Book Review: This is Our Story

THIS IS OUR STORY by Ashley Elston is a gripping, young adult novel exploring friendship, grief, and a search for the truth behind a death.

After a teen is killed while hunting with friends, it’s unclear whether the death was an accident or murder. As an intern in the District Attorney’s Office digs deeper into the investigation, she uncovers evidence leading to the novel’s shocking conclusion. The author does an exceptional job building tension and using changing narrators to keep readers in the dark until the intriguing conclusion.

Librarians will find this powerful suspense to be popular with mystery fans. Addressing a variety of social issues, this work of contemporary, realistic fiction would be a good choice for a book club discussion.

Published by Disney-Hyperion on November 15, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: The Thing About Jellyfish

THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH by Ali Benjamin is the touching story of a seventh-grade girl dealing with the death of a friend.

When Zu learns of her friend’s accidental drowning, she slowly withdraws and stops talking. Through flashbacks, we learn the story of their friendship and why she’s haunted by guilt. In her quest for solace and answers, she dives into an exploration of jellyfish in the hopes of solving the mystery of Franny’s death. Although she shuns family and friends with her single-minded quest, they’re understanding and supportive.

By exploring the death of a friend from the perspective of a bewildered child, Benjamin provides interesting insights into the confusion and devastation distinct to young grievers.

Although written for the middle grades, librarians will enjoy the authentic storyline that bridges into young adult interest. The mixture of chapter introductions focusing on the scientific method, fascinating information about jellyfish, and heart-wrenching flashbacks sets this novel apart from other works of realistic fiction on the topic of dealing with the death of a friend. With lots of opportunities for thought-provoking discussions, this well-written work of realistic fiction would be a great choice for literature circles.

Look for this title to appear on Newbery short lists. It’s a winner!

Learn more about the author at http://alibenjamin.com.

Published by Little Brown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Hachette on September 22.