Saving Red

by Sonya Sones, Caitlin Kelly (Reading)

Right before winter break, fourteen-year-old Molly Rosenberg reluctantly volunteers to participate in Santa Monica’s annual homeless count, just to get her school’s community service requirement out of the way. But when she ends up meeting Red, a spirited homeless girl only a few years older than she is, Molly makes it her mission to reunite her with her family in time for Christmas. This turns out to be extremely difficult—because Red refuses to talk about her past. There are things Molly won’t talk about either. Like the awful thing that happened last winter. She may never be ready to talk about that. Not to Red, or to Cristo, the soulful boy she meets while riding the Ferris wheel one afternoon.

When Molly realizes that the friends who Red keeps mentioning are nothing more than voices inside Red’s head, she becomes even more concerned about her well-being. How will Molly keep her safe until she can figure out a way to get Red home? In Sonya Sones’ latest novel, two girls, with much more in common than they realize, give each other a new perspective on the meaning of family, friendship, and forgiveness.

Genres: Young Adult, Poetry, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Romance

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 18, 2016

About the author

SONYA SONES has written seven young adult novels in verse: Stop Pretending, What My Mother Doesn’t Know, What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know, One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies, To Be Perfectly Honest, Saving Red, and The Opposite of Innocent.

Her books have received many awards, including a Christopher Award, the Myra Cohn Livingston Award for Poetry, the Claudia Lewis Poetry Award, a Los Angeles Times Book Prize nomination and a Cuffie Award from Publisher’s Weekly for Best Book Title of the year. But the coolest honor she ever received was when her novel, What My Mother Doesn’t Know, landed her a spot on the American Library Association’s list of the Most Frequently Banned Authors of the 21st Century. (To find out why, see page 46.)

Sonya has also written a novel in verse for grownups—the Los Angeles Times bestseller The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus, a coming of middle-age story about learning to grow old disgracefully, which was optioned by Michelle Pfeiffer, and has contributed poems and short stories in verse to lots of anthologies.

Her books have been recognized by the American Library Association as Best Books for Young Adults and Quick Picks For Reluctant Young Readers, and have received a dozen state awards for Best Young Adult Book of the Year.

Reviews

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)

“Maybe no one can give me
what I want for the holidays.
But I can give
that gift to someone else!”

This was a YA contemporary story, written in verse, about a girl trying to help a homeless girl.

Molly was a caring girl, and it was obvious how strongly she felt about trying to help Red. I did think that her ideas about getting her home to her family in time for Christmas were maybe a little optimistic, but I think this was in part due to her own experiences with her brother. I also felt quite sorry for her in that her friends had turned their backs on her, and Red ended up being her only friend.

“I didn’t even notice that, along the way
somewhere, she’d become my best friend.”

The storyline in this was about Molly befriending this homeless girl called Red, who had schizoaffective disorder, and heard voices. We also got a bit of backstory about Molly’s brother Noah who had gone missing the previous New Year’s Eve, and a fast but sweet romance between Molly and a boy she met on a Ferris wheel.

“I like everything about you,”

The ending to this was pretty good, and things were wrapped up reasonably well. This book was just missing a little something for me.



6.5 out of 10

[Lucy Buller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book.
This book.
This book.
I have no idea
where to even start.
This book
Ripped out
My heart.
And that's all I'm going to write in verse :P speaking of things written in verse, THIS BOOK IS. It's the first book I've ever read written in verse, so it was a totally new experience for me.
This book is one the best representations of mental illness I've read. The main character, Molly, has panic attacks. It's something I've dealt with, and I feel like the author showed it in a raw and honest way, a way she couldn't have without the style she implemented. I know a lot of books use verse these days, so I know to me the style and story was so unique. To others, maybe it's not, but I really enjoyed it. Another character is super mentally unstable but I love how it shows she still a person, still human.
There is a really sweet, wonderful romance but it's not the whole point of the book, or super overwhelming. It was really cute and lovely.
So let's talk about the characters. There are really only six, which made this book really pop. Because there wasn't a ton, each one really got fleshed out and explored. I really loved all the characters, and I adored every word of the story within these pages.
I'm not going to say much more, because I knew nothing about this story before reading it and the reading experience was so, so good.
The verdict? GO READ THIS BOOK.

CONTENT GUIDE -
Intimacy - thoughts of kissing, a mentally ill character nearly strips, then nearly gets attacked by rapists
Drugs/drinking - a major character is hooked on pot
Cursing - almost none
Violence - none, but this book is really intense.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reviewing To Be Perfectly Honest: A Novel Based on an Untrue Story, I stated that if I could get back in my classroom I really wanted to read this title. As of May 4th, I am back in my school building and this made for the perfect read in-between distance learning.


 Saving Red is a captivating novel written in verse that explores teenage Molly's desire to help a runaway teen named Red and find the words to deal with her own family's heartbreak. There's also a sweet romance and a nice touch of humor that balances out the many other issues presented in the novel. Sonya Sones writes a page-turner that makes up for the 5 am wake up call. This author is quickly changing my opinion on entire novels written in verse.



Goodreads review published 13/05/20

[Wendi Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the exception of insta-love between Molly and Cristo, I truly enjoyed this novel-in-verse about a girl trying to save another girl in order to save herself.

And honestly, I thought Cristo was a pretty good character as well. I just wish their relationship had had a little more time to brew.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I might change my rating later but for now it's a 2.75.

I enjoyed this book, but it didn't blow me away. I wasn't a huge fan of the main character either, or the way that she thought. She kept repeating words over and over and it got annoying. I did however really enjoy the message of this book, how just because someone is homeless doesn't mean they don't have a family that loves them. I read parts of this book really quickly and other parts were just boring for me. The main character Molly talks about not being able to talk about something for more than half of the book. I thought it would be a giant secret she was keeping but it was nothing like that. I was going to give this book a 2 before the ending but now I need to know what happens. I needed at least 10 more pages! The book just ended! The ending is why it got an extra .75.

Overall I recommend this book if you're looking for a quick read. This book does talk about mental illness as well.

[Angel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Even for a YA novel this reads very young. And for a novel done in verse, not very poetic either... seemed more so to be crafted this way simply to add the illusion of length. None of the characters were able to win me over either and on top of that the insta-attraction/love... nope. Not for me. I usually love novels in verse too..

[Caitie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two and a half stars....I really wanted to like this book, and it could've been awesome but it turned out to not be awesome (for lack of a better word) at all. I'm clearly in the minority on this one, but there were too many things that bugged me.

I think my first problem with it was the fact that it was in verse. I get that it being in verse is the author's style, but I think for this book it didn't work. It lacked so much detail that I felt needed to be included, like more of a background on Molly's family life (even if Molly didn't want to talk about it). Her parents were both bizarre...so your brother goes missing and your mom suddenly becomes a pot-head and your dad becomes an alcoholic/workaholic? Makes no sense, but again, my son/brother isn't missing so I wouldn't know. Didn't the school notice something was weird? Or not, if they allowed Molly to bring her brother's emotional support animal to school with her....still off to me.

Then there was the whole thing with Red, something wasn't right there and Molly felt the need to help her all of a sudden. I don't think so. No one seemed to notice that two girls--one of whom obviously had issues--get a hotel room. Um, no, not in my book. Also, Molly meets a boy and all of a sudden she's on a date with him?! Then they're exchanging texts being all lovey-dovey!? Still no, would not happen.

[Trisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very tough story to read. One that I think would have benefited from a full novel style and less from the verse writing. Only because I think this is a strong story and one that should be told.

Red is homeless. She's young, living on the streets and is not terribly distressed by it. But this truth completely devastates Molly, who believes Red just needs her to save her. But Molly has a lot to learn about Red. About her life, about her past, and about her day to day world. Molly can't simply run in and "save" her. Besides, who really needs saving? Red or Molly?

A good story with a good purpose.

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 3 out of 5]

GRADE: B-
3.5 STARS

Fourteen-year-old Molly is determined to help a homeless girl not much older than her, but Red has other ideas. Both girls are struggling, for different reasons. Red heads voices, Molly suffers from anxiety and uses a service dog.

Molly narrates the story in first person verse. She's clearly a character in a lot of pain. Her brother is gone (dead, kidnapped, runaway?) and she blames herself. Her father throws himself into work, her mother into weed. Her friends have abandoned her.

I was glad to see Sonya Sones tackle the issue of schizoaffective disorder, because it's much an even more difficult condition to treat than schizophrenia. Red's thinking seemed a bit too organized that I'd expect from a homeless person off her meds, but Sones captured the essence of the disorder fairly well,

I enjoyed Sones' writing and felt connected to the story more than Molly. The story of her befriending and trying to save Red didn't seemed naive and a little insulting. Most people don't want to be saved.

I didn't like the insta-love story on steroids, and I do mean insta. I understood Molly needed a healthy foil to help figure out Red but I really hated the subplot. It distracted from the relationship between the girls and the speed of making eye contact to falling in love isn't romantic, it's creepy. YA can tell stories about family and friendship without romance, particularly romance that serves as a panacea.

The plot wrap up was tied in too pretty a bow for me.

I do recommend SAVING RED, despite my criticisms.

[Erikka · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fine story in verse about mental illness and charity and friendship. It is, however, not very appealingly written. I enjoyed the characters of Molly and Red. Molly is a good person with a lot on her mind and she tries to do the right thing. Red is schizoaffective and it's believably written. There's also a PTSD storyline that's intriguing. However, the Instalove is annoying, the language is like asking a teen who's just read an Ellen Hopkins book to try their hand at an issue novel in verse, and the fact that every! Exciting moment! Has an exclamation point! Is annoying! I think topically this book is important, but the writing would make me consider recommending other books on the topic first.

Thank you Edelweiss for the ARC!

[Cindy Newton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story told in verse about a young girl whose family has experienced trauma and loss trying to help a homeless girl get back to her own family. It was okay, but I wasn't really engaged. It has a nice message--that homeless people have histories and families that love them, and we should never forget that. My personal expectation of a novel told in verse is that there will be a certain level of lyricism, but it was lacking. I did like the way the author handled the reveal of what happened in Molly's family. Overall, it was just okay for me, but then I'm not the target audience, so that's okay.

[Samantha Matherne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was at first hesitant about reading a book that features a character with schizoaffective disorder. Molly shows a strong understanding for what Red deals with as she gets to know her, though, which made me feel eased into the situation. The goal in the beginning is for Molly to reunite Red to her family by Christmas, but she never intends to befriend the girl. Life has an interesting way of surprising us sometimes. I like how the entire story is somewhat based on what happened to Noah, Molly's brother, although I do wish more was given about him by the end. The point is family wants to know their missing loved ones are okay; the how is not always relevant, as evidenced by Red and Noah. Great story that supports mental health care and combating homelessness.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never read a novel in verse before, and this one was very powerful. An interesting analysis of mental illness. I especially loved the author’s note at the end where she talked about her inspiration for the book. The romance was instalove-y and not really my favorite, but I still really enjoyed the book, especially the ending.

[Shana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book is AMAZING. I don't even know where to begin it's so good. Let me start by saying I've never read anything by this author but as soon as I am done writing this review I plan to put other books on my list.
This book was so captivating I wished I could read even faster to know what would happen. It wavered between 100% realistic and not so much but then it wasn't because it couldn't happen but because my head was screaming "NO! That's not a good idea!" So it wasn't so much unrealistic as painfully realistic if that makes sense.

I love the themes in this story. The idea of what it means to exist in a family dealing with tragedy and a family that suffers from a fair amount of dysfunction is so relatable that I cannot wait to recommend it to students. The notion of loving someone with a mental illness was so incredibly portrayed from the ups and the downs and the ugly reality of what that is like.

Friends - read this book. You will NOT be disappointed. I rarely gush about a book (and you can see from my ratings I like a lot of books) but this one is worth the read. Plus I want someone else to read it so I have someone to talk about it with.

[Allyson Maclay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! here is so much I to talk about after reading this book! First as someone who works with homeless girls from age 13to21 that have all different mental status this book really tug at the heart strings! As someone who has a BA in psychology and has worked at mental health office this book really gave me an even better in site into the inner workings of this mental illness. Yes I have always understood what happens when a person has this but this just made it more real to me. But the only thing I can say is the ending was a bunch of emotions all in one

[Shelly Bross]

This book, written in verse, is a great read about homelessness, mental health, and families coming together again.

[Carson]

Alright let me start by saying that this, to me, was bad. I thought it had no plot to it other than a girl trying to save this other girl. There were some other things I did not like. For example, I hated the idea of the Duke and Lana because they kept telling Red to make the most stupid decisions. They would tell her that it was time for, "Her royal exit." This was just another way of saying go stand in the middle of the road and get hit by a car. I think that this was very fictional and therefore I did not like them. My other reason is because of the set-up. I am talking about the say the text was displayed. It was in a poem format which was just complete bologna to me. The book was probably only 150 pages. If it were in the format of a normal book, I think I could have liked it a bit more. But overall, I think that this was a poor choice for the Reading and Writing Festival, even though I know that there are some people out there that liked this book. I am open to hearing why they liked this book to try and persuade me to like it. But honestly, I don't think they can.

[Tissy]

Couldn't finish and couldn't rate. It's quite interesting but the writing is so distracting and I just don't feel a connection with the MC at least not enough to find out what the big secret is - though I can kind of guess. Will come back to at some point ...maybe.

[Sara (A Gingerly Review) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not crying, YOU are crying.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read. It was good. I am a mental health nurse and found this very well written on all aspects of these characters issues.

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sonya Sones made me cry today. Her new book, Saving Red, is a beautiful glimpse into the life of a struggling young girl whose encounter with a homeless girl changes much about her perspectives.

Molly has a secret. It’s not one she wants to tell anyone, but it is the reason she has an emotional support dog, Pixel, and also why Pixel is her only friend. Her mother is continually stoned, and her father is a workaholic. As part of a community service requirement, Molly helps with her city’s homeless count one fateful evening, and that’s where she first encounters Red, a woman not too much older than she is who sparks a need in Molly to take care of her. In fact, since she can’t save her own family, Molly makes it her mission to reunite Red with her family in time for Christmas.

While on this mission, Molly also meets a young man named Cristo. They are randomly seated together on the Ferris wheel and they are immediately attracted to each other. Molly has one “date” with Cristo before he goes away with his family to New York for a vacation. Cristo is on board with “Operation Red,” and tries to help Molly from afar.

There is so much to love about Saving Red. Sonya Sones has a gift with books in verse, and this one is no exception. The carefully crafted poems that weave this story lead the reader from one plot point to another. I could not put the book down. The characters are so deeply constructed that they feel like people in life, not just on the page. And when I reached the end (no spoilers, I promise!), which was INCREDIBLY satisfying, the tears sprang from my eyes.

Sonya Sones is far and away my favorite verse novelist, and Saving Red does not disappoint. I highly recommend this book.

[Elisa Zied · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was SO awesome. I loved the protagonist and her mission, felt her holes, and loved the dash of romance which felt SO almost 15. I also loved the dog. What a beautiful, beautiful book.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love how undemanding many novels in verse such as this one can be. Pages turn. Images and words aggregate. Characterization lyrical. Story told. All that space and opportunity make these books a dream to recommend to students who are unengaged or fed up with traditional novels.

This one features a spirited high school freshman whose December is very different this year. Her older brother Noah is missing. Her mother is self-medicating with marijuana and her dad with work. Hanukkah doesn't feel like much to celebrate, but things look up when Molly heads out to do service hours on a homeless census and meets two people who will change her life: Red, a young woman on the streets with schitzoprehenia whom Molly endeavors to reunite with family before Christmas and Cristo, a young man she meets near the ferris wheel at the beach whom she actually starts dating.

Not a life-changing book for me, but it could be just right for gritty-lite readers seeking a little bit of issue and a nice dash of romance.

[bjneary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sonya Sones has done it again; she is the master of novels in verse! Back in the 80s or 90s she came to Abington Senior High for the day and the students LOVED her and raved about her writing session. Saving Red illustrates Sones' command of each and every word; the longing, loss, and guilt Molly carries around since a year ago when her world turned upside down. Her dog, Pixel knows Molly and how to calm her down perfectly. Molly is a teen you root for; she had a very caring family and friends but her reality now consists of dysfunctional parents, a secret she can't bear to reveal and a homeless girl she befriends and tries to save. An even better part of the book is her accidental meeting of a guy, Cristo, on a bus and their hopeful developing relationship. LOVED LOVED LOVED this book; a must read for teens on homelessness, mental illness, and family problems & if you love dogs too!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really appreciate a few things about this book. Number one is the Jewish protagonist in a non-WWII novel; as a child, the only book with Jewish heroine that wasn't about escaping Nazis that I could find was my mother's copy of All-of-a-Kind Family from when she was little. (Representation really is important, as oversaturated as that message has become.) I also give Sones a lot of credit for giving panic/anxiety disorder as much space as the more "serious" mental illnesses depicted in the novel. What I'm less thrilled with is the romance subplot, which I didn't feel really added to the story, and the relative ease of getting Red help, although that's almost needed for this age group, which is on the young end of YA. Overall there's a lot to process in this novel, despite how quickly and easily it reads, which can only be a good thing.

[Mrs. Melaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

While taking a census of homeless people in her hometown (Santa Monica) to fulfill a community service requirement for school, Molly notices a red-haired homeless girl only a few years older than her and feels compelled to connect with her. In fact, Molly sets the unlikely goal of reuniting the girl, Red, with her family before Christmas – in ten days. Meanwhile, Molly’s family is falling apart, unable to deal with the disappearance of Molly’s brother with PTSD over a year ago. It’s not all gloom and doom as Molly’s faithful service dog, Pixel, lightens many scenes, and Molly experiences first love when she meets a wonderful boy, Cristo. Sonya Sones has a way of grabbing readers with her first sentence and keeping them engaged until the end, and this captivating story of mutual redemption is no exception.

[BookChic Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm such a huge fan of Sones' books and always love when a new book comes out from her. This book was very emotional and heartbreaking but extremely hopeful as well. Following along on Molly and Red's journey throughout the book, Molly initially wants to help Red out but through her time with Red, finds a new friend as well as some wisdom from Red for Molly's own past guilt. There's also a small but very sweet romance in the story between Molly and a guy Cristo she meets while searching the streets for Red. Like all of Sones' other books, this one is also told in verse, which she does beautifully and also makes this a very compelling, quick read.

[Desna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love verse novels and this is no exception. The language flows easily and realistically in the author's characters. Their voices ring true. There are many issues in this book from, guilt, anxiety, mental illness and the effects these have on the different characters. Molly and her new found friend Red were so real I just wanted to hug them both and take away their pain. Red is a quirky free spirit but also a prisoner in her own world. Loved this book.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fact that I got to meet Sonya Sones at ALAN and she told our group about her real life inspiration for this book makes it even more heartfelt and special. Written in verse, I think this is truly a novel that all YA readers and reading levels can get a glimpse into mental illness and the less than perfect family unit.

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Sonya Sones book.

Very touching.

Much like in "What My Mother Doesn't Know" Sonya Sones has created a romantic couple that is legitimately sweet and does not make me cringe. A rare quality in YA fiction.