By Isabelle Olson

   Even Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins

Tom Robbins writes about a girl named Sissy Hankshaw is born with abnormally large thumbs. While everyone around her thinks the thumbs to be a freak of nature, she considers it a blessing and begins hitchhiking from a very young age, allowing her to experience many crazy things and adventures.  The author talks directly to his reader often throughout the book and covers many topics such as political rebellion, birds, animal rights, body odor, religion, and yams. I recommend this book to any readers who love elaborate stories and descriptions and don’t take anything too seriously.

   Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

In this unusual love novel, an unwanted girl named Eleanor finds an unlikely love in a boy named Park. Although this book is a love story, there is more to it than just the connection between these two teenagers. Both are dealing with home problems, one more than the other, and the hardships of high school and growing up. Although theirs is a first love, it is strong and winding, and in it they find themselves and each other. I recommend this book to readers who don’t love the mushy love stories but enjoy the ones filled with true situations. Readers must be open to laughter and tears, sometimes both occurring at once.