We, the Wildflowers

December 1, 2019

Gr 9 Up-Genny, Adam, Chloe, and Lukas have had rough lives. Due to a variety of circumstances, the four teens live at Mary Rodriguez's home, part of Sacred Heart's troubled youth program. Rejected by many of their peers at school, they form a tight friendship in a group they name the Wildflowers. The idea originated from Genny, who compared them to actual wildflowers that are sown together in the soil and remain a part of each other throughout the seasons. The newest member, Lukas, has settled in nicely and a romance begins to bloom between him and Chloe. Life is calm and peaceful for everyone until Mrs. Rodriguez suddenly dies and a corrupt family takes charge of the house. A violent episode separates the group for an extended period of time, but they come together at the end even though one "flower" is missing. Many teen readers will identify with the problems experienced by the characters. However, some elements of the plot involving theft and crime scene alteration may not send the right message about the best way to work through bad situations. Also, during some parts of the story, the teen protagonists appear almost too self-assured and wise beyond their years. VERDICT Young readers with complicated families, substance abuse, and questions about their sexual orientation will enjoy this story about teenagers in tough situations who move beyond them into a brighter future. Depictions of sexual violence make this more appropriate for older readers.-Anne Jung-Mathews, Plymouth State University, NH

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2019
When life becomes unbearable, four teens turn to one another for support in this emotional drama. Unloved by her wealthy parents, depressed teen Chloe Campbell decides to take her own life. The suicide attempt is unsuccessful but does result in placement at the branch of Sacred Heart group homes reserved for teens dealing with trauma. There, she connects deeply with the other three residents who are similarly unwanted, uncared for, and misunderstood, and they quickly dub themselves the Wildflowers as a nod to their persistence and capacity for growth. The adolescents encourage each other to work through their pain and overcome struggles with frequent inspirational lectures. A will-they-won't-they romance blossoms against all odds but is tested when the Wildflowers experience a devastating loss. The resulting turmoil brings new opportunities for trauma into the mix, and the teens face their most difficult season yet. Shining a light on mental health issues and structural abuse is important, but readers are left to puzzle over unanswered questions. The dialogue is wooden and peppered with curse words in a futile attempt to make the characters sound more authentically like teenagers. The Wildflowers are assumed white; one of them is gay and was rejected by his homophobic parents. A strong message of hope in the face of adversity is overshadowed by stilted prose and a contrived plot. (letter to the reader) (Fiction. 14-18)

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December 1, 2019
Grades 10-1 It's difficult to imagine anything more damaging than knowing your parents want nothing to do with you, so when Chloe's life is signed away to a program for troubled youth, she goes silently. It's there that she learns to truly "see" others and there that she is finally seen, too, by the loving Mrs. Rodriquez, who runs the program, and by Adam, Genny, and Lukas, her fiercely loyal wildflowers who form a friendship holding all the love and acceptance they could ever need. But in the wake of sudden change, all the progress they've made is about to be upended. In this story of misfits, Simmons evokes the spectrum of emotions her readers have come to expect from her. Writing teens who have otherwise been discarded ultimately finding purpose, Simmons sculpts characters who are damaged but introspective, pained by their past but in pursuit of meaning in their future. Readers will revel in the slow-budding romance, sympathize with the insurmountable pain, and be lifted by endless pages of resilience. Hand to fans of character-driven stories of growth.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)