  | Take me with you when you go Author: Levithan, David | |
| Price: $23.78 | ||
Summary:
Ezra Ahern wakes up one day to find his older sister, Bea, gone. No note, no sign, nothing but a hidden email address. He never expected to be left alone with their abusive stepfather and their neglectful mother--how can he navigate life without Bea? Bea Ahern already knew she needed to get as far away from home as possible. She's alone in a new city chasing someone who might not want to be found. As things unravel at home for Ezra, Bea confronts life-changing secrets about their past.
| Added Entry - Personal Name: | Niven, Jennifer |
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: UG Reading Level: 4.60 Points: 9.0 Quiz: 515803 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (07/01/21)
School Library Journal (+) (07/23/21)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 07/23/2021 Gr 8 Up—"You burned the bridge, Bea—and you still wanted me to walk on it?" When Ezra's 18-year-old sister abandons their abusive home, all she leaves 15-year-old Ezra is a secret email address. He, better than anyone, understands Bea's urge to escape, but why now? When Bea won't answer and cuts off communication, a desperate Ezra snaps. After trying to burn their house down, he ends up living with Bea's bereft boyfriend, then with his own boyfriend, Terrence. Bea, homeless after following the promise of a better life with someone she met online, finds both more and less than she and Ezra bargained for. The siblings are taking their first, harrowing steps toward a better future—but can either manage without the other? Ezra and Bea are white; Terrence is Black. Once readers of this novel-in-emails accept that both siblings are mature writers who can recount extensive scenes, including dialogue, they will be richly rewarded. In this heartrending tale, nuanced and flawed characters struggle with secrets, crises, and complex questions about family, love, loyalty, and responsibility. The story emphasizes that many kids hide family dysfunction, that they need to know they are not alone, and that they can survive and find others who will value them. The book includes strong language and mild sexual situations. It offers a list of resources for those struggling with abuse. VERDICT This epistolary narrative about a brother and sister escaping their abusive family will grab readers from the first page and does not let go. Highly recommended.—Rebecca Moore, The Overlake Sch., Redmond, WA - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
