Sparrow

Read this in a day: yes, it's good, but I'm being harsh here with my 4 stars, so don't let that stop you.Content warning: some swear words. Not many, but say...5. And then a few band names that include a profanity, but that's getting picky (I am still actually laughing about the band name "Thunderb*tch", but some people will want to know.Good things:Want to know what is roiling around in a teen's head? It's here and it's well done and it's very clear how much parents are still needed during the "dark and angry" times.Fast read. LOTS of music references, from the Pixies to Nina Simone to some groups I've never heard of. There was enough real world that I'm assuming that the bands / songs mentioned are real, and the ones I looked up were there.Hmmm things:This is particular, but I am curiously confused about the author's choice of the protagonist's race. She's mixed, but the author appears not to be, and I don't think that there is a specific plot need for her race to be specified. Her racial identity read like a fog to me: morphing in and out of visibilty, but not often tangible. Which makes me wonder why the author chose it. Is it important? Is it not? Should it be? Is the point that regardless of race, grief and anxiety can cripple you and force you to fight your way out? Because the protagonist's mother did not have trouble affording take-out, therapy for her daughter, and so many other comforts that do not often represent the minority experience. That's not to say that the protagonist is necessarily a unicorn - there are plenty of professional minority families who can, but it's an unusual choice.The book is very clearly about anxiety and grief (see the other excellent reviews), and, on the one hand, having a minority protagonist does provide a representation in this area that YA often does not have. Which is good. However, she reads as white to me (barring a handful of comments and a briefly-described mean-girl scene), but that's an opinion.Does this even matter?Well, in a wonderful world, it should not, but many YA readers do not live there. I'm vetting this for a book club of African American, Hispanic, Mixed-Race and White teen girls, so this is a consideration that I spend more time on, since I want different voices to be represented in the discussion.Many, many girls will find pieces of themselves in Sparrow, which is important, but I think it's necessary to prepare a reader for the fact that this minority protagonist may not provide the representation that many minority girls may look for or expect.I don't have the answers on this, and I'm strongly leaning toward including it, not only because I think it's a really good (decently clean) read for girls, but because I think this exact discussion in the hands of these girls will be really interesting and give them all a different angle to consider. Because, at the end of the day, art and literature should be about providing ways to think about the world around us.I mention this here, because there are more and more minority girls looking for themselves in books, and hopefully this review will help them to decide for themselves.

I felt like I had a front row seat to Sparrow’s life. It was interesting and well written. A quick read with some suspense. The shrink that she has is awesome. I really liked how Sparrow’s mind was processing and how the therapist was clever with her. A mind under trauma thinks differently.

Relatable to young teens who are more than shy. Happy yet believable ending. Recommend readers play songs mentioned while reading.

This should be read by every middle schooler, especially by POC girls. Or by any fans of literature and punk rock.

Such a good book! Reading it to my son as well!!!

The details were great, it was perfectly paced and had an amazing ending. 10/10 would recommend.

I wish I 'd had this book growing up. It says so perfectly some of the things I could never put into words about love and grief and social anxiety and anxiety in general. The relationships are each such perfect jewels, and the prose is gorgeous. This should adorn any YA-lover's bookshelf, and anyone interested in young adults' mental health.

This book was amazing. We are reading it in my book club and I am so grateful we did. It touched my heart and soul. Had me crying and laughing. Th characters were relatable and I felt every fear, pain, sorrow, gratefulness, and enjoyment just as Sparrow felt then. Highly recommend.