Lush

Teens are going to love Lush by Natasha Friend. Samantha's father is an alcoholic which she hides from teachers and friends. Her mother and grandmother are in denial of the father's problems, and Samantha tries to protect her little brother Luke from the angry reality of it all.

I did not grow up around an alcoholic and have known very few in my life. However, I can only imagine how devastating it must be for kids who need stability in their lives to be faced with the unpredictability of an addicted parent.

Natasha Friend has carefully crafted a story here to show the daily effects of what life with an alcoholic can be like. Additionally, she has shown the secondhand effects of how a kid might behave socially because of such a situation. Samantha enters this story knowing the dangers of alcoholism but leaves it knowing so much more. Not only does alcoholism affect one's family life, but it also affects friendships, academics, and decision making.

There are some great lessons here for kids (and parents) to learn about alcoholism, and I'm thankful that Natasha Friend includes a list of resources on alcoholism in the back of the book. The beauty of this book is that we watch Samantha learn from mistakes rather than having someone preach in a self-righteous manner. This is definitely a great read.