages that led to abandoned buildings, where she convinced her friends and underground resistance network to hide them.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

Except for diplomats who issued visas to help Jews flee Nazi-occupied Europe, Sendler saved more Jews than any other individual during the Holocaust. In 1965, she was recognized by the State of Israel as righteous among the Nations. Late in life, she was awarded the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest honor, for her wartime humanitarian efforts. In 2007, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

What’s good?

This is a gripping true story filled with heart-stopping moments, painful failures, and poignant victories. Irena Sendler and her network (aided by the underground Polish resistance) smuggled money, information, forged papers, food, and people (especially children and babies) in and out of the Warsaw Ghetto at great risk. The dangers were mindboggling and the depth of their courage was inconceivable. This remarkable story reads like a novel, is well-organized, and has a good pace. The historical details are kept to a minimum, but the read can clearly see the Nazi’s methodical oppression, segregation, deportation, and eventual extermination of the Jewish race. The story is both shocking and mesmerizing.

Best Part: The inclusion of photographs makes it even more real.

What isn’t good?

There were some editing issues, like missing words, that should have been easily caught before publication.

Worst part: Nothing.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺☺ (5/5)

This book was exceptional. The adaptation makes this intense and disturbing story accessible to students. However, it contains mature content that will be difficult for some sensitive readers. This is an important story, especially now, as we witness a resurgence of politically-led bigotry, racism, and xenophobia. Despite the harsh realities, this story is ultimately about friendship, determination, and the extraordinary audacity of one woman who, at great risk, led a group on a humanitarian mission that saved over 2000 people. 

Mazzeo, Tilar J. Irena’s Children: A True Story of Courage. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2016. (Young Readers Edition adapted by Mary Cronk Farrell)

Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland

Pages: 263

Intended Audience: Mature tweens and up

Genre: Autobiography

Notes for Parents: Some mature content

The Back Cover

As the only African American soloist dancing with the prestigious American Ballet Theater, Misty Copeland has made history. But when she first placed her hands on the barre at an after-school community center, no one expected the undersized, anxious thirteen-year-old to become a groundbreaking ballerina.

When she discovered ballet, Misty was living in a shabby motel room, struggling with her five siblings for a place to sleep on the floor. A true prodigy, she was dancing en pointe within three months of taking her first dance class and performing professionally in just over a year: a feet unheard of for any classical dancer. But when Misty became caught between the control and comfort she found in the world of ballet and the harsh realities of her own life, she had to choose to embrace both her identity and her dreams, and find the courage to be one of a kind.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This autobiography was co-authored by Charisse Jones.

What’s good?

This is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the rise of a ballet prodigy. Misty Copeland was already 13-years-old when she took her first ballet class while attending a Boys & Girls Club (an after-school program in the States). Her story is one of inspiration and perspiration that starts with her troubles at home, erupts into a shocking custody battle between her mom and her dance teacher when she’s 15, and follows her through the competitive and demanding world of dance. The reader is witness to Copeland’s struggles through puberty, weight issues, racism, and injury. She is very open about her family’s issues, and her own feelings, which creates a captivating narrative.  

Best Part: Prince!

What isn’t good?

Copeland is unapologetic about her level of natural talent and this occasionally borders on arrogance, especially at the beginning. Her abilities are undeniable, and her story of success is amazing, but her (or her co-author’s) choice of words and bluntness in the storytelling sometimes feel haughty or condescending. The writing itself is a bit weak.

Worst part: The constant use of the word “Mommy.”

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4/5)

In 2015, Misty Copeland became the first African-American principal dancer in the 75-year history of American Ballet Theater. The story of her rise to fame is mesmerizing. While the writing isn’t strong, the narrative is insightful and her experiences are lessons in strength and perseverance. Definitely recommended.

Copeland, Misty. Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina. New York: Scholastic, 2014.