So recently, when I finished a book for grown-ups about friends, I decided to put a list together of books for teenagers about friends and friendship. Because like the old John Lennon song goes, don't we all just "get by with a little help" from our friends?
Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts: A very unlucky 17 year-old finds herself seven months pregnant, abandoned by her boyfriend, and stranded in Oklahoma. Her luck changes when people with hearts full of kindness and compassion of the small Oklahoma town take her in.
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares: "A pair of jeans purchased at a thrift store is the unlikely bond that keeps four best friends emotionally connected during the first summer that they spend physically apart." -Publisher's Weekly
Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary Schmidt: A new kid in town--with a strict minister for a father-- befriends a former slave-girl to help him make sense of and enjoy his new town and new life. This coming-of-age story has a lot of lessons to teach about tolerance, acceptance, friendship, and love.
Godless by Pete Hautmann: Jason's story begins like this: "Getting punched hard in the face is a singular experience. I highly recommend it to anyone who is a little too cocky, obnoxious, or insensitive. I also recommend it to people who think they're smart enough to avoid getting punched in the face by the likes of Henry Stagg." The book is a interesting tale about Jason's journey to find some answers about life, friendship and family, and religion.
Make Lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolff: Told in poems, this is a brilliant story of a young girl trying to save money for college by babysitting. But her babysitting job ends up being more than just a way to make money, it becomes the start of a beautiful friendship between the babysitter and the mother of the baby-a 17 year-old single mother trying to find her own way.
Here's to friendship. Old and new. Hope you enjoy the books. Let me know if you do!
Keep Reading,
-stenson
1 comment:
I like friendship books too! I like the heart in the stories. I really like the book when it has adventure in it. My least favorite are when the friend die in a gory way.
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