Two talented narrators portray the alternate realities of two teenagers involved in a complex situation. Rashad, an artistic African-American, is savagely beaten by a policeman. Hospitalized, with internal bleeding, he wants only to be left alone. Narrator Guy Lockard shifts briskly between Rashad’s tormented thoughts and the intrusions of the well-meaning people who surround him. An overly enthusiastic nurse, family members, and friends, as well as constant news coverage, compromise his recovery. In alternate chapters, Keith Nobbs portrays the anguish of Quinn, a solitary white teen who witnessed the crime. Nobbs conveys Quinn’s emotional journey from wanting to hide his knowledge about what happened to finding the courage to speak. These sensitive portraits describe emotional journeys behind today’s all-too-common events. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
Banned and challenged books have made us question the ways of the world — and sparked heated debates for as long as any of us can remember. Banned Books Week runs from 9/18 – 9/24, and the titles on this year’s list include the top 10 most challenged books of 2021 — some you know and, if not, maybe this is the year you read them. Want more […]
Every month feels like the best month ever for YA releases, but this time I really, seriously mean it: the sheer saturation of must-reads about to hit shelves is nigh overwhelming. Turn off your phone and climb into your fully-stocked blanket fort. It’s time to read.
A quote of undetermined provenance, often attributed to Dante (I got it from an episode of Family Ties myself), reads, “The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who, in time of moral crisis, preserve their neutrality.” In simpler terms, when it comes to important issues, figure out where you stand (hint: It shouldn’t […]
If you’ve been living in a decidedly unglamorous cave, you may have missed the massive buzz surrounding Julie Murphy’s sophomore novel, Dumplin’, which features a heroine named Willowdean who’s confident, fun, fat, a raging Dolly Parton fan, and entering a beauty pageant in her obsessed hometown. Willowdean is the kind of character we rarely get to see […]