It Happens: A Guide to Contemporary Realistic Fiction for the YA Reader by Kelly Jensen

It Happens: A Guide to Contemporary Realistic Fiction for the YA Reader Reviews

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  Kelly

  I'm writing it, so I guess I'm also reading it.
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  Hannah

  Kelly Jensen is a jerkface who makes me want to read more books than I will ever have time for.
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  Kate (Beyond Bookish)

  Great reference for any librarian working with teens. Contemporary Realistic YA Fiction can be hard to promote in certain communities, but they are certainly the most popular types of titles in my library. They speak to real issues that teens are dealing with. They may not always be easy or fun to read, but they are important. Teens need to see themselves, their family, friends in what they read. It can make them feel less alone.
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  Sabastian

  It Happens: A Guide to Contemporary Realistic Fiction for the YA Reader by Kelly Jensen is a guidebook that helps young readers navigate the world of realistic fiction. The book includes advice on analyzing a plot, character development, theme and setting, as well as some tips on how to write your own realistic fiction book.
  
  The plot of this book revolves around a girl named Alice who finds out one day that she has been chosen as a champion of a contest on her planet in order to save it from destruction. Alice is then sent to Earth where she meets new friends and learns more about herself during her journey.
  
  I think this book is very interesting and I believe that the author does a great job of creating a realistic world that teens can relate to. The plot is very interesting and keeps you interested throughout the entire book. The characters are believable and easy to relate to. I also like how the author describes her characters' emotions as they go through their experiences and how they react to different situations. The author uses very good language in this book, which makes it easy for young readers to understand what is happening and why.
  
  I would recommend this book for children ages 10-14 because it deals with issues such as bullying, social media addiction, lying, cheating on tests, etc... All of these things are things that younger children might not understand or might not be able to handle properly yet.
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  Kimberly Francisco

  This is a really great resource for anyone who works with teens, especially those gatekeepers (like me) who don't read a ton of realistic contemporary stuff.