Sarah DESSEN (2006) Just Listen, Viking Juvenile

By Gloria Martínez Campos, 1º Bachillerato B

Annabel Greene is the girl who has everything. She is a top student, popular cheerleader, dazzling prom queen surrounded by friends. In real life, Annabel is the girl who has nothing: no best friend since her friendship with Sophie ended with malicious rumors flying, no peace at home while her sister´s eating disorders preoccupies the family, and no ability to tell anyone what´s on her mind. And then she met Owen Armstrong, obsessed with music, and determined to always tell the truth, no matter what the consequences.

My favourite part is when Annabel and Sophie decided to fix their friendship. The protagonist didn´t know why her best-friend stopped talking to her. Then Sophie felt prepared to tell her the truth. She had discovered she liked girls, so she felt really bad about it because she didn´t know if Anna was going to accept it. Then, Annabel told her: “I don´t mind if you like boys or girls or dogs. I just love you and I won´t lose you anymore.”

If you are a teenager and you are obsessed with true love stories, you have to read it. Each word of the book will make you feel as the protagonist. Nobody can understand your own problems, but reading books like this can help to gather all the courage you don´t have. The writer tries to show life as it is when you are 16 years old