Kissing Henry

Book review by Elijah B, for Explore Authors Magazine.

There is so much to say when it comes to young love. It can be na¯ve, immature, unsophisticated, and oh-so brief. But there is nothing more charming, delicate, and magical than young love. American Social reformer, and speaker Henry Ward Beecher wonderfully sums this up with this quote: "Young love is a flame; very pretty, often very hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering."

In E. Hughes' Kissing Henry, the delicate flame of young love plays out through the diary entries and illustrations of our novel's heroine, Penny, a teen in the throes of a major crush on her next-door neighbor, the eponymous Henry.

Penny explains in her diary that the two of them used to be close friends until one day, Henry drifted away after freshman year. However, after two years of being apart, Penny made a vow to get not only their friendship back on track, but to also win Henry's heart. Unfortunately, fate throws her a few curveballs in the shape of a new girl, Henry's friend, and a simple game...

Kissing Henry is an adorable look into young love, jealousy, friendship, and teenage life. Readers will not only enjoy the cute illustrations, but they will also enjoy the cute little additions to the story, such as certain words being highlighted in pink for emphasis. It adds a certain coziness and relatability to the story. Hughes has a distinctive writing style that allows the characters their own distinct voice despite the story taking place as diary entries, meaning the characters are being interpreted by its writer, Penny.

Penny is the quintessential teenager and comes across as genuine. She has her group of friends, the Berry Crew, her crush on Henry, her bouts of jealousy against Ivy, and even her friendship with Ryan, Henry's best friend. The feelings and situations are filled with miscommunication, misunderstandings, and the messiness that all teenagers go through during that painful journey called "growing up."

With likeable, believable, characters, a solid plot, great writing and a satisfying conclusion, Kissing Henry is a great addition to any bookshelf of any age and this story gains an enthusiastic recommendation from me. âââââ - Elijah B. (Explore Authors Magazine)