YA LIT- Books 9-16

 

Sartrapi, M. (2014). Persepolis. NY: Pantheon.

Persepolis is a book about a world where all children are forced to grow up.  The author writes her child-like view she experienced growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.  Marji doesn’t understand what’s going on around her and her parents and teachers are talking about martyrs and how the Shah is divine.  Marji wants to become a prophet herself, but the Shah is overthrown and a new Islamic Regime takes over.  All the school become single gender and Marji is forced to wear a veil.  Marji’s family realizes that the new regime isn’t much better than the last and everyone who supported the revolution is now an enemy of the of the government.  Keep reading to find out the unbelievable events that happen next.  

Persepolis: This Story of a Childhood is a black and white graphic novel/memoir of Satrapi growing up in Iran in the Islamic Revolution.  A sweet, lovable, and rebellious girl from Iran figures out how to navigate all the changes happening in her country.  It has won New York Times Best Notable book, Time Magazine’s “Best Comix of the Year”, San Francisco and Los Angeles Times Best Sellers.  It’s geared for ages 14 and up and also covers the required novel list.  After the book is read, you may want to encourage the reader to watch the movie Persepolis.  If you enjoy this book you might also like, City of Glass: A Graphic Novel by Paul Karasik.

Thomas, A. (2017). The hate you give. NY: HarperCollins

Starr Carter is living a double life between the poor community she lives in and the rich prep school she attends.  Her world comes tumbling down as she witnesses her childhood best friend get shot by cops, all while being unarmed.  Starr was the only witness to see the entire altercation go down.  After being intimidated by the cops and the drug lord of her neighborhood, what will Starr say or not say in order to keep the peace?  Better yet...what will she do in order to keep her entire family safe from all this attention that fatal night brought into their lives?

The Hate U Give won the Coretta Scott King Award and Honors, Printz Honor, Odyssey Award, as well as ALA Best and Notable books.  It’s intended for ages 13 and up and covers the required novel list.  The topics of this book include police brutality of an unarmed black teen, race, interracial dating, grief, friendship, addiction, political activism, and the media’s portrayal of African Americans.  Parents are encouraged to discuss recent and past instances of police shootings and how they were dealt with.  If you enjoy this book you might also like, Turtles All the Way Down by John Green.

Reynolds, J. (2020). Stamped. New York: Little, Brown

This book provides information about racism in America.  The approach that the authors take helps to reach multiple audiences.  The vision was to write information that would apply to all people - especially during young adult years.  The theme is set to where different groups of people develop an appreciation for the contents in their own specialized way.

Kwame, A. (2014). The crossover. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

JB (Josh) and Jordan Bell are twin brothers and are also sons of a former professional basketball player.  They are trying to make their way through middle school as best they can.  The girl crushes, the homework, the family tension, and basketball are all a predominant part of their lives.  As JB and Jordan near the end of the basketball championship playoffs, friction develops between them and trouble is just around the corner from their dad.  Life may be sweet on the court, but off the court is an entirely different ball game.  

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander is created for ages 9 and up and covers the author list.  This book won the 2015 Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Honor.  Crossover is a novel in verse about basketball, family, and coming of age.  It’s also a great book that can inspire a healthy lifestyle due to the fact that the novel includes serious issues about a parent’s life threatening condition.  This book may also be useful when recommending a great book to reluctant male readers who enjoy the game of basketball and beats/rhyming.  If you enjoy this book you might also like, Caminar by Skila Brown.

Crutcher, C. (2013). Period 8. New York: Greenwillow Books

Paulie Baum enjoys swimming and has a pretty normal high school life.  Everything is fine until Paulie decides to cheat on his girlfriend, Hannah.  They end up breaking up and Paulie doesn’t know what to do, so he goes to his Period 8 teacher, Mr. Logsdon, for advice.  Logsdon runs Period 8 which is a place for kids to go during lunch hour to sit and talk about their problems.  Paulie and Hannah’s situation end up being the topic of conversation in this “safe haven”, but then the topic of Mary Wells pops up and pushes the matter aside.  More mysteries keep developing around her disappearance, and the kids in Period 8 try to get to the bottom of them.  Mr. Logsdon’s only rule in Period 8 is you have to tell the truth, and someone isn’t following that rule.  Can you figure out the who’s not being truthful before the last page?

Chris Crutcher’s Period 8 will keep you on the edge of your seat with the fast-paced, suspenseful drama that unfolds within its pages.  Period 8 contains real world situations that may not be fun to think about kids dealing with, but it’s something they need to be aware of.  The point of view is in third person and a theme you can take away is to be careful who you tell your secrets to.  This book is geared for ages 14 and up, and also covers the author list requirements.  If you enjoy this book you might also like, Out of Nowhere by Maria Padian.

Cormier, R. (2004). The chocolate war. New York: Knopf.

Jerry is a new student at a Catholic prep school.  The Vigils, a group of power-seeking students are determined to make sure he endures the hazing practices awaiting him.  A turn of events happens with Jerry's teacher, Brother Leon encourages students to sell chocolates for a fundraiser.  Jerry ultimately has a plan of his own.

King, A. S. (2019). Dig. New York: Dutton Books, An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

Five teens live in close proximity to one another, yet they don’t seem to know each other.  But their lives are destined to be intertwined due to past family ties that turned sour between their parents and grandparents.  They are all part of a mess of secrets and only one generation removed from being the potato farmers their grandparents once were.  The teens are known as The Shoveler, Malcolm, The Freak, Loretta, CanIHelpYou?  They refused to let the mistakes of their parents determine their future and end up discovering clues to figure out what a certain pair of brothers did to their cousin.  By reading this you must try to piece together what’s real and what’s imagined and how the characters will ultimately connect with one another.  

Dig by A.S. King is directed for ages 14 and up that covers many topics such as, family, abuse, privilege, race, and death.  The book covers the author list.  The story comes from the perspective of five different teens who are all connected in some way.  Their stories were all saturated with pain and heartbreak such as, death of a parent, terminal illness, poverty, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, racism, addiction, and white privelege were are topics covered.  First time readers of A.S. King might have a difficult time navigating the chaotic storyline of all five characters.  If you enjoy this book you might also like, The Place on Dalhousie by Melina Marchetta.

Smith, A. (2012). Passenger. New York: Donnelly & Sons Company.

Jack, Connor, Griffin, and Ben break the Marbury Lens which catapults each of them into various versions of Marbury with different levels of chaos for them.  The problem is, they can’t get out and Jack didn’t “mind the gap” somehow changing the course of everyone’s future.  The boys have to find each other and figure out how to get home before it’s too late.  They need to fix the gap before the hunters find them...and kill them.

Passenger is the sequel to the Marbury Lens and is geared for ages 14 and up.  It is considered a young adult book about a strange artifact that allows Jack, Connor, Ben, and Griffin to shift from this world into the very terrifying world of Marbury.  The boys are constantly fighting for their lives and somehow Marbury keeps shifting.  Scenes within the book are violent and gruesome and reader discretion is advised if you are sensitive to graphic violence and gore.  If you enjoy this book you might also like, The Order of Odd-Fish by James Kennedy.  This book covers the author list.

YA LIT - BOOKS 1-8

Shianna Nichols

5385 Literature for Young Adults

Spring 2021

Required Reading Books 1 - 8

Alexie, Sherman, and Ellen Forney. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Little, Brown, 2007.

Arnold Spirit Jr is encouraged to make a bold move to leave the reservation school, the reservation in which he lives in is high in poverty but low in hope for those living there, and go to a neighboring non-reservation school by one of his teachers.  He leaves Rowdy, his best friend of 14 years, his sister who spends most of her time in the basement and her alcoholic parents behind.  Arnold, or Junior, as he is known in the reservation was born with hydrocephalus can has caused him to look differently than the rest of his family and friends.  His looks are a reason for which he gets beaten up at the reservation a lot.  On his daily commute to the school, which is an adventure of its own, he transforms from being a Native American who is too smart for the other Native Americans in his own reservation to a boy that fits in with the “white” kids of his new rural school.  Arnold learns that though he left his tribe at the reservation he belongs to other tribes at his new school.  This story has Arnold dealing with racism, unfairness, friendship, poverty, and pushing through the hard time to better oneself.

Reviewed by Kirkus Reviews (July 2007) “The reservation’s poverty and desolate alcoholism offer early mortality and broken dreams, but Junior’s knowledge that he must leave is rooted in love and respect for his family and the Spokane tribe.”

Other books by Author: Alexie, S., & Morales, Y. (2016). Thunder Boy Jr. New York: Little, Brown and.  The bond of a father and child are highlighted in this picture book.  Thunder Boy Jr, wants a name of his own, not one that he has to share with his dad. Will he ever find one he likes?

Book is part of the Young Adult Novels Required List for LSSL 5385.

Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. NY. Penguin Group.

Melinda has no friends and is an outcast freshman at her school because she called the cops on a summer party.  She was so distraught she became silent and self-removed to the point of isolating everything and everyone in her life.  But no one knows why she busted up the party until she decides to speak up for herself and tell a friend she was raped by an upperclassman.   Her art class was her only hope in understanding the healing process of the appalling episode she had encountered (her teacher ironically assigned her a tree study for the entire year).Just when things were looking up, she had another abusive encounter with her wrongdoer.  But this time Melinda fights back and refuses to be silent any longer.

Speak was as National Book Award finalist, won the Golden Kite Award in 2000 along with ALA Best Books for Young Adults, Printz Honor Book, and NYT Best Seller in 2001 and 2005.  The author captures the pains and troubles of everyday high school life with honesty and raw emotion.  This psychological story is a lesson worth reading and worth analyzing where you reflect on your past actions of judgement.  Speak is directed for ages 14 and up.  This book covers the required reading list.  If you enjoy this book you might also like, A Step From Heaven by An Na.

Behar, R. (2017). Lucky broken girl. NY. Delacorte.

When Ruthie moves from Cuba to Queens, she is put into the “dumb” class at school because her English is not very good.  She becomes friends with a boy from India who’s in the similar situation as her as they both deal with the transition of moving away from their home country.  Eventually they both convince their teacher to move them to the “smart” class.  The day before Ruthie gets to attend her new class she gets into a horrible car accident with her family, causing her to spend almost an entire year in bed wrapped in a body cast.  The transition of her anger towards the boys who caused the accident, to her new perspective in the healing process as she meets new visitors is amazing to watch unfold.  After learning about her friend’s other gods and even though she is Jewish, she prayed to God, Shiva, and Frida Kahlo all the same time for a fast recovery.

Lucky Broken Girl won the Pura Belpré Award in 2018, The 2018 Américas Award, The ALSC Notable Children’s Book 2018, along with many other decorated library lists.   The author did a wonderful job of writing her autobiography that captures a diverse cast of characters and allows the reader to experience different religions and cultures.  It’s produced for ages 12 and up.  This novel covers the required reading list.  If you enjoy this book you might also like, Stef Soto, Taco Queen by Jennifer Torres.

Garden, N. (1982). Annie on my mind. NY. Farrar Straus Giroux.

Liza is a seventeen year old girl who is involved in many school activities and is also the  Student Body President.  One of her favorite things to do is visiting museums in New York.  At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she meets a girl named Annie. Over time, their love for each other grows into a romantic relationship.  The two realize they cannot let anyone know about their daring relationship because of the pressures from family and peers.  Word gets out about their relationship and Liza ends up calling it quits due to some insensitive responses.  The girls go their separate ways to attend college, but they end up reuniting after Liza has time to reevaluate what she truly wanted in a relationship.

Garden won the Lifetime Achievement Award for Annie on My Mind in 2003.  The book also made the “Best of the Best Books for Young Adults” from the ALA in 1982.  This book was one of the first to pave the way for the 20th and 21st century in accepting the homosexual lifestyles.  It’s geared for ages 14 and up.  It’s not recommended to read if you are struggling with your sexual orientation due to some homophobic confrontations within the book.  This novel covers the required reading list.  If you enjoy this book you might also like, Dare Truth or Promise by Paula Boock.

Klein, L., Leff, C., & Brennan, C. (2019). Celebrate your body. the ultimate puberty book for preteen and teen girls. Emeryville, CA: Rockridge Press.

The author of this book did a spectacular job of creating a text that caters to the liking of young girls. In this book, girls can feel like they've been give a pep talk by a big sister or close friend. Discussing the anatomy of the body and the changes that young girls experience is a topic that is bound to come up sooner or later. Through the author's delivery in this piece, readers feel open to learning about the exploration of their bodies. A deeper appreciation for the female body is developed through this read.

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

Steve Harmon is a sixteen year old boy who is on trial as the lookout man in a Harlem convenience store robbery that didn’t go as planned and ends up with a murder.  The manager ends up being killed with his own gun and, while on trial, Steve is being portrayed as a monster as many people testify against him in court.  Read along as you learn about Steve’s thoughts through journal form and the trial going on at the same time through movie script.  Can Kathy O’Brien, Steve’s attorney, prove him not guilty?

Monster by Walter Deans Myers is created for ages 13 and up.  This book covers the required novel list.  It also won the Printz award and was a National Book Award finalist.  The book is a dialogue written story about a teenager on trial for murder.  The suspense and drama throughout the book will keep even the most reluctant readers turning the pages.  Scenes that either happen or are briefly discussed within Monster are inmates getting beaten and talk of rape by the prison inmates.  It is a perfect mystery with enough realism and drama to intrigued even the most reluctant reader.  It’s important for parents to have a discussion about the fairness of the judicial system within this book.  If you enjoy this book you might also like, The First Part Last by Angela Johnson.

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

Todd Hewitt is the last boy in a town of only men.  Ever since they settled in the new world, all the men contracted the Noise germ which makes everyone have the ability to hear everyone’s thoughts.  The germ also killed all the females.  Todd was out exploring one day and noticed a rip in the noise...a silence.  It was a girl.  A girl and her thoughts were silent.  Todd realizes his town is hiding something from him and is forced to flee with the girl and his dog in tow.  Todd’s history and everything he’s ever known is challenged as he is being chased by his own people fighting for his life and trying to figure out the truth.

Ness won the Booktrust Teenage Prize, The Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, the Booklist Editors’ Choice: Book for Youth, the 2009 ALA Best Books for YA and the Booklist Core Collection: Dystopian Fiction for Youth for his first book in the Chaos Walking Series.  It’s made for ages 12 and up and leaves a massive cliffhanger, leaving you begging for more. Your curiosity can remedied by the second book called The New World.  You might also like, Lord of the Flies by William Golding.  This novel covers the required reading list.

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

Read Gabi’s diary and learn how she is just trying to get through her last year of high school.  She’s a Mexican-American senior who doesn’t hold back and says what she thinks, when it comes to her life and her feelings.  She is in the midst of an exceptionally rough time in her life when it comes to family, friends, boys, her future, and more.  Her father is a drug addict, her best friend is pregnant, and her best guy friend just came out to his dad, which caused his life to spin out of control because he was kicked out of his house.  Then, in the center of everything, Gabi is really interested in finding the right boyfriend.  Read along with Gabi as she also struggles with being overweight but refuses to let that define her.

Gabi, A Girl in Pieces was named Best Books of 2014 for the Kirkus reviews and the School Library Journal.  It also covers the required novel list.  Topics covered in the book include abortion, drugs, sex, race, and grief.  Quintero’s novel is geared for ages 14 and up.  This is a very moving and to the point book that is portrayed in diary form by a seventeen year old girl just trying to get through the last year of high school.  If you enjoy this book you might also like, Girls Like Us by Gail Giles.