JCPL Teens

If you like Ellen Hopkins’s novels or A child called "It", try reading Clean by Amy Reed.

Clean follows five teens from their first day to their last day of drug rehab through journal entries, personal essays, internal dialog about themselves and each other as well as group therapy conversations. The book moves quickly from person to person sharing quick snippets of information – sometimes a brief paragraph; other times just a sentence or word!

Olivia is a diet pill addict who gives herself a heart attack in her attempt to be perfect. Eva turns to alcohol and pot after her mother dies. Jason has a problem with alcohol; his father gave him his first beer to chug at age nine. Christopher, home-schooled and lonely, tries meth with a neighborhood boy. And Kelly turns to alcohol and coke as a way to deal with rape. Each teen will win you over until you can’t help but understand why they are the way they are. It’s a quick read with humor, action and information.