Introduction

As a librarian, many times I encounter students who ask me for recommendations for novels to read. My reading list is probably not of interest to the younger generation so this is a list of novels that will hopefully strike your interest. Hope you enjoy!

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. New York: Little, Brown. 

It is human nature, I believe to feel as though we are at a disadvantage over those around us. They have prettier things, better physical attributes, more talents and it all seems so unfair. Right? 

This is a story about a boy named Junior whose handicaps clearly put him at a disadvantage over his classmates. That he is schooled in a ridiculous array of outdated educational materials found in his reservation's school motivates him to try getting an education elsewhere. His luck in the new school is not much different from his old school, he is still a "misfit" that of course is looked down upon for his handicaps. Being a fourteen year old kid is no easy task and this task is ten times harder for Junior. Through his life he encounters hardships that no kid should ever have to encounter, yet as difficult as the experiences of handicaps, death, bullying, a mother who doesn't seem to care much for  you, and more bring to his life, Junior just might be strong enough to get throug these difficulties. 

Heartbreaking and heartwarming, this work will be enjoyed by all, not just by kids who struggle with difficult life experiences. This book teaches ALL readers a little bit of perseverance and perhaps even a little bit of humanity. There are numerous activities that can be taken from this book to be used in a classroom and it is sure to bring life lessons to students, teachers, and anyone else who reads it. 

Trailer

Conversation with Sherman Alexie

Speak

Anderson, L. (1999). Speak. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux. 

Speak speaks to all teenagers going through a difficult time. Melinda is an incoming freshman who finished the eight grade expecting her freshman year to be the best of her life. However, the horrifying events that took place in an ordinary summer party marked her life forever and doomed her to a lonely school year. The power of speaking either sets us free or makes us prisioners of society. Not knowing what is best, Melinda decides to NOT speak up and tell the world of that horrible experience. As if the ninth grade isn't scary enough, for Melinda, spending it by herself, with no real friends to turn to, she is miserable. Who used to be her friends started hating her after that fateful night and she was left alone.

It's not until later that the reader becomes aware of just how bad that night was and it is then when we understand that she was raped. Her rape, needless to say, left her feelign traumatized but what is worse is that her friends didn't even give her a chance to explain herself. Reading this made me wonder just how many kids face situations like this where they feel trapped in a situation with no way out and with no one to turn to. Reading this made me realize that the life of a teenager, regardless of their experiences, is difficult and as an adult, one perhaps should be a bit more approachable and judge less.

I believe that any teenager would benefit from reading Speak because it really does speak to that young generation. It teaches them about the fact that their life experiences can be horrible, one must not be afraid to Speak and that speaking about these experiences will definitely set you free. The hope at the end makes us realize that everything that we experience, good or bad, will eventually not be the end of the world. 

Interview with Author

Book Trailer

Feed

Anderson, M. (2002). Feed. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

The story takes place in the twenty-fifth century and exemplifies a dystopian society where considerably more than half of the population is controlled by an element that is called “The Feed.” The “feed” is a device implanted in people’s brains and its function is to provide them with unlimited internet access. The feed controls their thoughts, memories and emotions. Needless to say, this feed controls everything in society, including education. The feed provides the people with advertisement and other different forms of consumer media. Because this world is controlled by the consumer world, education and literacy have taken a back seat. The environment is also deteriorating. People are no longer thinking for themselves because the feed is controlling every aspect of the users’ minds.

 

The plot of the story might be a bit difficult to grasp at first. We have a group of teenagers who on a Spring Break trip to the moon, yes the moon, encounter a series of experiences that leave one in particular, Titus, changed forever. He meets a girl by the name of violet who is slightly different than he is. With her, Titus learns that perhaps this “feed” is not necessarily the best for anyone and learns to question the why of it all.

While reading this book, it reminded me of The Giver. And although this type of literature is not my favorite, I must confess that it is quite an interesting read. Quite frankly, I don’t see all of my students enjoying this type of format, however; I do believe that the reception would still be of awe. And perhaps, the ones more into obviously science fiction and technology, might find this type of read more interesting. 

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My Friend Dahmer: A Graphic Novel

Backderf, D. (2012). My friend Dahmer: A graphic novel. New York: Abrams. 

The retelling of the life of a troubled teenager that leads to the dramatic and quite bloody culmination of the life of a serial killer is something that perhaps is not the conventional types of reading a teenager does, yet I suppose, might be the type of intriguing reading that will capture the attention of some teenagers. 

Jeff is no ordinary teenager to say the least. Aside from being an outcast and perhaps considered to be a little bit weird, or to call it as he was called many times by his classmates, a "freak," Jeff had an unconventional interest in dead things. It started with him putting animal carcasses in acid to feed his fascination for bones and their reactions to acid. Upon reaching his teenage years, he became aware of the fact that he was gay, yet the fantasies he experienced had not the ordidnary fantasies where he would have sex with other teenage boys, but rather his fantasies were that of him having sex with teenage boy dead corpses. The attempt to supress these feelings was futile, instead they kept growing and getting darker and darker. Something the author, his "friend" that put this together, keeps asking himself is where were the adults? He started drinking everywhere, at school even, and it was quite obvious to everyone around Jeff that he was drinking quite heavily, no one seemed to care enough to reach out and help. That his life could have led to better things is a possibility that now we will never know, all because the adults in his life were too engrossed in their own lives to give a damn about his. 

I must confess that while reading this graphic novel I had to take a few breaks. Breaks long enough where I would read another novel in between. And this is not because the writing is too complex, quite the contrary, it is simple to understand. More than anyting it was the content which is nothing but somber and filled with an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness that drags the reader down on an abyss from which you can't easily recover unless, like I said, you have taken a break from it. It has taken me longer to read this novel than anything else I have read in a while. Once I would pick it upa again, I breezed through it because, you know, the format lends itself to that, however; like I said before, the content is what leaves the reader emotionally drained. 

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The Documentary

Six of Crows

Bardugo, L. (2015). Six of crows. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 

Kaz Brekker is offered a tempting job where he is asked to help a criminal escape from prison. This heist can turn deadly, yes, but if done successfully, this could mean that he would be richer than he had ever even possibly dreamed of. Although he is pretty much a criminal prodigy, he knows rather well that he cannot pull this heist alone so he enlists the help of other teenagers with a not so clean record. The task is equivalent to a mission impossible and is to free a scientist from the world’s most secure prison and the task is taken quite seriously. Far from acting for the good of the world, this group’s leader cares only for himself and no one else. Was inside the prison, things go terribly wrong and the Dregs find themselves trying to escape themselves. Although it may not be fast paced from the beginning, it quickly turns into a page turner. With a little bit of romance and high stakes action, Six Crows is definitely a crowd pleaser.

Will-

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Be able to pull of the heist of a lifetimes? Perhaps if they don’t kill each other first. 

Interesting to say the least, this novel will keep you at the edge of your seat and includes the best elements that a YA reader will most definitely enjoy!

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The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

Black, H. (2013). The coldest girl in Coldtown. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. 

Vampires. Although the literary works that focus on the supernatural and vampires may be considered as overrated, to many they are not! The entire concept revolves around the fantasy world where vampires and humans can coexist. Can they, really? 

This novel starts with a world already infected by vampires in which Coldtowns were created by the government in an effort to control the infection. Vampires and the "cold" were sent here to prevent further infection of innocent victims. A "cold" person was a person who had been wounded by a vampire but had not drank human blood yet, which is what finalized the "turning" into vampires. 

The story starts off when after a night of partying, high school partying that is, Tana wakes up in a tub the next morning only to find that everyone had been brutally murdered by vampires. Her ex-boyfriend Aiden's life has been spared but has been bitten and confined by being tied down to a bed. Next to Aiden, she finds Gavriel, a vampire found in restraints as well. Before the rest of the vampires come up for more destruction and blood, she manages to help Aiden and Gavriel escape. However; in the pursuit, she receives a wound by one of the vampires that leaves her infected. Because she knows what is bound to happen, she makes her way to the nearest Coldtown to protect Aiden, Gavriel, herself and others of what can possibly take place later. 

The development of the story brings confused feelings, a possible romance between Tana and Gavriel and more action as we discover that Gavriel has a mission to carry out. An unexpected twist reveals Gavriel's true identity and in the end, after Tana has been infected, he professes his love for her as he promises to watch over her. 

I see this as what you may call, a teeny bopper romantic supernatural story that can very well be of interest for adults like me! Easy to read and interesting to say the least, this novel is guaranteed to be enjoyed by all. 

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Holly Black Introduces the Book

Holly Black Interview

Postcards from No Man's Land

Chambers, A. (2004). Postcards from no man's land. NY, NY: Speak, Imprint of Penguin Group, (USA) Inc.

These are two stories that roll into one. The first one took place fifty years ago with a torrid affair between a woman and the wounded soldier she was nursing back to care. The second one is now, when seventeen year old Jacob learns the truth about his family's secret. Finding out this truth about his past is not easy on Jacob, especially learning about a "grandma" who is about to die. Well, I guess stepgrandma?  For Jacob, this visit to Armsterdam was supposed to be a simple visit to his granfather's grave. Finding out that his grandfather had an affair with Daan's grandma, Geertrui while he was a convalescent wounded soldier who left her pregnant before he died was probably something that Sarah, Jacob's grandma, would not take too good either so he debates telling her the truth. While there, his attitude about Armsterdam changes because after all, it isn't as boring as people made it out to be. While there, he finds a girl that he likes, and well a boy, too, it gets a bit complicated. He sets off on a trip to Armsterdam because his sick grandma can't make it and definitely finds out more about his past than he bargained for but something that in a strange way makes him happy because he meets a cousin he didn't know he had and learns about the remarkable love a woman had for his grandfather.

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Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes

Crutcher, C. (1993). Staying fat for Sarah Byrnes. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.

The heartbreaking story of a shattered home and an abused young girl is revealed as Eric visits his catatonic friend at Sacred Heart Hospital. Sarah is an outcast, and so is Eric. Sarah because she has bad burn scars on her face and Eric because he is fat. They were good friends but are constantly picked on by their classmates. They enlist the help of Dale so that he can protect them. Eric and Sarah were a team and they survived because they had each other. Eric even makes an effort to not lose weight when he starts swimming so that he can still be Sarah's friend. When Sarah goes into catatonic state, it is suggested to him to talk to her to see if his conversations trigger her memories and bring her out of this state. During the course of this process, Eric realizes that the burns on her face are not an accident and that her father had been abusing her. This leads to Sarah "come out" of this catatonic state and Eric realizes she's been faking her condition so that she may stay away from her father in a desperate attempt to escape from the abuse which had increased in violence. Desperate to get help to try and protect his friend, Eric confides in his teacher and coach who tries to help out. When he confronts Mr. Byrnes, things get a little out of control. Will he be able to save his friend Sarah Byrnes?

The students that come into our classrooms each have a story, unfortunately not every story is a good one. It is heartbreaking to think that some of these kids have to fear the people that are meant to protect them. So who are they supposed to run to if the ones that have this responsibility to protect them are the ones who are being abusive? It makes you think about the unfairness of life and I'm sure that we have more of these kids than we should. Unfortunately so...

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Mexican Whiteboy

De la Peña, M. (2008). Mexican whiteboy. New York: Delacorte Press.

The struggle of a boy, a Mexican Whiteboy is outlined in this novel where Danny Lopez lives in San Diego with his father. His father is Mexican and his mother is white. Being that his father is away and he lives with his white complected and blue eyed mother, Danny, who is a shade darker than the rest of the white kids in his school. As a  "Mexican Whiteboy," who doesn't speak Spanish Danny undergoes a sort of identity crisis. One summer Danny goes to Mexico to visit his father's family. If being a non-Spanish speaking Mexican living in San Diego made him feel like an outsider, imagine the feeling of being a non-Spanish speaking Mexican visiting relatives in Mexico made him feel. His arrival was a bit bumpy since immediately he gets beat up by a kid named Uno, who ironically enough ends up becoming his friend. The summer he spends in Mexico sparks a greater love for baseball and brings him closer to finding his identity.

This somehow made me think of my children because their mother is Mexican and their father is white. Although my kids live with both parents and speak both English and Spanish, I have had my ten year old son ask me that if he were to be interested in joining the Mexican Military, would he be able to? The answer to that is that if by the time he reaches 18 and he wants to do that, he can because both my boys have dual citizenship. When we visit Mexico both my boys are aware that we are visiting my country of birth and ask me a million and one questions about how it was living there while growing up. It makes me happy to see how my kids feel like they belong in both countries. 

I'll Meet You There

Demetrios, H. (2016). I'll meet you there. New York: Square Fish.

Realistic and hopeful, romantic and filled with despair, this is what realistic fiction is. I'll Meet You There is a novel where the issues of the real world toy with the future that has been dreamed of by Skylar Evans. Not wanting to be another number on the statistics, Skylar is only three months away from starting the journey that will make her dream come true. She has planned to work the entire summer, however; her mom loses her job and this jeopardizes her plans.Josh has a different route to escape the statistics. He joined the Marines. However his plans are cut short and is forced to come back when he loses his leg in Afghanistan. So why does everyone want to leave this town? Becuase this is where dreams go to die.

Skylar and Josh work together and develop a friendship that turns into something a little bit stronger than just a friendship. And although they had worked together before he went to Afghanistan, their relationship was almost non-existent. Now, because Josh came back a different man, this relationship naturally turned into something more. With a strong support group of friends, they make up for the flawed mother that basically chooses to be a mediocre part of Skylar's life. This novel is filled with beautiful moments that both lead to despair and are created as a part of despair.

To say this novel is realistic would be an understatement. This is the type of novel that young kids can relate to because out there there are many kids whose dreams of a prosperous future too often become crushed. As a senior teacher I often see how many kids have no choice but to enroll in a junior college because they can't afford to go off to a four year university. This novel hit home. Both because of the unfortunate lack of money for these kids, and the fact that they don't give up on making their dreams come true.

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Book Review

Annie on My Mind

Garden, N. (1982). Annie on my mind. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 

This is the story of how Liza, a student at Foster Academy lined up to attend MIT and student body president met Annie, a student in a public school with dreams of being accepted into Berkeley in Californita in order to pursue a singing career. Coming from two very different social classes, these two girls were not meant to be friends. They met at a museum and they became great friends. Great friends that eventually fell in love. This love was probably not meant to be, however it grew as it did with their friendship. 

A series of events bring the girls even closer together. The most prominent of these events is when two of Liza's teachers have Liza housesit for them. When school officials find out about this Liza is put under scrutiny and is in danger of being expelled. However she is given a second chance. However; the teachers, who obvioiusly do have a lesbian relationship are fired from their jobs. One thing leads to another and Liza somehow feels pressured to end her relationship with Annie.

The girls each go their seperate ways but annie is obviously constantly on her mind Liza's mind. Unhappy at feeling she owed it to society to end her relationship with Annie, Liza begins writing to her love. Painfully realistic in the sense that in this society homosexual relationships are still frowned upon. However, the question is, is this love strong enough to last through the storm brought upon a close minded society?

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Banned Books Read Out

Lily and Dunkin

Gephart, D. (2016). Lily and Dunkin. NY: Delacorte

Timothy grows up following the rules set by his father that state that when  he is Lily Jo, he can't go outside the house. As he starts preparing for the eight grade, Timothy is preparing to start the year as Lily Jo. However, we soon find out that his father most certainly does not agree with this. At the same time we meet Norbert, who is starting his life over in a new place and he seems to be hiding a hard truth about his father. The first time they see each other, Norbert sees Lily and believes Lily is a girl, which she is, despite her father's mixed feelings about it. The next time he sees Lily, she's Tim and accepts the "I was dared into wearing a dress by my sister" answer to his confussion.

As the school year starts Lily's truth and Dunkin making it to the basketball team and unwillingly becoming a part of Vasquez's club. On a daily basis Lily struggles at home with his unaccepting father and Dunkin with the truth about his father. Eventually Lily's father accepts that he gets the treatment that she needs to stop the nature of his body change its course and redirect it and although Lily doesn't seem to understand what prompts the sudden change, she is glad he changes his mind. Unfortunatley, Dunkin stops taking his pills and eventually lands in the hospital. He is released right before the big dance at school, dance to which Lily goes dressed as herself. 

Dunkin shows up at the dance and reveals to Lily that his father is dead because he committed suicide. They dance the last dance. Lily's father shows up to the dance wearing a shirt that says "I love my daughter" and finally reveals what made him change his mind about her treatment. The doctor tells him the statistics of transgender teenagers and the alarmingly rate of suicide amongst these kids. He chose to love a daughter than to mourn the death of a son.

This book is heartwarming. It makes you hurt for the trials Lily encounters and it makes you feel for the unaccepting father who we know loves his kid, he's just having a little bit of a hard time accepting his daughter's preferences. It is something that is not spoken off really, at least not where I'm from, but it makes us wonder how many of the kids in our schools struggle with these truths. The powerful message was my favorite: It's best to love a daughter than to mourn a dead son. 

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It's Perfectly Normal

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

Informative to say the least, this is a book that can definitely not replace parents doing their job and giving their growing children "the talk"; however, it serves as an excellent guide in the topics that need to be addressed, and perhaps even the order in which these topics should be addressed. The 29 chapters are divided into six parts:

1) What is Sex?

2) Our Bodies

3) Puberty

4) Families and Babies

6) Decisions

7) Staying Healthy

Each of these sections addresses the doubts a growing child/teenager can have. It is never too soon to start considering these topics with our children because we never know how soon their little minds work. The way that this book is put together is helpful and the language is simple to understand. The language is also age appropriate and everything is explained in a responsible manner. Like I said, this book should not replace "the talk" and I probably would not give it to a child to look at it alone, but is something that I would definitely go over, together with my husband, with my boys when they are good and ready to learn a little bit more about things. 

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Invisible

Hautman, P. (2005). Invisible. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. 

Being a teenager is no easy role. This doesn't seem to be that troubles Dougie. Although he labels himself as unpopular, the fact that his "best friend" Andy likes him, even though they don't hang out as much as he used to, makes him feel normal. Normal, because to him, he is pretty normal even though he may not share the same interests that other kids his age have. He likes trains. he loves train. He even calls them his obsession and for the last two years and eleven months he has been working on building Madham. He calls this his obsession. His friendship to Andy is endearing and it isn't until he is asked if he is seeing Andy again after he puts the blame on him for calling in a bomb threat at schoo that a doubt is put in the reader as to whether Andy is a part of a double identity that he may have. It turns out that Andy was very much real and was a friend of Dougie who burned and died at the Tuttle place a day they broke in because of a fire that he and Dougie started. All this is difficult to process. And as a result of this he is permanently expelled from his school. The ambigous ending gives the reader the freedom to decide whether as  result of his last experiment, if you can call it that, Dougie died or is just badly burned. 

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Maybe Someday: A Novel

Hoover, C. (2014). Maybe someday: a novel. New York: Atria Books.

This novel is more for the young adult. It is rich in more ways than one. The first reason is two narrators: Sidney and Ridge. Both, within their own sex, could be seen as perfection. How about we say flawed perfections. It starts off with a love triangle and ends with one, sorta. Sidney has a roomate, Tori. Sidney has a boyfriend, Hunter. Hunter cheats on Sidney and when she finds out, she punches her, and him too. The sad reality that many experience is being cheated on and our lead girl experiences it first hand. Ridge, the other narrator has a girlfriend, Maggie. They love each other and most importantly, they are happy together. They have a long distance relationship and from time to time, they are able to spend some time together.

Sidney is mad at Ridge and would like to punch him, too? After being betrayed by her roommate and boyfriend, Sidney finds refuge in Guitar Boy, the neighbor that she has known only for two weeks. Sidney is pursuing a singing career and Ridge is an aspiring musician and before they know it, they start writing songs together. The relationship soon changes but there's another emminent love triangle. Ridge has a girlfriend. And it's the kind of girlfriend you want to hate, not because she's a nuisance of a person, on the contrary, she's quite likeable too, but you kinda want to hate Maggie becuase you like Sidney so much.  The story is realistic and confusing. It's romantic and it's funny and whether you want Ridge to stay with Maggie or go with Sidney, you still can't help but feel torn because both girls are likeable.

One thing for sure is that once you pick it up, you don't want to put it down. At least not the first time you read it.

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Glory O' Brien's History of the Future

King, A. (2014). Glory O’Brien’s history of the future. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Definitely hard to put this book down. Although filled with fantasy and such, the power this young girl acquires is fascinating to say the least. Fighting the demons of her mother's end and her own struggles, she wonders if perhaps her mother's end is the way to go. Her ability to see the future and past and everything in between reveals to her an unappealing future that shows no promise of any sort. She somehow feels that she owes it to herself to do what she can help to prevent this future she sees from happeing. The question is just how much she can do to help.

Although a bit on the supernatural side, this novel is interesting and intriguingl, making the plot elaborate and creative. The way she copes with her abilities is commendable and makes her out to be an extremely strong character. 

Maybe it wasn't the type of literature I normally read, but like I said earlier, it is definitely something that you will want to read. 

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Book Review

Scowler

Kraus, D. (2013). Scowler. New York: Delacorte. 

I don't know what to say about Scowler. It was a difficult read. Don't get me wrong, it IS a GREAT read, but so difficult to get through because it's, I can't even find the right words. We think of a father that provides and supports the family as a good father, as good role model, yet there is so much more to being a good father than to provide for a family. Marvin, provides for his family, but he also brings terror and a sense of hopelessness. He is abusive both physically and emotionally and kills the spirit of the family. When he goes to jail the family can breathe a sense of freedom again, but not without leaving them scared and very broken for life. 

A meteor, or a shower of them threaten the earth and also a jailbreak disheartens the family. Marvin escapes. His entire life Ry hopes that he will not be like his father, now that he is back, he might just have to unleash the beast inside him to protect Sara and his mother.

Family violence is no joke and it is definitely no easy manner of handling it. As an educator I have read endless essays in which my students pour their hearts out and explain the fear and agony their parents' abuse has brought to their lives. To think that a Scowler must be born to put a stop to such abuse is heartbreaking, more than anything is because just like Ry, many of these kids fight the statistics that state that children of abusive parents might develop the same tendencies. However; in some cases it's either let it happen or fight it as best as you can. Either way, the outcome is heartbreaking.   

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In the Studio with Kirby Heyborne

I Hunt Killers

Lyga, B. (2012). I hunt killers. New York: Little, Brown. 

We do not choose our parents. If we are lucky, we have good parents that are nurturing, laidback, hard working, laid back, supportive, or even strict. It is probably safe to say that a lot of people have issues with their parents, whether it's because they're over-protective, too loving, too detached, too hardworking, too laidback, too strict but deep down inside we probably know that they are good people. For Jazz he was dealt bad cards with his parents. His mother disappeared years ago and his father, "Dear Old Dad" is a well known serial killer that before he was put away for good, or so he hopes, taught him everything there is about being a serial killer. 

Jazz, however, is a well liked teenager, with a great best friend and an awesome girlfriend who wants nothing to do with that "sport." There is a murder nearby where he lives that has SERIAL KILLER written all over it. He somehow feels the obligation, sort of, to do something about it. He teams up with the police to help. The question here is, is he really trying to help the police?

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Monster

Myers, W. (1999). Monster. New York: HarperCollins. 

Steve is in denial. He refuses to believe he is a monster. What can a person possibly do to be labeled as a monster? Murder. What else? Yet, he didn't pull the trigger. All he did was the boy on the look out. Being part of an armed robbery that ends in death for the victim is what lands him in jail and puts him on trial at the young age of sixteen. He hates prison and is terrified. Every waking second while encarcerated he experiences fear. Fear of talking, of breathing, of looking, of making a noise. Anything, absoultey anything can get you beat up. To cope with this fear he creates a screen play of his experiences, of the trial, of his past, of everything that led him to his cell.

His screenplay recreates the trial and flashbacks of his life. And as the trial comes to an end, he is found not guilty. In his attempt to celebrate his verdict, his lawyer refuses to hug him and makes him think about what it is tha the is. Could he possibly be the mosnter that the prosecutor made him out to be? Months later this thought still messes with his head. Could he be the monster they made him out to be just because he was the one on the lookout? And of course, he did not pull the trigger. He did not physicaly kill the man but he was part of the act that did. Will he ever be able to live with himself or will he live with the guilt of what he allowed himself to become by  making a bad decision, the worst decision of his life?

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The Knife of Never Letting Go

Ness, P. (2008). The knife of never letting go. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press. 

This novel represents a town that is possibly meant to be a Utopian Society, but perhaps is more on the dystopia side. The setting is Prentisstown and it happens to be a strange little town where no women exist. It is surrounded by noise and everything is done outloud. Todd comes across silence and as a result of this he, for the first time in his life, meets a girl, Viola. Girls were forbidden and he is somehow forced to leave Prentisstown. It is all strange and a series of stranger events take place. Truths are revealed and it turns out that Prentisstown is not the nice town that it appears to be at firsts. Women are killed off and it pretty much known as an unfriendly place. Viola and Todd run away and face a series of events that lead to their separation but Todd does not give up and tries his best to reunite with her again. They undergo a series of obstacles and are able to reach their new destination. Destination that will be home to a new beginning. The question is whether this new beginning will be much more different than what they experienced before.

Personally, I did not find this book appealing. It also reminded me of The Giver in a sort of dysfunctional way. Except of course, Prentisstown's method of control wasn't too effective. I honestly can't pinpoint the exact reason for which this one is not one of my faves, maybe it's the crazy idea of them killing off the women and the crazy idea of the noise...I don't know. I just did not care much for it.

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In Conversation with Patrick Ness

Gabi: A Girl in Pieces

Quintero, I. (2014). Gabi: A girl in pieces. TX: Cinco Puntos. 

"Ojos abiertos, piernas cerradas" is not something my mom said to us verbatim, but something to that effect. I couldn't help but laugh at how the mentality of her mother was so similar to my mother's in that aspect. This is a story about the real struggle of a "gordita" or a chubby girl and her love of food and boys and the concerns that every teenager faces in high school, whether it's first hand experience or second hand. In additon to her own struggles, Gabi faces the challenges of coping with her friend's pregnancy and her friend's coming out of the closet. And of course, in addition she has to deal with her own issues. 

I instantly fell in love with this novel. Like I said, maybe it's because it reminded me so much of my upbringing, not necessarily in everything that she faces, but the way she was brought up. It's actually funny to see that there are other parents out there with "ancient beliefs" such as her mother's and even more amusing is the fact that even if we may not necessarily agree with the way our parents think and with the values they have instilled in us, we follow this beliefs because or else...

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Interview with Isabel Quintero

The Notorious Benedict Arnold

Sheinkin, S. (2010). The notorious Benedict Arnold. New York: Macmillan. 

I am by no means a history buff. And although this novel may be considered a historical nonfiction, is it possible that it could also be categorized as a historical fiction? One who is not into the historical stuff might have thought, "Great! A history novel!" Yet, the way this is written makes the reading, even for a non history buff like me, interesting and bearable. 

Upon reading the title of the book that I was reading, my husband, who IS a history buff asked me, "Why are you reading about that traitor?" I didn't get to discuss much of it with him since he works insanely A LOT, but based on what I know of him, and what I read about him in this book, just as he betrayed his coutnry, he also helped it tremendously. Interesting and easy to read, reading this did not feel like a chore at all. I liked that it exposed Benedict just as he was. 

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Bruiser

Shusterman, N. (2010). Bruiser. New York: HarperTeen.

Voted most likely to receive the death penalty, Brewster is an outcast in his school. A loner and obviously not sociable, he is noticed by Bronte who starts dating her. Because of the reputation, or even perhaps the lack of reputation as far as what type of person he was (because no one really knew him), Tennyson, is not happy that his sister is dating him. However Bronte claims that he knows nothing about Bruiser and continues her relationship with him.

Bruiser's gift is revealed. Through some sort of supernatural power, or something, he is able to take physical pain away from those he loves. Somehow his body away theailments of others by absorbing them himself. In doing so, his body and physical and mental well being is affected. His girlfriend Bronte notices there is something going on wiht Bruiser because of bruises that she spots she assumes he is receiving some sorty of physical abuse from his uncle. His uncle dies and him and sibling are left homeless. They end up with some neighbors and eventually his girlfriend convinces her parents to take them in. Brote's and Tennyson's family situation is definitely NOT ideal. Their parents are at the brink of divorce and this is all due to Brewster's gift. He is making the life situation a lot more bearable. So what will happen to Bruiser? Is his gift enough to save his girlfriend's family? Is he willing to risk his life to save hers? 

While reading this, I kept thinking of Jona from The Giver. If you ask me why, I really can't explain why...It just does! 

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Grasshopper Jungle

Smith, A. (2014). Grasshopper jungle. New York: Dutton. 

Three close friends, Robie, Austin, and Shann live in Iowa in the most recent economic resession. As the three characters are skating through and alley, they are attacked by a group of bullies led by Grant Wallace. These bullies steal their skateboards and shoes and throw them on top of the roof of a store. They beat up Robbie and Austin. The three decide to go after their stuff and so they climb the roof to retreive their possession. The group of boys decide to break into the store. Grant breaks in and steals a vial that is broken and is mixed with Robbie's blood stream. This vial is some sort of virus that has significant effects on Robbie. 

This leads to an infection that soon takes over where those infected turn into insects. In an attempt to protect mankind, a shelter is created. Unfortunately, their attempts to reverse the plague is unsuccessful and the ending leaves them living in misery scavanging for goods.

Although more on the sci-fi side, it is an interesting novel. More than likely the readeres who will enjoy this are those more on the fantastical side. This novel puts into perspective the idea that the world is perhaps an unsafe place that because of our selfishness, it might put the world at risk and once affected, we might never be able to turn things back the way they used to be. In addition, it also contains the struggle to find one's self since Robie feels confusion about his sexuality and does not know whether he may be in love with his friend Austin and not his girlfriend Shann. 

Interview with Andrew Smith

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Freak Show

St. James, J. (2007). Freak show. New York: Dutton. 

Billy Bloom is no typical teenager. To start off, he's gay and as if it wasn't enough, he's moving to a brand new school in Florida to live with his father. He seems to feel surprised at the fact that the students of his new school, Eisenhower Academy don't necessarily acecpt him. Confused about his own feelings, he tries to fit in at his new school, but at the same time, he is eager to stand out. 

 And to be clear, the topic might make a few uncomfortable but it it most definitely a reality that the world should not shy away from. 

Billy Bloom is a bit loud, obnoxious, and seems to be oblivious to the discomfort he brings on other people. Unfortunately, Billy is a victim of a violent attack at the hands of his classmates that reveal the true nature of his character. The assault is severe and unfortunately puts him in a coma. Deep thoughts and emotions are revealed through his coma and it is just impossible for the reader to not be drawn to this kid. Despite the reactions he gets from people because of his character, Billy is likeable and his character grows on you. 

This is a very relatable topic, whether it's because we know someone like that or because we can't pretend this isn't an issue in our society. I thought of Billy and I thought of a former student of mine, let's call him "Franky." Maybe a bit eccentric but with a beautiful, easygoing, yet difficult personality. What makes people react negatively with these kids? Plain ignorance. And this serves as an eye opener and perhaps it will help cure the narrowminded society we live in. 

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The Dream Thieves

Stiefvater, M. (2013). The dream thieves. New York: Scholastic Press

This is the second of the series the Raven Cycle. In this cycle, Gansey, who hunts for Glendower, now focuses on another one of the Raven Boys, Ronan. Ronan is one of the Raven Boys, which is a group of friends, more like brothers who are searching for a dead king by the name of Glendower. They believe that Glendower is hidden somewhere near their school. Ronan Lynch has a special power. He has the ability to bring objects back from his dreams. Unlike the first cycle, the plot revolves around Ronan and Adam. Ronan deals with the manifestations of night terrors, street racing in hotrod cars, drug driven, yet incredibly insecure and Adam embraces his strength. Although a bit more on the fantastical side than anything else, this novel covers an important theme: confronting fears head on and coming to understand and accept our place in the grand scheme of life.

Although this may not be my style, it is undoubtedly a well written book and credit must be given where it is due, it is meticulously written and the complex plot and compelling characters make it an extremely interesting read. It is safe to say that this book targets mature teens who enjoy modern day fantasy and who are not afraid to take their time written so that the complex plots is revealed clearly to them. 

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Code Name Verity

Wein, E. (2012). Code name Verity. New York: Hyperion.

This is the story about a beautiful frienship of two girls, Julie and Maddie, who were not supposed to have been friends, yet they defied all odds and were willing to risk their lives for one another. The story is a historical fiction and it goes back to the beginning of WWII. Julie is a spy and becomes prisoner of the Gestapo. Maddie attempts to help her yet the attempt fails. We start reading Julie's confession in which she openly states she's a coward and that she will give up any information because she was afraid of what might happen to her if she doesn't. She soon finds out that after she jumped off in her parachute, Maddie crashes the plain and dies. 

In the second part we find out that Maddie doesn't die like she makes it out to be and is able to escape and lands with a Resistance group that will help her rescue Julie. The plan didn't go as they hoped and Maddie is unable to free her friend. Knowing that the fate that awaits her at the hands of her captors is much worse, Maddie kills Julie. It is later revealed through her documentation that the information she gave the Nazis was not helpful.

This story is more than meets the eye, more than friendship, more than loyalty, it's about bravery. As you read you hope for a good ending, an ending in which Julie is rescued and her and Maddie get out of harm's way. Realistic and heartbreaking, this is definitely a must read.

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