YA BOOK #9-16
Quintero, I. (2014). Gabi: A
Girl in Pieces. TX: Cinco Puntos.
Book Summary
Gabi
Hernandez is a Mexican- American teenage girl who is starting her senior year
of high school. We learn about Gabi’s chaotic life through her diary entries
and poetry. She has a best friend Cindy who is pregnant from being raped, a
friend named Sebastian who came out about being gay and is kicked out of this
home and his dealing with her drug addicted father all while dealing with constant
comments from her mom about her eating habits. Gabi’s struggles with her
curiosity about boy and sex. When Gabi’s Tia Bertha moves in to try and “cure”
her father’s addition to meth, things start to take a turn and her life become even
more chaotic. Gabi is determined to move out her small town and with a
acceptance letter to Berkeley,
it may be her way out.
Strengths
Gabi is the protagonist in this novel, which is told in first person point
of view. This novel includes issues that many teens are faced with in modern
society. Pregnancy, weight issues, homosexuality, getting ready for college, addiction,
death, rape are some of the issues included in Gabi: A Girl in Pieces. I think it’s
a powerful story and it being written in a diary style helps readers connect to
the story with ease. I believe this would be great book for young girls in high
school. They could read this books for many different reasons including philosophical speculation and vicarious experiences. Young
readers can easily relate to at least one of these issues that Gabi deal with
during her senior year. I would recommend this book to a young mature teen.
Connections:
Here is a
teacher guide that is correlated to the CCSS standards for literature for
grades 8-9. This guide includes many guiding questions that the teacher can use
when reading the book with the class. Here is the link to the guide
Similar
Books:
·
Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina
·
The Hate You Give
by Angie Thomas
·
The
Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by
Sherman Alexis
Satrapi, M. (2003) Persepolis.
New York: Pantheon.
Connections:
Crutcher, C. (2002). Whale talk. New York, NY: Laurel Leaf. 
King, A. S. (2012). Ask the
passengers. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
Summary
Satrapi, M. (2003) Persepolis.
New York: Pantheon.
Book Summary
This
graphic novel is about the story of author Marjane Satrapi. Throughout Persepolis we get a first account of
Marji’s life and growing
up in Tehran during the fall of the Shah and the Islamic Revolution. After
the fall of Shah many people are released from prison, including family
members. As the Islamic Revolution starts and the country goes to war with Iraq,
Margi and her family lives change, and they struggle to live in war-ravaged Tehran.
As she grows and the people she cares
about become victims of the war, Marjane show her feelings of her hatred of the
government. As bombings and killing
increase, Marji’s family sends her to Austria to keep her safe.
Strengths
This books really gives the reader insight on Satrapi’s
life and how she felt as a young girl. As readers we are able to look into her
life and all of the tragic experiences she encountered. We can see her thoughts
and beliefs change from thinking Shah was chosen by God to being told to tear
his photo out of her textbook. Marji questions many things and is does not
filter these thoughts. She shows bravery as she acts on these questions and conflictions.
The use of graphic make in interesting and easy to read about a troubling
topic. I would recommend this to children age 14 and up; this book deals with mature
subject matter and depict scenes of violence. I believe this is a great book
for philosophical
speculation because readers can sympathize with Marji’s struggles. There are
many themes throughout the book including religion, heroism, politics, violence,
and war. As a reader you might need to understand some information of Iran’s political
history.
Connections:
Book Trailer:
Persepolis Reader’s Guide can be used by teacher to
enhance their reading and aid in meaningful discussion.
Persepolis Unit Template
Other books
by Marjane Satrapi:
·
Persepolis 2
·
Embroideries
·
Chicken with Plums
Crutcher, C. (2002). Whale talk. New York, NY: Laurel Leaf.
Summary
TJ is adopted at a very young age after being
abandoned by his drug addicted mother. He is a high school senior and very athletic
but refuses numerous offers to play in any school sports because of its association
with bullies, which he hates! This make the coaches and other athletes angry.
Mr. Simet, TJ’s favorite teacher convinces him to help start a swim team for
the school. TJ assembles a group of misfits who form a close bond with one
another during their bus rides to competitions. Each team member opens up about
their personal struggles, issues, and secrets that they have faced or are
facing. After making it to state championship, the team is honored with an assembly
to receive their jackets, but the assembly is interrupted with gun fire.
Connections
Many young readers will be able to relate to this
novel because of the struggles and issues the characters encounter. In this
first point of view novel we learn of issues the characters are faced with
including sexual abuse, physical and mental disabilities, bullying, and intolerance.
These issues can help young readers who are possibly going through some of the
same experiences. A key part of the book
for me was when T. J’s dad was lying on the floor, dying after being shot by
Rich and he said that he killed one and saved one. This was heartbreaking and
truly shows the guilt that he had for accidentally killing a young boy. I enjoyed
the way Crutcher used imagery in the book and I believe many young readers will
be able to learn from this novel. I would recommend this book for ages fourteen
and up.
Book Trailer
This book discussion guide can be used by teachers
to ask questions that relate to the novel.
Other books by Chris Crutcher:
- Deadline.
- Period 8.
- Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes
King, A. S. (2012). Ask the
passengers. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
Summary:
Astrid lives in a small town named
Unity Valley where everyone knows each other’s business and are very narrow
minded. She is a smart and thoughtful girl who feels disconnected from her
mother and ignored by her father and sister. To escape, she speaks to the passengers
on the planes that fly above her backyard and “sends her love” to them. Astrid
has a girlfriend but keeps it a secret while she tries and figure out who she
is. She is afraid to come out with her secret not only because of the pressure of
her friends, family, townspeople, and classmates but also because she isn’t sure
about what she is feeling. After being caught, she must figure out what is most
important to her and who she should send her love too.
Connections:
Astrid is a strong protagonist with a powerful
voice. She has many questions about everything from her sexuality to life in a
small town. Many of these issues are ones that all teens face daily, not only
teens that are questioning their sexuality. What is great about this book is
the stories you learn of the passengers who receive Astrid’s love, you learn of
issues they are dealing with and you learn of how the passenger use Astrid’s
love to gain the courage to do something important in their life. Some of the themes
in this story include sexual identity, peer pressure, bigotry and self-discovery.
Readers will be able to learn from her experiences or connect to them because of
dealing with the same issues. I would recommend this book to students who are
ages fourteen and up.
Book Trailer
Teacher Guide includes discussion questions,
information about the author and book.
Other
books by A.S. King
- · Everybody Sees the Ants.
- · Still Life with Tornado.
- · The Dust of 100 Dogs
Smith,
A. (2013) Winger. New York: Simon
& Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Ryan Dean West is a fourteen-old junior
at a boarding school named Pine Mountain. Due to his academic giftedness he is
two years younger and smaller than his classmates. After hacking into a teacher’s cell
phone, Ryan must live in Opportunity Hall. This is where all the “really bad
kids” are sent including his roommate Chas
Becker, the biggest bully on the rugby team. Not only does Ryan have to deal
with living with the constant pranking, drinking from his rugby friends, but he
is also madly in love with his best friend Annie, who thinks of him as a little
boy. When things start to change for Ryan in a very positive way, tragedy strikes.
His best friend Joey is beaten and killed by two other students. Ryan struggles to deal with the loss of his friend
but eventually can move past his struggles.
Connections
Readers will be able to connect to the many issues
that are covered in this young adult novel which include bullying, peer
pressure, identity, sexuality, prejudice, friendship and even absent parents. These
are issues things that young readers deal with every day. The humor and language
that Ryan uses is sometimes perverse, which would make me recommend it to older
teens, even though its recommend for ages 12 and up. In modern times, the way
students talk, it is more likely that this kind of humor will be one aspect of
the book that keeps readers reading. Another aspect is the doodles that are
drawn by Ryan, these drawings are comedic and will help young readers stay
engaged while reading. I absolutely did not see the death of Joey coming, this
broke my heart and I know this will certainly draw some tears from students, it
did for me! Bullying is an issues that almost every student deals with, even
the bullies are bullied. This book can be great for students to escape or learn
to empathize for the victims of bullying.
Book trailer
Other
books by Andrew Smith:
·
Stand-Off (Winger Part 2)
·
Passenger
·
Grasshopper Jungle
Alexander,
K. (2016) Booked. New
York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Summary
Twelve-year-old
Nicholas Hall tends to daydream a lot in his English Class. He mostly daydreams
of girls he likes, soccer and his upcoming tournaments. Nicholas is dealing
with a lot like being bullied by Dean and Don, crushing hard on April Farrow,
his dad’s constant nagging and his parent’s separation. After his mother moves
to Kentucky to return to her job as a professional horse trainer, things seem
to only get worse, especially with his dad. Life become more and more stressful
for Nick. He learns to deal with issues, with the help of Cody and the use of
words.
Connections
This
book is written in free verse. Poetry for young reader!! I was so excited about
reading this book and it didn’t disappoint. IT is written in first point of
view, which make young readers relate easily to the Nick. Booked shows the
challenges young people are faced with daily including self-identity, self-worth,
separation of parents, expectations from parents and bulling. Kwame Alexander
makes poetry related and cool to read. The words feel lyrical, making this book
excellent for readers who have trouble reading poetry or are rookie poetry
readers. There are footnotes throughout the book that help readers understand the
meaning of the words he is using, which is great because words like malapropism
and cachinnate were foreign to me. I would recommend this book for ages twelve
and up because it does include some racism remarks.
Book Trailer
Teacher
Guide includes discussion questions, vocabulary, information about poetry and
much more.
Other books by Kwame Alexander:
·
He Said, She Said
·
The Crossover
·
Out of Wonder
·
The Playbook
Summary
The novel When you reach me is about
Miranda a six grader who lives in New York. In 1979 Miranda begins to receive mysterious
notes that appear in her apartment, where she lives with her mother. She has a
best friend Sal, but after she starts receiving these notes and an encounter
with a boy named Marcus, Sal stops talking to Miranda. Miranda
soon makes a new friend Anne Marie, who just lost a friend too. The notes she receives
seem to tell her of the future. She discovers that the notes were sent by an
older Marcus who is sending notes to warn of a could be deadly situation.
Connections
This
novel is grouped into the subgenre of soft science fiction because it includes
time travel but focuses on the story more than science. This book meets many of
the elements that make a Young adult novel from the story being told from the
protagonist point-of-view to the readers being able to gain a true sense of how
Miranda develops in the story. Young Readers will be able to relate to friendship
issues that Miranda is faced with from dealing with getting along with peers to
being a true friend even in hard times. I will say the use of time travel certainly
made this book more interesting. I believe this book would be great for beginner
science fiction readers. I would recommend this for ages twelve and up.
Book Trailer:
Teacher Guide included
prereading activities, vocabulary, and even science connections.
Other books by Rebecca Stead
·
Goodbye Stranger
·
Liar & Spy
Book
Connection:
A Wrinkle in Time 
Green, J. (2012) The Fault in Our Stars. New York: Dutton Books.
Summary
Hazel Lancaster is a sixteen-year-old
girl with lung cancer. Her parents send her to a cancer support group where she
meets Augustus Waters who is in remission from having osteosarcoma. Hazel
tries to avoid becoming emotionally involved with Augustus because she believes
she will soon die. Hazel and Gus connect while
discussing the book An Imperial Affliction,
which is her favorite book. Gus emails the author of the book Peter Van Houten because
Hazel questions the abrupt ending to the book. They are given an invitation to Amsterdam
where Peter Van Housten lives. They are disappointed when they visit but they don’t
let it spoil their trip. Gus’s cancer returns and when they return home he gets
sick and ask Hazel and their good friend Isaac to prepare his eulogy. Gus dies
but leaves a lasting mark in Hazel and others lives.
Connections:
This story will pull at any young adult’s
heart. Heck even any adult! It’s a story of, love and tragedy. Although
many students may not be able to relate to having cancer, they will be able to relate
to knowing someone who has or had cancer. The fault in our stars will certainly
build empathy for young readers. I believe teaching empathy is important for
young readers to learn, and this book can help. This book is a young adult
books because of it includes a strong independent protagonist, told in first
pout of view and I would recommend this book to ages fourteen and up, due to
sex and language.
Book
Trailer
Teacher
Guide
Other books by John Green:
·
Looking for Alaska
·
Paper Towns
Similar book
·
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
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