Together, Apart

October 2, 2020

Gr 8 Up-This realistic fiction anthology features nine romantic stories, all taking place in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Characters in each story are navigating the new normal that teenagers in real life will find relatable: getting used to social distancing, logging into Zoom classes, baking extensively, taking daily walks around the neighborhood, and having prom canceled. The romantic aspects of each also have commonalities, with frequent whimsical thoughts about hoping to soon see their love interest without a mask, the desire to be physically closer together than six feet, and the significant role of technology in bringing them together. From there, however, the stories differ in gratifying ways. One main character is coping with a move to a rural area, while another is dealing with the noise from the musician on the balcony in the neighboring apartment complex. Some stories emphasize mental health and the need to maintain connection to bolster it, while others are more humorous. Some stories have stable families with whom the main character can quarantine, while others do not. The gravity of COVID-19 is consistently maintained, but anticipation for the future with a new partner is a common, satisfying theme. Many of these stories could easily be full novels. The book features LGBTQ and BIPOC perspectives throughout. VERDICT This timely read handles the challenging times readers are in with respect, grace, and hope. Recommended for purchase.-Susan Elofson, Airport H.S., West Columbia, SC

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2020
A collection of short stories about teens finding romance during the Covid-19 pandemic. In these nine stories, some teens face the boredom of being home all day with their families while others deal with the stress of having parents who are essential workers or whose jobs cannot be done from home. All find tender romance--some more satisfying than others given that (except for a girl who falls for her roommate) they're not getting closer than 6 feet apart. Among the most memorable is Erin Hahn's "Masked," in which a teen making masks for nursing home employees out of her prom dress discovers that the boy she's been chatting with online is her favorite contestant on an American Idol-esque reality show. In "The Rules of Comedy" by Auriane Desombre, a lesbian teen tries to get the attention of her crush via TikTok but feels nervous about not being funny enough. Jennifer Yen's charming tale, "Love With a Side of Fortune," highlights a girl working at her family's Chinese restaurant who's been warned by a fortuneteller about a rocky path to love. The stories impeccably capture the teens' fears, anger, and anxieties around the pandemic--including very real feelings about screen fatigue and uncertainty about the future--balanced by improbable but no less adorable meet-cutes and the sweetness of early getting-to-know-you attraction. The collection features a range of characters who are queer and people of color. Sweet and comforting. (Romance. 12-18)

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November 1, 2020
Grades 7-10 How do you fall in love when you have to stay six feet apart and wear a mask? Well, "Love Always Finds a Way" according to the subtitle of this collection of nine agreeable love stories, even when it's love in the time of COVID (apologies, Gabriel Garc�a M�rquez). Eight of the stories are lighthearted; only one--Bill Konigsberg's antically named ""The Socially Distant Dog-Walking Brigade""--is serious, but it is among the best of the bunch. Brittney Morris' "The Green Thumb War" is about Billie (a girl) and Bastian (short for Sebastian), who keep their social distance, since their apartment buildings are eight feet apart, as are their respective window box gardens. Three of the stories are about kids who detest each other at the outset but find their feelings doing a 180 toward love. As for diversity, three stories feature queer kids, two feature African Americans, one an Indian American, and one a Chinese American. Cleverly plotted, with sympathetic characters, the stories are a ray of sunshine in these dark days.

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