The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson
Published Candlewick Press in 2008
351 Pages
Warning: This novel contains graphic details about scientific experiments conducted on humans and animals. The language is difficult to understand because of the eighteenth-century diction and grammar.
Genre: Historical Fiction, Friends and Society

To watch a video with M.T. Anderson discussing this series, click on the following link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m3RWGBATMD5P5B

This novel follows the life of Octavian, a young black boy at the mercy of The College of Lucidity and their various experiments testing the capabilities of the boy. His mother is an African princess and he is given an excellent classical education, his musical abilities surpassing those around him, and he is fluent in Latin and Greek. The novel explores the issue of slavery leading up to the American Revolution, and we see the interactions between him and a soldier he has become friends with.

This novel is quite fascinating; I especially enjoyed the language and diction. While at times I found myself lost amidst the diction, there are passages I savor, such as the following:

"They bound me hand and foot; they placed me in a solitary darkness. They put a mask upon my face, with a metal bit between my lips to silence me. They gave me a tongue; and then stopped it up, so they would not have to hear it crying" (309).

"They told me of shape and essence; they told me of the motion of light, that it was the constant expenditure of particles flying off the surfaces of things; they told me of color, that it was an illusion of the eye, and even in the perceiver's mind, not in the object; they told me that color had no reality; indeed, they told me that color did not inhere in a physical body any more than pain was in a needle. And then they imprisoned me in darkness; and though there was no color there, I still was black, and they still were white; and for that, they bound and gagged me" (314).

"A day, and hour, or virtuous liberty is worth a whole eternity in bondage" (344).

The Gothic mood and language of this novel is dark and oppressing; regardless, I find something in the language and diction irresistible. For the first three-fourths of the novel, the language kept me from enjoying the book. But, the last quarter of the novel, I began to appreciate the language and the book really started to speak to me. I plan to read this novel a second time very soon. I think it is one of those books that a person does not wholly appreciate on a first read.

I thought about the teach-ability of this book; for a high school audience, I would not consider teaching it in a classroom simply because of the length and language. In a small literature circle or book club, this novel might work well for students who are highly motivated or highly interested. But, I do think this novel would be an excellent example to use in a creative writing class or a unit about diction and vocabulary. Anderson is a brilliant writer, and I think excerpts of his novel can be adapted and integrated in creative ways into classrooms without requiring the entire novel be read. Why not introduce parts of this novel into a Social Studies class or unit about slavery? It would be a great resource for teachers.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan
Published by Dutton books 2010
310 pages
Warning: This novel contains heavy language, drinking involving teens, homosexuality and crude references to sex.
Genre: Friends and Society, John Green

Will Grayson, Will Grayson is the story of two boys both named Will Grayson. One night in Chicago, their paths cross. Life begins to take surprising turns for both boys as they discover new reasons for living. One boy is amidst the production of his friends epic high school musical about love and loss, while the other is heartbroken and left with pieces to pick up and put back together.

This novel is interesting. Having read other John Green books which I loved, I was primarily interested in the writing of John Green. I did not particularly enjoy Davide Levithan and his writing style. The chapters he authored I found dry and the foul language was overused so much it just got annoying. John Green, on the other hand, portrays and narrates beautifully a character I never thought he would be able to connect with so well. Overall it was a fun novel to read, and I did enjoy the characters.

I felt like they were hard not to fall in love with. Their frailties and faults exposed made them so real, and I was able to appreciate their realistic characterization.

This novel is fun if you want to skim some chapters and are looking for something light and refreshing; but, only if you don't mind reading about homosexuality. It's nothing overly graphic, but it can be a little uncomfortable.

Paper Towns

Paper Towns by John Green
Published by Speak in 2009
305 pages
Warning: This novel contains explicit language, crude language from teen boys, description of nudity, sensual and sexual encounters and alcohol involving teens.
Genre: Adventure, Mystery

Margo Ruth Spiegelman is the eye candy of Quentin Jacobsen. The two are neighbors and have known each other throughout the years; but, Q is kind of a nerd. And Margo is kind of popular, so she doesn't always give him the attention he wants from her, especially at school. Margo enlists the help of Q on an all night rampage of revenge; finally, Q has made is in! Relishing in the attention, Q delights in the friendship that he hopes will follow. Unfortunately, when he returns to school, Margo has run away. Desperate to find her, Q believes she has left specific clues just for him and only him to find her. The search begins.

This is the second John Green novel I have read, and I have fallen in love with his writing even more. His humor is just hilarious. Some of my favorite excerpts:

"I don't believe in prom," I reminded her as she rounded a corner. I expertly angled my raisin bran to accommodate the g-forces. I'd done this before. (11)

"I like driving, anyway-this vehicle may be a minivan, but it's my minivan. Radar scoots out of his seat and into the first bedroom, while I grab the steering wheel and hold it steady, quickly stepping over the kitchen and into the driver's seat.

Traveling, I am finding, teaches you a lot of things about yourself. For instance, I never thought myself to be the kind of person who pees into a mostly empty bottle of Bluefin energy drink while driving through South Carolina at seventy-seven miles per hours-but in fact I am that kind of person. Also, I never previously knew that if you mix a lot of pee with a little Bluefin energy drink, the result is this amazing incandescent turquoise color. It looks so pretty that I want to put the cap on the bottle and leave it in the cup holder..." (261)

There are so many laughable moments in this book; I love how John Green writes, he is brilliant. This novel is also fascinating because of the self-discovery that each character seems to go through individually, and how it changes the group they collectively belong to.

John Green writes novels like Looking for Alaska which are very heavy because of the content and subject matter. Paper Towns is different; for people who want to read John Green, this is a good start because it is less edgier then his other novels. But, it still has its edgy moments with language.

Liar

Liar by Justine Larbalestier
Published by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books in 2009
384 pages
Warning: This novel contains sexual content, language, murder, and an unreliable narrator. Also, some scary images and narration which may scare younger readers (But I would not recommend this to students 14 and younger)
Genre: Friends and Society, Family, Mystery, Suspense

Micah is a compulsive liar; she openly declares her compulsion, and from the first page, we as readers do not know if we should trust her. Despite her continuous oath to tell the truth and not tell a lie, we find out she does. At school, her friend Zach has been murdered. The police are questioning Micah because of her habits, and believe (along with friends at school) she is a suspect. Fighting the accusations, Micah begins to reveal what we think is her true character.

This book will throw the reader for a spin! It is difficult to become engrossed in the novel when we are seeing things from the eyes of an unreliable narrator. Despite this, we become enthralled with the world that is Micah! Her lies press us to keep reading deeper into her world of deception. Form the first sentence to the last sentence, we don't know if we can believe anything Micah has told us. A definite, must read. I simply suggest allowing several hours to finish it in one sitting (and a good supply of CHEEZ-ITS); it's that good.

Impossible

Impossible by Nancy Werlin
Published in 2009 by Speak
364 Pages
Warning: dialogue about sex, language, moments that may scare some young readers, rape, teen pregnancy
Genre: Magical Realism, Family, Romance

Lucy has grown up in a foster home, unaware of the curse on the women in her family for the past several generations. Uneasy about recent visits from her insane mother, Lucy begins to worry why her mother is the way she is. When Lucy is raped at her prom, pieces begin to fall together. She discovers her mothers diary with details about the family curse that once fell upon her mother and have now fallen upon Lucy with her pregnancy. Unsure of what to think, Lucy involves her foster parents about the next course of action to take. Lucy decides, with the hep of her family, she will complete three impossible tasks to break the family curse. From this moment, readers will not be able to put the novel down.

I love this novel. It is addicting from the first page. Nancy Werlin merges magic with reality seamlessly and creates a strange and surprising universe full of twists and turns. The magical details Werlin presents are easy to believe, and the reader wonders when they get up from reading if they will suddenly be required to sew a seamless shirt. I love the message this novel sends to readers about family. Werlin presents the idea that no matter what task must be completed by an individual, family can stand by that individual through each moment of the task; thus, a person must never shoulder a burden or task completely alone. Family will always be there to help lighten the load and make whatever sacrifices are necessary.

I would suggest this book be read by a teen who believes that they can only count on their own power to accomplish something. This novel teaches the importance of teen work and even believing that help can come from beyond the grave, loved ones, a higher power, whatever. This novel simply teaches the benefits on relying on more then oneself.

The Witch's Boy

The Witch's Boy by Michael Gruber
Published by HarperTempest in 2005
377 Pages
Warning: This novel contains mild language and witchcraft
Genre: Fantasy, Witchcraft, Fairy Tales

This is the story of an ugly boy who is brought up by a witch; she calls the boy Lump. The women appoints a talking, sensitive bear to be the boys maid. What Lump does not know, is that his mother must give away her magic to save Lump. The story continues to unfold as the fate of Lump is unknown. He experiences a triumph and then loses it all. Gruber incorporates the classic tales of Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel and Rumpelstiltskin. Time Out has said- "Animals speak, spells are cast, dark forces seduce, and a foundling becomes a man in this compelling fantasy [with a] conclusion that readers will savor."

I have never been a fan of Fantasy, and this book did not grab me in the beginning. Although, about three fourths of the way into the book I did find myself savoring every word. I enjoyed the last part of the novel very much, and also enjoyed the incorporation of the various fairy tales throughout the novel. The story of triumph that Lump goes through is inspiring as well, and I enjoyed reading about his life and the different experiences he goes through. While I did not enjoy the entire book, I do understand why young adults and tweens enjoy the witchcraft and escape of Fantasy novels. This novel presents interesting ideas about family and happiness.

SPOILER ALERT

What I enjoyed most is the following excerpt on the second to last page:

"Lump and his family returned to the royal city then, and stayed there all their lives. Although they did not live happily ever after, for they often quarreled about religion and who loved whom the best, they were happier then most families" (376).

A fairy tale can still be magical and bring a person joy without having to end "happily ever after." We know, from the ups and downs of life, that not everything ends with a happy ending, but despite that, we can still find happiness in the ending that is.

The Giver

The Giver by Lois Lowry
Published in 1993 by Delacorte Press
179 pages
Warning: This novel contains some language and brief dialogue about sex. Also, the ideas of Utopia and Euthanasia are presented.
Genre: Utopian society, Coming of Age, Family, Friends and Society

Lois Lowry presents a futuristic society living in a Utopia; each year when children turn one year older, they receive an item that marks their growth up until the age of eleven. At age twelve, the twelves receive their assignment they will fulfill for the rest of their life. This assignment will be what allows them to contribute and be a productive member of society. Jonas is given an assignment that, when spoken, a hush falls upon the community. It will be painful, but the young boy has little choice but to accept the assignment willingly. Or does he?

This book is fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed the insightful perspective regarding how fragile life is. Lowry provides, in this novel, a space where ethics and agency are closely scrutinized and examined. As Jonas discovers the truth of pain and pleasure of life, the reader also discovers the importance of self-guided choices and agency. As the family robotic-ally shares "feelings" by law, they create false feelings simply because they must say something. The people are numb to real feelings, and readers recognize feelings cannot simply be made up. I enjoyed this novel because it causes any reader to question the importance of free choice; we see in this novel that we really don't appreciate it until we have lost it.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Published in 2007 by Little, Brown and Company

230 pages

Warning: This novel contains sexual references, language and violence.

Genre: Self and Body Image, Friends and Society, Death, Family

Alexie tells the story of Junior, a young man growing up on a distressed Indian reservation. Junior attends a run down school and is determined to make something better of himself. Despite mocking and ridicule from fellow tribe members, Junior leaves the reservation to attend a white school. There he finds trouble, but soon finds a place on the basketball team. Yet, his friends from the reservation will not let him forget the choice he has made.

This is a good book; it is not my favorite of the books I have read, but I did enjoy it. The main character is witty and friendly; I felt invited to read the book because of him. What makes this book even more entertaining are the sporadic cartoons, drawings from Junior, who is a budding cartoon artist. I enjoyed the novel also because Junior experiences loss that people of any race will and do feel, and we see how this unites him with his white school mates, and barriers this breaks down.

My favorite line of the novel is the very last line, but I can't give it away! Without that short five word line, the novel would not be the same. It speaks volumes.

Artemis Fowl

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Published in 2002 by Disney-Hyperion

304 pages

Warning: This book contains language, fairies, violence, leprechauns, and some crude language

Genre: Fantasy

Artemis Fowl is a genius kid; he can commit various crimes without getting caught. Him and his sidekick, Butler, devise a scheme to capture a fairy and hold her captive. In exchange, they will receive fairy gold, the best kind! Little does Arty know, the fairy he has chosen to capture has friends coming for her rescue. It is an all out battle as Artemis fights those of the underground!

I can't do fantasy books. For me, this book is hard to connect to because the fairies are just hard for me to get around. I do, however, recognize that many students are attracted to these books because of the fairies. But, for me, the connection simply wasn't there with the book. It was difficult for me, as an adult, to recognize how young (12) Arty is and the crime he is committing at that age. While he does come from a long line of the best criminals, it was not too believable to me. But, I do recognize that is part of the appeal in this book for younger readers, and I understand from their perspective why this fact draws adolescents to reading this book.

Bound

Bound by Donna Jo Napoli

Published in 2004 by Simon Pulse publishing

186 pages

Warning: This novel contains abuse towards children, language, mild violence, mention of sex and mild sensuality.

Genre: Multicultural, Donna Jo Napoli, Family, Body Image, Death

Bound is the retelling of the Cinderella story with a twist; it takes place in China during the Ming Dynasty (mid to late 1600's). Xing Xing is bound to her late father's second wife. She is the servant for her stepmother and stepsister. She takes care of her stepsister who is amidst binding her feet, in hopes of finding a suitor. In the meantime, Xing Xing spends time working with calligraphy and poetry; it is something she loves and is very good at. The time finally comes for the event which every Cinderella story centers on. The great ball! Will Xing Xing go? Or will Wei Ping, her evil stepsister, take her spot at the ball.

This is a beautiful novel. What a fascinating insight to the Chinese culture! I was exposed to ideas of reincarnation, poetry, foot binding and importance of marriage to the Chinese people. Napoli wrote very matter of fact, which made this novel easy and simple for me to understand; when learning about a foreign culture, I appreciate this style of writing from an author. Napoli exposed the myth that foot binding was to me; I never realized how real it was until I read this novel. I know understand the Chinese culture more and the lengths they are willing to go to to find a suitor. It makes me think about our culture and what we do; I can't help but think of the hundreds of ridiculous fad diets which exist that entice people to be skinny and beautiful. It's interesting because in the end of the novel, we see who "wins." In our society, we often feel like those who win shouldn't, when it comes to the skinny girl getting the job or the boy, but in this novel it feels like the winner should win. After reading the novel, I was unsettled about the Chinese culture and certain aspects; but the ending made up for all of it. Great book.

Following is my favorite excerpt I hope will lure you in. It illustrates the extremes of foot-binding:

Wei Ping knelt with one knee on each stool and took a loud, deep breath. Then she threw her weight on one knee and moved the other stool forward with her hands. She threw her weight on the other knee and moved the second stool forward with her hands. In this manner, she worked her way over to the kang, never putting weight on her feet. The kang was the most-used piece of furniture in their home-- where one could eat and talk and sew and even nap. It was adjacent to the stove, with a fire passage inside its stone slabs. Heat from the cooking fire passed under it, then out through the chimney in the roof of the cave. As Wei Ping passed Xing Xing, she spat on her toes. "No one will find you a husband." (page 6)

No Shame, No Fear

No Shame, No Fear by Ann Turnbull

Published in 2004 by Candlewick Press

293 Pages

Warning: This novel contains some sensuality and mild mention of sex. The novel also includes language and physical abuse towards children. The novel also contains violence and religious persecution.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Religion

This is the story of two young people, Susanna and William, in love. But, there is conflict because of the stirring contention against the Quaker people. Susanna and the people she is boarding with are faithful Quakers. William's father is very anti Quakers, and wants his son to have nothing to do with them. In the beginning, William secretly goes to see Susanna. His father eventually finds out, and begins to threaten and beat his son so he will not see Susanna any more. As their love grows, the two cannot stay apart.

I loved this novel. I never knew that historical fiction could be so enjoyable. William and Susanna had such devotion for one another and lived pure lives. I enjoyed reading about them, and could not help but think of the persecution which they endured being similar to the persecution of the LDS people. I found the language and wit in this novel delightful. Following are my favorite quotes:

From Susanna, "I copied out his name and mine. I thought of this face, his eyes, the sound of his voice. At work around the house, and especially in my bed at night, I imagined being kissed by him, imagined his arms around me. I tried to stop these thoughts remembering Mary's warning, and mother's, too, but could not. It was like being swept away in a fast river" (87).

From Susanna while she is in the stocks, "I closed my eyes and shut out the faces and with it my shame; I tried also to shut out the physical pain. Thoughts crowded in and clamored to be heard: thought of Will, of out marriage, of London, of what my parents would say, or what dangers might be to come. But I knew I should not dwell on them now. I let them go. I turned toward the inward light and withdrew into it. A long way off, it seemed, there was mocking laughter. Someone spat in my face; a woman's voice hissed, "You people should be hanged!" I kept my eyes closed and imagined the light expanding within me. And at last I reached a state of peace; I knew that I could overcome all things and that nothing devised by man could hurt or shame me while I was held in the love of God" (277).

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin
Published in 2007 by Square Fish
271 pages
Warning: This novel contains sensuality, language and drinking involving teens.
Genre: Love, Friends and Society

Naomi has fallen on the steps outside of her school; she does not remember why she fell or the reason she was going back to the school. Upon waking, everything and everyone is new to her. As she returns to school, she does not know who to trust and sees new faces everywhere. As Naomi discovers who she was in the past, she begins to redefine herself. Forgetting her previous boyfriend Ace, Naomi dedicates herself to yearbook and drama activities; she discovers love in a place she did not expect and becomes the person she wants to be.

I enjoyed this novel. It explores the idea of one single event changing the course of a life; Naomi opens the book talking about the various possibilities of how her life may have turned out:

"If things had been different, I'd be called Nataliya or Natasha, and I'd have a Russian accent and chapped lips year round. Maybe I'd even be a street kid who'd trade you just about anything for a pair of blue jeans. But I am not Nataliya or Natasha, because at six months old I was delivered from Kratovo, Moscow Oblast, to Brooklyn, New York. I don't remember the trip or ever having lived in Russia at all. What I know about my orphanhood is limited to what I've been told by my parents and then by what they were told, which was sketch at best: a week-old baby girl was found in an empty typewriter case in the second-to-last pew of an Eastern Orthodox Church" (7).

It is interesting that Naomi does not remember her time in Russia, as she does not remember her life before she fell down the stairs. While Naomi is told be people what she was like before her accident, she questions if she really did like those things. I found this novel to be a breath of fresh air, as Naomi is given the chance to redefine herself and question what her interests and morals were based on, if anything.

For deleted scenes from the novel that did not make the book, click here.

I also included the trailer for a movie that was made. But, the movie is Japanese....and there are three additional characters which were not from the book. Disappointing :(

The Friends

The Friends by Rosa Guy
Published in 1973 by Bantam Books
Warning: This novel does contain sensual material, alcohol use, shoplifting, and language.
Genre: Family, Friends and Society, Multicultural, Death

This novel is the story about Phyllisia Cathy, a young girl growing up in deteriorating Harlem in the 1960s. Phyllisia and her family have moved to New York from the West Indies. Phyllisia faces various obstacles as she attempts to overcome being beat up at school, her mothers death and her fathers abusive temper. Phyllisia develops an unlikely friendship with a poor girl Edith, and the two teach each other valuable lessons. Edith is raising her siblings with little help after the death of her mother. Alice Walker from the New York Times has explained the learning process which these girls go through as, "the grim struggle for self-knowledge."

This book is powerful and has a strong message for teens about where to find friends. I also enjoyed this book because of the multicultural element. The teens in this book experience different struggles I (growing up LDS and White in a very conservative are) have never encountered. I learned a lot about culture and how family is universally important to so many different people of various cultures.

Wintergirls

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Published in 2009 by Viking Juvenile
288 pages (7 hours audio)
Warning: This novel is NOT for the faint of heart. It contains extremely disturbing images and explicit narration throughout of self harm and negative feelings. Anderson does not hide anything. There is also explicit language in the novel.
Genre: Body Image, Friends and Society, Family, Death

Wintergirls tells the chilling details of Leah, a teenage girl dealing with the death of her friend. After her friend's death, Leah claims she is being visited by her ghostly friend who just died. The two shared one thing in common. Both had eating disorders.

Cassie called Leah over 30 times the night she died, and Leah never picked up the telephone. Full of regret, Leah leads a life of destruction and harms herself, as well as those around her.

Rather then reading the novel, I listened to it. The novel, which is already shocking, was even more intense to listen to. For those who can handle the detailed and descriptive narrated scenes, I highly recommend it. I would not have gotten the same reading if I had simply read the novel.

How Joe Succeeded

How Joe Succeeded by Mary Morrison
Published in 1905 by David C. Cook publishing Company
64 pages
Warning: mild language and a cross dressing lumber jack
Genre: Time period novel, Friends and Society

This is the story of a young boy named Joe and his adventure to make his family proud as a lumber jack. Joe has a special secret. He wears his grandma's gold beaded necklace around his neck; the necklace is his prized possession. While the novel is very well written and I enjoyed the various dynamics, the generational gap which exists for a person reading this novel having been born in 1990 makes this novel hilarious. Joe is very successful when he attempts to pull a number of logs out of the forest using a team of horses. No other lumber jack has been successful, but Joe is convinced he can do it. He does. Upon completing the task, the other lumberjacks ask him how he did it:

"It wasn't any trick," Joe persisted. "I just used [the horses] as I'd like to be used myself if I was a horse, that's all," he added empatheticaly (41).

The novel is also entertaining when it discusses gambling, and tells an experience Joe had while gambling.

"His eyes were fastened on the monster which was steadily devouring his hard earnings, which he still fed to it desperately, coin by coin, with a gambler's fierce persistence" (46).

Over one hundred years later, gambling still persists as a trap to many. I love this novel. It is strange, entertaining and short with a good lesson to tell. If you have a sense of humor willing to work, you will love this little novel.

MAUS: A Survivor's Tale

MAUS: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman
Published by Pantheon Books in 1986
159 pages
Warning: MAUS contains graphic images, gruesome language, graphic language, nudity, violence and suicide.
Genre: Holocaust, War, Family


MAUS: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman has been reviewed as "a remarkable work, awesome in its conception and execution...at one and the same time a novel, a documentary, a memoir, and a comic book. Brilliant, just brilliant." -Jules Feiffer

I picked up this book to read it with great expectations. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The book, a graphic novel, did not deliver like I had hoped. The plot involves a man hearing his father's survival story through the Holocaust. While the illustrations are chilling and some details are gruesome and hard to forget, I was not able to emotionally connect with the characters or the text of the novel. While there is fascinating symbolism and interesting cultural elements, I simply was unable to connect with the characters.

What I did enjoy is the symbolism as the different groups of people were represented by different animals. For instance, the Nazi's were cats, the Jews were mice and the Polish were pigs. A person may read into this symbolism how ever they choose.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
Published by Henry Holt and Company in 2008
265 pages
Warning: This novel contains violence, mild gory images, language and drinking involving teens.
Genre: Family, Science Fiction

This is a fascinating novel which deals which challenging and thought provoking issues. The novel begins with a teenage girl, Jenna, who has just woken up from a comma. She has no memory of what has happened to her and she has been in a coma for a year. Her parents tell her she was in an accident. To help jog her memory, they tell her to watch video after video from her ballet recitals, beach trips and birthday parties as a child. Jenna begins to notice that her body now is different then her body from the videos. Curious, she looks for the truth behind what happened when she realizes her parents, and others, are lying to her.

Readers, throughout this novel, can expect to question what is the essence of a person that makes them a distinguishable human. After reading this novel, we begin to look at others differently and we question what is the essence of ourselves.

It is also interesting to look at the different covers which have been printed for this novel. Both provide readers with a different insight into this ground breaking novel.

Watch the following video for an enticing introduction.

Looking for Red

Looking for Red by Angela Johnson
Published by Simon Pulse in 2003.
116 pages
Warning: smoking teens, language and death
Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Magical Realism, Death

Looking for Red is the story of a young girl, Mike, whose brother has recently disappeared, and assumed to be dead. Not aware of how he died, the novel portrays the last moments Mike saw her brother and the healing process which takes place afterward. Mike truly "grows up" in the final two chapters of the novel, truly coming to grips with her brother's death.

Here is an excerpt from the novel:

"I stand on the beach sometimes and holler across the waves. And I don't think anyone even pays attention anymore. I've been doing it for so long that I can't remember when I didn't. So it came to me a while back that if I scream enough, he'll come back."

While Red, her brother, never returns as a mortal, be does visit Mike and other family members and friends as a spirit. His visits teach valuable lessons.

Girl Coming in for a Landing

Girl Coming in for a Landing written by April Halprin Wayland
This novel was published in 2004 by Yearling.
128 pages
Warning: This book contains mild sensual content and language, as well as one nude photo of a woman from the waist up.
Genre: Poetry, Friends and Society, Family, Body Image

This is a novel told in poems. This book of poems is narrated by a budding teen girl during her freshman year of high school. She talks about love, kissing games, dating, her period and even having her own poetry published.

My favorite poem is the final poem of the book:

COMING IN FOR A LANDING

My heart

is coming in

for a landing

Carrying a suitcase

packed with hope.

I stuffed it,

sat on it to snap the clasps.

And as my heart dips from the cloud high

and slowly descends,

finally taxiing to the gate,

someone will unload my suitcase.

I am holding its tag tightly.

I have come to reclaim it.

Taking care...

taking it

home.

It is easy to assume the poetry is written from the perspective of a young 14-15 year old girl discovering the world. Wayland captures the spirit and mood of teenage frustration and triumph in day to day life. I also enjoyed the illustrations accompanying the poems. They were captivating and relative to the subjects of the poetry.

Hole in My Life

Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos
Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in 2004
208 pages
Warning: This novel does contain explicit language, homosexual and sexual content, drugs and details on escaping prison and committing various crimes worthy of being placed in prison.
Genre: Non-fiction, autobiography, journey, drugs, self-discovery.

This is the self discovery story of young adult author Jack Gantos and his journey from St. Croix to New York in a small ship with 2,000 pounds of hashish. Gantos successfully makes the journey, only to be caught. He concludes his story with the harsh details of prison life, unromantic and raw. Gantos tells how he escaped, and the change which happened within him.

Here is an excerpt from the novel:

"The prisoner in the photograph is me. The ID number is mine. The photo was taken in 1972 at the medium-security Federal Correctional Institution in Ashland, Kentucky. I was twenty-one years old and had been locked up for a year already -- the bleakest year of my life -- and I had more time ahead of me.

At the time this picture was taken I weighed 125 pounds. When I look at my face in the photo I see nothing but the pocked mask I was hiding behind. I parted my hair down the middle and grew a mustache in order to look older and tougher, and with the greasy prison diet (salted chicken gizzards in a larded gravy, chicken wings with oily cheese sauce, deep-fried chicken necks), and the stress, and the troubled dreams of capture and release, there was no controlling the acne. I was overmatched."

I also found the following activity helpful for teaching this book:

"I have learned this: it is not what one does that is wrong, but what one becomes as a consequence of it.” How does this quote from Oscar Wilde (found on the epigraph page) reflect the major theme of this book? How does Gantos change as a result of what he has done wrong? What does he “become” that might not have happened without his experiences in prison?

This is my response to this activity. Gantos, in the book, buried a stash of drugs in central park before he goes to his sentencing. He plans to dig the drugs back up once he is out of prison and returns to his normal life. After Gantos is let out of prison, he goes to the water fountain in central park, near the burial spot. He knows the exact number of steps he must take from that water fountain to retrieve the drugs. But, he does not go toward the drugs, deciding, "My heart wasn't in it. I would not let myself make that kind of mistake again...what remains of the rotted hash is hidden in the hole I dug for it" (200).

In the Middle of the Night

In the Middle of the Night by Robert Cormier
Published by Delacorte Press in 1995
182 pages
Warning: This book contains mild language, and mild scenes involving kidnapping and violence.
Genre: Mystery, Suspense

A suspenseful novel, this book opens with the story of two orphan siblings going to see a magician on a field trip with other school children. At the theater, a terrible accident happens. The balcony falls, killing 22 children. Haunted by the past, the Colbert family must deal with what happened that day because the father of the family may have contributed to the accident.

With twists at every corner, readers are left wondering and craving more information about mysterious phone calls-only mom or dad can answer-in the middle of the night. The end teaches readers a valuable lesson about becoming caught up in false vices, and sacrificing the good for these worthless fancies to pass time. I also love this novel because the family learns to face the truth of what happened, rather then composing a lie to tell themselves to lessen the grief of their involvement in the accident.

Silent to the Bone

Silent to the Bone by E.L. Konigsburg
published by Speak publishing in 2004
260 pages
Warning: This novel does contain mild sexual references, mild description of nudity, some language, and traumatizing events causing injury to a baby.
Genre: Mystery, Family

Branwell's little sister, Nikki, lies in the hospital in a comma. Branwell knows why; he was there when it happened. But he's not speaking about the event. Branwell sits in the juvenile detention center, not breaking his silence to anyone. Branwell's friend Connor has figured out a way to communicate with Branwell, through note cards and blinking. Feeling responsible to find out what happened, Connor visits Branwell every day until he speaks. Eventually, Branwell opens his mouth to tell the truth about what happened, but not without sending Connor on a hunt first.

This novel is fun to read because of the ingenious communication method Connor comes up with to talk to Branwell. Connor writes words on note cards which are related to his family and the crime under investigation. Connor points to a note card, and Branwell makes some type of physical reaction or movement indicating to Connor if he should or should not further investigate the subject of that note card relating to the crime. In the end, Connor is able to help solve what happened and break the silence of Branwell.

Branwell is an interesting character throughout the novel, and I loved reading and learning more about him. A young boy, he has witnessed something that shocks him and I loved reading about how he copes.

American Born Chinese

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Published by First Second Books in 2006
233 pages of amusing and delightful animations
Warning: mild violent images, mild references to sex, and labels to various ethnic groups some people might find offensive.
Genre: Graphic novel, Comedy, Multicultural

This is a brilliant graphic novel. The novel tells the story of a young Chinese boy who wishes to be like the white boys at school. When students of the similar Asian background move to his school and try to be friends with him, Jin is very reluctant to talk to these students. All he can focus on his the American girl he has fallen in love with. Unfortunately, he constantly is embarrassing himself in front of her. The novel also includes the refreshing and delightful stories of a popular white boy, Danny, whose life is ruined by his obnoxious native Chinese cousin. The epic tale of the Monkey King also fills this novel with hilarious one liners and Kung-Fu fighting moments. How will the three tales intertwine? The answer to this question is the most thrilling part of the novel, but you will have to read to find out.

This book was so funny! I loved every minute. There is a dose of culture that intrigued me to find out more about the Chinese culture, and particularly think more about the Chinese culture in America, and how the Chinese may or may not have adapted their ways of life. I enjoyed reading the three different stories and seeing them magically connect and intertwine in a delightful turn of events. Yang has written another graphic novel that I anticipate reading which also involves Chinese culture. I love his work and enjoy his blend of culture and humor.

Looking For Alaska

Looking for Alaska, by John Green
Published by Speak Publishing
256 pages
Warning: This book is extremely explicit. I would not recommend it to readers any younger then 18. It contains very mature sexual content as well as drinking and drug use.

Looking for Alaska is by far the edgiest book I have read in my 20 years of life. Edgy, yet fabulous. Provocative, yet with important lessons to teach. This novel will expose readers to young adult difficulties and issues which some readers may never be exposed to otherwise.

The book revolves around the happenings of Miles, aka Pudge, and his new friends at a boarding school for high school students. Every conflict which enters the lives of young adults is in this book. Sex, drugs, smoking, drinking, love, friendship, pranks and death. I don't want to say too much, because one must simply experience the power of this book, not knowing what to expect. The format of the book is also interesting, as each "chapter" heads with "156 days before." Then, an event happens, and the rest of the novel "chapters" begin, "6 days after" and so on. It is a fascinating read, and these characters are real.

Because this book is so explicit, it brought up the issue of censorship for me. After reading this book, I have found that it is appropriate for me to say that a book is personally not appropriate for me. But, to say that a book is inappropriate for anyone to read is wrong; and for me, as a future teacher, to keep any students from reading this book simply because it went to far for me is wrong. The same thing applies to parents; parents can say that a book is too edgy for their child. But, to say that a book is too edgy for any child or for anyone, that is crossing the line with censorship and I believe that is wrong. But I think that a person censoring what they read personally is perfectly acceptable, especially when it comes to books like this one.

I think that John Green addresses this same issues in the following video. It is important for all students, parents and teachers to watch.

The Moves Make the Man

The Moves Make the Man by Bruce Brooks
Published in 1984 by Trophy Newbery
280 pages
Warning: This book contains language and lots of sports. If you don't like sports, I would not suggest this book.
Genre: Sports, Multicultural

Jerome decides, over the summer, to write the story of his friend Bix. Jerome is black and Bix is white. Jerome finds out he is chosen to be integrated into a white school, where he is desperate to try out for the basketball team. Unfortunately, he is not allowed to play on the team because of the prejudice from the coach. Jerome discovers Bix playing basketball one night, and starts to teach him the game. Bix is a baseball player, and learns how different baseball and basketball can be.


This book was interesting at one part when the coach of the basketball team does not want a Black player on the team, despite his incredible talent. But, the boys on the team beg and persuade the coach to accept a Black student on the team because they recognize the team needs his exceptional talent. I love the students and what an example they are to the coach, to put aside prejudice and racism and pay attention to the core and goodness of a person rather then the color of their skin. Young people are a powerful force in the world, and they can be a powerful example to adults when adults are unwilling to open their eyes to what really matters.

This book was a little difficult for me because I am not a sports fan. I often felt lost amidst the dialog because of the sports terms, they did not interest me or catch my attention as they would the attention of a sports fan.

The Tent

The Tent, by Gary Paulsen
Published by Harcourt Brace & Company in 1995
86 pages
Warning: This novel contains Christian religious content, crime and some language
Genre: Religious, Adventure, Family

This is the story of a poor father and son desperate for money. The two decide to become scheming "preachers." With a tent purchased at a thrift shop which is battered and beaten, the two set out across the country traveling to small towns. They begin preaching and passing around a collection plate, taking the donations for themselves. Not owning a Bible, the two use a Bible stolen from a local hotel. After success, the two become even more greedy for more money. Then encounter a man who suggests they use actors to stage being physically healed to increase their profits. The father and son team pursue this suggestion and substantially increase their profits to buy a used Cadillac.

This story is interesting, as the two discover their ethics and what is considered to be ethical by those surrounding them. How far will the two go for money? Do they ever admit to their scheme? I like the open ending of the novel and that readers are left questioning because this requires readers to think more about the ethics presented in the novel and what exactly is right and wrong.

The Opposite of Invisible

The Opposite of Invisible by Liz Gallagher
Published by Laurel-Leaf in 2008
151 pages
Warning: This book contains some physical intimacy, but nothing extremely explicit, as well as mild language and alcohol involving teens.
Genre: Romance, Friends and Society, Family

This novel, in the beginning, feels cliche of Young Adult literature. It begins with a girl in High School trying to decide if she wants to date her best friend Jewel, since the age of two, who she has recently developed feelings for or the popular jock Simon, who has a shallow love for Alice. As the story develops, it is obvious that Alice is going to have to learn from experience. This novel confirmed to me that some lessons can simply be learned only by experience.

I enjoyed the novel as it developed further. As Alice experiments being the girlfriend of the popular Simon who everyone at school knows, she soon discovers that she does not want to be this girl. Slowly, she returns to the comforting arms of Jewel who knows everything about her. I liked this book because Alice is faced with a decision to make, ans she ultimately discovers who she really is rather then who she has been pretending to be. And, I love the feel good ending (which I won't give away).

Green Angel

Green Angel by Alice Hoffman
Published by Scholastic Press in 2003
116 pages
Warning: This novel deals with death, sadness, grief and it is gloomy. There is some mild language and some disturbing disastrous events.
Genre: Death, Family

This novel, at times, reminded me of Overboard by Elizabeth Fama. Both books involve young girls learning survival skills, and falling prey to the selfish tendencies that may come with the survival mode situations.

After the sudden and tragic death of her family, Green hopes for their return. Unfortunately, they do not return. Green quickly transforms into Ash. She must learn to fight off looters, search for food and learn to help others. Looking past old biases and preconceived notions of various people from her past, Ash learns to help others beside herself survive. The grieving process is well documented. Ash, like all of us, copes with the death of her family in her own unique way. Will she remain Ash for the rest of her life, buried in the ash and wreckage of disaster, or return to the Green girl who once cared and protected her garden?

This book is wonderful! I have never experienced the pain of a loved one dying, so I was enlightened to the grieving process and how people grieve about death differently. This book is also interesting, because it can be interpreted as the grieving process of a young girl after the September 11th terrorist attacks in NYC in 2001. While the book does not say this explicitly, it could be interpreted this way.

Overboard

Overboard, by Elizabeth Fama
Published by Dell Laurel-Leaf in 2002
158 pages
Warning: This book is mildly thematic and contains scenes which may be scary to some younger readers because of intense, survival situations.
Genre: Suspense, Adventure, Survival, Family

This book is about a family living in Sumatra with her parents, who work at a clinic in this country. Annoyed with her life and the stress of the hospital, she runs away from home, in Sumatra, without telling her parents. On the ferry to another island where she plans to meet her uncle, Emily meets another American couple. They talk and form a quick friendship. Unfortunately, the ferry capsizes. Emily, age 14, is suddenly placed in survival mode as she tries to survive the night in the ocean. Throughout the night, Emily encounters sharks, desperate people, and a young boy who needs her help to survive.

This book is wonderful. I love the following quote;

"Emily looked around in desperation. If only the rescue boats were here, if only someone could make them all calm, save them before they hurt themselves, make them do the right thing.

But what was the right thing? Emily didn't know.

She was crying now, heaving, hot sobs that made her choke on her own mucus" (39).

There is power, as Emily transforms from trying to protect herself, and think of her own survival, to the survival of others. This book is also empowering because at a young age of 14, Emily is able to help more then herself. For me, this book turned my eye away from myself and to others, and I know it can do the same thing for young adults. I also find that for young adults who are often obsessed with their own lives, this novel would also turn their eyes and focus towards others.

Inexcusable

Inexcusable, by Chris Lynch
Published by Ginee Seo Books in 2005
165 pages
Warning: The book does contain explicit drug use, but the telling of the rape is not as explicit as I expected. The sex is implied, not described in detail.
Genre: Sex, Drugs, Realism, Rape

This book starts with a typical teenage boy; football player, popular among friends and into girls. Readers slowly begin to realize that this boy has done something wrong. Consistently trying to justify his actions, Keir, tries to convince himself that he is a good kid. Keir feels guilty for what he has done to his best friend, Gigi. She has accused him of raping her. Keir, in denial, tells the events of what lead up to the suggested rape. He tells the story of a controversial tackle in a football game, graduation, using drugs on graduation and also provides the details that his mother killed herself and that him and his dad live alone. Amidst telling these details, he consistently tries to justify that he is a good kid.

The book does contain explicit drug use information, but the telling of the rape is not as explicit as I expected. The sex is implied, not described in detail. While I believe this book could be used in a classroom, I would only teach it to Juniors and Seniors. This book is important because it discusses how two people can see one event very differently, as Keir and Gigi do. Young adults can learn from this. This will help them realize the importance of seeing more then one side of an arguments, and not always letting their own ideas fog the vision of understanding the ideas of another person.

This book is also a National Book Award Finalist.

The Wednesday Wars

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
Published in 2009 by Sandpiper
272 pages
Warning: This novel contains some brief language
Genre: Comedy, Ages 9-12

Seventh grader Holling Hoodhood, son of local architect, is forced to endure Wednesday afternoon with the dreaded Mrs. Baker while other students attend religious training. Mrs. Baker exposes Holling to Shakespeare during their weekly time together. Little does Holling know, he will come to love Shakespeare and the quotable lines found in the literature. Holling must also put up with his parents who care more for Walter Cronkite then the achievements of Holling, as well as a cranky older sister who could care less about Holling and his life.

The Wednesday Wars is a bright comedy which focuses on the humorous happenings of a young boy growing up in Long Island, New York. Taking place in the late 1960's, the novel provides poignant insights to the Vietnam War as the school Holling attends comforts those in the school community affected by the war. There is also interesting commentary about the treatment of a young student, Mai Thi, a young girl native to Vietnam. The novel teaches appropriate lessons about treating others respectively in a light, fresh and humorous way. Holling and his sister also grow closer in the novel through a series of his sisters rebellious actions.

The book is fun because it also exposes young readers to the humor and interesting plot of Shakespeare. As Holling becomes very familiar with various Shakespeare works, he begins to surround himself by Shakespeare more and more. This book could be used as an introduction to Shakespeare, letting students know that it is in their capability to read Shakespeare. This book could also be used in companion to studying the Vietnam War, and understanding how people were treated wrong during this war.