Extraordinary Books about Ordinary Teens
By Hollie Parry

February’s books are just the flavor of realistic fiction that I love. They are about ordinary teens living ordinary lives and overcoming ordinary problems in ways that are anything but ordinary. Some of them struggle with knowing what decisions to make, while others find themselves trying to overcome their own inadequacies or strong emotions that they don’t know how to deal with initially.

Just like the amazing, valiant youth that I work with in my ward, these fictitious characters find that although the world may say otherwise, that right is still always right and following what you know to be right (otherwise known as the Spirit) is always the sure way to happiness.

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The Makeover of James Orville Wickenbee by Anya Bateman

When you start to read this book you may think as I did that you can already predict the ending. Not so!!! I found out that although it is written in a classic LDS novel style, that there are some twists and turns and an ending that I hadn’t expected.

Jana and Alex are high school-aged twins who live with their divorced mother in a typical town and go to a typical high school. Jana is obsessed with popularity and also with ensuring that her brother Alex is elected as student body president. Alex introduces Jana to his new friend, James Orville Wickenbee, and right away she can see that all her dreams for Alex and popularity will be threatened by the geeky James.

Quickly, Jana forms a plan to “make-over” James and possibly salvage Alex’s high school career as a politician. What she never sees coming is that there is more to James Orville Wickenbee than meets the eye; something that may change the lives of those around her and quite certainly, her own. A very entertaining read!

Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Free Throws by Janette Rallison

Josie and Cami are best friends who share many things, including the love of basketball. Josie is naturally good at basketball and seems to effortlessly make basket after basket. On the other hand, while Cami is not as talented as Josie, she is obsessed at becoming #1 at basketball and has the long standing dream of meeting Rebecca Lobo, a women’s basketball star.

It seems as though the love of the game and the fierce distain of their common popular enemy, Ashley, would be just the formula to ensure that nothing can come between Josie and Cami. That is unless you count Ethan, the dreamy heartthrob of the school who just so happens to be Josie’s crush and Ashley’s current boyfriend. Find out what happens in this witty book, Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Free Throws.

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A Friend at Midnight by Caroline B. Cooney

Lily is a high school student who loves learning, loves languages, and loves numbers. But most of all, she loves her family. She is not a person who usually feels rage and anger, but following a terrible event involving her father and her little brother, Michael, she experiences stronger feelings of hatred than she has ever felt before. Held by a promise she made to her little brother, Lily does not tell her mother and stepfather what has happened to Michael or why she nor longer wants anything to do with her father. She keeps Michael’s secret because she worries that the reaction of others will do more damage to Michael than has already been done. She knows that Michael naively believes that by keeping silent, he will gain the love and acceptance from their father that he has always craved.

In church on Sunday, the pastor of Lily’s church talks about forgiveness and about the words of Christ to Peter, which command that we must forgive each other seven times seventy. Lily struggles with this concept because she feels like her father has far exceeded being forgiven seven times seventy. Instead of finding a way to use the words of Christ to heal her heart, she fosters her anger and bottles up her feelings until she finds that she can’t escape their ugly influence on her life. Lily thinks that God has abandoned her and although she doesn’t like the way she feels, she gets angry with God for not caring more and avenging Michael.

When I began this book, I was caught up instantly in Lily’s feelings. I felt like Lily was justified and agreed with her anger and some of her actions. By the time I got to the end of the book, I had gained a clearer insight to the powerful blessing it is to humbly forgive each other and through the Atonement, find freedom from Satan’s ugly grasp of anger and hatred. This book is a great read that I found very thought-provoking.