{{short description|2003 novel by Helen Frost}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox book | name = Keesha's House | image = Keesha's House.jpg | caption = First edition | author = [[Helen Frost]] | title_orig = <!-- if not in English --> | translator = | illustrator = | cover_artist = | country = | language = [[English language|English]] | series = | subject = | genre = Young adult, poetry | publisher = [[Farrar, Straus and Giroux]] | pub_date = April 2, 2003 | english_pub_date = | media_type = Print | pages = 128 pages | isbn = 0374340641 | oclc = | dewey = | congress = | preceded_by = | followed_by = }} '''''Keesha's House''''' is a 2003 award-winning debut young adult [[verse novel]] by American author [[Helen Frost]]. The book's story is told through multiple poems and concerns a group of teenagers that are all drawn to the house of the title character Keesha due to serious issues in their personal lives.
==Synopsis== The book follows several teenagers that have come to Keesha's house in search of a safe haven. Each teen has something that is going wrong in their life. Young couple Stephie and Jason are having troubles due to her [[teen pregnancy]], with Jason feeling pressure due to him feeling like he has to choose between a potential sports career and his responsibilities. Dontay and Carmen both have had interactions with the legal system. Carmen must deal with a DUI charge while Dontay is shuffled through the [[foster care]] system due to his parents being in prison. Meanwhile, Harris and Katie are both experiencing trouble with their family members. Harris has [[Coming out|come out]] to his father, only to be disowned. Katie can't understand why her mother remains with her abusive stepfather and tries to escape her situation by becoming a [[workaholic]] in every aspect of her life.
==Reception== Initial critical reception for ''Keesha's House'' has been predominantly positive.<ref>{{cite web|title=Keesha's House|url=http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/helen-frost/keeshas-house/|publisher=Kirkus Reviews|accessdate=13 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Children's Review: Keesha's House|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/0-347-34064-1|publisher=Publishers Weekly|accessdate=13 December 2012}}</ref> [[Booklist]] and the [[School Library Journal]] have both praised the audiobook adaptation's narration, with the School Library journal commenting that it was a "perfect vehicle for teaching high school poetry".<ref>{{cite web|title=Booklist audio review: Keesha's House|url=http://booklistonline.com/Keesha-s-House-/pid=270553|publisher=Booklist|accessdate=13 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Audio of the Week--Keesha's House (unabr.)|url=http://www.libraryjournal.com/slj/reviewsmultimedia/869643-318/audio_of_the_week--keeshaaposs_house.html.csp|publisher=School Library Journal|accessdate=13 December 2012}}</ref>
===Awards=== *[[Bank Street College of Education|Bank Street]] Best Children's Book of the Year, 2004{{citation needed|date=December 2012}} *[[Michael L. Printz Award|Michael L. Printz Honor Award]], 2004<ref>{{cite web|title=Michael L. Printz Winners and Honor Books|url=http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklistsawards/bookawards/printzaward/previouswinners/winners|publisher=YALSA|accessdate=13 December 2012}}</ref> *[[American Library Association|YALSA's]] "Selected Videos, DVDs, and Audiobooks For Young Adults", 2005<ref>{{cite web|title=YALSA's 2005 Selected Videos, DVDs, and Audiobooks For Young Adults|url=http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/printissuecurrentissue/869810-427/yalsaaposs_2005_selected_videos_dvds.html.csp|publisher=School Library Journal|accessdate=13 December 2012}}</ref>
==Stage adaptation== In 2004 the book was adapted into a stage play by Fort Wayne's [[Fort Wayne, Indiana#Performing arts|Youtheatre]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Young actors, complex emotions, "Keesha's House" ventures into the territory of troubled teens|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=FW&s_site=fortwayne&p_multi=FW&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=102216653A46A7E0&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|accessdate=13 December 2012|newspaper=News-Sentinel|date=April 22, 2004}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|2}}
{{Portal|Children and Young Adult Literature}}
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[[Category:2003 American novels]] [[Category:2003 English-language novels]] [[Category:American young adult novels]] [[Category:Narrative poems]] [[Category:Verse novels]] [[Category:2003 debut novels]]