Kicked Out

Deborah Dowson is a Canadian children’s librarian living in Powell,
Ohio.

Dime would love to escape from her life. She is close to flunking Grade
10, and her parents think that she is a total failure. When good-looking
Gabe Jordan picks her up on his awesome Kawasawki Ninja, Dime is able to
forget all her troubles. Dime knows she has an attitude, but doesn’t
know how to shake it. Her parents don’t know how to help, so they send
her to live with her 21-year-old brother. Darren is a quadriplegic who
can use some assistance around the apartment. Helping to care for Darren
begins to give Dime confidence in her ability to care for herself.
Living with Darren also allows Dime to see her life from a new
perspective and face some troubling issues she hasn’t allowed to
surface before. Slowly, Dime gains control of her life and starts to
make decisions that empower her.

The strength of this story is in the character’s journey of
self-discovery. Dime appears to be a tough, troubled teen with an
attitude, but her true personality emerges as her self-esteem starts to
grow. It becomes clear how damaging it is to be negatively compared to
others, and it is inspiring to see how a little boost in confidence can
effect big changes in behavior. The direct, upfront approach this book
takes to the details of real life will be appreciated by the reluctant
teen reader, and the subject is an important one for teens who are
struggling with self-esteem. Recommended.