sc104906's review against another edition
4.0
Told through several voices, this book discusses the difficulties several teens experience in their life. All are driven from their homes and in need of a place to run to. These teens find their way to Keesha's house, a local refuge for runaways. They work on their lives and work to achieve better.
This is a compelling multicultural novel. These tough stories really reach out to the readers.
This is a compelling multicultural novel. These tough stories really reach out to the readers.
jimenezmadi's review against another edition
5.0
Stephie, Jason, Harris, and many others all come to know and appreciate the comfort and love that is shared at Keesha's house. All of the people throughout this book experience pain and heartache in some way or another and find themselves needing a place to stay. Keesha never simply divulges the whereabouts of the house, but allows others the simple pleasure of a bed if that is what they may need at that time. The home is actually owned by Joe, but, over time, the people who come looking for a warm place to stay always ask for Keesha. Stephie realizes she's pregnant in high school, but can't find the words to tell her parents, and her boyfriend Jason, a star athlete, isn't sure he wants to give up his dreams to be a dad. All of the characters in this short novel share something with readers that can help us to learn to connect with one another and appreciate the small things in our own lives.
In strong, poetical form, this book takes readers through the lives of several people, from different perspectives. I would highly recommend this book to an audience of high school age, as there are some topics in here that are not considered appropriate for younger children. It was a fast read, and I honestly could not turn the pages fast enough.
Content Warnings: Mild violence, family issues, mild blood, hints at sexual abuse
In strong, poetical form, this book takes readers through the lives of several people, from different perspectives. I would highly recommend this book to an audience of high school age, as there are some topics in here that are not considered appropriate for younger children. It was a fast read, and I honestly could not turn the pages fast enough.
Content Warnings: Mild violence, family issues, mild blood, hints at sexual abuse
misspalah's review against another edition
3.0
If people we're supposed to count on can't (or don't) support us, it's up to us to find the friends who can and do.
Of course we want to be with both our parents in the kind of home where we'd be loved.
But why rant on about all that? Home is in your mind.
- Keesha’s house by Helen Frost
.
.
Helen frost told the stories of 7 Teenagers in a form of poetry. We were introduced to every single one of them with their own problem and dilemma in surviving the teenagehood. Some finding refuge at Keesha’s house due to family problem including Keesha who’s being kicked out of her father’s house. When Keesha met A good samaritan named Joe that helped her, She knew she was also given a chance to help other that was in the same predicament as hers. Some of the teenagers that both Joe and Keesha helped like Harries were being disowned by his family because of his sexual orientation. Keesha also offered protection to Katie as she choose to leave the house because she’s no longer felt safe being around her stepfather. Dontay also found stability in Keesha’s house as he were bounced from one foster home to another because of his parents. As for Stephie and Jason, a classic as of reckless teenage pregnancy. Jason , on the other hands, has everything at the stake - college and basketball career. They are too young to be parents though Stephie felt reluctant to abort the baby. Carmen dealt with her addiction and in Keesha’s house she found support. Overall, a touching story with a little bit depth on social issues - poverty, addiction, family stability, foster care , homophobia and teen pregnancy. The book also taught us to be grateful for our family , our comfortable shelter and our warm meals but at the same time offered us reality for those who don’t have it. Shelter and Foster homes didn’t always work and this is where these troubled teenagers fell into deeper pits if they were not being saved. I believe this is why Helen Frost created Keesha’s house in this story in order to give these kids a glimpses of hope and inspire them to achieve their dream.
Of course we want to be with both our parents in the kind of home where we'd be loved.
But why rant on about all that? Home is in your mind.
- Keesha’s house by Helen Frost
.
.
Helen frost told the stories of 7 Teenagers in a form of poetry. We were introduced to every single one of them with their own problem and dilemma in surviving the teenagehood. Some finding refuge at Keesha’s house due to family problem including Keesha who’s being kicked out of her father’s house. When Keesha met A good samaritan named Joe that helped her, She knew she was also given a chance to help other that was in the same predicament as hers. Some of the teenagers that both Joe and Keesha helped like Harries were being disowned by his family because of his sexual orientation. Keesha also offered protection to Katie as she choose to leave the house because she’s no longer felt safe being around her stepfather. Dontay also found stability in Keesha’s house as he were bounced from one foster home to another because of his parents. As for Stephie and Jason, a classic as of reckless teenage pregnancy. Jason , on the other hands, has everything at the stake - college and basketball career. They are too young to be parents though Stephie felt reluctant to abort the baby. Carmen dealt with her addiction and in Keesha’s house she found support. Overall, a touching story with a little bit depth on social issues - poverty, addiction, family stability, foster care , homophobia and teen pregnancy. The book also taught us to be grateful for our family , our comfortable shelter and our warm meals but at the same time offered us reality for those who don’t have it. Shelter and Foster homes didn’t always work and this is where these troubled teenagers fell into deeper pits if they were not being saved. I believe this is why Helen Frost created Keesha’s house in this story in order to give these kids a glimpses of hope and inspire them to achieve their dream.
emmykyhil's review
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
amie_monsen's review against another edition
4.0
I absolutely loved Keesha's House. I feel like it rang really true to what teenagers and young adults are going thru in their lives today. Helen Frost didn't sugarcoat the character's lives or trials to make the reader feel better, which I consider a big responsibility for author's of young adult literature. Even though the book was a quick and easy read, it still made me think and ponder these character's lives and the significance of that. I would definitely recommend this to just about anyone aging from 15-16 and onward. Even myself, a 24 year old, found this book beneficial and enlightening; I'm sure anyone else no matter their age could as well.
Since this book is written in poetry form, I would definitely like to use this book in a high school classroom if we were going over poetry. Not only would we be able to cover the different forms of poetry and why an author might choose that form, but we could also discuss the different themes in the book. These themes could include but are not limited to: family dynamics, teen pregnancy, drugs and sexuality. I would definitely need to make sure that the school administration and parents of the student's were ok with the students reading this book, but once I had gotten this 'go ahead' I would use this piece of literature to enlighten and encourage student's in their own writing.
Some warnings I have for this book include:
-Drugs: some of the characters use drugs themselves, and have a hard time breaking the habit
-Sex (including homosexuality): one of the characters is kicked out of his home by his Father for coming out as a homosexual, and another 16 year old character gets pregnant and then leaves home
-Violence: one of the main character's brother is killed by a drug dealer/member of a gang, and other characters are involved in the gangs themselves
Since this book is written in poetry form, I would definitely like to use this book in a high school classroom if we were going over poetry. Not only would we be able to cover the different forms of poetry and why an author might choose that form, but we could also discuss the different themes in the book. These themes could include but are not limited to: family dynamics, teen pregnancy, drugs and sexuality. I would definitely need to make sure that the school administration and parents of the student's were ok with the students reading this book, but once I had gotten this 'go ahead' I would use this piece of literature to enlighten and encourage student's in their own writing.
Some warnings I have for this book include:
-Drugs: some of the characters use drugs themselves, and have a hard time breaking the habit
-Sex (including homosexuality): one of the characters is kicked out of his home by his Father for coming out as a homosexual, and another 16 year old character gets pregnant and then leaves home
-Violence: one of the main character's brother is killed by a drug dealer/member of a gang, and other characters are involved in the gangs themselves
beecheralyson's review against another edition
4.0
Frost is a master with various points of view and writing in poetic verse. Need to make sure some of my High School teaching buddies know about this one.
catladyreba's review against another edition
4.0
After watching so many students and classes read this throughout the years, I finally read this. It was wonderful. Sparse and simple, but pretty powerful.
sarahbeauchamp's review against another edition
2.0
Keesha's house tells the story of seven youth going through their own personal struggles. One by one, they find their way to keesha's house- a place of refuge that they can stay, as they have no where else to go.
I didn't love this book. While I applaud the author's use of poetry to tell each story, I found it a little boring, and over all depressing. The story is meant to allow us to view each character's story, but as there were so many in such a short book, the reader does not get to delve as deep into each story line as much as they would like to.
I didn't love this book. While I applaud the author's use of poetry to tell each story, I found it a little boring, and over all depressing. The story is meant to allow us to view each character's story, but as there were so many in such a short book, the reader does not get to delve as deep into each story line as much as they would like to.
abigailbat's review against another edition
3.0
Alternating narrators share their stories about how they came to Keesha's house when they needed a place to stay. Each narrator is a high school student with a different trouble. Stephie's pregnant, Harris was disowned when his father found out he's gay, Dontay is a foster kid whose foster family doesn't seem to care... The neat thing is that instead of free verse, the poems are written in two different traditional forms. Poems from the kids' points of view are written in sestina (a French form) and poems from the adults' point of view are written as sonnets. A note about the poetic forms used is included at the end of the book.
kport's review against another edition
4.0
Keesha's House is a wonderful story told in poem form about the life and struggles of seven different teenagers that are all struggling with different aspects of their lives. Stephie finds herself pregnant and needing to make decisions that will affect her, and those close to her, forever. Jason is Stephie's boyfriend who struggles to choose between supporting and staying with Stephie and the baby, or going to college with his hard-earned basketball scholarship. Dontay's parents are in prison and he is in foster care, dealing with being passed from house to house. Carmen is in a juvenile detention facility, waiting to be judged for her DUI charge. Harris is living in his car and supporting himself after his father disowns him for coming out as gay. Katie chooses to live on her own, rather than live with her mother and abusive stepfather, splitting her time between work and school. Keesha has been kicked out of her home by her father and is struggling with taking care of herself and the responsibility she feels to protect her younger brother.
I really enjoyed this book simply because I have not read anything similar to it. Helen Frost covers topics that are not usually touched in popular YA literature. Their stories were not ones that I have heard over and over and over again. It was something new and something that someone can relate to. Although I have never experienced these circumstances in my life, I am sure that there are teenagers out there who have these situations as their reality. I believe that it is important for everyone to have books with characters they can relate to.
I really enjoyed this book simply because I have not read anything similar to it. Helen Frost covers topics that are not usually touched in popular YA literature. Their stories were not ones that I have heard over and over and over again. It was something new and something that someone can relate to. Although I have never experienced these circumstances in my life, I am sure that there are teenagers out there who have these situations as their reality. I believe that it is important for everyone to have books with characters they can relate to.