Black Box, Julie Schumacher
Black Box, Julie Schumacher
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Black Box

Author: Julie Schumacher

Narrator: Lynde Houck

Unabridged: 3 hr 41 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/12/2009

Synopsis

WHEN DORA, ELENA’S older sister, is diagnosed with depression and has to be admitted to the hospital, Elena can’t seem to make sense of their lives anymore. At school, the only people who acknowledge Elena are Dora’s friends and Jimmy Zenk—who failed at least one grade and wears blackevery day of the week. And at home, Elena’s parents keep arguing with each other. Elena will do anything to help her sister get better and get their lives back to normal—even when the responsibility becomes too much to bear.

About The Author

Julie Schumacher is the author of three books for middle-grade readers. This is her first YA novel. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Adriana

This is a quick, short read, but it is very powerful. The story and the main character (Lena - short for Elena) draw you in immediately. She has an older sister, who has always been erratic, bubbly, moody, fun - the opposite of how Lena is. But they are very close. Then her sister gets so depressed......more

Goodreads review by Amanda

I finished this book in about 2.5 hours. It was a quick easy read but I felt maybe a little to quick. I'm not sure if I liked the characters all that much. The relationship between Elena and Jimmy felt rushed and weird. I feel like there wasn't even a relationship between them. It was interesting re......more

Goodreads review by Michelle (Pink Polka Dot Books)

Elena's sister, Dora, is admitted to the psych ward of Lorning Hospital after an attempted suicide. There Elena thinks things will get fixed. What she doesn't realize is that this disease is just beginning to creep into their lives. Dora seems to get worse, not better. Elena wonders when Dora will b......more

Goodreads review by Jennifer

Reviewed by Amber Gibson for TeensReadToo.com BLACK BOX by Julie Schumacher is a heartfelt and moving portrait of teen depression. The author captures the pain of trying to rescue someone you love when you do not know how to save them. Elena's otherwise typical teenage life is suddenly a lot more dif......more

Quotes

Starred Review, School Library Journal, August 2008:
"A readable, ultimately uplifting book about a difficult subject."

Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, August 4, 2008:
"[A] standout novel."

Starred Review, The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, September 2008:
"[T]his understatedly told story dramatically illustrates the way one family member's setback happens to the whole family, but they must all still find their own ways through it."

Starred Review, Booklist, November 1, 2008:
"Schumacher beautifully conveys Elena's loneliness and guilt as she tries to protect her sister without betraying her, as well as the emotional release she experiences upon finding someone to trust with her own feelings."

“This tale of a good family that suddenly finds itself in bad trouble is witty and spare and expertly maps the territory of depression. Julie Schumacher is a wonderful writer; I love this novel.” —Judith Guest, bestselling author of Ordinary People

“Schumacher’s books ring with genuine and true memories, and her technical skills put her among the top middle-grade and YA writers working today.”—Pete Hautman, winner of the National Book Award

“Black Box is a vivid, intimate portrait of the effect depression has on its immediate victim and on the people around her. Taut and compact, it is written with passionate clarity.”--Andrew Solomon, bestselling author of The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression

Awards

  • ALA Best Books for Young Adults
  • ALA Quick Pick for Young Adult Reluctant Readers
  • Minnesota Book Award
  • Tennessee Volunteer State Book Award
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