Anna M., 17As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh is a tale about a young woman named Salama Kassab. She was a former pharmacy student in Syria until a revolution tore her city apart uprooting her life and claiming much of her family. Having a strong need to help, she works at the hospital healing innocent people every day while also taking care of her pregnant friend, Layla. Salama has found herself stuck between choosing to stay and fight for her country or to leave in hopes of finding a better life somewhere else. Her decision becomes much easier when she meets a boy who encapsulates her “might” life before the military took control of her city. While all of these hardships happen, Salama also faces Khawf, a hallucination caused by her PTSD, who pushes her will to survive with doubts and fears. As the book begins, the readers are instantly thrown into the despair of the protagonist and her city leaving people wondering how it all got to this. The author of the story has a beautiful way of writing her tales, and while it is elegant Zoulfa does not hold back on describing the gruesome side of war. Twists and turns are everywhere in the story leaving the reader to wonder what is real and not. The main character, Salama, is realistic and has depth to her character because of all the doubt, fear, love, and hope that she showcases throughout the story. There are also many allusions to Studio Ghibli works, which I personally enjoy as a fan of the animation company, adding an excellent contrast between reality and fantasy in the story. I recommend this book to people who enjoy reading stories about fictional historical events without it being sugar coated; however, it is still through a YA lens. Although please be mindful of the trigger warnings. ReferENCE
Anna M. (2022, August). Teen Review. CIN Catalog. (2022). Retrieved from: https://catalog.cin.bywatersolutions.com/ Goodreads [Cover Images, Genre/Themes, and Read-alikes]. (2022). Retrieved from: https://www.goodreads.com/ Overdrive Catalog. (2022). Retrieved from: https://cin.overdrive.com/ Zoulfa Katouh [Author's Official Website]. (2022). Retrieved from: https://www.zoulfakatouh.com/
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Teen Review by Hannah H., 16Geese are Never Swans, by Kobe Bryant and Eva Clark, is an inspirational tale of a teenage boy who has only one dream: to swim in the Olympic Games. An irritated soul, yet hardworking main character, Gus, knows that only one coach can get him to his dream, but there’s a slight hiccup. Coach Marks was the trainer for Gus’ older brother Danny, and our protagonist has always lived underneath Danny’s shadow. Even after Danny committed suicide from not making the national swimming team, this shadow continues to grow and swallow Gus. Will Gus’ anger and resentment for his brother, and even himself, threaten to take away all he has worked for? Brief yet intriguing, the chapters in this story are absolutely page-turning and absorbing. I always felt immersed in Gus’ world with his troubles and triumphs. However, the foul language in this book is everywhere, and, therefore, I do not recommend this work for younger readers, and even early teens. Additionally, the dialogue in Gus’ story gives you a more realistic view of the situation without the unnecessary ten-dollar words. Even though Bryant and Clark’s novel highlights incredible hardships that Gus had to face, (and I personally feel that the reader will shed a tear or two) the inspiring message of the value of hard work even when the trauma of your life is overwhelming, truly motivated me. In conclusion, I definitely recommend Geese are Never Swans to an older teen audience due to the language written in this novel. Thank you for reading! Read-alikes REFERENCES
CIN Catalog. (2020). Retrieved from: https://catalog.cin.bywatersolutions.com/ Common Sense Media Review. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/geese-are-never-swans Goodreads [Cover Images]. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.goodreads.com/ Granity Studios: Books [Official Website]. (2020). Retrieved from: https://granitystudios.com/books/ Hannah H. (2020, December). Teen Review. NoveList Plus: Geese are Never Swans [Genre/Themes and Read-alikes]. (2020). Retrieved from: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=neh&tg=UI&an=10662269&site=novp-live&custid=s5664038 Overdrive Catalog. (2020). Retrieved from: https://cin.overdrive.com/ |
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