"Rachel's story is about more than straightening a spine; it's about expanding the human heart. Braced earns its place on the shelf with other titles promoting empathy and compassion." — Kirby Larson, Newbery Honor-winning author of Hattie Big Sky and Audacity Jones Steals the Show"Alyson Gerber's Braced is a rare gem of a novel: intimate and engrossing at once. Rachel is the best kind of character — vibrant and brave, struggling and strong, and most of all impossible not to root for and relate to. A lovely and deep book that will get readers right in the heart." — Corey Ann Haydu, author of Rules for Stealing Stars"Braced is an honest, inspirational story about perseverance in the face of adversity. Readers will come away wishing they could be best friends with Rachel and believing that they, too, are stronger than they ever expected." — Alison Cherry, author of The Classy Crooks Club"Rachel gives us an inspiring look into coping with the challenge of bracing and what many of us have trouble putting into words. Join Rachel as she discovers her voice in her brace! This book is an important read for all Curvy Girls and anyone who loves and supports one!" — Leah Stoltz, founder and president, Curvy Girls Foundation* "The author doesn't diminish Rachel's difficulties, but at heart her story is uplifting . . . Comparisons to Judy Blume's Deenie might be inevitable, but Rachel stands admirably on her own." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "A masterfully constructed and highly empathetic debut about a different kind of acceptance." — Booklist, starred review
01/01/2017
Gr 5–7—Gerber's debut novel tells the story of 12-year-old Rachel Brooks, who has scoliosis. At first this just meant a lot of annoying doctor's appointments, but the summer before seventh grade, Rachel is told that she must wear a bulky back brace for 23 hours a day in order to stop the progression of the curvature of her spine. Rachel also loves soccer. Wearing the brace is bad enough, but how will she keep her coveted spot on the soccer team when she'll have to learn how to play all over again with the brace? Friendships and loyalties are tested, but eventually everything is neatly resolved. One can't help but be reminded of Judy Blume's 1973 classic, Deenie. However, this novel falls a bit short of Blume's. The narrative plods along, reading like a (rather dull) account of Rachel's ordeal navigating soccer tryouts, friendships, family, and first love. Although readers will appreciate Rachel's determination and courage, it is hard to become fully engaged in the story. The overall plot is thin, and the secondary characters are not very well fleshed out, which may lead to a bit of apathy on the part of readers. VERDICT An additional purchase for libraries that are looking to bulk up their realistic fiction offerings for middle graders.—Megan Kilgallen, Packer Collegiate Institute, Brooklyn
Narrator Emily Lawrence captures the many moods of Rachel, a girl with scoliosis who learns that she must wear a cumbersome, restrictive back brace. At first, Rachel’s voice is bubbly and buoyant; she’s looking forward to soccer season and the possibility of a boyfriend. After she learns she must wear the brace 23 hours a day, the changes in her relationship with her friends and family are reflected in Lawrence’s tone. She narrates quietly to denote Rachel’s thoughts, which she gives a worried or acerbic quality, particularly when contemplating her mother’s strictness. Nevertheless, listeners will take heart. When Rachel and her mother begin to understand each other, their voices soften. In the end, Lawrence imbues Rachel with confidence and positivity as she comes to terms with friends, family, and doctors. L.T. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
Narrator Emily Lawrence captures the many moods of Rachel, a girl with scoliosis who learns that she must wear a cumbersome, restrictive back brace. At first, Rachel’s voice is bubbly and buoyant; she’s looking forward to soccer season and the possibility of a boyfriend. After she learns she must wear the brace 23 hours a day, the changes in her relationship with her friends and family are reflected in Lawrence’s tone. She narrates quietly to denote Rachel’s thoughts, which she gives a worried or acerbic quality, particularly when contemplating her mother’s strictness. Nevertheless, listeners will take heart. When Rachel and her mother begin to understand each other, their voices soften. In the end, Lawrence imbues Rachel with confidence and positivity as she comes to terms with friends, family, and doctors. L.T. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
★ 2016-12-06
Both the literal and figurative senses of the word "spine" form the backbone of Gerber's debut. The same day white seventh-grader Rachel Brooks starts in an important soccer game, she learns that her scoliosis has worsened, and she now needs to wear a brace for 23 hours a day. The author, who wore a brace herself, vividly conveys its constricting bulk. But her spine isn't the only curve Rachel has to brace herself for. Her mother, whose own scoliosis required a spinal fusion, is rigid and unsympathetic as the brace affects Rachel's soccer technique and jeopardizes her place on the team. Her classmates gossip, and though her friends and crush are generally supportive, the author nails their realistic discomfort at being bullied by association. Ultimately, her friends help her to adjust, and Rachel learns to assert herself. As Rachel grows a spine, her mother learns to bend, sympathetically revealing the fears she never addressed during her own treatment. Their disparate experiences give scoliosis—and their relationship—nuance as well as tension. The author doesn't diminish Rachel's difficulties, but at heart her story is uplifting; a brace can be a "built-in drum" to dance to. An author's note provides a short list of scoliosis resources. Comparisons to Judy Blume's Deenie (1973) might be inevitable, but Rachel stands admirably on her own. (Fiction. 11-14)
