All in Pieces

Coping with more than she can handle, a young woman reacts with anger only to realize there are some problems a fight can't fix.Savannah cares only about her little brother, Evan, who has an unnamed developmental disorder. Their mother left because she couldn't handle Evan, and their father blames Evan for it. Savvy, fiercely protective of Evan, fights the battles he can't--which includes stabbing her ex with a pencil for mocking Evan. As the novel opens, the white teenager is just trying to graduate from her alternative high school and take care of Evan as long as she can, even though her aunt is pressing to take Evan. A new student, Cameron, rich, sexy, and white, is making Savannah feel torn between caring for Evan and living her own life. But with how awful her life is, taking care of Evan is the only thing that feels good. While Savannah's challenges are well-presented, Cameron feels unformed, less realized than other secondary characters, and Savannah's ex is a cardboard-cutout villain. Savannah reacts realistically to the threat of losing Evan by lashing out and holding on to him even tighter; it's behavior that's understandable even as readers know it won't end well. The plot moves predictably toward its conclusion, and the writing fits the characters, creating a well-rounded character study. A satisfying look at one teen struggling with hard choices. (Fiction. 14-18) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2016

Gr 10 Up-Savannah is a good person trying to do right by her younger brother, Evan, who has an intellectual disability. When her misogynist, emotionally abusive boyfriend calls Evan a "retard," Savannah stabs him in the hand with a pencil. She is sent to an alternative high school her senior year for "anger management issues." Here she befriends recovering addict Travis and Retha, who also has anger management issues. These two are Savannah's only support system, as she lacks meaningful adult supervision. Her mother ran off a few years back, her father is an alcoholic who wants nothing to do with Evan or Savannah, and her aunt believes her to be dangerous since the stabbing incident. At her new high school, the teen keeps her head down and does the work, making sure she is home in time to care for her brother. She has no time for anyone else in her life, especially not rich boy Cameron. But when Savannah's life begins to slowly unravel, Cameron proves to be a friend before anything else. Young's characters are likable and believable in their flaws. The protagonist's authentic voice makes this title a fast read and hard to put down. VERDICT Budget permitting, this is a strong purchase for any teen collection. For those who enjoy books by Simone Elkeles.-Lisa Nabel, Tacoma Public Library, WA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2016
Grades 9-12 High-school senior Savannah Sutton is now at an alternative school after she stuck a pencil through her ex-boyfriend's hand after he repeatedly insulted her developmentally disabled little brother. At 17, she's the de facto adult in her householdher mother left the family long ago when Evan's disability became evident, and her alcoholic father can't hold onto a job, let alone care for a disabled child. At her new school, she meets handsome Cameron, a wealthy senior who got kicked out of his private school for the destruction of school property. Unable to help themselves, they see how to help each other, and slowly a tender, loving relationship grows, as well as their senses of self-esteem. Savannah is a tough, wounded, and often abrasive young woman, but she adores her little brother, and when she loses care of him to a well-meaning but insensitive aunt, she is devastated. Young (The Program, 2013) is at her best when portraying Savannah's fierce love; the bitter realization that she cannot protect or provide for Evan is tremendously moving.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)