A Wrinkle In Time The Graphic Novel

Larson, H. (2012). A wrinkle in time the graphic novel. NY: Margaret Ferguson Books.

Meg Murray is not happy about her life and misses her father. The town is rather hard on her and her family and rude about her and her brother Charles. They don't mess with their twins. They meet Calvin on the way to the haunted house to meet Mrs. Whosit. They find out about the dark place and tussling. They end up on Camazotz and find their father. Unfortunately IT has imprisoned their dad and taken over Charles' mind over. They end up on another planet and heal Meg so that she can go back and save her brother. She is not sure how but she goes anyway. She is not sure how to save her brother but then realizes the one thing that the IT doesn't have is love and that is what she has with her family and all that she holds dear. She saves her brother and they make it home.



 This is the well known story by Madeleine L'Engle in a graphic novel format. This was a very fast read of a classic story. I could see how this would get kids to read this novel and keep them interested. This would be great for 7-9 grade students to read and then compare to Madeleine
L'Engles original story.

The theme of this story is that loves wins.  Meg doesn't know how she is going to save her brother from the IT, then she finally realizes that she has something that IT never has experiences, Love.   

The Chocolate War

Cormier, R. (1974). The chocolate war. NY: Delacorte.

Jerry Renault is a freshman at Trinity.  He is trying out for the football team, their mean Mr. Leon is running the school in the head master's absence from an illness.  He doubles the chocolate bar sales to help save the school.  Each boy must sell 50 boxes for 2 dollars each. There is a group of students call the Vigils and they pull boys into deads.  Jerry's is to refuse to sell the chocolate bars.  He does as they ask but after 10 days he is supposed to change and say yes, but he doesn't.  They then decide to teach him a lesson since the others are stopping sales.  They send a boy to beat him up and then harass him.  They make a raffle to get him in the ring to fight and it gets busted up by the headmaster. 

This story did not set well with me.  I felt so sorry for Jerry and his life circumstances of losing his mother and his dad not really being there for him.  The awful Mr. Leon, I can't imagine a teacher being so horrible and allowing such things to happen in a school.  This story would be good to look at for conflict and character development.  I would think 11-12 grade students possible 10th grade advanced classes. 

Conflict is a major part of this story.  Jerry has conflict with the vigils by continuing to refuse to sell his share of the chocolate bars.  He also has conflict with Mr. Leon because of refusing to sell the chocolates as well.  The conflict comes to a head at the end when the vigils set up a fight between Jerry and another student. 

Monster

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

Written like a screen play about the trail of a young man named Kevin for murmuring a robbery of a drug store.  You go through the time he spends in the cell and on trail.  He ends up getting off and in the end Miss O'Brien doesn't hug him, she turns away from him.  He then tries to film himself to see who he is.  It changes all his relationships from then on. 

I really had a hard time getting into this story.  I didn't really like how it was written like a screen play.  I felt like there were so many gaps and it never really lead you to believe one way or the other if Kevin was really innocent or not. 

I think the emotional development of Kevin in this story is heartbreaking.  He starts off scared and worried that he will be there forever.  Then at the end he is released and is perplexed by his lawyer refusing to hug him as if he is still guilty and not worthy. 

Swindle

G. Korman. (2009). Swindle, NY: Scholastic.

This story is about two boys Griffin and Ben that are friends and Ben might have to move away due to his family's money problems. They decide to stay overnight in a old house that is going to be demolished. Ben finds a baseball card. He wants to sell it to make money. He takes the baseball card to a local hobby shop. Mr. Palomino swindles him out of lots of money. He the cards ends up being worth lots of money. They come up with a plan to steal it back. Ben actually uses his Dad's invention to get the card back. In the end the card goes to one of Darren who tried to double cross them. In the end things work out and his Dad's invention gets the attention it needed and Ben won't have to move.

I didn't think I would like this story but the characters seemed real even if all the circumstances they put themselves into did not. It was enjoyable and really kept you on your seat when they were stealing the card. I think the junior high crowd would like to read this book since it's fun and fast to read. 

The plot of this book had you thinking about what Griffin and Ben would be doing to get the card back.  It was a bit predictable in places, like Ben getting his Dad's picker to get the card from the tree.  Unpredictable when Ben mailed the card to the house that was demolished.

The Scorpio Races

Stiefvater, M. (2011). The Scorpio Races. NY: Scholastic.

The story is set on Thisby Island where the water horses live.  Kate "Puck" Connolly is an orphan and her parents were killed by water horses.  She finds out that her brother Gabe is leaving the island and how will she survive.  She signs up for the races so that she will have enough money to buy her house.  She is planning on riding her horse Dove.  That's where she meets Sean Kendrick and young man who has a water horse that he rides named Corr.  In the end during the race Corr ends up getting gravely injured and Kate and Dove win the race.  

I cried like a baby when Corr refuses to return to the sea and stays with Sean even though the water would help him with his badly damaged leg.  This was another book that I did  not think that I would like and really enjoyed it.  This would be a good book to look at the relationship between man and animal, the close and trusting relationships that can be built.  I suggest this book for grades 10-12. 

I loved the two main characters in this book.  Kate was not going to lay down and give up even though she could be losing her house and her older brother was leaving her and her younger brother to fend for themselves.  She has spunk and courage.   I also enjoyed Sean, the bond that he had with Corr was amazing and his love and acceptance of the water horses.  He was also very helpful to Kate in winning.  I was not expecting a love story and that was there as well. 

Alida's Song

G. Paulsen, (1999). Alida's song.  NY: Delacorte Press.

This is the true story of when Gary Paulsen was 14 years old and spent the summer with his grandmother working on a farm for Gunnar and Olaf.  There are some amusing things that happen when he arrives.  The truck had no breaks and the goose attacks.  The farm is a new experience since there is not electricity.  He worked all summer and her received $18 each Saturday for his work.  The dances and that summer saved him, by receiving the guidance and love that he needed.

I remember spending time every summer with my grandparents and how this impacted who I am and what I became.  There are times when I am somewhere and a noise or a view take me back to those happy childhood times.  It's makes me smile to just think about it.

This story had me thinking about Havighurst's theory of development in that adolescents need to work for pay.  He is already working at home and his grandmother knows that he won't come out for the summer unless he is making money to help pay for things.  The fact that we was working for money and doing a job was very important to him. 

Winger

Smith, A. (2013). Winger. NY: Simon & Schuster.

Ryan Dean "Winger" goes to school at Pine Mountain.  He is younger than all the students in his grade. He is also artistic and draws cartoons.  He is in love with his best friend Annie.  He is sent to O-Hall to live for this year with all the students that are problem makers.  He is rooming with Chas.  On the rugby team he befriends Joey.  Joey is gay and in the end he is killed by two other classmates that have problems with him being gay.

I was so shocked with the ending and wished that Winger hadn't been so scared that night and had gone looking for the noise he heard and that maybe Joey would have still been alive.  This book really makes me think of Looking for Alaska and maybe that would be a book that could be read after this and then the two compared with development of the characters, etc.

I was thinking about Kohlberg's conventional development in this book about how Winger knows the difference between right and wrong.  He stands up for Joey when he is jumped because of being gay. This is also a great example of contemporary realistic fiction.  This story could really happen.  

The Surrender Tree

Engle, M. (2008). The surrender tree. NY: Holt

The Surrender Tree is a book of poems based on the wars of Cuba's Independence from Spain.  It tells a story about a slave, witch healer named Rosa (a legend) and how she is freed and becomes a nurse.  She marries a man named Jose and they stay in the jungles and help the fighters against Spain.  She meets Silva a young girl who loses her family, she teaches her to help heal people.  Lieutenant Death is always looking for her. 

I really wasn't looking forward to a book of poetry and found myself reading it from beginning to end without putting it down. I think this would be a good book to use with 8-10 grade since the ideas are more complex. 

The author uses  imagery, one of the examples that struck me the most was how in the book it says War feels like just one more way of slavery.  They were having to hide and be careful who knew where they were since they were being hunted, just like the enemy is in a war.   

Last Night I Sang To The Monsters

Saenz, B. (2009). Last night I sang to the monster. El Paso: Cinco Puntos Press. Zach is an alcoholic straight A student. He has a very angry brother, depressed or bipolar mother and an alcoholic father. He wakes up finding himself in a rehab facility. He does not remember how he got there and what happened. He is very angry and detached from everyone. He has cabin mates that help him to open up and that he forms a bond with. Rafael who he sees as a father figure and Sharkley, who leaves and it makes him sad. Them Amit comes and he forms a rather shakey bond with him. His therapist Adam has a huge influence on him and he guides him to think and feel. He finally remembers what happened during a breathing treatment to his family. His brother killed his mother, father and then was putting the gun back and forth between himself and Zach. He ends up killing himself and leaving Zach alone. He is 18 and considered an adult but in reality he is still just a messed up kid with no family. He ends up leaving and ends up in California with Rafael who ends up adopting him. He is also looking into going to college. He has finally reaches a happiness scale of 10!

I had a hard time following the story at first but once I got into it, I was hooked. I really wanted Zach to be okay and to find happiness. I really loved Rafael and his grounding influence on Zach. This would be a great book to explore with 10-12 grade students. 

The plot in this story kept you in suspense about how Zach really showed up at the rehab facility.  You knew that something happened to his family but you could only guess and the reality was not what I had assumed happened.    I also think the setting of this book is important, the story could not take place anywhere else. 

The Tequila Worm

Canales, V. (2005). The tequila worm. NY: Wendy Lamb Books/Random House.

Sophia and her family live in McAllen, Texas.  They discuss family and the reason's why they do things they way they do to honor their Mexican American heritage.  Sophia wins a scholarship to a very affluent school in Austin, Texas.  Her father ends up dying from cancer while she is attending school there.  This is a great story about a girl coming to terms with her family and her wanting to be more. 

I really enjoyed this book, I really liked reading the dialogue between Sophia and her father.  He never tells her what to do, he just guides to think for herself.  I laughed out loud about the plastic covers on her aunts furniture.  My grandmother had her formal living room covered in plastic and whenever we sat on it, it stuck to us. This book would be great for junior high students.  It's a great look inside to Mexican American heritage and could be used to compare how their life are similar or different from Sophia's.

I loved the word choice in this realistic fiction novel.  I really could visualize the Barrio and could feel how Sophia felt at lunch when her lunches were different from all her classmates.  I like who you were able to figure out what the Spanish words meant by using the context clues in the writing. 

I Am The Messenger

Zusak, M. (2005). I am the messenger. NY: Alfred A Knopf.

Ed Kennedy is a 19 year old taxi driver that lives with his dad's old dog that stinks call the "Door Man".  He is going no where until he stops a robbery at the bank.  Then these mysterious playing cards start showing up with names or addresses.  He has to find out what is wrong and fix their problems.  He is friends with Marv and Ritchie and Audrey who he is in love with.  His mother is horrible to him and treats him very bad.  In the end he finds that it was all about him fixing his life. 

I really enjoyed this story and was waiting to find out how he was going to solve their problems and figure things out.  I think this would be a great book for 10-12 grade students to read and study about life choices and the development of the plot.

I loved the plot in this book.  It left you wondering until the end as to who was setting up all these situations that Ed had to figure out.  It made his mundane life seem more interesting and as if he had a purpose in life.  He was finally able to stand up to his mother and let Audrey know how he felt.  These playing cards gave him the confidence to do things that he would never had done before.    

Smile

Telgemeir, R. (2010). Smile. NY: Scholastic.

True story of Raina's life about her smile.  It starts where she falls and gets teeth knocked out and they are stuck up further in her gums.  She has many procedures to fix her smile, like root canals, braces.  She feels like a vampire and her some of her friends tease her.  She ends up making new friends after ditching her old ones.  She ends up finding her smile and herself. 

I really enjoyed this graphic novel.  It is a quick, fun read.  It would be great to use for students who are facing things that make life difficult.   
Good book for students that are facing the same life challenges, so I would recommend for grades 6-9.



This is a great look at non fiction that is in the format of a graphic novel.  This memoir transcends you to that time when you maybe had braces, could be the case for any number of adolescents.

Annie On My Mind

Garden, N. (1982). Annie on my mind. NY: FSG.

Annie and Liza meet and they have an instant attraction.  It isn't until later that they realize it's more than friends.  Annie is poor, Italian and a beautiful singer.  Liza goes to private school at Foster and plans to attend MIT.  Their lives are so different yet they find love together.

This book was not something that I would ever chose to read on my own.  It did give me insight into my step sister's life since this is the life style that they live.  I think the content in this book would be more suited with grades 10-12. 



Thinking about Kohlberg's social development I see Annie and Liza being post conventional level of moral development. They both realize that social rules of those around them conflict with what they are feeling for each other. 

Leviathan

Westerfeld, S. (2009). Leviathan. NY: Simon Pulse.

Alek is always practicing for battle until he really has to leave in the middle of the night in a storm walker.  His parents have been killed and they are after him next.  Deryn is a girl pretending to be a boy so that she can be a member of the British Air Service.  She is in constant fear that she will be discovered.  She makes it onto the Leviathan a fabricated creature ship will being rescued from a training mission.  Alek and Deryn end up meeting on a glacier in Alps both of them trying to escape their enemies.   It has them working together to save themselves.  They get food to the ship so that it can generate hydrogen and fly.  They are off on their way to Constantinople to take some eggs that Dr. Barlow has created.  This is the first in a series of books.

I was not very into the book at first, I really started liking the characters and was hoping that they would be successful.  I'm thinking I will look into the second book Behemoth to see what happens and what those special eggs contain.

I really liked the two main characters in this book.  Alek born into royalty doesn't act like it when he is on the run for his life and when aiding Deryn and the Leviathan.  Deryn is an interesting character in that she goes against the norm and pretends to be a boy so that she can join the British Air Service with the help of her brother.  She is in constant fear that someone will figure it out and pretends to shave so that no one will know. 



 

Looking For Alaska

Green, J. (2005). Looking for Alaska. NY: Dutton.

Mile "Pudge" ends up at Culver's Creek in Alabama and makes friends with Chip "Colonel".  He in turn introduces him to Alaska and some other friends.  Alaska is very troubled and they all fall for her but she has boyfriend.  They all smoke, drink and hide from the Eagle, he is the director of the school.  They are constantly smoking and coming up with ideas for pranks against the Weekend Warrior's aka the rich kids.  Alaska ends up dying in an accident and they are all blaming themselves for not stopping her and trying to figure out where she was going. 

This book was heartbreaking.  There were so many people thinking it was there fault and that not one of them stopped to keep her from leaving.  I think this would be a good book for grades 10-12. 

I think in looking at this book is really ties into Havighurst's theory of developmental task in that they must develop morals and values.  They are drinking and smoking and driving while intoxicated.  They work on finding where she was going out of guilt, in letting her drive off. 

Cherokee Bat and The Goat Guys

Block, F. (1992). Cherokee bat and the goat guys. NY: Harper Collins.

Cherokee decides to help her sister Witch Baby by making her feather winds with magical help from Coyote.  Raphael gets goat pants and then Witch Baby steals some goat horns from Coyote for Angel Juan.  Cherokee gets a pair of boots that are like hoofs and they get drawn into  dangerous things while playing in their band.  The Goat Guys end up feeling awful and Coyote saves Cherokee before the jumps off and tries to fly.  In the end, they find themselves and realize they don't need the magic to make the music. 

I really did not care for this book.  I found it hard to read and just could not get into the story.  I can't imagine as a parent going off and leaving my children to find for themselves.  It just seemed to unrealistic even with the magical elements.  Teachers might find this book useful to teach about sometimes getting what we think we want is not always the best thing.

The theme of this book is that asking for and taking things that are not right fully yours are not always a good thing.  Cherokee learned this the hard way.  Lucky for her Coyote saves her in the end.

Persepolis

 
 

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

This graphic novel is based on the author's life growing up in Iran and the changes that took place during her youth.  When they were at war her parents sent her to Austria at 14 to continue her schooling.  She returned at 18 and was very rebellious. They have to wear a veil with a hood, you had to have your body covered, and no makeup.  She ended up getting married at 21to have more freedoms and in the end divorced him and went to France to get away from the oppression in Iran. 

I can't imagine my parents sending me at 14 to live on my own.  It is amazing the things that she has experienced in her life and how strong she was to live through them.  This would be a great book to give another view of the changes that happened in Iran and how women's rights were taken away and their lives became very oppressive. 

The style of this book is that it is written as a graphic novel. It takes really hard to read in terms of content and makes it easier to read and gives you more insight into what the author was really feeling while growing up in Iran by using the pictures to illustrate the content. 

Speak

 
 

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

Melinda has been outcasted by her friends for calling the cops during a party before school started.  No one knows the real reason why, she keeps that to herself.  She stops talking.  She feels alone and pretty much vanishes in plain sight. She is taking an art class and gets "tree" for her assignment and struggles with it all year.  She finally breaks her silence when her former friend Rachel is dating the guy who raped her.  He find's her in her hiding place at school and finds her voice and yell's "No!".  She is saved and finally can heal.

This story was heartbreaking.  It made me mad at Melinda that she didn't go for help or ask anyone to help her and how could her parents not notice a change and do nothing about it.  This would be a good book for students in grades 9-12.  It also touches on a very uncomfortable topic but necessary on of rape. 



I think the figurative language used in the title of this book really draws you in.  Melinda pretty much doesn't speak after the party and rape until she finds her voice in the end. 

Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing

Angel, A. (2010). Janis Joplin: Rise up singing. NY: Amulet.

Tells about her in high school in Port Arthur, Texas.  How she never fit in with the other girls and had more guy friends.  She was very artistic and tried college but it wasn't for her.  She left and went to Austin to try music.  They left there for San Francisco.  She ended up getting into drugs and then she would get off of them.  She had many people that she loved and cared deeply what people thought of her.  She ended up dying from an overdose.

I have never really been interested in Janis Joplin but really enjoyed reading about her life.  I felt sorry for her in that fact that she never fit in with her crowd at high school.  This would be a good book to have students read to see how dangerous allowing the influence of drugs into your life can be no matter if  you are famous or not.  I think this book would be good for students in grades 9-12.

This is a great biography on the life of Janis Joplin.  It tells you an engaging story of her life and gives accurate information at the same time.  It amazed me that she was so unsure of herself when not on stage and when onstage she was this powerhouse of music. It also gives you a whole picture of who she was as a person and musician.    

The Knife of Never Letting Go

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

Todd Hewitt lives in Prentisstown that only has men and noises everywhere .  All the women have died due to a virus from the Spackles.  Todd goes to the swamp and finds a void and opening and it turns out to be a girl.  Viola and Todd run from Prentisstown to reach Farbranch.  The story is full of suspense and twists and turns.  I really didn't think I would like it and I just fell in love with Manchee Todd's dog.  I sobbed when Manchee yelled out "Todd?" when Aaron held him.  To have to make that choice was heartwrenching.  I was ready to come through the pages of the book and give it to Aaron myself.  How ironic that he was a man of God in this book.  The ending was definitely written to make you read the second book.  I really felt for Todd and how his whole life was a lie.

I really got engaged in this story and was rooting for Todd and Viola.  This would be a good story for students in 7-9 grade.  I worry a little about the choice of bad language being a problem with some parents and students.  I really want to get the second book The Ask and The Answer and find out what happens.   

I think that the vocabulary and word choice are great for this story.  Since it's told by Todd a twelve year old boy.  It's in first person narrative, so its full with the way that Todd speaks with his accent and it's evident in the spellings of some of the words that he uses to talk.   

Feed

Anderson, M.T. (2002). Feed. Masschusetts: Candlewick Press.

Titus and his friends go to the Moon, he meets Violet and then things go wrong.  They get touched by this strange man and it corrupts their feeds.  Titus and Violet start a relationship.  She is different than his friends and she is getting him to talk and not just communicate through his feed.  Things are going great until he finds out that her feed is malfunctioning and it could kill her.  He deals with it until it starts to overwhelm him.  She starts to have more and more problems.  They fight and he moves on with his life until her father sends him a message.  He does to see her and she is trapped in her body unable to communicate or move. 

The thought of this book really happening is frightening.  It makes me think of The Knife of Never Letting Go and how they can hear other's thoughts.  Computers and software are known to break down and this is just scary that it would be interfaced with your brain and body functions. 

The setting to this book is pivotal.  It would not work being in any other setting.  It's based in the future and the imagery that Anderson uses allows you to believe that this could actually happen. 

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

Angleberger, T. (2010). The strange case of origami yoda. NY: Abrams.

Tommy wants to find out if Origami Yoda is real or a hoax. Dwight the maker of Origami Yoda is also a 6th grader. He embarrasses the guys who sit with him. Tommy writes down all the things that Origami Yoda has said and what the outcomes is to see if its real. In the end it turns out fine. Tommy gets his girl Sara and the dance. Origami Yoda also talks in a weird phrases. I can see the real draw to this story. It's set up as an easy read. I really enjoyed reading the stories and laughed out loud. Junior is such an awkward time.

This is a great book for the junior high crowd.  It's a fast read and something that would get some of your reluctant reader's interested in reading. 

Word choice really stands out in this book.  Every time Origami Yoda talks it is different then the other characters in the story talk.    

It's Perfectly Normal

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

This book is about sexuality and the changes in your body.  It tells about what sex is, homosexuality, safe sex, masturbation, about families and babies, pregnancy and birth.  It also talks about decisions regarding sex such as postponement, abstinence, and birth control.  At the end of the book it talks about internet safety.

This book makes me uncomfortable and was not a book that I could read anywhere.  I can see where it would be good for adolescents that are curious about sex and their bodies. 

This book is good for teaching adolescents about adapting to their physical bodies according to Havighurst's theory of developmental tasks.

Everybody Sees The Ants

King, A. (2011). Everybody sees the ants. NY: Little Brown.

Lucky Linderman has been bullied by Nader McMillan since he was just a very young boy.  Everything seems to have gone south since his grandmother died.  His grandfather was a POW in Vietnam, who his dad never got to meet.  His grandmothers last request was that he save his grandfather.  He starts having dreams about being in the jungle with his grandfather. The strange this is when he wakes up there are things from his dreams that couldn't come from anywhere else.  He ends up going to Arizona to stay with his Mom's brother and his wife Jodi after Nader scapes his face over the concrete at the pool.  This is at the pool that they go to every day since his mother swims all the time and his dad is always away cooking at the restaurant where he is a chef.  They end up coming back and he has a final dream were his grandfather dies and he has to bury him.  He then has to tells the story of his dreams to his dad and hands him his father's wedding ring.

I really wanted him to save his grandfather and was crushed when he couldn't. This book would be great to use in the classroom to bring up the discussion of bullying and self-worth. 


I really think that this book shows us great examples of characters dealing with conflict.  Lucky has conflict with Nader, and his Dad. 

Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes

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

Eric is friends with Sarah Byrnes, they form a bond because they don't fit in.  He is fat and she is scarred from being burned.  Sarah has grown quiet and is in the hospital.  She is not responsive but Eric goes to see her and talks to her anyway.  Eric makes the swim team and keeps eating so he will stay fat so that he can be friends with Sarah.  Her father is very creepy and threatens Eric if he doesn't tell him if she starts talking.  There is a class that Eric is in at school and they discuss all kinds of things, religion, abortion, Sarah, etc.  At the end Sarah runs away looking for her mother with the help of Eric's swim coach and teacher.  Sarah's dad attacks Eric and stabs him which ends him in the hospital.  They are graduating and going separate ways and realize that no matter what they look like or where they are gong they will always be friends.

The story of what Sarah's dad did so her is awful and makes me wonder why her mother could be so uncaring to leave her daughter with the man who burned her. I think this books makes you think about looking at people beyond their appearances and taking them for what they really are at heart.  Makes me think of "The Voice" and how they are judged solely on their voices instead of appearances. 

Havighurst's Theory of Developmental task and how adolescents have to adapt to their physical bodies really hit home with this story.  Eric's changing body from joining the swim team and how he had to deal with that and still try to keep his friendship with Sarah. 

If I Stay

Forman, G. (2009) If i stay. NY: Dutton Books.

Mia is a very talented Cello player and her boyfriend Adam is a musician in a band.  On one snowy day her entire family is killed in a wreak.  She is in limbo and can see her body and everyone around.  She has to make a decision to stay and fight or give up and go with her mom, dad and brother.  Her grandfather tells her it's okay to go, but her boyfriend breaks down and ask her to stay.  That she has so much more to her life and she finds herself back in her body in pain.   

This story was so heart wrenching, to lose your family in one moment is unthinkable.  I would recommend reading the second novel Where She Went to find out what happens with Mia and Adam. 

I think the emotional development of Adam is very important to the story.  To possibly give up the person you love so that they live is huge especially as a adolescent and this being your first love. 

Code Name Verity

Wein, Elizabeth. (2012). Code name Verity. NY: Egmont.

This story is about Maddie and Julie.  They become friends while working for the Royal Air Service during WWII.  Maddie is a pilot and Julie is a secret operator.   They are sent on a secret mission to France.  Julie jumps out and lands and ends up getting caught in Ormaie.  She thinks Maddie has crashed and is shown pictures of the plane with radios and a burned up body by her capture Caption Von Linden.  Maddie really survived the crash and they set up the crash and burning and hid the real cargo which was explosives.  Maddie finds out that Julie is still alive and they try to save her, unfortunately Maddie ends up having to kill her friend to save her from further torture.

The hard choice that Maddie had to make made me cry.  When Julie heard her crying and then yelled out "Kiss me Hardy!, Kiss me, quick! and turned her head and then Maddie shot her.  I don't know if I could have been that strong.  This would be a good book for high school students to read.  It shows the two different view points of the main characters and what happened. 

This plot in the book had dual narratives with Julie and Maddie telling their stories.     

Paper Towns

Green, J. (2009). Paper towns. NY: Speak Penguin.

Quentin has been in love with Margo since they were little.  They came across a dead body years ago and then they stopped playing together.  The story then goes to their senior year.  Everyone is all about the Prom and he couldn't care less.  Q friends end up getting dates.  Then one night Margo shows up at this window and they go on an adventure.  They end up surprising her boyfriend at another friends house having sex.  Then they go to the bully's house and take off his eyebrow.  She then goes and puts dead fish in her best friends car for always being mean to her in a sly way.  She then convinces him to sneak into Sea World and they get home just before morning and school.  She disappears and her family is tired of looking for her and she is 18 years old after all.  So Q starts to follow clues to find her.  He figures it out right before graduation and leaves to find her in Algoe, New York and barely makes it before she leaves.  Turns out she wasn't leaving clues for him. 

I felt so sorry for Q in this story and didn't really care for how shallow and selfish Margo is in this story.  This would be a book that would be good grades 10-12. 

You can tell this is a book that is written by John Green, his style is evident in this story and how it develops.  

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

 

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

 

Arnie "Junior" is an indian living on the rez. His best friend is Rowan and he has been bullied his entire life. He was born with water on the brain and has a big head and a skinny body. Life has not been easy for Junior. His mom and dad love him. His mom is a recovering alcoholic and his dad is still drinking. His grandmother is a huge influence in his life. He loses it when he starts his freshman year when he opens his book and realizes his mother used the same book. He throws the book and it changes his life. He decides to go to the white school off the rez to get a better education, which is 22 miles away. He faces new challenges about fitting in, finding his way to school and back. During that year he loses his grandmother to a drunk driver. His sister to a drunk starting a fire. He also loses his dad's best friend to alcohol and fighting. He still continues on and strives to do better.

I really can see how this book would raise a few eyebrows but even with the bad language and controversial issues I loved this book. I really wanted Arnie to succeed. It made me really think about what life if like for Indians on the reservations.  This would most definitely be a book for grades 11-12 due to the nature of the content.

This book really looks at Havighurst's theory of developmental task of adolscents undergoing changing relationships with parents.  Arnie being able to talk to his parents and ask them to take him to a different school, really shows that his relationship with his parents is changing.
 

Stolen

Christopher, L. (2010). Stolen. NY: Scholastic.

Gemma is kidnapped at the airport by Ty. He drugs her and takes her to the Australian desert and hides her there. She tries to fight him and leave and he ends up bringing her back and helping her to heal from her injuries. She hates him for keeping her captive but then also falls for him and is conflicted when bitten by a snake and he knowingly takes her for aid and stays with her. This allows them to arrest him for kidnapping her. He shares his life story and it's heartbreaking and he discusses how he stalked her for six years before kidnapping her.

I really felt for Gemma and for Ty in this story. I felt bad for Gemma for all that Ty put her through and I felt bad for Ty and his life growing up and how it really messed him up.


Looking at the characters in this book Ty is the bad guy but you end up kind of liking him because he is always looking out for Gemma and making sure she is safe and in the end it's to his detriment.