Remember to Forget

In Remember to Forget from Watty Award-winning author Ashley Royer, Levi has refused to speak since the tragic death of his girlfriend, Delia, and can't seem to come out of his depression and hindering self-doubt. Desperate to make some positive change in Levi?s life, his mother sends him to live with his father in Maine. Though the idea of moving from Australia to America seems completely daunting, Levi passively accepts his fate, but once he lands faces personal struggles and self-doubt at the same time he and his dad battle through resentment and misunderstanding. And then, while at therapy, Levi meets Delilah, a girl who eerily reminds him of someone he lost. From School Library Journal Gr 9 Up-Seventeen-year-old Australian high school dropout Levi Harrison is anxious, depressed, and plagued by mood swings. His mom has no choice but to send Levi to Maine to live with the father he has not seen in three years, leaving behind best friend Caleb and all that Levi ever knew. The protagonist's destructive behavior continues until he meets Delilah, an employee at his new therapist's office, and Aiden, a kid from the neighborhood. Through the painstaking patience and kindness of his friends, the love and support of his parents, and the medication Levi has finally decided to consistently take, the teen gradually awakens to life again and overcomes the guilt that has held him captive since losing his girlfriend Delia six months prior in a car accident; she was texting him while driving. Levi, who has not spoken since the accident, because Delia can no longer speak, is forced to talk when an innocent game of hide-and-seek turns into a life-and-death situation with Lucy, the youngest of his new friends. The author's use of italicized flashbacks and first-person narrative draws readers deeper into the protagonist's innermost thoughts. Strong secondary characters add to the work. References to Disney's Frozen and the Say Yes to the Dress TV show could date the book, but they are well worth the risk. ­VERDICT A heartrending story of heartbreak, grief, compassion, resilience, and love. Highly recommended.-Susan Harris, Ridgeway High School, TN?(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Review Levi has refused to speak since the tragic death of his girlfriend, Delia, and can't seem to come out of his depression and hindering self-doubt. Desperate to make some positive change in Levi's life, his mother sends him to live with his father in Maine. Though the idea of moving from Australia to America seems completely daunting, Levi passively accepts his fate, but once he lands faces personal struggles and self-doubt at the same time he and his dad battle through resentment and misunderstanding. And then, while at therapy, Levi meets Delilah, a girl who eerily reminds him of someone he lost. 'Remember to Forget' by seventeen-year-old author Ashley Royer is a deftly crafted and compelling story from beginning to end. Due to be published and available to the reading public on April 5, 2016, 'Remember to Forget' is very highly recommended for both high school and community library YA Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that 'Remember to Forget' will also become available in a Kindle edition ($9.99). -- Midwest Book ReviewSeventeen-year-old Australian high school dropout Levi Harrison is anxious, depressed, and plagued by mood swings. His mom has no choice but to send Levi to Maine to live with the father he has not seen in three years, leaving behind best friend Caleb and all that Levi ever knew. The protagonist?s destructive behavior continues until he meets Delilah, an employee at his new therapist?s office, and Aiden, a kid from the neighborhood. Through the painstaking patience and kindness of his friends, the love and support of his parents, and the medication Levi has finally decided to