I’ve got a whole constellation with this starred review from Booklist!
Oh, did you think I was done sharing starred reviews for A Scar Like a River yet??? Hahaha, no way! This review comes courtesy of Booklist.
“★ There’s no denying that this is a weighty novel, but it respects kids’ abilities to handle reading about tough subjects.”
Here’s the full review:
Graff returns to the world of Lost in the Sun (2015) in this stand-alone companion novel dedicated to Fallon Little, the spirited girl who helped Trent find his footing after a tragedy the previous year.
The large scar across her face is evidence of some of Fallon’s own difficulties, and Graff teases out the three heavy secrets the seventh-grader has been holding onto for years. Fallon’s feisty, funny personality shines through her first-person narration, but she also possesses a frankness that makes readers party to the complex issues she is working through. Her past trauma involves sexual abuse, physical violence, and complicated family relationships, all of which make dealing with her mother’s undiagnosed chronic illness and the unexpected death of her uncle emotionally overwhelming. Plus, there’s literal drama surrounding the school musical and some confusing shifts in friend groups to navigate. There’s no denying that this is a weighty novel, but it respects kids’ abilities to handle reading about tough subjects; indeed, many are living with their own secrets and trauma, and Fallon’s story may help them feel empowered and less alone.
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You can learn lots more about A Scar Like a River here. (You can also pre-order your copy of the book there, too!) And while you’re waiting for this book to officially come out, why not check out the companion books, Lost in the Sun or Umbrella Summer?
Happy reading!
♥ Lisa
