Hey Jude

by Star Spider

Overview

★“An emotionally layered book with accurate insight into mental illness, ideal for reluctant readers.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Seventeen-year-old Penny is struggling to balance caring for Jude, her sister with mental health challenges, working part-time to help her mother with money issues and facing her final year of high school. She does not need any distractions. But then she meets Jack. The two of them click immediately. But as quickly as things heat up, they then cool down, and Penny isn’t sure why. Does she have room for her feelings for Jack alongside her worries that her sister is crashing into suicidal depression again?

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459826359
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	09/22/2020
Series:	Orca Soundings Series
Edition description:	High readability edition
Pages:	112
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.32(d)
Lexile:	HL630L (what's this?)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Star Spider's stories and poetry often explore mental health and LGBTQ themes. She is the author of Past Tense (HarperCollins) and Hey Jude in the Orca Soundings line. She lives in Toronto.

Editorial Reviews

Realistic and well-developed...Highly Recommended.

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

★ 2020-05-16
Penny’s life hasn’t been her own since she started caring for her sister, Jude, but everything starts to change when she meets Jack.

Their mother works night shifts as a nurse, leaving high school senior Penny to pick up the slack. Her life revolves around Jude, school, and work. Penny isn’t complaining, though; she loves Jude and recognizes how challenging it is for Jude to cope with her depression, particularly since it has been only one year since Jude attempted suicide. Penny seems to have it together until she meets cool, handsome Jack, who gives her butterflies all over. With everything going on in her life, Penny is torn between wanting to be there for her sister while also having a life of her own. The book talks about suicide, depression, gender, and sexuality in an appropriate, honest, and sensitive manner. The main characters each have a strong character arc that is explored to the fullest despite the short length and accessible vocabulary. The author’s passions for diversity and mental health come across. Main characters are cued as white; Jack is brown-skinned and there is ample LGBTQIA representation. There are multiple mentions of suicide and suicide attempts.

An emotionally layered book with accurate insight into mental illness, ideal for reluctant readers. (Fiction. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews