Twelve Steps to Normal

December 18, 2017
Sixteen-year-old Kira moves back home after eight months of living with her aunt in Oregon while her father was in rehab. Back in Texas, Kira is happy
to reunite with her best friends Lin, Whitney, and Raegan, and she hopes to reconnect with her ex-boyfriend, Jay. What she doesn’t expect is that her father has opened up their home to three other recovering alcoholics he met at rehab. Kira is upset by her father’s choice in roommates and does her best to keep the situation secret, but Lin knows Kira is hiding something, and Whitney is now dating Jay. Meanwhile, Kira’s middle school crush, Alex, is starting to feel like the only person she can talk to. Debut novelist Penn uses her own experience with an alcoholic father (discussed in an author’s note) as a basis for Kira’s relationship with her father—or, rather, the relationship she wishes she had with him. Penn is open about the fact that her story doesn’t address some of the harsher aspects of addition and relapse, but it does emphasize the importance of support and forgiveness. Ages 14–up. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary & Media.

January 1, 2018

Gr 7 Up-Penn presents the dilemma of being a child of a recovering alcoholic with heart, melancholy, and an uplifting ending. Kira moves to Portland, OR from Texas where her dad is in an addiction rehab clinic. While away, Kira's embarrassment and despair lead to her cutting off her friends, breaking up with her boyfriend, and basically shutting down. Her homecoming to Texas upon her dad's release does not turn out as planned. She wants to pick up where she left off; unfortunately, too many wounds exist with family and friends. Paramount to Kira's struggle are her new roommates-Kira hadn't realized she'd be sharing her home with three other recovering alcoholics. Plus, her best friend is dating her former boyfriend while Kira herself has new romantic feelings for a childhood friend. Forced to face her own demons, the teen comes to understand that things can't go back; but with patience and acceptance, she can move forward. This is good choice for those seeking realism that isn't too disturbing. The book's tame and light romance with a dose of reality is a good bridge for middle grade readers looking to dabble in YA fiction. VERDICT A strong selection for middle school and high school libraries.-Lisa Ehrle, Falcon Creek Middle School, CO

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2018
Grades 9-12 Kira's life changed eight months ago when her alcoholic father went to rehab, and she moved from her small Texas hometown to stay with her aunt. She left behind her dance team, close friends, and a boyfriend. Now it's time to return, and she's nervous. Is her father sober for good? Will she and Jay resume their relationship? When Kira discovers her father has opened their home to three friends from rehab, and Jay is now dating one of her best friends, she is furious and plans her own 12 steps to the life she once had. Although Kira's path is often predictabledenial, anger, grief, and understanding take turns leading her through emotional growthPenn nicely captures the all-consuming emotions of a teen wrestling life into some sort of order. A comfortable new romance and an unexpected death provide comfort and catharsis. Penn's note to the reader explains that she too had a father who suffered from alcoholism, and it's this loving, compassionate hindsight that will speak honestly to readers in the same situation.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

Starred review from January 15, 2018
The 12 steps to sobriety are tough; the 12 steps to repairing high school friendships are also difficult. After a year away, Kira is returning home to small-town Cedarville, Texas, to once again live with her recovering-alcoholic father in the house they once shared with Kira's late grandmother. The white teen's re-entry stumbles immediately when she learns that some of her father's fellow rehab patients are staying there too. Kira also needs to work on rekindling friendships with her friends, as she avoided contact with them after she left. Then there's Jay, Kira's ex-boyfriend, who has moved on in Kira's absence to friend Whitney. What's a girl to do? In Kira's case, the answer is to create her own 12-step program to return to a normal life. Penn creates a realistic character in Kira, one who finely balances the rational thoughts of a child of addiction with the emotional struggles of a high school student. Kira's journey should speak to many teenage readers, even those who do not have firsthand experience with addiction or addicts. All of the characters (there are some people of color among Kira's friends) are captured with a sophisticated eye and create a well-rounded story. Latino Alex--a friend-turned-love-interest--may be too good to be true, but readers will probably easily forgive that. An author's note offers resources.A smart recommendation for readers looking to escape into a substantive world of personal discovery. (foreword) (Fiction. 12-16)

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