Keesha's House

By Helen Frost

What an incredible treasure I found in this book.  Every youth in today’s world deserves a place

where they feel safe, a place to be home.  It is not a perfect world, life happens, but what is a teenager to do

when through their own doing or choices they are homeless?  Keesha’s House is a poetic book that

opens the door to a safe house and allows one to witness some of the unfortunate circumstances that

have set them on their own.  You will meet 7 interesting young adults during a very scary time of their

life.  

     First, you will meet Stephie.  A sixteen year old who has found out that she is expecting.  Her
boyfriend wants her to get rid of it, but she can’t fathom tossing this child aside.  She doesn't know
how to tell her parents that she is pregnant and she does not know where to go for help. 
Keesha tells her of a house where she would be safe.  

     Next you will meet Jason, Stephie’s boyfriend.  He has everything going for him, he is smart, good
looking and a star athlete.  Colleges are recruiting him, his future appears to be golden, that is until the
condom broke and Stephie became pregnant.  Should he throw away his future his chance of freedom
for a baby?  

     Third in our line-up of teens is Keesha.  Keesha found Joe’s house and is now always looking for
others that may need a sanctuary,  a safe space. She ran from a home filled with anger and violence,
but she is a great kid and wants to help others.  She is watching out for her troubled brother and the
other young people in the area.  

     Next you will meet Dontay.  He has had a tough life. His parents are in prison and he has been
kicked into child protective services.  He can’t seem to stop getting into trouble and hanging out with
the wrong kids. His social worker has found him a foster home away from his neighborhood, but he
does not get along with his foster family, who have way too many rules.  He needs someplace to be
safe.  

     Our fifth kiddo is Carmen.  Her mother left her with her grandmother.  Problem being Carmen has a
drinking problem and can’t seem to stop getting into trouble.  She has been busted several times for
dui and the courts are getting frustrated with seeing her.  This time,however, it was not her fault, she
was trying to help a friend. She is being placed in a facility for troubled youth.  She wants her
grandmother to help her out and be there for her when she is released.  

     Harris is a young man that can not seem to get along with his parents.  Especially, when they find
out that he is homosexual. His father can not accept Harris and he kicks him out of the house.  Harris
spends some time living in his car, looking for a job, and cleaning up in the library. Until he discovers
that the library has predators looking for young children.  Keesha offers him a spot in the house.  

     Finally, we have Katie. She has run away from home.  Her mom has remarried and the new step
dad is abusive and tries things when her mom works late.  She is not safe at home, but finds sanctuary
in the house on Jackson street. She likes living in the basement, with a lock on the door.  She likes
being able to lock the world out.  

     This motley group of teens become a family and have found friendship in Keesha’s house.  The
most salient point is near the end of the book. I quote from Harris, 

“If people we’re supposed to count on can’t (or don’t) support us, it’s up to us to find the
friends who can and do.  Of course we want to be with both our parents in the kind of
home where we’d be loved. But why rant on about all that?  Home is in your mind”.  

Although I totally enjoyed this quick read, I am giving it a four out of five stars.  The biggest downfall is
that it is kind of hard to follow. It is poetic in verse and very disjointed since it changes view point
frequently.  I do feel that this book would be enjoyable by all students and appropriate for kids in at
least 7th grade.  

Links

Author - Helen Frost

Abuse in foster care

Homeless Children

Foster Care Shortage

Patron Saints of Nothing

By Randy Ribay 

     What an amazing and riveting book.  This book hits all of the high notes, it is sad and sweet and finally very uplifting.  Meet Jay (Jason) a young man that immigrated to the United States when he was an infant.  He is now a senior in Michigan and has been accepted to U of M, but he has no idea what he wants to do with his life.  As he marches down his last few days in high school, he is informed of the death of his cousin Jun.  Even though, Jun still lives in the Philippines, Jay still considers him to be his closest relative and best friend.   They have been exchanging letters for years, and Jay feels the guilt since he is a horrible pen pal.  He also finds out that Jun was killed due to the Philippines war on drugs and a secret instagram  message sends a picture confirming that Jun did nothing wrong.  As Jay questions the meaning of life and death and what he wants to do with his future, he comes up with a great idea.  

     Jay's plan is to spend his spring break in the Philippines visiting family and looking into the incidents surrounding Jun's untimely demise.  In order to do this he needs to make the trek on his own, without his parents.  His parents finally relent and he is allowed to go, but he has some rules. Namely, he is to stay with family and he must not mention Jun, especially to Tito Manning.  He quickly agrees hoping he can find a way to investigate, ask questions and find his secret informant.  What he discovers in the Philippines is that nothing is as it appears, even when he thinks he has discovered the truth he will be surprised.  Finally, the family is allowed to grieve and hopefully move forward.  

     In all of the investigation and sight seeing, Jun discovers a new respect for his forgotten culture and a romantic interest.  If nothing else, he learns that he is woefully ignorant of the history and tribulations of the Philippines.  He does not speak Tagalog or any of the languages of the country and he has no concept of the depth of poverty and crime that is prevalent in the country.  His cousin Grace introduces him to an acquaintance Mia, a journalism student, who agrees to help him find out about Jun.  This bond quickly deepens to a mutual respect and attachment.  After his brief trip to the Philippines, makes some major life decisions, about who he is and what he wants to do, but can he convince his parents to be on board?  

     I loved this book, it was heart warming, though provoking and wrenching.  It made me wonder if when I leave will I have made a positive impact.  I am giving this book all five stars!  I love books that give a view into different cultures and leaves a lasting understanding.  Anything that opens eyes to what is going on around us is awesome!  At the end of the book there is also a very informative section for further information. This book is appropriate for 7th grade on up and is an incredible read!  

Links 

Author - Randy Ribay

Philippines President

Philippines War on Drugs

Images of Philippine slums

The Hate You Give

By Angie Thomas 

     This is a beautifully crafted, hard hitting book.  I had heard about the book, seen the trailer and knew it was something that I had to read.  I also knew that I may not be comfortable with all of the content, but I am so glad that I finished this book.  It is a great book and an illuminating window into the life of an African American teenager.  It is very unapologetic and in your face about the racism and the inequality in our society as well as relevant to tensions among the police force and people of color.  

     Starr Carter is a young woman of color.  Her parents have worked hard to ensure that her and her siblings attend a private school, well away from the gang bangers and drugs in their neighborhood.  Living in the garden district, but going to school over a half hour away, has Starr straddling two different worlds.  At school she does not want to appear ghetto, while at home she doesn't want to be uppity.  When these two worlds collide and Starr is forced to merge her two selves is when she finds her voice and discovers who she really can be.  The tragic loss of her friend is the match that ignites a fire in the garden district and Starr's heart.  Will she find her voice in time to make a difference, will her and her friends make it through the tragedy unscathed?  

     Normally, I would do a much more involved summary of this book, but this book is so good that I hope you read it yourself.  I love this book and am giving it a 4.5 out of 5 stars.  The content is mature with some swearing, so I would encourage anybody younger than 8th grade to wait to read this book.  Although the heroine in "The Hate You Give" is feminine, this book would be enjoyed by all students.  I do feel that this is a great book and it is an important, relevant message to everyone.  

links 

Angie Thomas - Author

Books about "Black Lives Matter"

     

Sunny Side Up

                                                                                         by Jennifer L. Holm 

     Sunny Side Up is a graphic novel, but be forwarned that this book is not for young children.  Although the story begins innocent enough, young Sunny is sent to her Grandfather for the Summer.  Sunny is very upset, about the change in her summer plans.  Normally, her family travels to a lake for part of the summer and she had invited her friend to go with the family.  Something happens with an older sibling that forces her parents to send Sunny to Florida.  Sunny is not happy living in a retirement home with her Grandfather, there are no other children, and his idea of big plans is going to the post office, not a trip to Disneyworld.  

     Eventually, Sunny meets the landscapers son and he introduces her to the wonder of comic books.  Sunny quickly becomes infatuated with the high drama of superheroes.  Sunny and her new friend end up saving several cats, which enables them to buy more comic books.  They even aid in locating a missing resident.  This friendship leads to  Sunny being invited to dinner and her discovering that the landscaper is really a Cuban Chemist, that can not work in his field due to foreign paperwork.  The story comes to a head when Sunny discovers the real reason why she was sent to Florida, and she makes her Grandfather give up hiding and smoking his cigarettes.  Just before Sunny is to return home her Grandfather takes Sunny to a horrible tourist trap, DisneyWorld.  Sunny returns home, a little more understanding and with a love of comic books.  

     I think that this book would be a very good read for many students 4th grade and higher.  There is some adult content, in reference to the older sibling that needs help.  I did not expect the subtlety and the responsible method in which sensitive material was shown.  I was actually very pleasantly surprised with the content and enjoyed this story a lot.  This is a fairly easy and quick read, I would give this book a rating of 5 stars.  

Links 

Teen Addiction

Siblings with drug addiction

Comic Book Resource

Jennifer L. Holm