This new novel is a stunning YA about following your heart and being persistent and having grit in the face of disappointment. I’ve taught teens for thirteen years and they can definitely use some modeling and mentoring in the persistence and grit departments. This is Fantastic YA realistic fiction from Justina Chen!  Narrator Viola discovers she has an extreme case of photosensitivity and this medical diagnosis threatens all her future plans as a high school senior. Can she

The many pleasures of reading are a joy to those that enjoy losing yourself in a book and finding a window into another person’s life. As a school librarian, I also see the wisdom of using books to teach empathy to children and teens. Reading about a perspective that is outside of your everyday life encourages you to be curious, ask questions and seek information about this new world. Books build empathy, “the more effort we make trying to figure out a character’s intention