Welcome to the monthly children’s book review feature with a focus on diverse books here at Bird Meets Worm! My team of reviewers—Joan Charles, Laurie Young, Sarah Orgill—and I are so excited to be championing books celebrating everything from gender diversity, people of color, the LGBTQ community to ethnic, cultural and religious minorities, people with disabilities and developmental challenges to controversial topics, unique family situations and anything and everything I did not include. It is to say we take a rightfully broad view of diversity! We aim to shine a light on books that bring both familiar experiences to those who do not often see themselves represented in books and new experiences to those looking to expand their worldview. Here at Bird Meets Worm we believe in the power of story to build empathy and thus a better world for you and me and everyone. Look for a new review on the second Wednesday of every month.
CURSED
Written by Karol Ruth Silverstein • Jacket design by Joyce White
Young Adult (ages 12 & up) • 336 pages
Charlesbridge Teen/Charlesbridge Publishing • 2019
ISBN 978-1-58089-940-6
I feel fairly confident in saying that few readers will have met anyone like the protagonist of Cursed—she’s pissed off. She has a mouth that would make a sailor proud. And she’s in pain. All. The. Time.
14-year-old Ricky Bloom has been diagnosed with a debilitating, degenerative disease; one that makes every step, and even the smallest movement, excruciatingly painful. One that she goes to great lengths to hide from her classmates at Grant Middle School. Yes, she’s still in middle school. To add to her humiliation, after her illness caused her to miss too many school days, she now has to relive ninth grade all over again.
Ricky is whip-smart and not above enacting an elaborate and highly successful plan for cutting school. In fact, she hasn’t attended class in six weeks. But the delicate balance she has created for herself is about to come crashing down and Ricky will have to face the fact that despite her disease, she will have to go to school.
This book is hilarious and moving and thought-provoking as the reader gets to see life through Ricky’s eyes and how she navigates the demands of ninth grade, while managing the challenges of a body that has its own demands. The voice is sharp, authentic and—be forewarned—rife with curse words, especially the one that starts with “F”. But you will understand her frustration and feel her pain, and want to shout those words, too, for Ricky.
Buy this book:
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Reviewed by: Laurie Young