Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast

By Robin McKinley

Published by

Paper Towns by John Green

Keesha's House by Helen Frost

Keesha's House

By Helen Frost

Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (2007)

Summary:

This book is told in poems fromt the point of view of teenagers with different issues seek safety and solace in a home where no one judges them.

My Review:

This book can engage a teenager and they might not even realize they are reading poetry! The contemporary issues are woven into classic poetry forms that could be taught in a classroom setting without boring students, it could be used as a gateway to introducing those same forms of poetry in celebrated authors from the literary canon.

WARNING: All of these teens are facing issues that are difficult, controversial, or life-altering and could be new exposure to some readers.

Three Little Words by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

Three Little Words: A Memoir
By Ashley Rhodes-Courter

Published by Athenium

Summary:
In this autobiographical story, Ashley tells of her childhood in and out of foster centers, adoption homes, and a children's home for most of her life. Suffering abusive foster parents, death of loved ones, and the feelings of neglect and worthlessness become part of her view of the world and cause her to doubt everyone and everything she encounters. So when a family adopts her and wants to love her, will she be able to let them into her life?

My Review:
This was a life-changing book for me, probably because the author is my age right now. The scenes described in this book are so powerful and beg to be read and understood as more than a sensational story, but as someone's real life growing up in horrific conditions that are not part of history books or fictional stories, but the lives of children all around our own towns and homes in the present day. Hearing real-life accounts of children whose hands are super-glued to a wall and then are abandoned by their parents help a reader be aware of terrors that many children face and how many of them need someone to love them, defend them, and give them hope that their lives do not have to be defined by what they were denied in their childhood.



WARNING: Language, sexual jokes/scenes, child abuse, disturbing stories involving children







Click here to see the author's website!





Ashley accepting the Nation Angels in Adoption award

Unwind

Unwind

By Neil Shusterman

Published by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (June 2, 2009)

Summary:

The result of a second civil war over abortion is a process called "unwinding." When a teen is between 13 and 17, parents can choose to have their children unwound and their body parts will be harvested to another person in need, so technically they never die. Technically. What happens to the teens who try to escape the process?

My Review:

This book was brilliant. Shocking, disgusting, and thought-provoking...but brilliant. Shusterman is able to make you really think about the power we have over others' oppurtunity to live.

WARNING: the entire process of unwinding! language, violence, authority, rebellion

The Taking of Room 114

The Taking of Room 114: A Hostage Drama in Poems
By Mel Glenn

Published by: Dutton Juvenile, 1997

Summary:
This book in told in free-verse poetry from all teh students in Mr. Weidermeyer's senior history class from their Freshmen, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior years, as well as the fateful day when they walk in (or skip) the class in which they will be held hostage by a disturbed teacher.

My Review:
I loved this book! We get to rea the history, struggles, happiness, and dreams of the students and we see the progression of how they deal with the issues they are facing right up until they walk into class and are struck by the fear that those events might never happen.

WARNING: language, sex, teen pregnancy, teacher holding students hostage, family disputes, death

The Atonishing Life of Octavian Nothing

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: Traitor to the Nation
Volume 1: The Pox Party
By MT Anderson

Published by Candlewick, 2006

Summary:
Octavian is a young African boy raised in Revolutionary War era in a home full of philosopher and scientists. As he gets older he realizes that while he and his mother are well-fed and dressed, they are no different from every other African slave and are property of the people conducting experiments....on them.

My Review:
This book was hard for me to get into right up until the end. However, I think someone else might enjoy the fact that it is a part of the United States' history that is not talked about much from am persepective that is not represented usually. It is very graphic and the experiments done are for older readers.

WARNING: scientific experimentation on humans and animals, violence, abuse, mild sexual content

Listen to Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Listen to a playlist I compiled for Nancy Werlin's Impossible!

The Witch's Boy by Michael Gruber

The Witch's Boy
By Michael Gruber

Published By Harper Collins, 2005

Summary:
Lump is a boy who was left on the doorstep of a witch who was forced to raise him. He grows up isolated with a bear for a nurse. When his mother gives up her magic to save him, he starts becoming rebellious and distant. Gruber retells stories such as Little Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty and the ending was quote a surprise!

My Review:
Fantasy is not my genre, so it was hard to get into it. However, as soon as I realized this was not just fantasy, but a fairy tale, I loved it! Reading classic fairy tales with a twist and different perspective was interesting, and the final fairy tale that is represented was the best way to (almost) end the book! I felt as if this was a story that was lost somewhere in time while all the other fairy tales were being told and now it is finally surfacing!

WARNING: magic, mother/son disputes, mild violence

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Wintergirls

By Laurie Halse Anderson

Published by Speak

Summary:

When Lia and Cassie were younger, they decided to have a competition to see who could be thinner. Years later after slowly growing apart, Lia hears that Cassie was found alone and dead in a motel room. And she called Lia 33 times before she died. The book is a distorted stream-of-consciousness as Lia deals with her anorexia and self-esteem issues coupled with the guilt of what happened to Cassie. The reader watches as Lia's self-destructive calorie counting, hours on the exercise equiptment, and disparaging remarks spiral to a fate almost similar to Cassie's.

My Review:

While I loved this book, it was very disturbing. The part that redeems it is that this is a fiction book but with very true facts. This does happen to people in our society. This is not a made up fairy story or sci-fi thriller that came out of someone's mind, this is a compilation of teenage girls' stories and the author's struggles. This is a struggle that is real and life-threatening and important to be educated about. I would be careful of the young adult I handed this to because I wouldn't want to encourage any of this type of thinking but I know it is important that young adults see this disease for the ugly, deadly thing that it is.

WARNING: language, eating disorders, self-abuse, death, self-esteem issues, family dynamics

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Impossible
by Nancy Werlin

Published by Speak; Reprint edition (August 11, 2009)

Summary:
17-year0old Lucy Scarbourough has been raised by foster parents because her mother is unstable, mysterious, and mad. When Lucy is date raped at a school dance adn becomes pregnant, she learns of the curse upon the Scarbourough women which turns them mad after the birth of their daughters unless they can complete the three impossible tasks described in the song "Scarbourough Fair."

My Review:
Besides having this song constantly in my head, I loved this book! The subject of rape is definitely there, but not graphic, and not gratuitous. In a very modern setting there is a magical element that caught me off guard and I had to do a mental shift and realize that this fantasy story was woven into modern day in such a clever way that it was almost believable.

WARNING: date rape, insanity, teen pregnancy

Sorry, but you'll have it stuck in your head too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JgaZ73M-Ms

Speak
By Laurie Halse Anderson

Published by: Speak

Summary:
Melinda is a freshman in high school who was raped over the summer at a party. Instead of telling those around her and asking for help, she clams up and refuses to talk. She suffers in school, in her relationships with her family, and loses all of her friends. Will Melinda be able to face her fears or stay introverted and make them worse?

My Review:
This was a powerful book that deals with the emotions of a girl who feels she has lost everything because of one jerk in her high school. As a reader, I was wondering why she wouldn't reach out to those around her and let people know she was in pain, but that is part of the appeal of the story - a different perspective. Yes she is in pain, yes she is suffering in many other aspects of her life, but she can't put it into words or even face the facts of what happened to her. It helped me gain insight to how someone might feel if that happened to them and maybe how to try and reach out to them.

WARNING: The subject of teen rape is presented but is not embarrassingly graphic, depression, thoughts of suicide, and language are also in the book.

After the First Death by Robert Cormier

After the First Death
By Robert Cormier

Published by: Puffin Books

Summary:
Ben knows his dad has a top-secret government job as a general, but never hears about it. Now everyone's worst nightmare has come true: terrorists from an un-named country are holding a school bus full of children hostage until their demands can be met. They want $10 million and for the secret American government group "Inner Delta" to dissolve itself. This book is told from the perspectives of Ben, Kate (the young bus driver), Miro (the terrorist honestly convinced he is doing this for his country), and finally the general.

My Review:
This is a no-nonsense book that helps young readers delve into more mature subjects, such as terrorism and loyalty. It can help the reader identify their idea of bravery or duty. Another thing readers can pull from this book is a multiple-perspective view on a terrifying situation and they can try to comprehend the mindset of everyone involved - a frightened young woman in charge of a bus full of children, a duty-driven general, or even a terrorist. This helps young readers develop the ability to look at situations from different angles and opinions. I'll echo the advice of my Young Adult Literature professor - read the first chapter again once you've finished! You'll have an entirely new understanding of some of the characters!

WARNING: This book deals with acts of terrorism and could be disturbing and confusing to some younger readers.

Inexcusable by Chris Lynch

Inexcusable
By Chris Lynch
Published by Ginee Seo Books (October 25, 2005) 176 pages

Summary:
Keir is a good guy. He loves his family, he plays sports, does well in school. He likes to do harmless pranks with friends, take the occasional recreational drug, and maybe get drunk once in a while. But he's a good guy. He couldn't possibly have done what the his one true love, the gorgeous Gigi, says he did. He couldn't have raped her.

My Review:
Reading a book from the perspective of the accused rapist is something entirely different from anything I've experienced. I have read Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson that describes the pain the girl went through, but Chris Lynch is able to capture the rationalizations of Keir in such a way that leaves the reader betraying themselves at times.

Warning: Rape, teen partying, drug/alcohol use, language

The First Part Last by Angela Johnson

The First Part Last
By Angela Johnson

Published by: Simon Pulse

Summary:
Bobby is a 16-year-old single father struggling with the pressures of school, family, friends, and his new daughter, Feather. Despite his family's closeness, they let him know the baby is his responsibility. The story shifts between the present day (when Bobby and Feather are together), to back when his girlfriend was still pregnant letting the reader see the change in Bobby from the immature, typical teenage boy, to a father with more love for his daughter than he could imagine.

My Review:
Seeing a story from a single, teenage father's perspective was different and refreshing. This story does not condone it in any way, it is an honest portrayal of a young man transitioning to go from a selfish teenage to a selfless dad. The most beautiful part of the book for me is how Bobby describes the time he is with his daughter; Johnson is able to portray the softer, nurturing side of a teenage boy who has responsibility thrust upon him.

WARNING: Occasional strong language and the subject of teen pregnancy

You Don't Know Me by David Klass

You Don't Know Me
by David Klass

Published by HarperTeen (2002)

Summary:
John is a 14 year old boy who is heavily abused as the hands of his almost-stepfather, or as he calls him, "the man who is not my father." The reader goes through day to day with John to "the place that is not a school" and sees how the horror at home affects him in his schoolwork, relationships, and hwo he tries to be a normal teenager.

My Review:
This book was so powerful to me, not so much because of the subject matter, but how John deals with it. I almost felt rude laughing at some parts of the book. John really has a sense of humor and David Klass lets John do that. The way John describes events in his life could possibly be a comedy until a scene comes up where he is abused or his life is threatened and he is in unimaginable situations. This book helped me realize that just because a child may be going through something tragic and horrific, that does not define who they are. They are not "abused children", they are children who are being abused. It made me realize even more what a responsibility we have to help them and bring awareness to their situations so they can let themselves be the creative, funny, loving people they are without living in fear.

WARNING: child abuse, alcohol, teen sensuality, language

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why
By Jay Asher

Published by Razorbill October 18, 2007

Summary:
Clay Jensen, along with 12 of his classmates, is horrified to find that he is the recipient of a set of cassette tapes made by Hannah Baker - who committed suicide recently. In those tapes, Hannah details the stories behind events and people which contributed to her eventual death. As Clay listens to the eerie sound of Hannah's voice, he is shocked to realize the secrets hidden in his high school.

My Review:
This book was unlike any I had read before. I was thoroughly creeped out by what Hannah did in telling everyone how they contributed to her suicide. Hannah sucks the reader in and really doesn't let go until her story is told in its entirety - I almost began to wonder what I had done because I received the tapes! It was hard reading how Hannah's downfall snowballed and she didn't know how to get help. Her tapes were full of impact, strength and wit that it was difficult to imagine that she was plotting all of this while in that despair.

WARNING: While I enjoyed this book and its perspective, I would hesitate to recommend it to some young adults. There are many concepts to be learned from Hannah's story such as how we act towards others makes an impact on them positively or negatively, forgiveness, the effect of gossip, etc. I feel that many young adult readers would see this as glorifying suicide and making it an acceptable end by blaming it on other people. Clay makes many references that it was Hannah's choice to be offended, her choice to not get help, and her choice to not reach out when she had the chance, but I would be afraid that young adults wouldn't agree with Clay.

Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman

Stuck in Neutral
By Terry Trueman

Published by Thorndike Press August 2007

Summary:
Shawn McDaniel is one of the most intelligent boys you'll ever meet - and he has a perfect auditory memory. He can remember every conversation he's ever heard, every song, every commercial. He loves learning and observing the world around him. Restricted by Cerebral Palsy, Shawn is confined to a wheelchair and completely dependent on others to take care of him. His family loves him of course, but what does his father mean when he says he wants to put Shawn "out of his misery"?

My Review:
I thought this book was a brilliant look into the mind of someone who can't communicate his thoughts and ideas verbally and physically, but his mind is whirring like mad. The author has a child with Cerebral Palsy so I'm sure writing what his son must be thinking and feeling was an emotional experience that helped him understand his son and helps readers connect with someone in Shawn's condition.

Below is a video about Dick and Rick Hoyt (aka Team Hoyt). Click to watch this inspirational story of a father that would do anything for his son with cerebral palsy.

Beyond the Burning Time

By Kathryn Lasky

Published by Scholastic Paperbacks (September 1, 1996)

Summary:

Mary Chase and her family live in Salem, Massachussettes in 1692 as they watch the hysteria unfold surrounding innocent Puritan women accused of witchcraft. They watch one by one as their friends and neighbors are accused of crimes described by a few girls in the town who claim they are victims of the witches. Among political, religious, and social chaos, Mary's own mother is accused of witchcraft. Mary and her brother must decide how to free her from a town overcome with grief, guilt, and accusations.

My Review:

Kathryn Lasky has managed to take true facts and quotes and wrap them in her historically fictional story. The setting, most of the people, and the events are all accurate as Lasky creates the fictional Chase family immersed in it. Reading this story helped me understand the events of the Salem witch trials and how it affected families and the mindset of the town. I also found the story even more fascinating when I realized that Lasky used many true facts and testimonies of the accused women in her story because it made the events more real for me as I read.

WARNING: Even though it is written for a younger audience, there is some nudity (looking for marks of a witch) and violence (the way the women were treated in prison and their hanging) but it is all fact-based.

Two Are Better Than One by Carol Ryrie Brink

Two Are Better Than One
By Carol Ryrie Brink

Published by New York, Macmillan, (1968)

Summary:
This is the story of Cordy and Chrys, two girls caught inbetween being young girls and growing into teenagers. They have been best friends their whole lives and still cling to many of their imaginary games and ways of thinking. They are also budding writers and begin to write an book together.

My Review:
This book was published in 1968 and used to belong to my mother so I have always had it in my home. I decided to read it and even though it was extremely corny and I never want to hear the word "Gee" again, I actually loved it in a way. The story is autobiographical of the author and her best friend growing up in Idaho. I completely related to it remembering my best friend adn the crazy things we would do, the dreams we had, and the transitions we have had to make our whole lives. The fact that they wrote a story together makes their intimate friendship even more endearing because it is so important to them and I used to do that as well. It's just a corny, fell-good read.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

By John Boyne

Published by: David Fickling Books (2007)
224 pages

Summary: Bruno is the 9-year-old son of an important commandant in WWII Germany. Bruno family relocates to a new home close to the concentration camp, Aushwitz. With no friends and an itch to explore, Bruno ventures out to find out what is going on in the feild near his house where all the people are wearing "striped pajamas." He soon discovers a boy named Shmuel, the only problem: he lives on the other side of the fence. They meet every day, sitting on either side of the fence, and discuss their similarities and try to find out why they have differences. They develop a friendship no adult would find possible or understand in a time of misunderstanding, fear, and discrimination.

My Review: This book touched my heart with its childlike innocence and John Boyne offers such a pure perspective of Bruno, who doesn't understand why the "Fury" (Adolf Hitler) is revered by his father, why he can't talk to the servants in striped pajamas, or why his friend Shmuel gets skinnier and more pale every day and doesn't seem happy. The reader will bond with both boys as they discover they are both just 9-year-old boys who want to be friends in a world that is telling them to be enemies.

Warning: This book is set near a concentration camp but the events are described my 9-year-old boys who don't understand everything so nothing is too detailed or graphic. An understanding of the Holocaust is necessary to understand the history, terms, people, and mispronunciations of Bruno ("Fury"=Fuhrer; "Out-With" = Aushwitz). After reading this book, check out the 2008 film!

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

The Wednesday Wars

By Gary D. Schmidt

Published by: Sandpiper, 2009

Summary:
Holling Hoodhood is the only Presbyrterian in his seventh grade full of Jewish and Catholic students. On Wednesday afternoons when his classmates are at their various religious obligations, Mrs. Baker makes him read Shakespeare! Set in the 60s, this book is a good coming-of-age story and is pretty hilarious!

My Review:
While I have a hard time with teenage boy narrators, I though Holling was hilarious. What teenage boy wants to read Shakespeare - for fun? But his growing relationship with Mrs. Baker and how they come to appreicate each other really made this story for me.

Perfect

By Natasha Friend (audio)

Published By Milkweed Editions (2004)

Summary:
Things have been turned upside down in the Lee family recently with the death of their father two years ago and a mother that is an emotional wreck, Isabelle and her younger sister, April, must find new ways of coping with their new life. When April discovered Isabelle throwing up after eating, Isabelle must go to group therapy every week and discuss her problems with an eating disorder. She is shocked to find that the most popular, beautiful, perfect girl in school is also in the group. Isabelle must learn how to help herself and her family get back on track and learn to love themselves, each other, and their memories, no matter how reluctant they are.

My Review:
This was a sweet story with a powerful look into underlying causes for some problems that teenagers have. Isabelle is extremely hard on herself and criticizes her appearance constantly and readers realize that it has so much more to do than just her weight and her features, but that her need for perfection can also stem from outside influences and problems. This book showed that everyone can have problems no matter how put-together they seem on the outside and it helped me be more sensitive to those around me.

WARNING: Binging and purging, group therapy, low-self esteem, death in the family, and emotional problems are present throughout the book. I would not recommend this to very young readers because if they do not understand the message of the book, they may just take away the negative traits as solutions for problems.

To find out how to recieve help on eating disorders for yourself or someone you know, click here for more information.

What do teens have to say about eating disorders?

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

The Looking Glass Wars
By Frank Beddor

Published by Speak (2007)

Summary:
Princess Alyss Heart of Wonderland's family has been attacked by her evil Aunt Redd and Alyss escapes through the Pool of Tears to a strange new land called Earth where she must start a new life in a place called London and live with a new family. While there, she encounters a writer who wants to record her story - but he gets it all wrong! Falling down hole to chase a white rabbit? Just as "Alice" is adjusting to life on Earth, strange happenings in Wonderland require that the princes go and claim her throne...but not without a fight.

My Review:
I was skeptical about this book because fantasy is not my genre but I was pleasantly surprised! If the reader takes time to get into the first few chapters and understand the highly technologically advanced world of Wonderland contrasted with the late-1800s London, the reader will be taken on a journey far different than the fairy tale, Disney story they are used to!

WARNING: There is a war in Wonderland and some of the violence is described graphically

Click HERE to go to the official Looking Glass Wars website!

An Abundance of Katherines

An Abundance of Katherines

By John Green

Published by Speak; Reprint edition (October 16, 2008)

Summary:
Colin Singleton is a "washed-up child prodigy" who has dated 19 girls named Katherine (all with a "K"!). After being dumped by Katherine XIX, he becomes depressed until his best friend, Hassan, decides that a road trip will cure him. They set off together to Tennessee where they encounter new people and situations all while Colin tries to map out a mathematical formula for love - literally!

My Review:
This book was hilarious! I love a book with quirky characters who handle situations in weird, OCD, atypical ways! Many young adults will relate to Colin's situation and realize that you can't always plan out the way things are going to turn out!

WARNING: There is a lot of swearing throughout the whole book as well as sexual jokes and situations

Breath by Donna Jo Napoli

Breath

By Donna Jo Napoli

Published by Athemnium (2003)

Summary:

This book is narrated by a 12-year-old boy named Salz who tells the story of his hometown in Germany that is Donna Jo Napoli's imagined story of the famous tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin who rid the whole town of rats. No one knows what is making animals die suddenly, and what if humans are next? Salz himself suffers an illness readers later find out is cystic fibrosis. Readers get to see through Salz's eyes how the town is turned upside down by these events.

My Review:

I loved this book because it was very different than anything I had read. There aren't many young adult books I know of that are set in the 1200s. Living conditions were sometimes drastically different and opinions of remedies and different superstitions that Napoli describes let the readers feel a part of history that is sometimes not explored much in junior highs and high schools.

WARNING: There are vivid descriptions of diseases and fear spread throughout the town

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

The Diary of a Young Girl
By Anne Frank

Published by:

Summary:
This is Anne's real-life diary she kept before and during her life in Nazi-occupied Holland. Anne's life started out as any other girl's but soon the fact that she is Jewish becomes the reason she has to start going to special school, shop in certain stores, adn unltimatly go into hiding. She lives for about 2 years in a small annexe at the top of an office building in Amsterdam until their 1944 capture and deportation to a concentration camp. Anne's account details the life of a typical teenage girl who worries about meing mature, self-image, education, making a difference, relationships, and who she wants to be. Anne's father, Otto, was the only member of the family and he has Anne's diary published.

My Review:
I am so happy this book is used in many middle school English classrooms. This book is almost unreal because the reader knows that this is a real girl who worries about the same things they worry about. The eerie part is the author never lived to know that she was published so it is an uncensored as possible. We get to hear first-hand what it was like to live in hiding fearing discovery every day. We also get to know the joys she experienced during these formative yet final years of her life. The reader knows the devastating fate of young Anne Frank and that makes the journey of reading her diary more personal and intimate.

What Kind of Country Do You Want? 2010 from Anne Frank Trust on Vimeo.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl

By Eoin Colfer

Published by: Disney-Hyperion; First Edition edition (May 6, 2002)

Summary:

Artemis Fowl is a 12-year-old criminal mastermind whose newest plot is to steal the stash of gold from the fairies. His plan is to kidnap and hold one for ransom. However, these aren't magical folk that wear corny outfits and dance jigs. Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police Reconnaisance) is a force to beb reckoned with and she's not going down without a fight! This book is full of fantasy, technology, wit, and trickery that no one will be able to resist!

My Review:

This book was nothing like I thought it was going to be! I never expected that the magical world would integrate technology and war strategies in their attempt to save their gold! It was a fun read that will captivate any reader, especially those on the younger end of the young adult spectrum!

Black Mirror by Nancy Werlin

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

A Great and Terrible Beauty
By Libba Bray

Published By: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (March 22, 2005)

Summary:
Gemma Doyle has been raised in Victorian, British-occupied India her whole life, but after a strange vision and then occurance of her mother's death, she is shipped back to England to attend an all-girls boarding school. While dealing with the cliques and struggles of beign the new girl in a strict school, she continues to have visions and eventally learns how to control them, or let them control her, and she enters into a magical realm through them.

My Summary:
To be honest, the cover is what drew me to the book because I just though it was really pretty and a cool title, I wasn't expecting much. I was pleasantly surprised! This book is set in a time period that I haven't read many yound adult novels. The strict Victorian society contrasted with the magical elements of the book make it an interesting supernatural story with an elegant twist. There are also many Victorian female sterotypes that can help the reader with the historical context. I will defintely be reading the other books in the series.

WARNING: Violence, death, going against society's norms

Teen Book Video Award Winner!

http://libbabray.com/agreatandterriblebeauty.html

Gingerbread by Rachel Cohn

Gingerbread
By Rachel Cohn

Published by Simon Pulse (June 1, 2003)

Summary:
Cyd Charisse's stepfather refers to her as a "recovering hellion." She lives in San Francisco and lives with a wealthy family, has a boyfriend named "Shrimp", and is unfortunately kicked out of boarding school. She is sent to live with her biological father and his new family in New York City. She has trouble finding herself totally fitting in with either family, but is able to become more mature as she learns how.

My Review:
This book was told from an interesting narrator who I didn't like at first because I could not relate to her at all. Eventually I found myself liking her more and more and it helped me realize that it is so much easier to judge someone you do not know well, and I felt that was my realtionship with this character.

WARNING: strained family relationships, teen rebellion, abortion, language

The main character was named after Cyd Charisse, a dancer who performed in musicals "Singin' in the Rain" and "Brigadoon" among others, check out this tribute to her!

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Person

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

By Mary E. Pearson

Published by Square Fish; Reprint edition (September 1, 2009)

Summary:

Jenna Fox has been in a serious automobile accident that has left her in a year-long coma, finally waking up with no memory of her past, but a strangely accurate recollection of academic facts. This should be an acceptable medical result and she should be grateful for her second chance at life...right? Then why all the mysetery surrounding her "rebirth" and why is her family so secretive of her past?

My Review:

Wow! This book makes you think! Scientific and moral ethics are explored in a way that I have never been exposed to. The subject of how far you would go for someone you love is also brought up and I found myself torn and not knowing exactly what I thought of Jenna's situation at times, or what I would do in her situation or the situation of her family.

WARNING: Scientific experimentation on humans, tense family situatons

Who is Jenna Fox?

The Moves Make the Man by Bruce Brooks

The Moves Make The Man
by Bruce Brooks

Published by HarperCollins, 1995

Summary:
Jerome thinks he can handle everything: beign the only black student to integrate into his new school school, taking care of his father-less family, and most of all - basketball.

My Review:
I loved the way Brooks used basketball as a metaphor for life and that they are people who fake and go in circles, and what is the right way to handle that, is it ok to fake?

WARNING: racism, language, abuse

I Capture the Castle

By Dodie Smith

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin (Paperback - Apr. 1, 2003)

(Originally published in 1949)

Summary:
Cassandra Mortmain is a 17-year-old girl living with her family in an abandoned, decrepit castle in 1930's England. She is an aspiring writer keeping a journal of life with her brother, a restless sister, eccentric stepmother, and a father who was once an acclaimed novelist but can't seem to pick up a pen again. While trying to become accustomed to the non-conventional life they now lead filled with poverty and creatively making ends meet, two very wealthy (and very single) young American men move in nearby....

My Review:

This is one of my favorite coming-of-age stories. The characters are so innocent, quirky, and honest. Cassandra "captures" them all in this perfectly detailed, analytic narrative.

Stranger With My Face
By Lois Duncan

Published by Perfection Learning (1990)

Summary:
Laurie Stratton seems to have it all together with a boyfriend, amazing friends, but suddenly people are saying they are seeing her with other people or being in places she wasn't and Laurie can't say why. As things get more mysterious, Laurie comes to find she was adopted...and had a twin sister who wasn't and has grown up completely differently and seems to want to take over Laurie's life...literally, and through whatever supernatural means necessary.

My Review:
I remember I had read this book when I was in 6th or 7th grade and it got me hooked on Lois Duncan so I read it again now. This kind of book is one I think many young adult readers will like because there are supernatural events that are almost realistic. It will leave the reader beleiving rationally that twin sisters can use astral projection to get into the others' body. I think for young adults it would be just a fun book to read that would hopefully get them hooked on reading and ready to explore more advanced books afterward.

WARNING: Belief in astral projection, violence, foster homes

The Shadowland
By Meg Cabot

Published By: HarperTeen (2004)

Summary:
Susanna wishes she could be just like other teenage girls, but being a mediator, a.k.a she can see ghosts, doesn't exactly make her normal. When her mother remarries and they move to Northern California, she is still is the business of helping dead people solve their issues so they can move on. The hunky new ghost that appears in her room apparently doesn't need any help from Susanna...which is just fine with her because he happens to be very attractive. But seeing ghosts isn't complete without a ghost out for revenge and it's up to the mediator to find out how to help.

My Review:
I thought Suze was a fun character to read because she was tough and seemed to know who she was, as much as a teenage girl can. Her narration was entertaining and her dilemma of having a crush on a ghost was easy for anyone to relate to who has liked someone and knows it's just not going to work out. I think young adults would enjoy this book and probably the series because there are interesting characters and enough sensationalism to keep a young reader hooked.

WARNING: Ghosts and suicide

Touching Spirit Bear
By Ben Mickaelson

Published by HarperTeen (2005)

Summary:
Cole is a 9th grader who has serious anger issues. When he beats up a fellow classmate so badly he suffers brain damage, Cole must suffer the consequences of either jail time or a kind of American Indian reform called Circle Justice. Refusing jail time, he is sent to a remote area of Alaska to learn how to live adn survive on his own and hopefully learn valuable lessons, even if he is not sure what they are yet - as long as his pride and anger don't get the best of him.

My Review:
This intentions of this book were good and they ways the author presents the reform and forgiveness process in interesting but sometimes the book felt like it was all preaching. There was hardly any character development for Cole, we are just presented with an angry kid bashing another student's head into the sidewalk so it was hard to get into character-wise. Cole's process of resolving his issues has steady progress and the reader can keep up but sometimes it seems like the author is resolving things in a way that other young adults aren't going to understand and it happens so ideally that sometimes it seemed unrealistic.

WARNING: Violence, anger, child abuse, trying to survive in the wild, and being mauled by a bear are some of the things Cole has to face. The boy he beats up also suffers brain damage and is suicidal.

Godless
By Pete Hautman

Published by Simon Pulse (2005)

Summary:
Jason is a 15-year-old boy who doesn't believe in the faith his parents choose to practice, so what is he to do? Teetering between Agnosticism, Atheism, and...making up his own religion? Why not! Readers get to experience the summer vacation of Jason and his friends and they strive to find meaning in their made-up religion and what they learn and the consequences they go through.

My Review:
This book may be a good learning experience in begin independent and finding out what to believe through individual merits for some readers, but I didn't find it particularly helpful. The kids want to make up their own religion, but to me it just seemed like a rebellion that led to physical and mental injuries, punishment, all for a cause that didn't have any purpose other than to question authority and keep some teenagers amused over the summer.

WARNING: There is swearing scatered throughout the book and questioning of a major religion

Haunted Sister
By Lael Littke

Published by Henry Colt and Co.

Summary:
When Janine is in a life-threatening car crash while cutting school, she slips into a coma where she is reunited with her twin sister, Lenore, who drowned when she was four and was always the more spunky, rebellious one of the two. When Janine returns out of the coma, she realizes Lenore has come back with her and wants to take over her body and live the life she was never able to.

My Review:
This book was a good, quick read for a teen thriller. There was just enough to intrigue and hook a reader into a eerie plot for an afternoon of psychological suspense!

WARNING: Disturbing theme of someone taking over another's body and some mild sensuality

Three Little Words

A Memoir
By Ashley Rhodes-Courter

Published by : Athenium

Summary:
In this autobiographical story, Ashley has been in and out of foster homes, foster centers, adoption homes, and a children's home for most of her life. Suffering abusive foster parents, death of loved ones, and the feelings of neglect and worthlessness become part of her view of the world and cause her to doubt everyone and everything she encounters. So when a family adopts her and wants to love her, will she be able to let them into her life?

My Review:
This was a life-changing book for me, probably because the author is my age right now. The scenes described in this book are so powerful and beg to be read and understood as more than a sensational story, but as someone's real life growing up in horrific conditions that are not part of history books or fictional stories, but the lives of children all around our own towns and homes in the present day. Hearing real-life accounts of children whose hands are super-glued to a wall and then are abandoned by their parents help a reader be aware of terrors that many children face and how many of them need someone to love them, defend them, and give them hope that their lives do not have to be defined by what they were denied in their childhood.

WARNING: Language, sexual jokes/scenes, child abuse, disturbing stories involving children




Click here for a link to the author's website!

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
By E. Lockhart

Published by: Hyperion

Summary:
Frankie is in her sophomore year at a well-known prep school and, having overcome her awkward years, just might end up enjoying this school year. Things really begin to look up when Matthew (the most popular guy in school) asks her out and seems to want her to be included in the "in-crowd." The problem? There is a secret society many of the popular guys are hiding and Frankie is determined to scheme, plan, and manipulate to find out what it is!

My Review:
Frankie is a character many will be able to identify with because she is honest, curious, spunky, and doesn't take no for an answer. She is very intelligent and because of this, her interactions with her classmates are witty, clever, and hilarious! The ways Frankie thinks up to trick and manipulate her classmates keep you rooting for her success!

WARNING: Sensuality involving teens and many rebellious plots against teachers and other students

Click here for my playlist for this book!

War Is...
Soldiers, Survivors, and Storytellers Talk About War

Edited by Marc Aronson and Patty Campbell.

Published by: Candlewick

Summary:
This book is filled with first-hand accounts of many people somehow associated with several different wars throughout the past 100ish years. They are told from the perspective of survivors, soldiers, reporters, etc.

My Review:
This was one of the books I want everyone to read so they can begin to understand exactly what war is. I wasn't even sure what my opinions were when I was finished reading this book but I did feel like I had been informed and could make better decisions and opinions with more peoples' perspectives in mind. It is thought-provoking and lets a reader feel more connected with those who have fought for their respective countries.

WARNING: Strong language, death, torture, dehumanization, and adult themes not for very young readers.