LSSL 5385 Young Adult Literature

*All images retrieved from goodreads.com

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

It’s Perfectly Normal, narrated by a cartoon bird and bee, teaches children all about puberty and sexuality. Topics include a wide variety ranging from STD’s to being safe and responsible on the internet. The author takes often embarrassing topics and uses cartoon commentary to make the subject of sex more comfortable for young readers. Because of the very detailed illustrations and diagrams, I have no doubt that this book has received a few challenges by offended readers. However, I see this book as a great educational tool which provides curious young readers with answers to some of life’s most embarrassing questions.

King, A.S. (2013). Reality Boy. NY: Little, Brown and Company.

Everyone in town knows Gerald Faust, but not for a reason he is proud of. At 5 years old, Gerald’s mother signed the family up for a reality show titled, Network Nanny. Even though he is now 17, he is known around town as, “The Crapper.” His psychological damage leads to anger and Gerald finds himself placed in Special Education and therapy even though his sister is the crazy one. Gerald finds solace in his own mind which he refers to as “Gerald’s Day.” At work, Gerald meets a girl, Hannah, who has no idea of his past. The two form a deep friendship and Gerald is able to overcome his demons, escape his horrible family life, and make something of his life. I could not put this book down. The author includes flashbacks from the reality show, which allows us insight into the beginning stages of Gerald’s anger and troubled life. This is an inspirational story of beating the odds and overcoming childhood trauma. This is a good read for students who are struggling with forgiveness and acceptance of wrongdoings.

Macy, S. (2011). Wheels of change: How women rode the bicycle to freedom. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic.

Through vintage photographs, advertisements, and cartons, Sue Macy provides readers with a history of the bicycle and its effect on American culture and the empowerment of women. In my opinion, this is a fascinating book. I had no idea how the bicycle was invented, much less the effect it had on women’s equality. I especially enjoyed the foreward which was written by Leah Missbach Day. Day explains that how the bicycle is still important today, especially for reducing the use of fossil fuels, cardiovascular exercise, and the mobility of those in underdeveloped countries. The following link includes information about the author and sample lesson plans which can be used in the classroom.  http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=22008&a=1

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

Steve Harmon is accused of being the lookout for a drug store robbery turned murder. Steve chronicles this journey through screenplay form as well as journal entries. The story begins with the courtroom opening statements followed by the witnesses taking the stand. Others involved in this crime include Bobo Evans and James King, both who claim Steve as their lookout. Steve is terrified each night when he must return to his cell, but what scares him the most is his questioning of himself. Is he truly a monster? After closing statements, Steve receives a verdict of not guilty. When Steve turns to hug his attorney, she turns away from him. This haunts Steve even after the trial as he continues to seek answers about himself. This book leaves readers with unanswered questions which allow them to draw their own conclusions and could lead to some great class discussions. Did Steve really commit the crime? Why did his attorney turn away from him?

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

Todd is the youngest person in the strange town of Prentisstown where  a germ called Noise makes it possible for thoughts to be heard out loud and is responsible for the death of all the town’s women. To become a “man” in Prentisstown, an act of violence must be committed. When Todd hears a moment of silence, he is told by his foster parents to leave Prentisstown immediately. Todd soon encounters the silence once more and is shocked to discover its cause: a girl! The two set off for safety only to encounter a crazed preacher, Aaron, who kidnaps Viola and stabs Todd. Todd sacrifices his best friend and dog, Manchee, to rescue Viola, and the two once again search for safety. On their journey, Todd learns the truth about Prentisstown: The men are responsible for killing the town’s women rather than the Noise. Todd and Viola head for Haven but once again encounter Aaron. Viola kills Aaron only to run into the mayor’s son, Prentiss Jr., who stabs Viola in the stomach. Todd and an injured Viola finally reach Haven. What is supposed to be a place of safety and refuge has now been taken over by the mayor of Prentisstown, who now refers to himself as President Prentiss. This science-fiction novel takes readers to a distant land to fight the greatest evils as mentioned on page 81 of our textbook. The search for safety of the main characters kept me engaged until the end. I have added the other novels in the series to my summer reading list.

Patterson, J. (2011).  Middle school: The worst years of my life. NY: Little, Brown, and Company.

James Patterson tells this story through the eyes of Rafe, a 6thgrader who views middle schools as a prison and trusts no one but his mom and his crazy best friend, Leo the Silent. His only real friend, Leo, mainly communicates through his drawings which are scattered throughout the book. To cope with life’s struggles of an annoying little sister, a dead beat soon to be step dad and the miseries of middle school, Rafe gets a great idea: He is going to break every rule in the school Code of Conduct, and he soon gains the attention of his teachers and peers. Rafe’s mom becomes worried because of his poor grades and his friendship with Leo whom she does not care for. After the police catch him painting a mural on the school wall, Rafe begins to understand the depth of his mistakes. During a meeting between his mother and Mrs. Donatello, readers learn that Leo is actually an imaginary friend and the drawings have been Rafe’s all along. Mrs. Donatello suggests that Rafe could thrive at an art school since he is better able to communicate his feelings through his drawings. Though he has to work extra hard to pull his grades up, Rafe looks forward to a new school year at The intended audience is grade levels 3 through 7, and it will soon be released as a major motion picture. I have been a fan of James Patterson for a long while, but this was the first book for young adults that I have read. While humorous, Patterson touches on issues that many middle school students could easily relate to such as the struggle to fit in and make passing grades.

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

This story is told through the journal entries of Gabi who is starting her senior year of high school. While Gabi faces her own struggles such as a drug addicted father and a mother who frequently insists Gabi be a “good girl”, Gabi is behind her best friends 100 percent. Cindy was raped and now pregnant. Sebastian came out to his parents and was kicked out of his home. Gabi reflects on these conflicts through her poetry which is beautiful and profound. A recurring topic of her poetry is sexuality and women’s’ bodies. Her mother often makes judgmental comments about Gabi’s weight and eating habits. Though, Gabi sometimes refers to herself as fat, she is generally   happy with her physical appearance. Throughout her senior year, Gabi dates a few boys before dating one who is respectful and challenges the line , “boys will be boys”. Gabi’s last conflict is the decision to attend college or stay behind and help with her family. Even through the pressure from her mother, Gabi makes her own decision to leave her hometown, attend her dream college, and create new experiences. Gabi is an authentic character who young adult readers will be able to easily relate to.

Roth, V. (2012). Divergent. NY: Katherine Tegen Books.

Beatrice “Tris” Prior is from a futuristic society which is divided   into five factions: Abnegation, Amity, Erudite, Candor, and Dauntless. Tris was raised as a member of Abnegation whose greatest virtue is selflessness. When given the aptitude test to determine which faction is her best fit, her results show that she is a Divergent, meaning she fits into multiple categories. Her test administrator warns Tris that she should never reveal her test results as no Divergents are safe. Beatrice chooses to leave Abnegation and join Dauntless, partly because of their cool appearance. Just because you choose to be a part of Dauntless, doesn’t mean you automatically make the cut. Tris passes the tests and officially becomes a Dauntless member. She makes friends and enemies, and eventually earns the respect of Four (Tobias), one of the Dauntless instructors. When Dauntless members are brainwashed by the Erudite who want to rule all factions, everyone is in a trance except for Tris and Tobias as they are both Divergents. They are both captured and Tris is left to be executed. Her mother saves her but sacrifices herself in the process. Also losing her father along the way, Tris and Tobias are able to destroy the Erudite’s plan and flee the city in search of safety. Follow-up reads include Alligiant and Insurgent.  A great follow up activity I have found to use alongside this book is an aptitude test where students discover which faction they would be most suited for. Students can then right a reflective essay or journal entry on their results. The following link is a sample aptitude test for this assignment. http://practitioner.teengagement.com/four-resources-for-teaching-divergent

Sartrapi, M. (2004). Persepolis. NY: Pantheon.

Marjane Satrapi is a passionate little girl who lives in Iran during a time of political turmoil. Her passion comes from her parents who often protest the Iranian regime. Because Marjane is so passionate about social inequalities, her parents fear for her safety. Marjane is moved to Vienna where she resides in a boarding house run by nuns. The boarding hose is not a good fit for Marjane, and she finds herself in multiple living situations where she never feels comfortable. After winding up homeless, Marjane is able to find her way home to Iran. She decides that living with her family is more important than her freedom. Years later, Marjane realizes she does not belong in Iran and moves back to Europe leaving her family behind. The intended reading audience are students in grades 9 through 12. Through graphic novel format, Satrapi allows readers to visit her past and experience her trials and triumphs as a political activist growing up in political turmoil.

Smith, A. (2011). Stick. NY: Feiwel and Friends.

Stark “Stick” McClellan doesn’t have the best life. He comes from an abusive home and was born with only one ear which often attracts bullies. While his older brother, Bosten, is able to defend him from school bullies, he is not able to offer any solace from their despicable parents. Despite these hardships, Stick manages to be a loving and grateful character. Along with his home struggles, Stick is also dealing with his growing romantic feelings towards his best friend, Emily. When it is revealed that Bosten is gay, he flees from home to escape the wrath from his already abusive father. Stick feels lost without his brother and leaves home in search for him. Stick would do anything to find his brother, including stealing a car. Stick safely finds his brother, the two boys stand up to their parents, and both finally find a safe haven with their aunt. This book really touched on my emotions, especially the child abuse. While one of the themes of this book appears to be child abuse, I believe the main theme is actually unconditional love. Stick and Bosten will do anything to keep one another safe and have an unbreakable bond.

Stead, R. (2013). Liar and Spy. NY: Yearling.

Because of financial reasons, Georges’ parents are forced to sell their house and move to an apartment building. Along with the stress of the big move, Georges is also faced with a school bully and missing his mother who now has to work double shifts to help support the family. While taking out the trash, Georges finds a mysterious note about a Spy Club meeting. Out of his own curiosity and a little push from his dad, Georges decides to attend the Spy Club meeting where he meets Safer. Safer is convinced that Georges’ downstairs neighbor, Mr. X, is a murderer who sneaks dead bodies into his apartment in a suitcase. Georges joins Safer’s intricate spy scheme, but when he refuses to break into Mr. X’s apartment, Safer decides to break in alone. Georges becomes very angry when he discovers that Spy Club is just a game and he ends his friendship with Safer. Georges is so scared when he discovers his mother is ill in the hospital that he refuses to visit. He even pretends like she is still working rather than a patient in the hospital. He works up the courage to visit the hospital and also devises a plan to silence his school bully by bringing together the “nerdy” kids in class. When Georges finally speaks to Safer again, he discovers that Safer is actually afraid of the outside world and barely leaves his apartment building. Georges forgives Safer as he understands his reasoning behind creating the elaborate game. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have recommended it to many students this year. The intended audience of this book are ages 9 through 12.

Woodson, J. (2014). Brown Girl   Dreaming. NY: Nancy Paulsen Books.

Through free verse poetry, Jacqueline Woodson tells her story of   growing up in both the North and South during the Civil Rights Movement. Her life begins in Ohio where she lives until the age of one with her two older siblings and her parents. Jacqueline’s mother, Mary Ann, finds comfort in her mother in law who is also from the South, but Ohio never feels like home. Mary Ann teachers her children to use manners especially when in the South but always assures her children that they are “as good as anybody.” (p. 31). At age one, Mary Ann leaves her husband and moves her three children to South Carolina. With her siblings gone, the South no longer feels like home. Mary Ann leaves Jacqueline and her siblings with their grandparents while she searches for a new life in New York. The children love living in South Carolina, where their grandmother raises them to be Jehovah’s Witnesses. Mary Ann eventually returns to take her children to New York. Being A Jehovah’s Witness was often hard in New York as people there didn’t understand all the rules. Even through the many family moves and struggles, one constant remained: a strong family bond. Jacqueline received her first notebook before she could write. Though she loved to write, school wasn’t her strong point Jacqueline often makes up stories which her mother considers lying but her uncle loves and encourages. Her words are so beautiful that her own sister doesn’t believe they are her own. With inspiration all around her (the revolution, family struggles, and nature), Jacqueline becomes closer to her dream of becoming a great writer. The intended audience for this book is grades 5 through 9.

Textbook:

Lesesne, T.S. (2003). Making the match. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.