Ashley didn’t mean to get pregnant her senior year in high school. She didn’t mean to scare her hardworking and financially struggling mom, or to hide the truth from her awkward ex, Danny. She also didn’t mean to illegally take her well-off friend Madi’s prescription Xanax to cope with the stress—and she definitely didn’t mean to do it more than once.
When a doctor reports Ashley to the State of Wisconsin as a drug-addicted threat to her own unborn child, she is forcibly detained under the obscure and secretive Act 292 civil detention system for pregnant women, stranded in the county juvenile shelter home, and stigmatized by authorities who assign her fetus a lawyer but not her. It’s a struggle for Ashley just to get medical care for the pregnancy supposedly being protected—never mind fighting for her own freedom and making sure her baby isn’t taken away by social services after birth. Who’s going to protect Ashley herself? But Ashley is stronger than anyone knows, and she has allies on the outside who believe in her. This is a fight Ashley can win—but only if she stops drifting passively, starts believing in herself, and chooses not to give in to despair.
Characterized by exciting, fast-paced plots and themes that are relevant for high school students, Horizon’s Hi-Lo books are both engaging and easy to read. Short chapters, simple sentence structures, and an accessible format make these books perfect for teen reluctant readers. Horizon books are written at a 2nd- to 3rd-grade reading level with an interest level of ages 14 and up.
Introduction
Abortion and teen pregnancy are hotly debated topics at the moment. I'm lucky enough not to be affected, but I feel very strongly for the girls who are suffering under the new laws. This book isn't specifically about abortion but it does feature a teen pregnancy and as such mentions some of the laws and problems.
Plot Summary
Ashley is a hard working teen getting ready for college. She and her boyfriend have tried to be responsible, but a broken condom leads to trouble when she realises she's pregnant. Poor and Black, shes reported to the system as a danger to her unborn baby and has to try and fight back without getting herself into even more trouble.
Characters
Amber is smart and hardworking, but has a tendency to drift along with things that she has to work to overcome. She also has to learn to lean on her friends when she needs them rather than suffering alone. Her friends, meanwhile, have to overcome some prejudices they didn't know they had!
Writing Style
This is written as a hilo, so there's no overblown description or tricky metaphors; it's all very straightforward and simple, which is a great plus for it. Everything is easy to follow.
Themes and Messages
The right of Ashley to decide what happens to her baby is the main theme here. The state thinks they know better than she does what her living state is and how well she'll be able to provide, and she has to try and prove them wrong while staying within their rules.
- Strengths
- Hilo can help encourage reluctant readers
- The story is topical and the topics need discussing
- Weaknesses
- Some readers will find it too short or simple
Personal Connection
As I said above, I'm not impacted by these laws, but I hate seeing them be passed and I feel strongly for the girls (and boys) affected by them. These topics need to be talked about and brought up and kept in the public eye and books like this are a great way to do that.
Conclusion
Highly recommend. A great read.
Firebird Caged publishes on the 1st August, 2024. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.
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