Green Angel- Alice Hoffman

Title: Green Angel
Author: Alice Hoffman
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN:

Plot and Review:

This is a powerful book that brings the reader to a time of tragedy and loss. Green has always been in the garden. She loves her garden and what she can do in it.  She stays to tend to the garden on the day her whole family dies in the city along with many other people. On her own, Green changes her name, and decides she is not the same girl. She hardens and gives herself tattoos. She feels like things are not going to be OK again. The most unlikely being comes to shift her thoughts and life. This is a wonderful book about the changes in life. Alice Hoffman normally writes adult books. This one crosses over and it is truly worth the read.

Calling Me Home- Julie Kibler

Calling Home
Julie Kibler
Feb 13, 2013

This book makes the reader think about what it means to love and that love has no boundaries. Taking place in both present time and the 1930's, this book lets the reader see deep into two ladies lives. One is African American and one is Caucasian. The two of them bond with time and set out on a journey neither one will forget. Miss Isabelle is an elderly woman who needs help getting to a funeral. Dorrie, her hair dresser and friend takes her across the country by car. Dorie learns about the importance of this funeral in Miss Isabelle's life. Isabelle  fell in love with a black man when it was not accepted. This book explores the power of friendship and love no matter the boundaries society places on it.

I would recommend this book to anyone. I loved how the author created a link between the two ladies and how the story easily transferred from past to present.

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

Title: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Author: Alexie, Sherman
Publisher: Little, Brown Books, 2009
ISBN-13: 9780316013697

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Reading Level: 600 Lexile
Interest Level: 11+

Readers Annotation: What if you could break the cycle of your life and become something bigger, better and different? Would you take the step?

Plot:
Arnold has grown up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. He is used to living the life of the reservation and did not know much more than that life. He was not doing well in school and throws a book at his teacher one day. During his suspension, Arnold's teacher visits him at home and convinces him that Arnold needs to leave the reservation and become more in life. From this conversation, Arnold decides to start school off the reservation. His world changes drastically as he realizes how different life off the res is. He does not fit in well in the new school and the differences bring a different perspective to his eyes on who he is.

Review:
This book was really insightful. It brings the reader into the world on the reservations. It raises questions on identity, assimilation, and the reality of the pain still caused on the reservations. I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone. Alexie writes with a clear voice that anyone who has felt out of place could relate to. Arnold struggles with living in multiple worlds. Many people feel this when their home culture is different from the "normal" culture of the community.

Similar Materials:

Bud, not Buddy, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, American Born Chinese

The PS Brothers- Maribeth Boelts

Title: The PS Brothers
Author: Boelts, Maribeth
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010
ISBN-13: 9780547342498

Genre: Comedy
Reading Level: 810 Lexile
Interest Level: 8-11

Readers Annotation: Whats the best way to make money to buy a dog? Why not practice picking up dog poop?

Plot:
Russell has wanted a dog for years. His mother died and his uncle is not the nicest person so he is determined to have one of man's best friends. Shawn, his best friend, is recruited to help raise the money. They find a dog and its $200. Picking up dog poop is not a very lucrative job, but the boys are slowly but surely gathering the money when they run into something that does not seem legal. Why would anyone be cruel to animals? These boys discover that not everyone feels like dogs have feelings. Can these boys get their dog and save another?


Review:
This book has comical relief along with serious connections. The writing is done so well that the reader understands the severity of the abuse but is also focused on the end goal with the boys. There are many layers in this book. There are family issues, animal abuse, and learning the value of money. I would recommend this book to anyone of any age.

Similar Materials:

Gary Paulsen books are similar to this one. 

Inside Out & Back Again- Thanhha Lai

Title: Inside Out and Back Again
Author: Lai, Thanhha
Publisher: Harper Collins, 2011
ISBN-13: 9780061962783

Genre: Historical Fiction
Reading Level: 800 Lexile
Interest Level: 9-12
Awards: Newbery Honor Award, National Book Award

Readers Annotation: Imagine your family in a war torn country in one of the worst wars of all time. The opportunity arises to leave, but you may never see your father again. Which would you choose?

Plot:
HA is ten years old when her mother takes all the children to Alabama, USA from Saigon, Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The culture shock is immediate and all the children have a different experience in America. HA feels as if she would rather be in a war torn country than the foreign place where children constantly make fun of her. The food is bland in American, there are few traditions and the people are so cold towards her. The only people she has are her family. As time goes on, the family needs to come together like never before to thrive in the new and strange environment. Will they make it?

Review:
This book is written completely in poetry. This creates an interesting way that the reader interacts with the characters. The whole book is written from HA's perspective so all the characters, scenes and actions are seen through this lens. this book gives the reader a unique look at what it feels like to be in a completely new environment where people cannot understand you or feel like you are wrong. There is something very grounding about this book and it makes one feel grateful for their live.

Similar Materials:

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian- Sherman Alexie
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon- Grace Lin
Mockingbird- Kathryn ErsKine

Turtle In Paradise- Jennifer L. Holm

Title: Turtle In Paradise
Author: Holm, Jennifer L.
Publisher: Random House, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0375836909

Genre: Historical Fiction
Reading Level: 610 Lexile
Interest Level: 9-12
Awards: Newbery Honor Award

Readers Annotation: Its 1935 and Turtle's mother cannot find work. She finds a man who promises the world and leaves Turtle, will she come back?

Plot:
Turtle's mother has a hard time finding work with the economy of the United States in 1935. She finally finds a job as a housekeeper for a woman who does not like children. This means Turtle can no longer live with her mother. She moves to Key West, Florida with her aunt until mother has enough money to change jobs again. Key West is completely different than anywhere Turtle has ever been  Her male cousins are not very friendly, her aunt is rough around the edges and her cat is unwelcome. As time goes on, Turtle finds her place in this new family. She learns many things about her family and finds new friends. This is a story of finding one's roots even when it feels there is no way to do so.

Review:
This book was wonderful. The setting created a relaxed environment where Turtle can enjoy the beach life, but also find her own. The descriptions are vivid and the reader feels part of Turtle's story. We are in another recession at the moment and kids of today may be able to relate to some of the problems presented in this book. There are some instances where the historical content meshes with the present.

Similar Materials:
Books on the Depression would be a great introduction to this book as well as books on Shirley Temple.

Eggs- Jerry Spinelli

Title: Eggs
Author: Spinelli, Jerry
Publisher: Little, Brown Books, 2007
ISBN-10: 0316166464

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Reading Level: 610 Lexile
Interest Level: 9-12

Readers Annotation: Death seems to follow David. His mother suddenly dies and then he finds a body, or what appears to be one, in the woods.

Plot:
 David's world is turned upside down when his mother suddenly dies leaving him to live with his grandmother. She is hard to live with and he wants to escape anytime he can. When David is forced to go to the Easter Egg hunt he runs into what looks like a dead person under some leaves. He runs from the scene because he is so scared. David goes back later and the body is gone. He finds out it was just a girl, Primrose, who was playing. The two become friends with a love-hate relationship. Primrose lives in a bus outside her home and likes to spend time finding treasures at night to sell. David is pulled out of his shell and Primrose is pulled toward the Earth. The two navigate the world to find what love and friendship really means.

Review:
This book is funny and concerning at the same time. Both the children cling to each other because of the love missing from their lives. There is something each of them bring to the other, acceptance. The antics that Primrose and David create keep the reader enthralled and the characters entertaining. They fight often but seem to find that true friendship runs much deeper than small fights. This is an uplifting book I would recommend to anyone.

Similar Materials:

This book deals with loss and abandonment. "A Higher Power of Lucky" by Susan Patron, "Bud, not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis and other Jerry Spinelli books would be good to read. 

Out of My Mind- Sharon M. Draper

Title: Out of My Mind
Author: Draper, Sharon M.
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1416971702

Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Reading Level: 700 Lexile
Interest Level: 10+


Readers Annotation: She has a photographic memory. She remembers everything and yet she cannot let anyone know.

Plot:
Melody is gifted with a photographic memory. Everything she has ever read or experienced plays like a video in her mind and yet she is stuck learning the alphabet over and over again at age 11. Melody has Cerebral Palsy and her body does not function on its own at all. She needs help eating, using the restroom, bathing and moving around in her wheelchair. The world thinks that because of her severe physical disability and nonverbal nature, she is mentally disabled as well. When she finally finds a device to help her speak, Melody shocks the world with her knowledge. Change is hard for people, will they be able to handle Melody's new voice?

Review:
I could not put this book down. The story is written from the perspective of Melody which adds a different perspective. Melody goes through many emotions starting with sadness and frustration to determination to learn to speak. When the children react to her, the reader feels connected to Melody. The theme of tolerance and acceptance is clear from the beginning of this book and carries through the whole novel. I would recommend this book to anyone who has felt alone at some point in their life. This powerful book could help anyone see the blessings in their life.

Similar Materials:
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson and Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer Holm

Masters of Disaster- Gary Paulsen

Title: Masters of Disaster
Author: Paulsen, Gary
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books, 2010
ISBN-13:  978-0385739979

Genre: Adventure
Reading Level: NC1100 Lexile
Interest Level: 9+

Readers Annotation: Three friends, one goal, and lots of poop. Will these three boys be able to break a world record?

Plot:
 Henry, Riley and Reed have been friends for a long time. One day Henry decides they are the most boring 12 year old kids in the world and they need to change that. He begins to brainstorm different ways they can break a world record and become famously unboring. This way they will become daring guys who will get noticed by the girls. Henry decides that because he is coming up with the ideas he should not have to do them. Riley is great at keeping a record of things so Reed is the one who will be doing these daring things. The first stunt is to ride a bike off a tall roof. Somehow he ends up with his head in a dirty diaper. What happens when these boys try different ways to be adventurous? Will they break a record and become cool?


Review:
This book will appeal to people who want to read a short, funny book about learning what not to do. The comedy does not stop though the whole book and the gross items they encounter bring a different dimension of the daring things. This book was a fast read because the boys' adventures are followed one after another. If one fails, the next day Henry has come up with another one. The characters are lovable and the setting could be an any city where people get lost in the shuffle if they are not careful.

Similar Materials:
Gary Paulsen books, The Strange Case of the Origami Yoda, Dork Diaries, PS Brothers, and Guys Read

Marked- P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Marked
Cast, P.C. and Cast, Kristin
ISBN-13   9780312360269
ISBN-10  0312360266
Publisher: St. Matin's Press, 2007


Genre: Vampire Fantasy
Reading Level: 850 Lexile
Interest Age: 15-18

Reader's Annotation:
Zoey was living her life like any other teenager when one day a vampire tracker came to her and she was Marked. She will forever be different.

Plot Summary:
Zoey thought things were going to go normal and life would be like every other teenager in her town. She is 16 and looking forward to the next steps of life. She wants to go to school to become a veterinarian. One day, an odd person finds her and touches her. She has been marked by the goddess Nyx. She is the goddess of vampires around the world. A tattoo starts to form on her forehead in the shape of a crescent moon.  Zoey has seen this happen before. She must now go live in the House of Night where all the vampires go to school.

When she arrives at the House of Night, she realizes it is very similar to human schools, but it is full of teens who will go through the Change. If they survive the Change, all the fledglings will be full adult vampires. The school is someplace where she is accepted. She is part of an elite group of vampire fledglings, and her mark is getting color faster than others and no one knows why. Will Zoey make it through the Change and be able to live her life fully.

Critical Evaluation:
This book is a typical teen book. Cast and Cast created a book that will speak to teens but is not full of gore. The vampires to not come and suck your blood to turn you into one of them, it is a religious ceremony and the teens are chosen by the goddess. The imagery is one of the best parts of this book. Cast and Cast explain the scenes and characters with so much detail that the reader feels as though they are in The House of Night. What was not great about this book was the plot itself. It has been told many times and there are many of the same story in vampire fiction. The reader can predict what will happen next. Because this is a series, The House of Night has a lot more to offer than what is explored in Marked.

About the Author:
P.C. Cast is a renowned author of many different young adult novels. Her books have been awarded many times and she currently lives in Oklahoma with her daughter and pets. She was born and raised in the Midwest bouncing from Illinois and Oklahoma for most of her childhood. She joined the Air Force right out of high school and when she finished with that, Cast taught for 15 years. When she decided to quit and write full time, her career took off.

Kristin Cast is P.C. Cast's daughter. They have co-wrote The House of Night series and she has also written some anthologies. She lives with her mother in Oklahoma and  is starting her first individual novel.

The two writers have won many awards for their series including the Oklahoma Book Award, the YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers and the Romantic Times Reviewers
 Award.
http://www.pccast.net/biography.html

Curriculum Ties:
N/A

Book Talking:
Create what the House of Night looks like to you.

Challenging Issues:
If this book were to be challenged, I would go through the selection process with the challenger as well as explain the rationale for the book. There are many good qualities in this book that could be reason to have it in a collection.

Why Read this Book:
This book will appeal to reluctant readers because it is fast paced and interesting but still follows the theme of vampire books. The protagonist is a female in the first book, but both males and females like this series because of the action and intrigue in it. 

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets- J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Rowling, J.K.
ISBN-13   9780439064866
ISBN-10  0439064864
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc., 1999


Genre: Fantasy
Reading Level: 940 Lexile
Interest Age: 10-18

Reader's Annotation:
It's year two and Harry is ready for a new year. What he is not ready for are the many secrets he will learn.

Plot Summary:
This book starts at the Dursley's house where Harry spent the summer between his first and second year in school. Dobby, an elf comes through warning Harry not to go back to Hogwarts because it is not safe. Harry does not listen and goes anyway. He meets a ghost who is in one of the girl's bathrooms. They call her Moaning Mertyl. She cries often and scares many people away.

Harry has a new Defense of the Dark Arts teacher Gilderoy Lockhart who does not seem to know what he is doing. There is something off about him but Harry is not sure what. As the year goes on, Harry is forced into a situation fighting Voldamort the dark wizard again. Will he make it through this time?

Critical Evaluation:
This book is well written and full of interesting information and action. It starts a little slow when Harry is at the Dursley's, but as soon as he goes into the magical world, there are so many new things to learn. The reader is brought into this world of talking pictures and a hat that talks. The plot keeps the reader interesting and at the end, the reader is ready for a new year. As he goes into his second year, Harry is ready for more things but the magical world is ever changing.

Each Harry Potter book follows Harry for one year of school. He still spends the summers with the Dursley's home. The book builds to hold the most action at the end. It follows a classic plot line which is not bad but makes the book more predictable than others. Harry Potter has become a phenomenon and all seven books have been made into feature films.

About the Author:
J.K. Rowling was born in 1965 to James and Anne Rowling and grew up in Chepstow, Gwent. She went to Exeter University and received a degree in French and Classics. She started writing Harry Potter waiting for a train and spent five years outlining all of the books before she started writing the first book. She married, had a baby and divorced before the first Harry Potter was published in 1997.


When the book was such a big hit, Rowling quickly wrote the next six books. She now lives in Edinburgh with her husband and three children. Rowling has been awarded many different awards for the Harry Potter books and all of her books are now movies. There is also a Harry Potter theme park. These books took the world by storm. 


http://www.jkrowling.com/en_US/#/about-jk-rowling

Curriculum Ties:
Read Aloud books

Book Talking:
Make a play of this book.

Challenging Issues:
If this book were to be challenged, I would go through the selection process with the challenger as well as explain the rationale for the book. There are many good qualities in this book that could be reason to have it in a collection.

Why Read this Book:
This book catches the reader and keeps them through all the pages. The whole series is wonderful and deserves a place in any library. Children, teens and adults can all enjoy the world of Harry Potter and his magical friends. 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone- JK Rowling

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Rowling, J.K.
ISBN-13   9780590353427
ISBN-10  059035342X
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc., 1997


Genre: Vampire Fantasy
Reading Level: 880 Lexile
Interest Age: 10-18

Reader's Annotation:
Harry's parents are dead and his aunt and uncle treat him like dirt. He lives in a closet and life is not something he thinks is great until one day when a letter comes from a place called Hogwarts.

Plot Summary:
Harry Potter lost his parents when he was a baby and he now lives with his aunt, uncle, and cousin. He is treated like a child no one wants to be around and no one remembers his birthday. Everything seems like normal until one day Harry receives an invitation from a school called Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Dursleys try very hard to keep Harry there, but eventually have no choice but to let Harry go.

Harry finds out that he is famous in the wizarding world. His mother died at the hands of the darkest wizard in the world saving his life and giving him a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt on his forehead. Harry is learning so much about the world he has been kept from. He finds out that he is the only one who can solve some of the world's problems and stop Lord Voldemort, who killed his parents, from taking over the world in evil.

Critical Evaluation:
This book is well written and full of interesting information and action. It starts a little slow when Harry is at the Dursley's, but as soon as he goes into the magical world, there are so many new things to learn. The reader is brought into this world of talking pictures and a hat that talks. The plot keeps the reader interesting and at the end, the reader is ready for a new year.

Each Harry Potter book follows Harry for one year of school. He still spends the summers with the Dursley's home. The book builds to hold the most action at the end. It follows a classic plot line which is not bad but makes the book more predictable than others. Harry Potter has become a phenomenon and all seven books have been made into feature films.

About the Author:
J.K. Rowling was born in 1965 to James and Anne Rowling and grew up in Chepstow, Gwent. She went to Exeter University and received a degree in French and Classics. She started writing Harry Potter waiting for a train and spent five years outlining all of the books before she started writing the first book. She married, had a baby and divorced before the first Harry Potter was published in 1997.


When the book was such a big hit, Rowling quickly wrote the next six books. She now lives in Edinburgh with her husband and three children. Rowling has been awarded many different awards for the Harry Potter books and all of her books are now movies. There is also a Harry Potter theme park. These books took the world by storm. 


http://www.jkrowling.com/en_US/#/about-jk-rowling

Curriculum Ties:
Read Aloud books

Book Talking:
What house would you want to be in?

Challenging Issues:
If this book were to be challenged, I would go through the selection process with the challenger as well as explain the rationale for the book. There are many good qualities in this book that could be reason to have it in a collection.

Why Read this Book:
This book catches the reader and keeps them through all the pages. The whole series is wonderful and deserves a place in any library. Children, teens and adults can all enjoy the world of Harry Potter and his magical friends. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower- Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Chbosky, Stephen

ISBN-13   9780671027346
ISBN-10  0671027344
Publisher: MTV Books, 1999


Genre: LGBTQ Fiction/Social Issues
Reading Level: 720 Lexile
Interest Age: 15-20

Reader's Annotation:
When his best friend dies, Charlie does not know what to do with his life. He has to start all over and begin to figure out who he wants to be.

Plot Summary:
Charlie's best friend commits suicide at the beginning of this book. Charlie is shocks and does not understand. He begins to have panic attacks and becomes depressed so he begins to see a therapist. He also sets out to find new friends. Sam and Patrick are siblings and befriend Charlie. They open his world with drugs, alcohol and alternative lifestyles.

Charlie falls hard for Sam, but she sees him as a little brother and Patrick is gay. There are new things that Charlie discovers about himself at each turn. This book is told from Charlie's perspective as he moves through the world. He is writing letters to someone, but the reader never knows who that is.

Critical Evaluation:
This book brings the reader into Charlies world at an intimate level. The reader has no idea where he lives or exactly who he is talking to, but many of them can relate in some way to Charlie. He makes his way through life trying to find his happiness. Chbosky brings a familiarity to Charlie so each person can connect with him in some way.

The letter format of this book makes it more compelling to read. It is written like someone would write to a diary, divulging each detail with honesty and not worrying about how it sounds. The candid nature of this makes the book readable and entertaining. As the reader moves through the book, it is obvious which people mean something in Charlie's life and which are not by the amount of detail he uses in describing them. This shows the personality of a teenager coming into their own.

About the Author:
Stephen Chbosky is a writer, director, editor and screen writer. He was born in 1970 and is famous for his book The Perks of Being a Wallflower. He has written and directed a few films, but this book took his career to a new level. Growing up in Pittsburgh, Chboksy tries to show a different side of the city in his books.

Chbosky did not intend The Perks of Being a Wallflower to be a book for adolescents, but because the main character is 15, the world saw it this way. He has directed the movie from his book that comes out in 2012. Now, Chbosky lives in Los Angeles, California where he writes films and works as a gay rights activist.

http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Chbosky__Stephen.html

Curriculum Ties:
N/A

Book Talking:
White your own ending to this book.

Challenging Issues:
If this book were to be challenged, I would go through the selection process with the challenger as well as explain the rationale for the book. There are many good qualities in this book that could be reason to have it in a collection.

Why Read this Book:
This book is different and yet it is a great coming of age novel. Even though it was written 12 years ago, teens today still know about this book and many still read it. It is part of the world each teen deals with at some level. 

Crazy- Han Nolan

Crazy
Nolan, Han
ISBN-13    9780152051099
ISBN-10  0152051090
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books, 2010


Genre: Realistic Fiction
Reading Level: 660 Lexile
Interest Age: 14-18

Reader's Annotation:
His father tried to bury him alive at the age of 4 and by 5th grade his mother died. By 15, Jason has multiple personalities all trying to run his life.

Plot Summary:
The story starts with Jason's newest personality which happens to be a laughing reel. He starts to explain his life to this newest personality. Jason's father is mentally ill. He has voices that speak to him and he is convinced that mythical creatures are out to get him and his family. When he is on medication, Jason's father can cope and act like a normal father. When he is not taking it, bad things happen. When Jason was 4, his father had a mythological helmet on and tried to bury him alive to save Jason from the Furies. Luckily, his mother saved him and his father went away for a while. In 5th grade, Jason's mother got sick and his psyche split into a few personalities to cope.

When Jason begins to act strangely  a year after his mother dies and he is asked to see the school counselor. He begins to join a lunch group. There are four other kids in the group who all have issues at home. One has a mother who is dying, one has a father who is abusive and another has a drug addict for a father. The four bond and Jason finally lets them in to see the mess he lives in. This book shows that people cannot find their strength all alone. People need others to lean on.

Critical Evaluation:
This book is written in an interesting way. It is almost like a script in a play because the personalities all get to talk together like a conversation. Jason's voice is in regular text and all his personalities are in italics. This could be very difficult to get used to but the reader seems to slide right in to Jason's mind. He is very worried about letting people into his life so he created the personalities.

Nolan created a lovable character in Jason and yet he has many fears that the reader may not understand. The plot thickens when he starts to let his friends see that he is poor and has a crazy father. The other characters are likable as well and the reader wishes the four keep a good friendship going.

About the Author:
Nolan was born in Birmingham, Alabama but grew up in New York. Her name is Hannah but is has been shorted to Han since she was a child. She loved reading as a child and her favorite book was "Harriet the Spy." Nolan did not do well in school until the 6th grade when she had her first creative writing class. Writing stories is something she loved to do.

Nolan started dancing at 13 and fell in love with it. She went to college and graduate school for dance. She was a professional dancer and began a life with her husband. Nolan realized she wanted to start writing and quit dancing when she realized dancing was taking over her life. She and her husband adopted three children and she decided to stay home and write. Now she has written many novels and is much happier.

http://www.hannolan.com/index.htm

Curriculum Ties:
N/A

Book Talking:
What would happen if Jason's friends knew he had more than one personality?

Challenging Issues:
If this book were to be challenged, I would go through the selection process with the challenger as well as explain the rationale for the book. There are many good qualities in this book that could be reason to have it in a collection.

Why Read this Book:
This book is an interesting look into a person with multiple personality disorder. It take a lighter road than books such as Sybil. This book is interesting and shows the power of friendship and companionship in a person's life.  

Wonderstruck-Brian Selznick

Wonderstruck
Selznick, Brian
ISBN-13   9780545027892
ISBN-10  0545027896
Publisher: Scholastic, Incorporated, 2011


Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Reading Level: 830 Lexile
Interest Age: 12-adult

Reader's Annotation:
Two children, fifty years apart, one story.

Plot Summary:
The story starts with Ben. Ben would really like to find his father and has been trying hard for years. Rose wants to follow the life of an old movie star she knows little about. The two find clues that lead their stories to collide. Ben is in 1977 and Rose is in 1927 and yet the two are connected in many more ways than one. Ben finds a secret clue in his mother's room which leads him toward the theater. Rose reads a healine that leads her home. His story is told in words and hers is told in pictures. Soon, two stories become one. The two children know nothing of the other and yet they are eternally connected.

Critical Evaluation:
The way Selznick utilizes pictures with words is truly original and engaging. This story is different from Hugo Cabret because there are two different stories that come together. The reader quickly understands that these two people do not know each other. The artwork is amazingly well done and completely in black and white. There are many details so the reader does not need words to know what is going on with the people. Ben's story is written, but there are not many words on each page. A paragraph to three make up the pages. When the two stories converge, there are fewer pages of each story before it switches to the other. This book is very well crafted.

About the Author:

Brian Selznick was born in 1966 in New Jersey. He has a brother and a sister who are both successful as well. He grew up and studied at the Rhode Island School of Design. After college, Selznick began working in a children's book store which is where he began to love children's books. He worked for a man named Steve Geck who taught him much of what he knows about children's books. He currently lives in New York and California.

His first book, titled The Houdini Box, was published in 1991 while he was still working in the book store. He wrote and illustrated this book. He also illustrated for other author's books such as Frindle, The Doll People, Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride, and The Dinoasaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins. He branched out and wrote three other books including The Invention of Hugo Cabret. It has now become  a major motion picture. 
http://www.theinventionofhugocabret.com/about_brian_bio.htm

Curriculum Ties:
Writing with words and pictures.

Book Talking:
Write your own book this way.

Challenging Issues:
If this book were to be challenged, I would go through the selection process with the challenger as well as explain the rationale for the book. There are many good qualities in this book that could be reason to have it in a collection.

Why Read this Book:
This book is captivating. It lets the reader be transformed to a new place and makes it easy to transfer between time periods fifty years apart. Selznick is an artist who deserves to have his work read. Readers of all levels will appreciate this book. 

Twilight- Stephanie Meyer

Twilight
Meyer, Stephanie
ISBN-13    9780316160179
ISBN-10  0316160172
Publisher: Little, Brown Books 2005


Genre: Vampire Fiction
Reading Level: 720 Lexile
Interest Age: 14-18

Reader's Annotation:
He is cold, he wants her blood and he shimmers in the sun. He is perfect, or is he?

Plot Summary:
Bella lives in Forks, Washington with her father. Life is pretty uneventful and she is your typical high school girl. Everything seems to be going normally when she meets Edward Cullen. He is an odd guy who is extremely white and is very mysterious. He spends his time with four other unusually beautiful people at lunch but they never seem to eat anything. She gets to know Edward, who is a vampire just like the others. He loves the smell of her blood and has to try very hard not to kill her by drinking from her.

This is how the story begins. Edward knows where Bella is at all times and knows when she is in danger. They start to spend a lot of time together and Bella finds she loves the whole family. The Cullen family has decided they will not feed on humans. This is what keeps them together. Edward loves her, but will he be able to keep herself from hurting her?

Critical Evaluation:
This book starts out like many other teen fiction stories. Bella moves to a new town with nothing to do and finds a mysterious boy to start talking to. It takes a turn when she finds out he is a vampire who wants to drink her blood. The book is not very well written but it appeals to the masses. This book started a phenomenon of Twilight. Teens across the country know about Bella and Edward. There is something in the way Meyer wrote the characters that got the attention of readers. She made Vampires people you would see in school but not socialize with. They were not these mean creatures killing everyone, but undead who wanted to learn and better themselves.

The love story is a bit too much and the fact that Bella feels she cannot live without Edward does not send a good message to teenage girls about being independent. Bella's happiness is dependent on Edward and what he does. This is the opposite of what we should be teaching our growing girls.

About the Author:
Stephanie Meyer graduated as an English major from Brigham Young University and began her life as a wife and mother. She lives in Arizona with her husband and three children. One night, Meyer had a dream one night that stuck with her. She decided to sit down and start writing between potty training and extra curricular activities. It took her three months and she had finished Twilight, her first book.

Her sister encouraged Meyer to submit the book to publishers. In 2005, Little, Brown received the transcript and loved the book. Twilight was an immediate success and Meyer was an instant celebrity. The next three books were a huge hit as well making Twilight a phenomenon.

http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/bio.html

Curriculum Ties:
N/A

Book Talking:
Would you like to be friends with a vampire?

Challenging Issues:
If this book were to be challenged, I would go through the selection process with the challenger as well as explain the rationale for the book. There are many good qualities in this book that could be reason to have it in a collection.

Why Read this Book:
I read this book because I wanted to know what everyone was talking about. I did not find that I liked it, but it is so popular that teens who do not like to read are reading this book. This is why it is in this collection. 

Catching Fire- Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games
Collins, Suzanne
ISBN-13  9780439023498
ISBN-10  0439023491
Publisher: Scholastic Incorporated, 2009


Genre: Dystopia/Social Issues
Reading Level: 820 Lexile
Interest Age: 12- adult

Reader's Annotation:
Katniss thinks she is safe from ever entering the arena again, but the Capital makes a twist and no one is safe. What happens when Peeta and Katniss go in again.

Plot Summary:
Katniss has won the Hunger Games once. She did it with Peeta by her side and instead of one winner there were two because of a double suicide threat she and Peeta made. The Capital is now mad at the two of them, but putting on a show to not disturb the other districts. Instead of making an issue in front of the public, president Snow has decided to make all the former tributes go in the games again. Going in a second time, Peeta and Katniss do not expect to make it out alive together. Both of them are determined to save the other.

In the arena, there are completely different twists and the tributes decide to play the game differently. Some are too old and feeble to fight, others are mentally unstable because of the trauma from the first time in the arena. Will the tributes be able to beat the Capital or will the Capital overtake all and remain in control?

Critical Evaluation:
This book is the first in a trilogy and has taken the world by storm. There are many people who have read these books in all age groups and it has been turned into a movie. The way Collins writes makes the reader fall in love with Katniss from the beginning. This subject matter has created a lot of conversation and the thought of children killing children is sometimes hard for people to move past. If the reader puts this aside and just decides to read the book for what it is, they will become sucked into the story. Collins has written this book in a way that children dying is not as offensive as it could be. The setting being a land we know but in a completely different way is thought provoking. The reader is forced to see this society in their home town and yet it seems so far removed from the world of today.

The second book is more intense then the first because all of these people have been in the arena once before and Katniss is realizing the power of the Capital on everyone. She is disillusioned with the president and is beginning to plan a way to get out of the districts for good. 

About the Author:
Suzanne Collins lives in Connecticut with her family and a couple cats. She is currently working on a children's picture book with another author named James Proimos. Before the Hunger Games series, Collins write a five book series about wars underground in the man holes of big cities. She has only written the two series of books.

Where Collins has spent most of her time is writing for television shows. She has worked for Nickelodeon since 1991 writing scripts for shows. One of the most famous ones is Clarisa Explains it All. She has also done some writing for small children's shows such as Little Bear and Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! She began to write books when her co-worker James stated she should give it a try.

http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/bio.htm

Curriculum Ties:
N/A

Book Talking:
Write the first chapter to book 3.

Challenging Issues:
This book has been challenged many times in many places. If it was challenged, I would go through the selection process with the challenger as well as explain the rationale for the book. There are many good qualities in this book that could be reason to have it in a collection.

Why Read this Book:
This book is one that if you start, you will want to finish it. It has become a phenomenon in our culture and deserves to be part of any library collection where teens are attending. Many teens relate to the concept of fighting for their spot in life. This is reflected in the Hunger Games trilogy.

The Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games
Collins, Suzanne
ISBN-13   9780439023481
ISBN-10  0439023483
Publisher: Scholastic Incorporated, 2008


Genre: Dystopia/Social Issues
Reading Level: 810 Lexile
Interest Age: 12- adult

Reader's Annotation:
The time has come to go into the arena to fight to the death because the Capital says so. Can she come out alive?

Plot Summary:
Katniss is a 16 year old girl living in a society controlled by the Capital. What is now the 12 districts used to be the United States. Each year one boy and one girl from each of the districts gets called out to be part of the annual Hunger Games. In these games, the only way to win is to survive while everyone else dies. Each child gets entered in the pool of candidates when they are 12 and the whole nation watches the games each year.

In the beginning of the book Katniss' sister gets picked to go into the games and instead of allowing this to happen, Katniss volunteers to go. Her male counterpart is Peeta. They are the poorest district and no one expects them to win. They go into the arena thinking only one of them could win, but what if the best strategy would be to play together?

Critical Evaluation:
This book is the first in a trilogy and has taken the world by storm. There are many people who have read these books in all age groups and it has been turned into a movie. The way Collins writes makes the reader fall in love with Katniss from the beginning. This subject matter has created a lot of conversation and the thought of children killing children is sometimes hard for people to move past. If the reader puts this aside and just decides to read the book for what it is, they will become sucked into the story. Collins has written this book in a way that children dying is not as offensive as it could be. The setting being a land we know but in a completely different way is thought provoking. The reader is forced to see this society in their home town and yet it seems so far removed from the world of today.

About the Author:
Suzanne Collins lives in Connecticut with her family and a couple cats. She is currently working on a children's picture book with another author named James Proimos. Before the Hunger Games series, Collins write a five book series about wars underground in the man holes of big cities. She has only written the two series of books.

Where Collins has spent most of her time is writing for television shows. She has worked for Nickelodeon since 1991 writing scripts for shows. One of the most famous ones is Clarisa Explains it All. She has also done some writing for small children's shows such as Little Bear and Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! She began to write books when her co-worker James stated she should give it a try.

http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/bio.htm

Curriculum Ties:
N/A

Book Talking:
How would you fight in the Huger Games?

Challenging Issues:
This book has been challenged many times in many places. If it was challenged, I would go through the selection process with the challenger as well as explain the rationale for the book. There are many good qualities in this book that could be reason to have it in a collection.
Why Read this Book:
This book is one that if you start, you will want to finish it. It has become a phenomenon in our culture and deserves to be part of any library collection where teens are attending. Many teens relate to the concept of fighting for their spot in life. This is reflected in the Hunger Games.

Weetzie Bat- Francesca Lia Block

Wetzie Bat
Block, Francesca Lia
ISBN-13  978-0060736255   
ISBN-10  0060736259
Publisher: HarperCollins, 1990


Genre: Family and Childhood
Reading Level: 960 Lexile
Interest Age: 15-18

Reader's Annotation:
Weetzie is a fun loving girl trying to make it in this world. Will she find her happiness?

Plot Summary:
Weetzie Bat hated high school. She did not fit in and could not find her place in the crowd. Now, in her 20's, she is finding that the adult world is not very great either. She needs to make her life wonderful if she wants it to be. Growing up, Weetzie's dad Charlie lived in New York while she and her mother lived in Los Angeles. She never understood her parents relationship and missed her dad terribly, but he was set on staying where he was.

She meets Dirk at the beginning of the story. They quickly bond and set out to find "ducks" together. Dirk finds a blond surfer named Duck and Weetzie finds a man named Secret Agent Lover Man. The four move in with one another and start a life together. Their adventures are different from the average person but they are navigating life with each other's company. This book shows that people of all kinds can coexist and be happy.

Critical Evaluation:
Weetzie Bat is an interesting story about acceptance and growing up. Much of the book is not based in reality which could be hard for some readers to get past. Secret Agent Lover Man has a child from another woman but that woman is a witch and the child is too. The group of them live together and no one seems to have a job other than making films for an underground market. It's as if Block decided that the practical things in life and not important and that the important things are in relationships.

Because of this, the characters are well thought out in this story. Weetzie is free and loving and Secret Agent Lover Man is drawn to her from the start. Their relationship is built with little detail, but seems to be very important to both of them. Block created a bond between Dirk and Duck that is felt to the core for the reader. In very few pages, Block paints a story of what could be with a little of what is mixed in.

About the Author:
Francesca Lia Block has written 32 novels and many of them are set in Los Angeles where she has lived for years. Block likes to write about the underground and real parts of Los Angeles. There is more to the city than the glamorous part that everyone sees. Block tries to show that side to her readers.

Her books have been translated into many different languages and published all over the world. She has received many different awards for her work as well such as the Margaret A Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award and the Phoenix Award. The American Library Association has cited her in reviews and she is highly acclaimed by many literary societies. 


http://www.francescaliablock.com/bio

Curriculum Ties:
Fantasy vs. Reality. Imagery

Book Talking:
What would it be like to live in Weetzie's world?

Challenging Issues:
If this book were to be challenged, I would go through the selection process with the challenger as well as explain the rationale for the book. There are many good qualities in this book that could be reason to have it in a collection.

Why Read this Book:
This book is different from any other book I have read so I wanted to include it in the collection. This book combines reality as well as fantasy and does it in a very fluid way. I had to read this book twice before I learned to like it. The second time through, it took on a life of its own. I think many teen readers will enjoy this book. 

Crossed- Ally Condie

Crossed
Condie, Ally
ISBN-13  9780525423652   
ISBN-10 0525423656
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile, 2011

Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Reading Level: HL630 Lexile
Interest Age: 12-18

Reader's Annotation:
Kassia lives in a society where everything is controlled by the Officials and she must get out. Can they survive when they leave all they have ever known?

Plot Summary:
Cassia has lived in a society where every decision is already made for her based on probability. The Officials decide who she will marry on her 17th birthday, what she will eat and what day she will die. In the first book Cassia finds out that her set up with Ky is planned and she has acted according to what the Officials predicted. She was an experiment. In Crossed, she decides to try to find Ky, who was shipped out to the outer provinces. She transfers to different camps to try to find her way out. Xander comes into her life briefly once more. There is still turmoil of who she will end up with in the end.

Cassia makes it out to the provinces, but it having a hard time finding Ky. There is no food out here and there are very little supplies she has with her to keep her safe. There is no telling what the Officials will do and she is sure they are still watching her. Will she make it to Ky?

Critical Evaluation:
This book switches between Ky and Cassia. Both points of view are shared and the characters are developed greatly in this book. There is more action than in the first book because Cassia is trying to get out and Ky is trying to kind Cassia. The two are being separated by the Officials on purpose. Condie did a great job developing the characters in this book because by the end, the reader is invested enough to truly care what happens to these two.

The setting is in a controlled world where the Officials know what everyone is doing at all times. This was well established in the first book and in Crossed, it is amplified as Cassia begins to rebel. The good and the bad of safety in exchange for freedom is revealed in these books. This has the reader thinking about what they would do in the situation.

About the Author:
Ally Condie was a high school English teacher for years before writing her book Matched. She obtained her teaching degree from Brigham Young University and she still keeps her certificate valid in case she wants to go back to teaching at some point. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband and children.

Matched is Condie's first book and it is the first in a trilogy. Her second book, Crossed, was released in 2011 and the final book  Reached will be released in November of 2012. Matched is an international best seller and was part of YALSA's Teen's Top Ten in 2011. It was also the #1 pick on the Winter Kid
s Indie Next List. When Crossed came out, Kirkis stated that the series was an "addictive, layered, dystopic trilogy." Condie has been able to grasp what readers want to know. 


http://allycondie.com/bio
http://www.matched-book.com/bio.html

Curriculum Ties:
Future societies and control.

Book Talking:
What would you choose?

Challenging Issues:
If this book were to be challenged, I would go through the selection process with the challenger as well as explain the rationale for the book. There are many good qualities in this book that could be reason to have it in a collection.

Why Read this Book:
This book is intriguing from the first page to the last. There are so many different pieces to this book and Condie did not leave out any aspect of control. Dystopia is an interesting topic that has been written about for years. This one takes the concept to a new level.