Betsy Byars - The Summer of the Swans: Literature Guide

Pros: Excellent tone and atmosphere;realistic;great characterizations

Cons: None

The Bottom Line: This is for today's moody 14-year-old and for the eternal moody 14-year-old--it complains with you, then lets you know you won't be 14 forever.

Review: Why are there vacations from school when there are no vacations from life, especially early-adolescence? Early-adolescence even sucks the joy and/or relaxation out of summer vacation. So you combat it by taking on projects, and what happens? You're lucky...

Pros: Great book for younger teens

Cons: None

Review: When I was 13 I felt like the ugliest, freakiest, nerdiest person on the planet. Doesn't everyone? Unfortunately, most of the books that were being written for my age group at that time were silly rubbish about proms and boyfriends.That was the last...