Skip to main content

Review: Unstuck

Image
By
By Barbara Dee
New York: Aladdin, 2024. Fiction. 272 pages.

12-year-old Lyla Benjamin is used to being overshadowed by her basically perfect older sister, Dahlia. Lyla feels like the town-wide writing contest is finally her time to shine -- Dahlia may be better at school, but Lyla is definitely a better fantasy writer. After all, she's been planning her epic fantasy novel for basically ever. There's just one hiccup, she hasn't actually written anything yet. The more desperate Lyla is to prove herself as a writer, the more paralyzed she gets by writer's block. It doesn't help that her best friend, Rania, now goes to a different middle school and is surrounded by a new group of friends who don't seem to like Lyla. Bogged down at home by family drama, and at school by new friend drama, Lyla isn't sure she'll ever get unstuck.

This novel is a heartfelt and character-driven story for any reader who has ever felt trapped by big expectations and their own great ideas. Lyla's voice is realistic, filled with all the earnestness and anxiety of a tween girl figuring out her way through big changes. Side characters complete the story, including Lyla's Language Arts teacher who helps her find ways through her quagmire. A note that the back matter includes a list of "Twenty-Five Ways to Get Unstuck" that will appeal to aspiring young authors. 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Faker

By
Faker By Gordon Korman New York: Scholastic Press, 2024. Fiction. 214 pages. 12-year-old Trey is used to starting over at a new school -- he has the routine perfectly memorized: make new friends, introduce his dad to the wealthy parents of his new friends, and "Houdini" themselves out of there before they get caught running their latest scam. Trey's dad is a master con artist, and Trey has just been promoted to full-partner. Their new scheme for the next big score brings them to the affluent suburb of Boxelder, TN where Trey's dad has cooked up a fake electric car company for investors to buy into. The only problem is that Trey is starting to grow tired of moving around and never putting down roots, especially after forming a fast friendship with Logan and developing a crush on Kaylee, a socially conscious girl in his class. As Trey longs for a normal life, is there any way he can convince his dad to get out of the family business? Gordon Korman is a perennial favorit...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: Fresh Start

By
Fresh Start By Gale Galligan New York: Graphix, 2025. Graphic novel. 270 pages. Ollie Herisson is only in 7th grade, but she has already lived all over the world. Her father is an American diplomat, whose job has taken their family to France, Singapore, Thailand (where her mom is from), and now to Chestnut Falls, Virginia. Ollie loves that her family doesn't stay in one place very long, it allows her to have a fresh start and hide from any embarrassing moments each time they move. But Ollie's parents have big news -- they've decided to buy a house in Virginia and put down roots. Now, Ollie and her younger sister Cat have to figure out how to build lasting friendships which means resolving conflict rather than running away when things get hard.  Loosely based on the author's own childhood experiences, this graphic novel is sure to be popular with readers who like coming of age stories. Watching Ollie learn to think of others as she advocates for her sister Cat, and navig...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: Will's Race for Home

By
  Willl's Race for Home  By Jewell Parker Rhodes Little Brown & Company, 2025. Fiction. 256 pages.    Will is a young man whose father and family are working the land as sharecroppers in Texas. When Will's father comes home with the news that there is land available in Oklahoma to those who can stake and settle it, Will's father expresses his deep desire to go and claim land for their family. Will begs to be included, but his mother is reluctant to let him go. After input from the entire family, they decide that Will is ready for the responsibility. Along the way Will and his father develop a deeper appreciation for each other, form deep friendship, discover hidden enemies, and encounter many challenges which force them to make difficult decisions. Will's father has to rely heavily on him, especially as they get closer to their final destination. Will's bravery is inspiring and commendable.  This book is full of many amazing elements: suspense, adventure, fr...
Post a Comment
Read more