Book Reviews

Half a World Away, by Cynthia Kadohata; Atheneum Books for Young Readers: New York, 2014; $16.99 Electricity: It creates lightning, turns on the TV, generates power. A microscopic current. Something that we cannot see, that connects us all. The concept fascinates twelve-year-old Jaden. But what he can’t understand is this: he doesn’t feel connected to anyone. So he lights fires. Hoards food. Steals. Runs until his anger beats him to the ground. His biological mother didn’t want him. And while his adoptive parents say they love him, Jaden feels… nothing. Or, something, actually. Like an epic fail. And now Jaden’s parents want to adopt a new kid, so they pack up and fly with Jaden halfway around the world to get one. In Kazakhstan, Jaden’s smoldering anger flares. He knows what will happen next. Or does he? Have you ever known someone, close, who loves you but you did not love them back? That’s how Jaden feels about his adoptive parents. Jaden was abandoned by his mother when he was four, and he has told himself he will never love another. And he doesn’t, or at least not until the extraordinary chain of events that occurs when Jaden and his adoptive parents visit Kazakhstan to adopt another child. Half a World Away taught me that love is an amazing thing and can completely transform someone. When I started reading this novel, I thought Jaden was kind of an obnoxious brat. He has a cell phone and a computer of his own but is sarcastic to his parents, steals money, and hides food. And I’m speaking about stealing more than loose change every now and then. Try thirty dollars! Then I began to feel sympathy for him, because of his situation. And because of the feelings of love for his adoptive parents that Jaden has unintentionally locked up deep inside his soul where he can never find them. Jaden’s adoptive parents, Steve and Penni, are actually pretty nice. It’s just Jaden who is the problem. Or that’s how he feels, anyway. Jaden believes that he’s just a big screwup, and everything’s his fault. Sometimes I feel like a failure too. I can relate to Jaden, entirely, because he has trouble controlling his anger and I feel the same way at times. Also, Jaden’s biological mother abandoned him at a very young age. I have not had contact with my biological mother—who lives in a foreign country—in over six years. I share Jaden’s pain. I have a stepmother, and sometimes I wish that I lived with my real mother instead. This book taught me to just be grateful for the family I already have instead of wishing for one that does not seem possible. Jaden feels that Steve and Penni are looking for a new child to replace him. But when they get to Kazakhstan, they find out the baby they wanted was already adopted. While Steve and Penni look for a new baby to adopt, Jaden struggles with his feelings. Sometimes, I feel I, too, am alone in wrestling with my emotions. This book served to remind me I am not alone. Half a World Away made me want to cry at some of the sadder parts and jump up and down at the happy parts. This book moved me. I usually don’t read stories like this. Instead, I read adventure stories about dragons or wizards. But I’m glad I read this book, because it made me grateful for who I am, what I have, and most importantly, the family I do have, rather than the family I do not have. Kobe Simon, 11 Scottsdale, Arizona

The Running Dream, by Wendelin Van Draanen; Knopf Books for Young Readers: New York, 2011; $16.99 Have you ever seen a book on the shelf and known it was the perfect book for you even before you turned the first page? The Running Dream was like that for me. The moment I saw it on the shelf I knew instantly that I had to read it. Jessica, age sixteen, loves to run more than anything else in the world. She can run a 55-second, 400-meter dash. But then everything changes. She loses her leg in a terrible accident. Faced with the impossibility of running, Jessica sinks into depression. Only the love and encouragement of her track team and a girl with cerebral palsy named Rosa can make her dream of running again come true. This book touched the deepest feelings inside me. There was sadness and joy, pain and loss, hope and love, and sometimes a mixture of all of them. Jessica’s voice was so honest and true that I felt as if she was a real person, even a friend, sitting beside me and telling me her story. She was easy to relate to; I found myself comparing my experiences to hers. She found her love of running by sprinting around the soccer field, so did I. She ran track, so did I. She cheers on her teammates, so did I. Wendelin Van Draanen described the feelings of running so accurately too. I felt as if I was inside the story; it felt so real. Jessica’s determination also made me really admire her as a character. She showed determination when working with crutches and with a prosthetic leg. Even though she was often disappointed and frustrated with herself, she never lost her vision that she would run again. My favorite part of the story, however, was when Jessica had a crazy plan to run a 10-mile race pushing her friend Rosa in a wheelchair. She believed that people should see past Rosa’s disability and appreciate her for who she really was, a kind, funny, cheerful, and incredibly smart girl. Jessica’s strong will and strength were really inspiring. Even though running was painful, uncomfortable, and always really, really hard, she pushed through and found that she could do the impossible. Overall, this story is unlike any other that I’ve read. During the course of the story I learned about prosthetics and about what you can do if you believe in yourself and in others. The chapters were short and swift and full of meaning, conveyed in simple, crisp, concise sentences. I liked how the book was also divided in sections as if it were a race, starting with “Finish Line” and ending with “Starting Line.” If you are a runner, you must read this book because it will deeply impact you. Lauren Vanden Bosch, 13 Grand Rapids, Michigan