One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies

Sones, Sonya, One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2004, 268 pgs.

Summary: Following the style of many of Sonya Sones books, this novel is completely in verse lending it to be a very quick and easy read. Don’t let this fool you, the topics and struggles that Ruby encounters are very real. Ruby’s mother has just passed away and she must move to Hollywood, CA where her father is a big movie star. Her father has never been a part of her life and now he is the only real family she has. The reader follows Ruby through living in a mansion and always having drivers, to going to a high school with celebrity’s children and figuring our if she wants to fit in and then how to do that. Many topics such as homosexuality, popularity, relationships, and expressing who you are line the pages of this simply written novel.

Evaluation: As with most of Sones’ books, this one is easy to follow and full of humor that you can’t help but laugh at. This book is edgy in its format as well as with the topics of stardom, fitting in at a new school, and homosexual parents. I enjoy reading novels in verse and really enjoyed this one in particular because of the unique view. Most girls would love getting to move to Hollywood, dream come true, but Sones adds the extra twists that I think are really relatable. I would recommend this to just about any young adult, but girls are more likely to grab this than boys.

Annotation: My mom died and now I am forced to live with my movie star dad. He really doesn’t know me at all.

Significance of Book: It is not as common to find young adult novels where the relationship is between a father and daughter and the mother has passed away. This book does an excellent job of highlighting this type of relationship.

Genre/subject: father/daughter relationships, realistic fiction, novels in verse

Awards:

National:

• ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers: 2005
• Best Fiction for Young Adults: 2005

State:

• Arizona: Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominees: 2006
• Indiana: Eliot Rosewater Award Nominees: 2007
• Iowa: Teen Award Nominees: 2007
• Maine: Student Book Award Nominees: 2006
• Missouri: Gateway Readers Award Nominees: 2007
• New Hampshire: Isinglass Award Nominees: 2006
• Pennsylvania: Young Reader's Choice Award Nominees: 2006
• South Carolina: YA Book Award Nominees: 2007
• Texas: Tayshas Reading List: 2006

Why I selected the book: I enjoy books in verse and really started liking Sones after her book Stop Pretending. Thought I would give this a try thinking it might be a lighter read than her others.

Price: $ 16.95