Dear Evan Hansen by Val Emich

Trigger Warnings: Suicide, Mental Health Issues

💬: Anxiety. Depression. Medication. Self-doubt. Low confidence. Broken arm. Sweaty palms. All of these things are daily problems for high school senior Evan Hansen. After writing a letter as a form of therapy, Evan suddenly finds himself in the principal's office sitting across from the Murphy's. After losing their troubled son Connor, the Murphy's are struggling to piece together the details of Connor's life outside of home. And when the Murphy's see Connor's name written in big letters across Evan's cast, they assume that Connor and Evan were friends. 

But this isn't the case. 

Evan and Connor weren't friends at all. In fact, they didn't even like each other and got into an altercation the day Connor died. Connor had signed Evan's cast without asking, mainly out of spite. Evan tries to explain this, but can't seem to say no to the grieving parents. Evan sends himself into a serious game of pretend when he tells Connor's parents that he was Connor's best friend. After word gets out about this, people start looking at him in the hallways. And suddenly, Evan doesn't feel so invisible anymore. Everyone takes notice of him- even Zoe, the girl he likes. He spreads awareness of Connor's death around school and with the help of a few others, he manages to get the message all over the internet. Thankful, the Murphy's invite Evan to their house multiple times a week just to hear him talk about their son. As Evan spends more and more time with them, he starts to realize all the anger, regret, and confusion they are feeling. He knows what he's doing is wrong, but he's helping them. Isn't he? 

As the lies keep growing and growing, Evan finds his secret to be untamable. And as people start to question his credibility, Evan comes face-to-face with his biggest obstacle of all: himself. 

❤: Not many books get me to cry. But this one did. To me, this story is a unique exploration of grief and sadness. Not just for the Murphy family, but for everyone in the story. The best part of this book, in my opinion, was its characters. My favorite character by far, Zoe, has so much depth and character development. Her story is so devastating and heart wrenching, but she is still a kind person. Her reaction to grief was so real, that it made me tear up a lot of times. Also, though I don't agree with anything he did in the book, Evan's character is so unique and sad that I couldn't help but feel sorry for him as more and more of his past was revealed. Evan's mom, Heidi, was another realistic character. She was just a mother who wanted the best for her kid AND for herself. And though Evan didn't always see it, she was doing her best for him. 

I recommend this book for teens who would like to educate themselves a little more on mental health issues. But I also recommend this book for people who need a reminder that they do belong and that someone will always be there to lift them up. 

"The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas

 

💫New Teen Influencer Post💫

💬: Sixteen year old Starr Carter lives two lives. One life is in the poor black neighborhood that she resides in and the other is in the suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy tension of having to live in both worlds is shattered when she witnesses her childhood best friend, Khalil, get murdered by a police officer. Khalil was unarmed. News spreads about Khalil's death and it soon becomes a headline across the nation. Rumors spread that Khalil was a drug dealer and a thug, but Starr believes that nobody knows who Khalil really was. Even her own best friend from school says that Khalil had it coming. When the police neglect the incident, it becomes clear that civilians must take matters into their own hands. Protests break out and Starr's neighborhood becomes a battle zone. And no matter what their opinion is, everyone asks the same questions: What exactly happened that night? and Why did Khalil get shot? Starr, as the lone witness, is the only one who can answer those questions. But as violence and brutality continues, she soon realizes that her identity must be kept as a secret. 

👍: What I liked most about this book was well... everything. I loved how the author compared and contrasted the two very different worlds that Starr lives in. Throughout the book, she tries to balance both worlds while dealing with the traumatic loss of her best friend.  This book is written from Starr's perspective which gives the reader an insight into how chaotic it is to try and live in two worlds at the same time. Because this book is written from Starr's perspective, we get an emotional and heartbreaking view on the events that occur.  Through it's beautiful writing, the book  and incredibly heart-wrenching. 

"The Shining" by Stephen King

 

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Happy Spooky Season! Today we feature Stephen King's The Shining as a spooky book to celebrate Halloween! 👻

💬: Jack Torrance's new job at the Overlook Hotel gives him and his family the perfect chance for a new start. The cold and bitter winters at the Overlook give Jack the perfect opportunity to connect with his wife Wendy and his five- year- old son Danny. It also gives him the chance to start his new book. But as winter draws nearer and the snow makes it impossible to leave, strange things start to occur. And the only one who seems to see them is Danny, who's gifted mind seems to attract the terrifying forces wandering around the hotel. As time goes on, the appeal of the Overlook Hotel fades into something much more dark... and sinister. 

👍: What I liked most about this book, without giving too much away, is the hotel's gradual change from the idyllic vacation spot to a sinister palace of lost history. King's writing makes you dread the Overlook even though you aren't there. When reading this book, you get a mixture of the Overlook's history as well as the Torrance family history. And I thought it was incredibly interesting to see how it all ties in together as one horrific tale about a grand hotel and its groundskeeper. 

"The Outsiders" by S.E Hinton

 Life as a Greaser in the 1960s isn't always easy. But fourteen year old Ponyboy Curtis thinks he's got life all figured out. He knows who he can trust: his brothers, Darry, and Sodapop, as well as his friends Johnny, Dallas and Two-Bit. He also knows that he can't trust the Socs, their rival gang. The Socs love beating up on Greasers like him and his friends. But one night when someone takes things way too far with the Socs, Ponyboy is forced to leave the world he knows so well and face the unknown. "The Outsiders" is a heroic coming-of-age story about true friendship. Children and adults will have this novel of friendship and belonging stuck on their mind. People of all ages will love the adventures of Ponyboy and his friends. 

-Bri, Teen Influencer

Teen Pick: Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Wonder by R.J. Palacio is a heartwarming story about Augie Pullman who has a facial deformity disorder and his first time ever going to a real school.