Stronger at the Seams: A Young Adult Coming of Age Novel About Disabilities, Chronic Illness, and Learning to Advocate for Yourself [Hardcover]

Gr 7-10--Stocker's debut YA novel tells a moving story of strength following a freshman girl struggling with a mysterious illness. Twyla's new nausea, headaches, and moodiness begin five years after the death of her mother at the start of high school. Her doctors say it's a mild digestive issue, but their recommended treatment makes her feel worse and she believes she has to take matters into her own hands to find a diagnosis herself. As her symptoms worsen, she is also dealing with her father's struggles with her mother's death, her annoying but well-meaning brother, falling out with her closest friends, and a mean girl on her field hockey team. Readers will find Twyla's story to be a balanced read, driven by the plot of Twyla trying to figure out her illness alongside the character-based empathy they will feel for her. The writing is descriptive and lyrical in style. Any teen who has a chronic illness or disability will relate to Twyla's frustration with her peers as she struggles to simply go to school while feeling unwell and her peers gossip about boys and popularity. VERDICT This must-read book for teens with chronic illness has universal themes for all readers about the importance of self-advocacy, family, and friendship.--Taylor Skorski, School Library JournalOverall, Stocker's young adult debut packs a hefty punch, building to a crescendo of emotions and a satisfying conclusion.Shannon Stocker. Blink, $18.99 (288p) ISBN 978-0-310-16235-3Fourteen-year-old Twyla Vogel thinks that helping her Louisville, Ky., high school's field hockey team win games should be her only concern. Instead, she's preoccupied with how sick she feels; dealing with frequent nausea and declining appetite during games, sleepovers, or school dances has taken its toll. Worse, her two best friends are spending more time together without her, a teammate seems determined to undermine her at every opportunity, and she's developed confusing feelings for her childhood friend Elliot. Following l£-