Powerful conclusion to a stunning trilogy: Fallout By Ellen Hopkins

Fallout

By Ellen Hopkins


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Hunter, Autumn, and Summer—three of Kristina Snow’s five children—live in different homes, with different guardians and different last names. They share only a predisposition for addiction and a host of troubled feelings toward the mother who barely knows them, a mother who has been riding with the monster, crank, for twenty years.

Hunter is nineteen, angry, getting by in college with a job at a radio station, a girlfriend he loves in the only way he knows how, and the occasional party. He's struggling to understand why his mother left him, when he unexpectedly meets his rapist father, and things get even more complicated.

Autumn lives with her single aunt and alcoholic grandfather. When her aunt gets married, and the only family she’s ever known crumbles, Autumn’s compulsive habits lead her to drink. And the consequences of her decisions suggest that there’s more of Kristina in her than she’d like to believe.

Summer doesn’t know about Hunter, Autumn, or their two youngest brothers, Donald and David. To her, family is only abuse at the hands of her father’s girlfriends and a slew of foster parents. Doubt and loneliness overwhelm her, and she, too, teeters on the edge of her mother’s notorious legacy.

As each searches for real love and true family, they find themselves pulled toward the one person who links them together—Kristina, Bree, mother, addict. But it is in each other, and in themselves, that they find the trust, the courage, the hope to break the cycle.

Told in three voices and punctuated by news articles chronicling the family’s story, FALLOUT is the stunning conclusion to the trilogy begun by CRANK and GLASS, and a testament to the harsh reality that addiction is never just one person’s problem.

Review
Fallout - an unexpected or incidental effect, outcome, or product.

FALLOUT is exactly that definition....the effects of Kristina Snow's addiction with crank. The fallout that the title is referring to is the effects on her kids. FALLOUT tells the story of three of Kristina's children: Hunter (the oldest), and two daughters, Autumn and Summer.

Each of these children live different lives with different families. Hunter, the most fortunate of Kristina's children, lives with his grandparents in a normal life. Hunter constantly battles his own demons, though. He has a decent job with a local radio station and a relationship with a good girl, Nikki. But Hunter is constantly messing up that relationship and trying to find ways to prove to Nikki that he truly loves her.

Autumn is the daughter of the infamous Trey. She lives with her Aunt Cora and her grandfather. Her situation isn't that bad, either. But her aunt is getting married and that changes everything. It's at her aunt's wedding that Trey appears and shakes things up.

And finally we meet Summer. Summer lives in a broken-down trailer these days with her alcoholic father and his current flame. Summer had a decent boyfriend, but ruins it all when she falls for his best friend, bad news Kyle.

During the course of the next few months, the children of Kristina are on a spiral to a surprise ending one Christmas. They will all come together in an unplanned way.

FALLOUT is yet another amazing novel by Ms. Hopkins. It is an emotional roller coaster that leaves the reader saddened, and then triumphant, for the children affected by a parent's addiction.

Reviewed by: Jaglvr

Biography

Ellen Hopkins is the New York Times bestselling author of Crank, Burned, Impulse, Glass, Identical, Tricks, and Fallout. Her novels are praised by teens and adults alike, and she has been called the “bestselling living poet in the U.S.” by mediabistro.com. She lives with her family in Carson City, Nevada. Be sure to visit Ellen Hopkins online at ellenhopkins.com; myspace/com/ellenhopkins; and twitter.com/ellenhopkinsYA.


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A Warm, Whimsical Story Of Friendship's Transitions: City Dog, Country Frog

City Dog, Country Frog

By Mo Willems (Author), Jon J Muth (Illustrator)

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City Dog ran like the wind across the field in front of the old farmhouse until he saw something very unusual sitting on a rock. Very soon he had met the acquaintance of Country Frog perched on a rock. He sat right down next to him on a rock peering into his big googly eyes. His tail was wagging when he asked what Country Frog was up to. "Waiting for a friend." There wasn't anyone in sight, but the smiling frog replied, "But you'll do." Spring had begun and they played games and cavorted around. Of course Country Frog's games were things like "jumping and splashing and croaking." City Dog even let Country Frog sit on his head as he dog paddled through the water. 

Summer arrived and they played new games, games that City Dog knew how to play like fetch. He taught Country Frog how to sniff and bark too. They played and played and played until fall arrived. The leaves had changed color and began to drift to the ground with their splash of color. Frog was getting tired and wanted to play "remember-ing games." Frog sat on his snout as they began to remember. Later City Dog and Country Frog sat on the rock and remembered how much fun they had. Winter arrived, but when City Dog raced through the snow to see his friend at their rock he was nowhere to be found. Where had he gone? Perhaps he would see him when spring rolled around again. 

This beautiful, heartwarming story about friendship will charm both children and adults alike. Every child eventually creates a friendship with someone special in their life and this unlikely, but joyful friendship, will bring a smile to those who have created them. The gorgeous watercolors create that special aura of the excitement and special moments that only close friends share. There also, unfortunately, is sadness of the loss of a friend, but the possibility of a new one. This is a very special book that city folk, country folk, and all kind of friends will be able to embrace and relate to! -- D. Fowler "Dragonfly77" (Vermont)

Review
I first read this book to my three-year-old daughter at the library. We brought it home and read it no less than twenty times. I teared up almost every time.

Our family has dealt with the loss of both pets and friends in the past year. My daughter is a bit wise for her age. She asked me what happened to frog. I asked her what she thought happened. She answered "He died, right Mom?" We were able to have such great conversations about friendship, death and new beginnings thanks to this book.

There is more than one lesson to be learned from Dog and Frog, for every reader, at any age.

By the way, I bought two copies.-- carbotee

Biography

Jon J Muth (Illustrator)
Jon J. Muth's watercolor art has been called 'quietly life-changing' by the New York Times. He is the author and artist of The Three Questions and the bestselling picture book Zen Shorts, as well as A Family of Poems by Caroline Kennedy, which was a national bestseller. Other works include the graphic novel Moonshadow, and A Family Christmas. He lives in New York.

Mo Willems (Author)
A three-time Caldecott Honor winner for Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity, Mo Willems has also won two Geisel Medals for There is a Bird on Your Head! and Are You Ready to Play Outside? And his books are perennial New York Times bestsellers. Before he turned to children's books, Mo was a writer and animator on Sesame Street, where he won six Emmy Awards. Mo lives with his family in Massachusetts.


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Perfect Board Books for Little Ones: A Little Books Boxed Set Featuring Little Pea, Little Hoot, Little Oink

A Little Books Boxed Set Featuring Little Pea, Little Hoot, Little Oink

By Amy Krouse Rosenthal

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Three adorable characters in three adorable board books! These clever twists on dinnertime, bedtime, and clean-up time will delight all the little mess-makers, picky eaters, and night owls in your life.

Review
This set contains three books: //Little Pea//, //Little Hoot//, and //Little Oink//. Little Hoot is a young owl who is told to stay up much past his bedtime, because that is what owls are supposed to do. Little Oink is a piglet who likes things clean and orderly but is told to mess his room up. Little Pea hates having to eat candy for dinner and would much rather eat spinach. Each main character breaks their stereotypical mold.

This is a set of books that belongs on every infant and preschool-aged child's bookshelf. This would also make a wonderful baby shower gift. These stories are absolutely adorable! Amy Krouse Rosenthal's writing is whimsical and perfect for the targeted age group. Jen Corace's illustrations are darling and playful. This set is something I am definitely saving for the day I have my own children.-- Jen LeBrun "Sacramento Book Review" (Sacramento, CA)


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