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Surviving American History
(Hi-Lo book, Written in verse)
Gabi is furious about her parents divorcing and moving her away from her hometown, her friends, and her school. But on the day she moves away, a shooter opens fire on Gabi's old school, killing her American History classmates. She knows she should have been in that classroom. Now Gabi has to navigate a new school and new social circles, while dealing with a looming dark cloud of grief, survivor's guilt, and fear. She meets impulsive troublemaker Lennon, who might just understand her dark side, or may pull her deeper into it.
Gabi is furious about her parents divorcing and moving her away from her hometown, her friends, and her school. But on the day she moves away, a shooter opens fire on Gabi's old school, killing her American History classmates. She knows she should have been in that classroom. Now Gabi has to navigate a new school and new social circles, while dealing with a looming dark cloud of grief, survivor's guilt, and fear. She meets impulsive troublemaker Lennon, who might just understand her dark side, or may pull her deeper into it.
- GenresRealistic Fiction
200 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2021
37 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 17, 2021
I have read quite a lot of this type of Hi Lo books before and truly enjoy them
These books are also quite short, so you are not committing to reading a really long, involved, meandering read. Hi Lo books are also quite short, so you are not committing to reading a really long, involved, meandering read, in fact if you want a short read, or a book to get you out of a “reading rut” then I highly recommend them. Hi Lo stands for High Interest, Lower reading age. I think it is great that there are books to encourage those who perhaps don’t read as much or didn’t get the love of reading whilst younger.
The cover of this book is quite dramatic and really is a snapshot from within the story. It’s literally the view through the Godey High School window, with the gun shot holes in the windows. Also looking inside into the classroom at the pupil’s desks. This cover would make me pick up the book from a bookstore shelf to learn more about it.
The main character of the book is Gabi, a high school student who is packing up her things to leave her current school as her mother has a new boyfriend, Jason, and is moving them to Maine to be with him. All the other students are in class and Gabi is reminiscing at her best friend Ava’s locker that smells of lemon lotion. Gabi is sad and knows she will truly miss Ava and some of the other high school students too. Gabi will even miss her American History teacher too, who happens to be Mrs Lin, Ava’s mother. To say Gabi is unhappy about leaving her school, friends and job teaching yoga is a bit of an understatement, but it is not her decision, it is her mothers. First Gabi’s mobile phone rings and then her mom’s but they are in the middle of nowhere without a decent mobile network signal. Then there’s an announcement over the radio about a shooting at Godey High, it’s the class Gabi would have been in had she not been moving to Maine. It’s the American History class that Mrs Lin (Ava’s mom) would be teaching. Then a familiar voice comes over the airwaves, it’s Gabi’s best friend Ava. Ava’s voice talking via her mobile phone is being broadcast on the radio.
The book goes on about who has died with names being read out on the radio, Gabi desperately listening to the radio, mentally ticking of the names of her school friends. Gabi is continually trying to reach her best friend Ava. Ava would not be in the American History as she didn’t take that class but Ava’s mother Mrs Lin is the teacher of the class and her name has not been mentioned on the radio. Gabi asks, pleads and begs her mom to turn around the car so she can go back and be with her friend. However, Gabi’s mom tells her they are on a tight schedule and they do not have time to go back. Gabi’s best friend Ava is dealing with the school shooting by shutting out Gabi, so Gabi has to concentrate on fitting in at her new school and starting her own life whilst she waits for Ava to reply to her many calls and texts.
When Gabi does start her new school, she badly misses her friends so when bad boy Lennon starts paying her attention, she soon joins him on ever increasing dangerous and outlandish escapades.
I read this book in just one session from beginning to end! It’s full of trauma, survivor’s guilt, acting out, coming-of-age, along with the confusion and pain of her parents divorcing, dealing with her mother’s new relationship, and moving……all these scenarios add up to making this an amazing story. I loved the interactions and the way Gabi & Lennon are drawn to each other and begin sharing their inner most feelings with each other, their guilt and depression about being “the one that survived” separated from the ones they need and miss the most.
These books are also quite short, so you are not committing to reading a really long, involved, meandering read. Hi Lo books are also quite short, so you are not committing to reading a really long, involved, meandering read, in fact if you want a short read, or a book to get you out of a “reading rut” then I highly recommend them. Hi Lo stands for High Interest, Lower reading age. I think it is great that there are books to encourage those who perhaps don’t read as much or didn’t get the love of reading whilst younger.
The cover of this book is quite dramatic and really is a snapshot from within the story. It’s literally the view through the Godey High School window, with the gun shot holes in the windows. Also looking inside into the classroom at the pupil’s desks. This cover would make me pick up the book from a bookstore shelf to learn more about it.
The main character of the book is Gabi, a high school student who is packing up her things to leave her current school as her mother has a new boyfriend, Jason, and is moving them to Maine to be with him. All the other students are in class and Gabi is reminiscing at her best friend Ava’s locker that smells of lemon lotion. Gabi is sad and knows she will truly miss Ava and some of the other high school students too. Gabi will even miss her American History teacher too, who happens to be Mrs Lin, Ava’s mother. To say Gabi is unhappy about leaving her school, friends and job teaching yoga is a bit of an understatement, but it is not her decision, it is her mothers. First Gabi’s mobile phone rings and then her mom’s but they are in the middle of nowhere without a decent mobile network signal. Then there’s an announcement over the radio about a shooting at Godey High, it’s the class Gabi would have been in had she not been moving to Maine. It’s the American History class that Mrs Lin (Ava’s mom) would be teaching. Then a familiar voice comes over the airwaves, it’s Gabi’s best friend Ava. Ava’s voice talking via her mobile phone is being broadcast on the radio.
The book goes on about who has died with names being read out on the radio, Gabi desperately listening to the radio, mentally ticking of the names of her school friends. Gabi is continually trying to reach her best friend Ava. Ava would not be in the American History as she didn’t take that class but Ava’s mother Mrs Lin is the teacher of the class and her name has not been mentioned on the radio. Gabi asks, pleads and begs her mom to turn around the car so she can go back and be with her friend. However, Gabi’s mom tells her they are on a tight schedule and they do not have time to go back. Gabi’s best friend Ava is dealing with the school shooting by shutting out Gabi, so Gabi has to concentrate on fitting in at her new school and starting her own life whilst she waits for Ava to reply to her many calls and texts.
When Gabi does start her new school, she badly misses her friends so when bad boy Lennon starts paying her attention, she soon joins him on ever increasing dangerous and outlandish escapades.
I read this book in just one session from beginning to end! It’s full of trauma, survivor’s guilt, acting out, coming-of-age, along with the confusion and pain of her parents divorcing, dealing with her mother’s new relationship, and moving……all these scenarios add up to making this an amazing story. I loved the interactions and the way Gabi & Lennon are drawn to each other and begin sharing their inner most feelings with each other, their guilt and depression about being “the one that survived” separated from the ones they need and miss the most.
July 7, 2021
Mentionable quotes:
“I escaped – that is, I let my breath escape. I found a tiny raft of freedom. It feels like a promise.”
“You survived the shooting – even if you weren’t there. You lived to tell the tale. The world needs to hear it.”
“Hurt is all around us. Like water. I want to learn to swim.”
Gabi is furious that her parents are getting a divorce and she is having to move from her hometown. On the day she moves away a shooter opens fire on Gabo’s school, in the classroom where she would’ve been if she had been at school that day.
Gabi struggles at her new school along side of dealing with the grief and survivors guilt that she has. She meets a boy named Lennon who helps her take her mind off things that is not the best influence for her.
Rating:
A 4/5 ⭐️s
This book was a perspective on a school shooting that I haven’t seen before. It really focused on the survivors guilt that the protagonist has throughout the story.
I also really love the way that he wrote the novel and verse. He ended each poem and then the title of the next poem would be the last word or phrase. Such a clever way to keep the story flowing.
“I escaped – that is, I let my breath escape. I found a tiny raft of freedom. It feels like a promise.”
“You survived the shooting – even if you weren’t there. You lived to tell the tale. The world needs to hear it.”
“Hurt is all around us. Like water. I want to learn to swim.”
Gabi is furious that her parents are getting a divorce and she is having to move from her hometown. On the day she moves away a shooter opens fire on Gabo’s school, in the classroom where she would’ve been if she had been at school that day.
Gabi struggles at her new school along side of dealing with the grief and survivors guilt that she has. She meets a boy named Lennon who helps her take her mind off things that is not the best influence for her.
Rating:
A 4/5 ⭐️s
This book was a perspective on a school shooting that I haven’t seen before. It really focused on the survivors guilt that the protagonist has throughout the story.
I also really love the way that he wrote the novel and verse. He ended each poem and then the title of the next poem would be the last word or phrase. Such a clever way to keep the story flowing.
July 26, 2021
Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Surviving American History in exchange for an honest review.
Surviving American History is a hi-lo book meaning it's meant to be high interest for it's target demo (YA) while also requiring a lower reading level to enjoy. It's also written in verse which makes it a shorter-than-average read so if you're a reluctant reader, this is perfect for you.
I was so, so hesitant going into this. School Shooting books tend to either be fantastic and introspective or feel exploitative of real-world tragedies so I was pleasantly surprised at how Max Howard uses this book's tragedy to kickstart the plot without spending a lot of time trying to use it dramatically or exploitatively. I got a lot more invested in the protagonist and her personal journey than I though I would and think this was brilliantly done.
Surviving American History is a hi-lo book meaning it's meant to be high interest for it's target demo (YA) while also requiring a lower reading level to enjoy. It's also written in verse which makes it a shorter-than-average read so if you're a reluctant reader, this is perfect for you.
I was so, so hesitant going into this. School Shooting books tend to either be fantastic and introspective or feel exploitative of real-world tragedies so I was pleasantly surprised at how Max Howard uses this book's tragedy to kickstart the plot without spending a lot of time trying to use it dramatically or exploitatively. I got a lot more invested in the protagonist and her personal journey than I though I would and think this was brilliantly done.
March 26, 2022
Here's another book I said I wasn't going to read, and I ended up reading and enjoying. The school shooting itself is treated respectfully, and I think it deals well with the aftermath of being a survivor. Mostly I am still just really upset that so many of our kids have to go through something like this and we haven't come up with a way to stop it.
August 1, 2021
Surviving American History
by Max Howard
West 44 Books
Literary Fiction | Poetry | Teens & YA
Pub Date 01 Oct 2021
I am reviewing a copy of Surviving American History through West 44 Books and Netgalley:
Gabi is furious that her parents are divorcing, forcing her to have to leave her hometown her friends, and her school. But on the day she moves away, a shooter opens fire on Gabi's old school, killing her American History classmates.
Gabi knows she should have been in that classroom too. Now Gabi has to navigate a new school and new social circles, while dealing with a looming dark cloud of grief, survivor's guilt, and fear.
Soon Gabi meets impulsive troublemaker Lennon, who might just understand her dark side, or may pull her deeper into it.
I give this powerful, often heartbreaking lyrical novel five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
August 25, 2022
Gabi mom gets a new boyfriend and decides it’s time to move away from her ex husband that cheated on her. The day Gabi and her mom is leaving they hear over the radio Gabis best friend Avis broadcasting network saying that there is an active shooter at the school. When it’s all over Gabi finds out that everyone that was in her 3rd period world history class was dead, even the teacher. Now Gabi is at a new school and having to deal with the feeling that she should have been in that class. Gabi ends up finding a boy that she tends to get in trouble with like, skipping class and stealing a boat. When Gabi is sitting in jail for stealing the boat she finds out that the boat belongs to one of her new teachers. Gabi then starts helping her new teacher and a couple other older adults with yoga to help with pain.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read and review an early copy!
This book was a prime example of how trauma can affect us, and that it affects everyone differently.
Told in verse, we follow our main character who has survivor’s guilt as she tries to navigate the aftermath of the shooting. This author does an excellent job at portraying events in a way that is realistic, and easy to follow.
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read and review an early copy!
This book was a prime example of how trauma can affect us, and that it affects everyone differently.
Told in verse, we follow our main character who has survivor’s guilt as she tries to navigate the aftermath of the shooting. This author does an excellent job at portraying events in a way that is realistic, and easy to follow.
July 13, 2021
Book in verse about surviving a school shooting. Sadly, students have to think about the ramifications of this events that endanger our freedom in a place where kids should feel safe. Realistic depiction of reactions and emotions.
January 12, 2023
A quick but thoughtful read about a school shooting and survivors guilt. It is written in verse.
January 20, 2023
Interesting book! Written in poems
August 25, 2023
Hi-Lo book with an interesting plot. Universal emotions wrapped around a tragedy.
September 22, 2023
Made me feel so airy and light & serene at the end, it only lasted me a half a day but this was an interesting and ever-feeling world to be apart of. i really understood Gabi, enjoyed my stay here.
September 5, 2024
This is a hard read; but an important one.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews