YA BOOK #1-8

Sherman, A. (2007). The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian.  New York, NY.  Little Brown and Company.

Summary

This story is about a fourteen-year-old native American named Arnold “Junior” Spirit. He lives on the Spokane Indian Reservation with his family who is extremely poor, like many other families on the reservation. He was also born with hydrocephalus or as he calls it “water in the brain”. One day in class, Arnold makes an alarming discovery and decides to attend an all-white school. This decision changes a lot for Arnold, especially his relationship with his best friend Rowdy. He faces many adversities at school and at home, but he is determined to succeed and in the end his desire to finish his first year is a success and he is even able to reconcile with Rowdy.

Strengths

This modern realistic short novel is a wonderful. This book included many of the elements that Mertz & England stated represent a YA book. Arnold is the youthful protagonist that deals with contemporary issues like friendship, alcoholism and bullying. Many young readers are faced with these issues daily, making “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian” relatable, engaging and captivating. Not only can young readers relate to this character but they can also learn and live through Arnold experiences. They learn about a boy that despite his disabilities, difficult times and complicated life, he continues to persevere and with his faith push through to achieve his goals. Readers can also learn about racism. discrimination, and determination. Due to the profanity and sexual content in this book, I would recommend this to be a YA adult book and not a middle grade book.

 Connections:

•     The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven 
•       Ten Little Indians
•       The Toughest Indian in the World

Book Trailer 

Anderson, L.H.  (1999) Speak.  New York:  Puffin Books.

Summary

Speak is the story of a young teenager named Melinda. When she begins her freshman year at Merryweather High School, she is rejected and discriminated. Many of her peers and once close friends are angry with her for calling the cops on a party they attend during the summer and got some of them “busted”. No one knows that the real reason she called the cops that night is because she was raped by Andy Evans. Melinda suffers from depression and as time goes on she become increasingly isolated and nearly stops talking all together. Her silence begins to affect her life including her grades, attendance and her outlook towards school and life. When Andy Evans tries to assault Melinda again, she fights back and refuses to be silent, only then is she able to accept what happened and finds her voice to start healing.

Strengths

This is a contemporary novel which speaks directly to issues teens face today. Melinda the protagonist in this story deals with depression, sexual assault, loneliness, and feeling helpless. This young adult literature not only teaches young readers about these issues but it also holds the power to speak to them on a more emotional level. Andy Evans is the antagonist in Speak. We learn later in the story that Melinda is not his only victim. I would recommend this book to middles school age and young adult readers because it can not only teach about these issues but it may even help someone that can relate to Melinda’s situation, speak out. We know that when reading books, it can create not only an outlet but it can also help young readers in realizing their own morale stance on certain issues.

Connections

•         The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
•      Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
•         The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith

      Book Trailer

Garden, N. (1982). Annie on my mind. NY: FSG. 

Summary 

Annie on my mind is about two young girls that meet at a museum. Liza Wintrop comes from an upper middle-class family. She attends a private school where she is the school president. Annie Kenyon comes from a working-class family and attends a public school. Annie and Liza have an instant connection and quickly form a beautiful strong friendship that quickly turns into a relationship. Contrast to Annie, Liza is confused by her feelings and uncertain of what it means. Liza brings us through her journey of love, finding her identity, understanding homosexuality, and coming out. Liza gives into the pressures of facing obstacles like her school, family and she ultimately ends her relationship with Annie. They go their separate way but reunite later when Liza comes to terms with being gay.

Strengths

Nancy Garden’s use of imagery, mood, tone and descriptive writing really provides readers with a sense of the feelings Liza felt and help the reader visualize what they are reading. This book deals with controversial issues because it is about two girls who fall in love. I remember when I was in middle and high school we did not read books that had these contemporary issues like in Annie on my Mind. We read books like “The Giver” and “The Diary of Anne Frank”, which are wonderful books but do not deal with modern issues young readers are faced with daily.

This book is fantastic for young readers who are dealing with these similar issues or young readers who are curious about their sexual orientation.  From textbook readings we learned that books can help readers develop empathy which is why I think it is important this book is exposed to young reader to aid in building compassion and/or sensibility. I would recommend this book to middle school age and young adult readers.

Connections

•          Am I blue? Coming out from the silence by Marion Dane Bauer
•      Keeping you a Secret by Julie Anne Peters
•          The Gravity between Us by Kristen Zimmer

Book Trailer

Gephart, D. (2016). Lily and Dunkin. New York: Delacorte Press.

Summary

Lily and Dunkin are two middle school aged kids that are both going through identity issues. Timothy McGrother was born a boy but believes he is a girl and decides to go by the name Lily Jo McGrother while he transitions to a girl. Norbert prefers to be called Dunkin, he is bipolar and just moved in from town after the tragic death of his father. Both struggle with their desire to be accepted by their peers and family.  Then one summer morning, Lily meets Dunkin and they find comfort and acceptance in their unexpected friendship which change their lives forever.

Strengths

Lily and Dunkin take us on a journey through their lives and interactions with others. In the story we learn of some who support them, some who have a difficult time understanding, and some who ridicule them. This book is a great book to build empathy among young readers and allow some reader that are experiencing similar issues to gain a vicarious experience. This book also allows readers to develop their own opinions as well, and help figure out how they feel about some of these important issues like transgender and mental illness. I would recommend this book as a middle school read. Although it deals with controversial issues, I think it’s important for young reader to read.

Connections:

Towers falling by Jewell P. Rhodes

Ruby on the outside by Nora Baskin

The Seventh Wish by Dana Levy

Book Trailer

Harris, R. (2009). It’s perfectly normal. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press

Summary

This non-fictional book informs young readers about many topics such as: sex, feelings, masturbation, birth control, sexually transmitted diseases, abortion, reproduction, and anatomy. The book provides information on the developmental stages of transitioning from child to young adult as explained by the developmental theorist Havighurst. The book is divided into six parts. The first section deals with the definition of what sex is based on the dictionary and society today. The second section discusses the differences in children’s physical anatomy. Section three covers puberty. Section four is about Families and babies including pregnancy. Section five includes information on different decisions that must be made when choosing to participate in sexual intercourse but not wanting to conceive a child.  Section six is about topics such as checkups, diseases, and how to make responsible choices.

Strengths

The tone of the book is very straightforward providing important information in an authentic way that assures young adult readers that their feelings and changing bodies are normal. The use of comic strip and illustrations help children when reading about these sometimes hard to discuss topics. This book is recommended for children age 11 and up. This is a common book banned from schools or libraries but provided real uncensored information. This book would be a book that stays in circulation in the library rather then used for classroom purposes. It is no doubt that this book is contemporary because all children will experience these issues at one point or another, therefore it is important that young reader be allowed to read about these topics, then be shield from them.

Connections

The care and keeping of you: The body book for girls by Valorie Schaefer

Growing up: It’s a girl thing by Mavis Jukes

Book Trailer

Meyers, W. D. (1999). Monster. NY: Harper.

Summary

Sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon is a young African American living in Harlem. He is on trial for his role in the robbery turned murder of a local drugstore owner Mr. Alquinaldo Nesbitt . Steven has never been in trouble and says he is innocent. His life changes during the trial with constant fear of his future and if he would be found guilty. To help distract him from this emotional time he writes a screen play and titles it Monster, because this is the name that the prosecutor calls him. As you read you will be left with many question of whether Steve committed the crime or not.

Strengths

Monster is a young adult realistic fictional novel. It is told through two different viewpoints and two different styles of writing.  One style of writing is in the form of a screenplay because the character Steve wants to become filmmaker. The other style of writing is in the form of a diary entries which are written in first person. This book can be used to cover a variety of topics like empathy, peer pressure, race, judicial system, moral conflict, guilt, innocence, point of view. Young readers will be left with thinking how one small choice or action can lead to consequences that might affect your life for a very long time. I would recommend this book to older middle school age students and up. This would also be a great activity for students to debate their beliefs, whether they think Steve is innocent or guilty.

Connections

• A Step from Heaven by An Na, Tyrell by Coe Booth
• Miracle’s Boys by Jacqueline Woodson
• Fallen by Walter Dean Meyers

Book Trailer

Kidd, C. (2013). Go: a Kidd's Guide to Graphic Design. New York: Workman Publishing Company.

Summary

Go: a Kidd's Guide to Graphic Design is an educational instructional and covers everything a reader would need to know about Graphic Designs. The book begins with an introduction of what graphic design is, its elements, form, content and other important information about graphic designs.  The book includes a wide range of pictures to show readers everyday objects that have been designed by someone. Readers learn that, "Everything that is not made by nature is designed by someone." Whether is be through advertisements, television, the internet and so much more. The book encourages readers at the end to complete design activities.

Strengths

Not only did I learn a ton of basic information about graphic design, I also was very intrigued by the book. The first thing that caught my attention was of course the cover of the book. Kidd basically uses the entire book to not only spark interest but also to convey his information about graphic design. This book is recommended for ages ten and up but can also easily be a great resource for a young adult who is learning about graphic designs. The book has already won the Booklist Editor's Choice Award and was a finalist for the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults.

Connections

• Steal Like An Artist: 10 Things No One Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon

Book Trailer

Ness, P. 2008. The Knife of Never Letting Go. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press.

Summary

The Knife of Never Letting Go is about a young boy named Todd who lives In Prentisstown of the New World, where the population is 147 and consist of all males. Surprisingly, he discovers that there are more people out there including women. In the story there is constant “Noise” because all the men can hear one another’s thoughts. One day, Todd discovers a place of silence.  Suddenly, Todd and his dog, Manchee, are forced to leave home, and fight to stay alive. Todd realizes that the silence is coming from a girl names Viola that he found when he crossed the swamp. There is a awful secret being hidden by the men in the town and they will stop at nothing to kill Todd and Viola.

Strengths

This dystopian thriller kept me wanting more. This is the first of a trilogy written by Patrick Ness. There are many themes that are embedded including innocence, maturity, loyalty, hopelessness and sacrifice. This is my first book reading with telepathy which was very exciting and interesting. I would recommend this book to readers who love action and adventure. I would also recommend this book to middle school age and young adult readers.

Connections

• ·         Monsters of Men
• ·         The Ask and the Answer
• ·         The New World

      Book Trailer