Anela’s Club by D.K. Yamashiro (Review by Stacey Lorenson)
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Anela’s Club, designed for young adult readers (13-18), is the inspiring journey of a gifted teen dealt an unexpected tragedy. Author, D.K. Yamashiro, survived his own childhood trauma, falling four hundred feet from a ridge in Hawaii, suffering severe brain injuries which involved years of speech and physical therapy. This experience left him intensely aware of those recovering from childhood trauma and served as inspiration for Anela’s Club. Dr. Yamashiro went on to become a novelist, chaplain, and motivational speaker, in addition to earning a master’s at Harvard and a PhD from Oxford specializing in childhood traumas of American presidents. He was also the winner of the 2024 PenCraft Book Award for Anela’s Club.
Readers meet 15-year-old Anela, two months after her older brother’s sudden death from a freak accident on the football field. Jason was Anela’s best friend and hero, he coached her on how to navigate high school, cope with their alcoholic father and emotionally distant mother, supplying her with integrity and inspiration to embrace life through non-judgement and love. After his death, Anela is surrounded by classmates of her late brother, teachers, and community mentors. They form an unofficial ‘club’ that provides safety and encouragement for Anela to process her grief, while adding clarity and guidance to achieve her goals that shape her future.
I was invested in Anela’s story from beginning to end. This inspirational novel is filled with famous quotes and historical antidotes advising young adults that success is seldom achieved alone. Yamashiro makes an unusual link between Anela’s trauma and that of former American presidents, relating their troubled childhoods and how they overcame their challenges to contribute great things to society. This was an emotional, heartfelt story that approached difficult subjects with relatable characters, while utilizing diversity conscious prose that highlights under-represented, vulnerable youth. Anela’s Club will appeal to young teens and adults alike.
