Review: Femme

By Mette Bach
Available now from Lorimer
Review copy

SideStreets is Lorimer's series of hi-lo books.  I've written about these types of books before, but it has been awhile.  Hi-lo books are written to appeal to struggling readers.  They have content that appeals to teens, but are written at a range of lower reading levels.  FEMME is written at an approximately third-grade reading level.  I really appreciate that SideStreets and Mette Bach are making LGBT stories available for readers who are still developing their skills, since there isn't much reading material on the subject available below a high-school reading level.

Sofia, the protagonist of FEMME, doesn't feel like she has much going for herself aside from her popular boyfriend Paul.  When her English teacher pairs her with class genius Clea, Sofia is worried about being judged for being dumb.  But the two girls end up being fast friends and Clea helps Sofia nurture her study skills.  In fact, the two girls decide to take a trip to the US together and look at schools in Portland.  Clea wants to go to Portland because she's a lesbian - the only out one at their Canadian high school - and she wants to find a community that she fits into.  To Sofia's surprise, she starts to find where she fits too.

FEMME might be simply written, but it is also sensitively written.  Sofia and Clea feel like real teenage girls, particularly Sofia.  She begins the novel shallow, with low self-esteem, but she makes amazing strides throughout the story.  And even though the page count is short, Bach doesn't just tackle a romance.  She tackles issues of identity involving sexuality, race, and class.  There is a subplot about cyberbullying too.  It all moves by quickly.  However, while things are lightly covered, they don't feel lightweight.

FEMME is a novel that fills a niche that desperately needs something.  Fortunately, there's much more reason to read it than just because it feels a need.  It's got wonderful characters, a strong setting, and it tackles real-world issues in a manner that is positive but not treacly.  I found FEMME to be surprisingly sweet.

Review: Stranded

First in the Stranded series
By Jeff Probst and Chris Tebbetts
Available now from Puffin (Penguin)
Review copy

If you're like my mom and me, then you took a look at this cover and went, "Jeff Probst?  Like Survivor?"  Yes, the host of Survivor has written a middle grade book with the help of Chris Tebbetts.  Unsurprisingly, it involves people stuck on an island.

Vanessa and Buzz Diaz's father married Carter and Jane Benson's mother, making them all siblings.  As a gift, their Uncle Dexter offered to take the kids on a cruise during the honeymoon, giving them time to bond.  While Buzz and Carter are the same age, they're very different.  Carter is more athletic and active, whereas Buzz prefers to stay belowdecks.  Jane is cute, but too young to be interested in the same things as the others, whereas Vanessa is too old.

Then the kids are forced to work together when the boat runs aground during a large storm and they're separated from Uncle Dex and his first mate.  Because the boat changed directions several times trying to outrun the storm, the authorities only have a general idea where the kids are.  It could be a long time before help arrives.

STRANDED is a terrific high interest, low effort novel.  The kids keep barely escaping total disaster, which keeps the pages turning.  Plus they represent a range of personalities, somewhat shallowly drawn but easily identified with.  I particularly like Jane, who contributes to their survival just as much as the others by being observant and thoughtful.

I felt STRANDED was a bit short.  It's nearly two hundred pages long, but the print is large.  Just when things really got going, it ended.  I suppose that's the way of this sort of adventure series for young readers.  I think kids who like this one will be eager to read TRIAL BY FIRE in June in order to figure out how the kids face the dangers of the island.

STRANDED doesn't have much to interest older readers, but it's a good choice for younger, reluctant readers.  It's easy to read and exciting.