Good books don’t give up all their secrets at once.
Author: Susan Uhlig
The Someday Suitcase
The Someday Suitcase (Katherine Tegan Books, 2017) by Corey Ann Haydu is a touching story of friendship and loss.
Clover and Danny are like two sides of a coin. The pair are always together. They laugh and have good times; they help each other with their strengths. When in fifth grade science class, Clover learns about symbiosis, she’s sure that’s the perfect description for her and Danny. When Danny gets sick with a mysterious illness, only Clover can make him feel better. Clover’s sure she’s the one that will find a cure for him, too, but no one believes her as Danny gets weaker and weaker.
And, yes, the snow globe on the front of the book has a special significance.
I look forward to seeing what awards this book wins.
Corey Ann writes for teens and children–check out her books here. She shares her teenage diaries here on the blog “What My Former Self Can Tell Me Now.”
The First Last Day
The First Last Day (Simon & Schuster/Aladdin, 2016) by Dorian Cirrone is an interesting take on the idea of not wanting summer to end. Who hasn’t wanted that as a kid? Plus, there’s a do over aspect. It’s also a good read about friendship and choices.
Twelve-year-old Haleigh and Kevin have had a great time this summer at the Jersey shore. Tomorrow his mom is coming to get Kevin to take him home and Haleigh has to go home and get ready for another new school. When Haleigh finds a mysterious set of paints in her backpack and paints a picture of their last day, she wakes up to their last day again. And again, and again. What will she do about the time loop?
This book reminds me of the movie Groundhog’s Day, except I can’t remember why the time loop happened in the movie. And this story brings up some interesting issues that the movie didn’t. The book has been translated into Finnish and has won a 2017 Florida Book Awards Gold Medal.
Dorian writes for kids and teens. Read about all her books here. And you really should read the longer version of her bio here–I bet it will make you smile.
Become emotionally involved. If you don’t care about your characters, your readers won’t either.
Become emotionally involved
The Seventh Bride
The Seventh Bride (47North, 2015) by T. Kingfisher is one of those scary books softened by humor so as not to be too scary.
Fifteen-year-old Rhea is the miller’s daughter and she’s angry. She’s engaged–not that she minds the idea in general–in the distant future. And being engaged to a Lord is a good thing, isn’t it? But something just seems a little, off. But she has to marry him, otherwise her whole family will suffer. Peasants don’t reject nobles.
This book is written for adults, but with a teen main character, it’s very relatable to teens, too.
T. Kingfisher’s bio makes me laugh. I’ve read books from her alter ego Ursula Vernon, as well.