Jonah Tarver, a troubled Oakland teenager grappling with his parents' troubled marriage, his own mental disorder, and the weight of his best friend's death, embarks on a desperate quest to find meaning in life. On his eighteenth birthday, coinciding with his Senior prom, Jonah, along with his girlfriend Taniesha, his best friend Trevon, and a group of peers, spirals into a night of reckless indulgence in drugs and alcohol in the vibrant city of San Francisco. As tensions escalate and emotions run high, Jonah finds himself ...
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Jonah Tarver, a troubled Oakland teenager grappling with his parents' troubled marriage, his own mental disorder, and the weight of his best friend's death, embarks on a desperate quest to find meaning in life. On his eighteenth birthday, coinciding with his Senior prom, Jonah, along with his girlfriend Taniesha, his best friend Trevon, and a group of peers, spirals into a night of reckless indulgence in drugs and alcohol in the vibrant city of San Francisco. As tensions escalate and emotions run high, Jonah finds himself thrust into a gripping twelve-hour journey through the dark underbelly of San Francisco's nightlife, forever altering his perception of the world. Will Jonah uncover the purpose he so desperately seeks, or will he discover that life, like broken pencils, may have no point?
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Seller's Description:
New. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 212 p. Intended for a young adult/teenage audience. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
New. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 212 p. Intended for a young adult/teenage audience. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fine. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 212 p. Intended for a young adult/teenage audience. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Jonah Tarver has issues. He�s about to turn eighteen, graduate high school, and he�s preparing for prom night. For many teens that would be something to look forward to, but Jonah isn�t like everyone else. In addition to being bipolar, he�s still processing the death of his best friend four years prior, trying to figure out if he�s actually in love with his girlfriend, and desperate to find meaning in his life. He�s also stopped taking his medication.
J.R. Riceââ?¬â?¢s ââ?¬Å"Broken Pencilsââ?¬Â? follows Jonah over the course of prom night, and shows the depths of his pain and inner turmoil. This story is brutally honest in its portrayal of mental health issues, and the confusion and angst of dealing with unresolved issues from the past and an uncertain future. Rice does an amazing job of capturing Jonahââ?¬â?¢s thoughts and feelings in a palatable way. The emotion on the pages is visceral and raw, and in many scenes, it can be difficult to read because itââ?¬â?¢s so real.
The characters in this story are brilliantly illustrated. It�s a fine balancing act to create characters who are real but don�t cross the line into stereotypes. Here, they are people you might run into on any city street. The dialogue is also fantastic. It�s how people actually speak, with all the cadences, slang, and candid topics you would expect from a group of high schoolers. There�s no pulling punches on these pages. Rice knows his characters and their stories, and he writes with confidence and no censorship.
While this book is categorized as Young Adult, some readers could be put off by the brutal honesty of Rice�s story. But don�t take that as a reason to pass on this book. In fact, I think that�s one of the main selling points. It�s a story of hard truths, of what it�s like to deal with mental issues, and I think it�s insightful and worthy of an attentive read.
I highly recommend ââ?¬Å"Broken Pencils,ââ?¬Â? and not just for a young adult audience. I think that everyone who reads this book will put it down with a heavy heart and a deeper understanding of what many people go through when grappling with bipolar disorder. J.R. Rice is a fantastic writer and Iââ?¬â?¢m hoping to read more of his work.
