Alyssa Sheinmel’s novel Faceless does a remarkable job of portraying the psychological problems involved in the aftermath of a traumatic accident. The protagonist, high school senior Maisie Winters, is out for a run when she nearly dies in an electrical fire. She sustains second-degree burns across her left side, and her face is partially destroyed. To try to help her live a normal life, the doctors perform a face transplant on her. But when Maisie is released from the hospital, she has trouble adjusting to seeing a new face in the mirror. Maisie’s new face, new attitude, and (because of her immunosuppressive drugs), new personality, alienate her friends, boyfriend, parents, and even herself. Despite all of the physical consequences of her accident, it is the emotional and social consequences that Sheinmel focuses on most, which gives the story an interesting angle. Being a teenager, Maisie isn’t as concerned about whether she will be healthy eventually, or be able to function normally. Instead, some of her first concerns are whether or not she will be pretty, or whether she will be able to get a boyfriend, or new friends, whether she’ll be able to run as fast as she did when she was on the track team. She avoids reflective surfaces and despises the immunosuppressive drugs she has to take for making her weak and tired, even though they are saving her life. Faceless shows readers the damage that traumatic accidents can do to one’s psyche—in particular, how bittersweet it feels to be the recipient of a life-changing transplant, and how it feels to lose a part of yourself. Maisie, when in the hospital thinking about whether or not she wants a face transplant, says, “I never thought there was such a thing as a list of names, people waiting for new faces. People waiting for someone else to die.” Once she gets home from the hospital, she has nightmares that make her wake up screaming and crying; but she dreams of her donor’s accident, not her own. She worries about being “a living, breathing ghost,” worries that her donor’s family will see her “walking around with a dead person’s face.” In Faceless, Sheinmel asks how much of yourself can you lose while still being the same person you were before? What makes you you, your body or your soul, and how can the physical alteration of your body complicate these matters? Faceless by Alyssa Sheinmel. Scholastic Press, 2020. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
Book Reviews
Free Lunch, Reviewed by Anushka, 11
Free Lunch by Rex Ogle is a book made purely from the truth. The book tells the story of the author’s lived experience with the horrors of poverty, inequality, and racism in America. It is a moving and inspiring story about the author’s perseverance. I admire Rex Ogle so much. The setting is a wealthy school district where young Rex is starting middle school. It seems everyone but Rex has a car, a house, clothes that fit them, and enough money to make a living. In addition to the slights Rex encounters because of his socio-economic status, he experiences discrimination because of his race. At home, Rex’s parents are jobless and rely on government aid to feed the family. They often rely on fast food for lunch, dinner, and breakfast. Rex’s parents seem to neglect him and his little brother. Rex is often responsible for providing the meals for the family and caring for his baby brother. This book taught me so much about the flaws in our society and the connections between societal problems. It made me question many things I took for granted. For example, why is it that success in our society is defined by having a house and car? Why can’t everyone get free lunch in our schools? There is no need to distinguish between students based on their family income. Why can’t affordable and healthy foods be available in schools, restaurants, and stores so that people won’t have to turn to fast food? If students cannot pay for their school supplies, they should be available for free from the school. Sometimes students are not able to cope with the school work. There should be after school support for them. There should be free or affordable childcare support for parents. Jobs should be easier to get and pay well. Accessibility to jobs and information is not equal in our society. It should be equal. Surely we can invest more in the education, health, and well being of our children instead of wars. This book should be assigned reading for all middle school children. Children who read this book will step into the shoes of someone who is not like them—into the world of someone who is suffering. They will learn about racism and discrimination. They will learn how hard it is to get out of the cycle of poverty. Children who read this book will want to make a change and help others around them. They will learn to want to change society for the better. They will learn not to want too much. Children who do not have enough now will learn to have hope and persistence. Incredibly, despite the difficult subject matter and many tearful parts, this book made me feel hopeful in a hopeless world. My favorite part in the book was when Rex made a friend who he was able to talk to about stories, family, and even serious topics like the existence of God. The relationship between Rex and this friend is a true friendship because of the kind of connection they make with each other. Unfortunately, many friendships that my peers have are shallow. True friendships, however, can give people hope. This book is so unique because it is written by a person who has faced poverty and climbed out of it. Rex Ogle is not trying to be someone they are not. His honesty and truth are evident in the writing and flow of the book. This is what makes the book so special for me. I haven’t read anything like it. I think Rex Ogle is telling us through his life story to never give up hope, even though the temptation may be high. This is especially relevant when we are in the midst of a global pandemic, climate change threatens the existence of life, and tensions and conflicts are all around us. We are being tested right now. It seems we are being pushed to our limits. The story in this book tells us how to cope with such despair and uncertainty. You have to be persistent. You must have trust in others around you. Free Lunch by Rex Ogle. Norton Young Readers, 2021. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus, Reviewed by Emma, 9
Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling is a great book in so many ways. This book caught my eye when I was browsing the shelves of Barnes And Noble. The spine had the title on it in bold, bright letters, and it had a colorful background. Who wouldn’t read a book called Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus? So, I pulled the book off the shelf and saw the almost comic-strip-looking design of the front cover, decorated with a picture of a cactus in a green cape. Naturally, that was one of the books I took home, and immediately started reading. But the cover isn’t the only good thing about this novel. Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus is a perfect story of high school life, and many high schoolers will be able to connect with the story. Aven Green, the main character in this novel, is a girl who was born without arms, but her high school experience is unremarkable otherwise. Bullies. Dangerous lunchtimes. Friendships. Crushes. However, Aven’s life outside of school is anything but ordinary. Aven’s parents run an amusement park; in fact, they dragged her to Arizona for that very reason. Some of Aven’s friends are pretty different, too. Trilby’s homeschooled and likes punk rock. Lando and Zion convinced Aven to attend Comic Con. Connor has Tourette’s Syndrome. Henry, an old man who runs an ice cream shop, is losing his memory. These friends are the people Aven sticks close to, in case trouble comes her way—which it always does—and these are the friends who can embrace Aven’s differences. The character and plot development in this book are spectacular. There are so many fun facts about every character in this book. Trilby’s dad used to be in a punk band—that’s why she likes punk rock so much! Lando and Zion’s parents are total superhero nerds. Henry doesn’t know where the rest of his family is. Connor likes to sometimes bark like a dog. This abundance of characters keeps you interested throughout the whole book, until you start seeing each character as having their own story and plot. Speaking of plot, all the little things and problems in this book seem separate until they all connect together into the main theme: navigating high school and finding your own community in the process. To all the young people out there: are you strong enough to make your way through high school? Is Aven? Moments Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling. Union Square Kids, 2021. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
