Tell Me Three Things

Jessie is starting her junior year in high school, her mother died of cancer, her father married another woman (Rachel) and they move from Chicago to California. Jessie has a hard time adjusting to her new life. She feels like an outsider at school and at home. She receives an anonymous email from a student at her school who tells her that if she wants to talk they’re there and if she as has any question she is free to ask. This person helps her find new friends by advising her to talk to and who to stay away from. Eventually, Jessie develops feelings for this person and is trying to figure out it is. They start telling each other different things about themselves to get to know one another better. She thinks it is Ethan (her crush), but when her and the anonymous person decide to meet, Liam (he asks Jessie out) shows up and her hopes of if being Ethan are gone. Suddenly Ethan shows up late because there was a band meeting that ran a little late and tells her that he was the mystery person.

I actually enjoyed reading this book. I liked the story; I like how someone who saw Jessie struggling to adjust helps her out, even though it was a little creepy how they got her email address in the first place. This book has the normal day high school drama like crushes, meeting new people, bullies and overcoming issues at home. I most definitely recommend this book.

Buxbaum, J. (2016). Tell me three things. New York: Delacorte Press

Special Note: This book is on the 2016 Quick Pick List of books for unmotivated readers. Click the link to find more Quick Pick Books

Persepolis

This is an autobiographic story told in a graphic format.  The events in the story are events that Marjane (Marji) Satrapi went through herself. She was ten years old and it is year after the Islamic Revolution. Females are now enforced to wear the veil and are segregated from the boys at school. Marji starts studying revolutions and becomes very anti-authoritarian. She has problems in school and is very outspoken on rights. She wants to protest but she can’t due to her age. Marji reads everything that she can about her country’s history and is shocked that she doesn’t know much about it. Her grandmother informs her that her great- grandfather overthrew the Shah. Majri’s family cannot leave Iran because the relationship between Iran and the U.S. are heating up. So they go on a vacation to Spain and come back when war has broken out. Marji loses family and friends in her neighborhood due to the bombings. Throughout the war Marji loses her trust with the government and starts to rebel in her own ways.  She listens to punk rock, smokes her first cigarette and continues to be head strong in her beliefs. She grows very rebellious and is threatened to be arrested for music and western beliefs. Marji eventually gets expelled from school so her family decides to send her to Austria to attend school.

I found this book very interesting. It depicts the life of what women and men would go through during the Islamic Revolution and the rights of women, religion and rebellion. I thought it was neat how Satrapi tells her early life in black and white comic strips.

Satrapi, M. (2004). Persepolis: The story of a childhood. New York: Pantheon

Special Note: Here is the second part of Satrapi life. 

Where Things Come Back

Cullen Witter is seventeen years old and lives in Lily, Arkansas. In the beginning of the story he sees the second dead person in his life which happens to be his cousin Oslo. Then there are reports that the Lazarus woodpecker is not extinct and has been spotted in his town. A few days after the news broke out that the woodpecker has been spotted his brother, Gabriel, disappears. During his disappearance Cullen starts questioning what is and what isn’t. Apparently Gabriel was kidnapped by Cabot who mistook him for Cullen because he wanted to scare Cullen in order to stay away from his ex-wife Alma. Cullen is also on a mission to find out the truth about the falling angels and believes that Gabriel had a part in it and has the ability to talk to God.  Gabriel is missing for a little over ten weeks.

I found this book odd. I felt that for me it was all over the place. There were a lot of small characters in the beginning that don’t get mention in the end. I found it weird how you don’t find out what happened to Gabriel towards the end instead of the beginning. I’m not sure if I would recommend this book to younger readers because I would have a hard time determining their reading and maturity level in order to understand what the novel is about.  

Whaley, J. C. (2011). Where things come back. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Special Note: This book is winner of the Printz Award.

Lucky Broken Girl

This story takes place in 1960s when a young Cuban-Jewish immigrant girl (Ruth) and her family move to New York. When Ruth first starts school she is put in the “dumb” class because her English isn’t good. She and her friend work hard to get out it because they know they are not dumb. When they finally get moved out and Ruth is has confidence in speaking English and being the best at hopscotch, her life changes. Ruth and her family get into a car accident causing her to be in a body cast for year! She can no longer go outside and play with the neighborhood kids; she is confined to her bed. Her world shrinks to her bedroom and the main people she speaks to is her mother and her teacher. She goes through embarrassment of using a bed pan, makes new friends and learns to find her strength again. In the beginning Ruth is very angry at the teenagers who cause the accident but towards the end she finds forgiveness and she understands how fragile and valuable life can be.

I found Ruth to be a bit annoying especially when she was learning how to walk again. I also wanted to speak some sense into her mother at times when she would cry about missing Cuba and wanting to go back. I did enjoy how Ruth’s outlook on life changed and she became much more mature because of the accident.

Behar, R. (2017). Lucky broken girl. New York: Delacorte

Special Note: To find out more information about the author you can go to the following link: Ruth Behar

Girl in the Blue Coat

This story takes place in World War II and Hanneke is a teenager who supports her parents buy delivering sought-out goods on the black market to customers. When one of her customers, Mrs. Janssen, asks her for help in locating a Jewish girl, Mirjam, Hanneke gets drawn into an undercover network. The networks forerunner is her ex-boyfriend’s brother Ollie who works on getting food to people who are starving and placing Jewish children. Hanneke asks him for help and the only thing that she knows about the girl is that she has a blue coat. When there is a transport happening they see that the girl was brought in with a blue coat and so they develop a plan to save her. However when they risk their lives to save Mirjam, she refuses to go with them and starts to running away from the group being transported and in doing so gets killed. After her burial Hanneke realizes that the girl that is buried is missing some scar marks that Mirjam should’ve had so she begins looking for more information. Hanneke starts talking to Christooffel who is in love with Mirjam tells Hanneke what happened and that the girl that is buried in not Mirjam but Amalia her best freind. In the end, Hanneke finds the real Mirjam and realizes it is better for her to stay where she is at than for her to go to Mrs. Janssen’s house.

I enjoyed reading this book; I was shocked with the twist towards the end. It was a little slow in the beginning but it got better.  I like how historical events were built into the story; I guess that’s what got my attention, knowing that it takes place during WWII.

Hesse, Monica. (2016). Girl in the blue coat. New York: Little, Brown and Company

Special Note: This book is on the list for Best Fiction for Young Adults and a National Bestseller.

Other books include: 

Booked

Nick Hall, is a thirteen year old gifted student and soccer player. He and his best friend, Coby, are in eighth grade and they are dealing with bullying and asking a girl out. Nick’s father has him study and memorize a dictionary that he wrote. On top of all the things happening at school Nick learns while eating dinner with his parents that they are going to get divorce. Apparently his parents spend a lot of time on their professions, his mother is a horse trainer who has to travel and his father is a linguistic professor.  With the knowledge that his parents are getting a divorce Nick starts to let his grades dwindle which causes him to miss out on some soccer games.

This is a realistic fiction story. A teen is having a hard time dealing with divorce of his parents. This book relates to many individuals. I liked how it was written as a poem with some rap weaved into it.

Alexander, K. (2016). Booked. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Other books by this author include: 

Mighty Jack

Jack is dreading his summer vacation. His single mother is working two jobs and he is left at home to take care of his autistic sister, Maddy, who doesn’t talk much. When they go to the flea market gets tricked into trading his mom’s only car for a mysterious box of seeds. Jack and Maddy start planting what they think is a normal garden. However, after a few days they notice that the plants are growing quickly and there are onion babies, pumpkins that bite and a dragon appears. Jack, Maddy and Lilly (new friend) start having to battle certain plants. The dragon warns him that he needs to destroy the garden because it is evil. In the end Jack and Lilly are too late when the evil monster takes Maddy away.

I actually liked this book, I thought it was neat to read and the graphics were great. I like how Jack’s sister isn’t the “normal” little sister and how Lily is home schooled. I would definitely recommend this book.

Hatke, Ben. (2016). Mighty Jack. New York: First Second

Special Note: This book is on the Great Graphic Novels for Teens list.
To find out what happens to Jack, Lily and Maddy you can read the following: 

The Fates Divide

This is the sequel to the Carve the Mark book and it continues to reveal how Cyra Noavek and Akos Kerseth fulfill their fates. Their fates where spoken by oracles at birth. Akos is in love with Cyra but Cyra isn’t sure. Her fate is that the second child of Noavek will cross the Divide.  Akos fate states that he will die in service to the Noavek’s family.  On top of having their fates told to them they also have “gifts,” Cyra’s gift gives off pain whereas Akos gift can cancel out someone’s current gift. When Cyra’s father Lazmet(his gift allows him to control others) who was once thought to have died announces that he isn’t and that he is reclaiming the Shoete throne it brings Akos’s fate closer. Lazmet starts a war and Cyra and Akos are desperate to stop him even if it will cost them their lives. Cyra and Akos are told that they were switched at birth and that Akos is acutally is Lazmet’s true born son it changes everything. The fates were to be inescapable but now that Akos knows the truth he has a sense control and choice on what he will do with his life instead of being tied down by the fates. He leaves Cyra without telling her to go meet his father with the intent to kill him.

This book is very rich in detail with the hope and resilience of the characters. The chapters are written in the perspectives of Cyra, Akos, Cici, with one chapter told in Eijeh view. This book can be confusing if you are not paying attention on whose perspective is being told. This is also a science fiction novel.

Roth, V. (2018). The Fates Divide. New York: Katherine Tegan Books.

Special Note: This book is on the New York Bestsellers List.
Other books by this author include:

Staying fat for Sarah Byrnes

Sarah was severely burned when she was just three years old when she meets Eric they become best friends because he was overweight. When Eric joins the swim team he starts to lose weight but he still continues to overeat to not let Sarah feel left out. Sarah happens to be in a psychiatric unit because she refuses to talk to anyone even though she understands exactly what they are saying. Eric visits her every day to figure out why she is silent, he finally decides to go talk to their once bully turned friend Dale Thornton. Dale proceeds to tell him that Sarah’s face wasn’t burned by a pot of boiling spaghetti but that her dad held her face to the burning stove and that his aunt who worked at the hospital told him. When finding out the truth Eric, Sarah and their teacher Mrs. Lemry set out to find her mother and get Sarah away from her abusive father.

This book started a little slow for me but it started picking up speed during the middle. I love the friendship between Sarah and Eric; he does everything he can to make sure Sarah knows he won’t leave her behind. This story is about the friendship and loyalty between two people who were once bullied who stuck together. 

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

Other books by this author can be found at his website: Chris Crutcher

The Upside of Unrequited

Molly and Cassie are teenage sperm donor twins whose parents are gay and even though they’re very close to one another they are very different from each other. Molly keeps to herself, is fat, has anxiety, has had 26 crushes whereas Cassie is fearless and outgoing. They had childhood dreams of marrying best friends however that is about to change. Cassie tries to hook Molly up with her girlfriend's (Mina) best friend Will who seems interested in Molly but really isn't. The main reason Cassie is trying to hook Molly up is because she doesn’t want their sisterly bond ruined. Molly feels left out when Cassie doesn’t tell her anything that is going with her life. She finally starts doing things without her sister knowing. Molly is interested in her dorky and awkward co-worker Reid. In the end Molly makes her final decision and chooses Reid after realizing her jealousy of him and her friend, Olivia, was nothing to worry about. She also tells her sister that they will always love each other but at the same time they need to do what is best for themselves and sometimes that means growing apart.

This is a very good book. Molly is like every teenage girl who suffers from being overweight and not having confidence. She struggles talking to boys, finally has her first kiss and first boyfriend ever! This book is told in her point of view, there are some funny moments. This book is about accepting change and gaining confidence. I like how she slowly develops into someone who gains confidence.

Albertalli, B. (2017). The upside of unrequited. New York: Blazer + Bray. 

Special Note: This novel is on the list for Best Fiction for Young Adults.
Here is a link to other books such as this one Other similar books

A Step From Heaven

A Korean family moves to California and struggle to live in America. When Young Ju is told that they are moving to Mi Gook (America) she believes that it is a magical place where she can see her deceased grandparents. However Young Ju learns that it is not heaven. She struggles to learn English, her family has financial problems, her younger brother doesn’t listen and her father is and abusive alcoholic. Her father is very prideful and sexist so all she does is study to stay out of his way. He abuses her mother on several occasions as well as her brother and herself. He forbids her to hand out with her American friend. Young Ju takes time to transition to her life in America and as she gets older she finds a voice to change the lives of her family and her own.

This is a beautiful story! It is told in Young Ju’s perspective so in the beginning it is childlike and then it progresses along with her maturity to adulthood. Her development gradually grows and is very real. A very realistic novel. I definitely recommend this book. 

Na, A. (2001). A step from heaven. Asheville, NC: Front Street.

Special Note: This book is a Micheal L. Printz award winner. 

Another book that I read similar to this one is Bitter Melon by Cara Chow.

100 Sideways Miles

Finn Easton is a normal teenage boy who is smart, sports loving has never been kissed kid and epileptic. However, his father wrote a book with character who has Finn’s name, scar and personality. His seizures come at random and usually when he doesn’t want them too. Finn has a hard to figuring out who he is, is he the boy in the book his dad wrote or someone else. When he was young his mother died by a horse falling from a bridge and that same horse broke Finn’s back giving him a scar. His best friend Cade is the popular, good looking, funny guy at school who watches over him. During the summer Finn falls in love with Julia who tells Finn that he needs to find his own ending of the story. Julia ends up moving back home to Chicago and Finn along with Cade go on a road trip to visit a college. Well, on their way they take a detour and save people from a van that was being submerged in water. After they become heroes they decided to go see Julia in Chicago. 

This book is about finding who you are. My absolute favorite character is Cade, he is just hilarious. Everything he does or says is funny. I feel sorry for when Finn’s seizures happen during the most inappropriate times. I think this is the first book that I have read from this author and I must admit that it is a good book.

Smith, A. (2014). 100 sideways miles. New York: Simon & Schuster. 

Snow White: A Graphic Novel

This is the classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs story but with a twist. This version of it is set in the 1920’s. Instead of a magic mirror there is magic tape and instead of it taking place in a forest it happens in the city. Her mother died of an illness, her father is a stock broker and he marries the evil stepmother who is a gold-digging actress. Snow White’s father puts everything in her name and when he dies this upsets the stepmother. She hires someone to murder Snow White but a group of boys come and save her. So the evil Stepmother decides to make a poison apple which Snow White bites which causes her to fall into a deep sleep. She is put into a glass coffin where a detective comes and kisses her.

This is a very quick read. There is very minimal dialog so you have to follow along with the illustrations. The graphics are mainly black/grey and white with a hint of red/pink. The illustrations go along perfectly with the 1920’s era. I thought this was a neat version to the classic story.

Phelan, M. (2016). Snow White: a graphic novel. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Special Note: This book is on the list, Great Graphic Novels for Teens.
Here is the link to the author's web page: Matt Phelan

Looking for Alaska

Miles is tired of living his boring life so he decided that he wants to go to boarding school in search of “The Great Perhaps.” He has a thing for memorizing the last words of famous people. When he gets to school he meets Alaska young, who is the girl of his dreams. She is smart, beautiful and strong-willed. Miles also makes friends as well as picking up the habit of smoking and drinking. Even though Miles makes out with a foreign exchange student, he is always dreaming of Alaska, she is his "Great Prehaps." Tragedy hits so Miles and his friends have come to terms with what happened in their own ways.

I honestly thought this book was boring. It dragged on and on. I actually found Alaska annoying with all the crying and mood swings. I’ve read other books by John Green that actually caught my interest but this one fell short for me. On a positive note the characters are well developed with their own witty personality. I did like how the book was written as a countdown to the main event and the countdown to 
overcome what happened. 

Green, J. (2005). Looking for Alaska. New York: Dutton Books.

Special Note: This book won the Michael L. Printz Award. 
Other books by this author are:

Reality Boy

Gerald Faust was an angry child and that was the reason his mother decided to call the Network Nanny for help. They were the biggest entertainment on television because they were a very dysfunctional family. Gerald eventually retaliates under the pressure and decides to make matters worse by pooping in other places besides the restroom.So he was nicknamed the "Crapper." The entire show as based on Gerald’s behavior and nobody understood that Gerald was frightened of his older sister Tasha who is abusive towards him. Even when Gerald told the Nanny what was wrong nobody defended him they let it continue. On top of being abused by his sister Gerald’s own mother calls him retarded and never believes what he says. Gerald uses several methods to escape his life by going to "Gersday" where he creates a place of his own. Throughout the story Gerald finds love with Hannah, who also comes from a dysfunctional family. Hannah helps Gerald understand that it isn’t his fault and that they can make their own life.

This book is told in the Gerald’s point of view of a boy who is has been psychologically abused by his family and a television network. It is written in pieces where it Gerald takes you back to certain incidents of his childhood being recorded and back to his current life. It is very harsh and gut wrenching story when you start understanding why Gerald acts the way he does. You feel for him and know that he wasn’t the problem it was his mother and crazy ass sister. 

King, A.S. (2013). Reality boy. New York: Little, Brown and Company. 

Here is the link to the author's web page: A.S. King

Sisters

This is a true story about Raina and her how relationship with her sister, Amara, isn’t all peaches and cream. When Raina was an only child she would beg her parents for a little sister and they finally they delivered. Since the day Amara came home they were complete opposites and have a hard time getting along. When the family goes on a road trip to Colorado, Raina has flashbacks on her memories growing up and how it was frustrating having a little sister. During the trip Raina finds Amara annoying and ignores her listening to her music. On top of not getting, the van breaks down, Raina runs out of batteries and there’s a snake in the van. However throughout the trip they learn to compromise and become closer.

I related to this book so much. I have two younger sisters and I can see why Raina was always annoyed with Amara. I enjoyed the illustrations they depicted the emotions that each family member was going through. This book is a very charming, funny and good to read. I couldn’t put it down.

Telgemeier, R. (2014). Sisters. New York: Graphix.

Special Note: Other books by Telgemeire are : 

Gabi: A Girl in Pieces

Gabi is a 17 year old senior who is going through a lot of drama at home and at school. Her best friend Cindy becomes pregnant right before the school year and her guy best friend, Sebastian, finally came out to his family that he is gay. Her father is a drug addict, her brother has been getting into trouble, her religious Aunt Bertha moves in and her mother becomes pregnant. Gabi is always questioning herself if she is a “good girl” and if she is good enough and she continually asks herself “who would love a fat girl?” She secretly hides her goodies in her dresser drawers, under her pillows and bed. With everything that she is going through she is also interested in finding the right boyfriend even though she is the FAT GIRL. There are so many ups and downs in Gabi’s life however she finds a way to be true to herself.

I really enjoyed this book; I like how it was written as a journal/diary and how Gabi included her poems. There was several times where I giggled because it took me back to when my friends would say something similar to what happened with Gabi. This book is very relatable to people of Hispanic culture. 

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

Special Note: This book won the 2015 William C. Morris Award.

Lily and Dunkin

The story of two middle-school kids who have their own personal dilemma become friends after meeting each other outside of the public library. Lily was born a boy named Timothy but she plans to go under gender transformation. Dunkin whose real name is Norbert, is a boy who moved to Florida from New Jersey has a secret of having a bipolar disorder. Lily has a hard time coming out to everyone in her school and Dunkin is trying to fit in so he isn’t alone. Lily is continually bullied by Vasquez for being gay. Dunkin joins the basketball team with Vasquez which makes Lily questions her friendship with him. Dunkin’s secret comes out when he is acting out of the norm during a basketball game. Middle school pressure, popularity, and bullies make it difficult to remain friends however in the end Dunkin and Lily go to the school dance together and don’t care what others think of them.

I actually enjoyed reading this book. I like how this book goes back and forth between the two characters, it is written in a journal format making it easy to follow along. This book introduces the topic of being transgender and bipolar disease to middle school students. It helps you understand the hardships that people go through.

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

It's Perfectly Normal

This book contains topics on changing bodies, growing up, abortion, adoption, sex and sexual health. It discusses the biology behind puberty and the changes that come with it making it easier for kids to understand. There is also information about what masturbation is, different sexualities, different body shapes and how it is okay to be different. This book also depicts what families can look like with different sets of parents as wells as being a single parent. The topic of abortion and adoption are also discussed. With the help of Bird and Bee making it a bit more relaxing to read you can get through the topics.

I can see why some people do not recommend this book for children but at the same time I find beneficial because there are kids who would rather read about it instead of having an adult give the “talk.” I personally did not find this book too graphic for kids. The Bird and the Bee illustrations make it a bit more relaxing to read with their funny conversations.

Harris, R. (2009). It’s perfectly normal: A book about changing bodies, growing up, sex and sex health. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press


Robie Harris has other books that touch base with uncomfortable topics for kids such as: 

The Hate U Give

Starr Carter is sixteen year old girl who has a hard time finding balance in her life. She lives in a poor black neighborhood but attends a rich prep school. Her two worlds come crashing together when she leaves a party with her childhood best friend Khalil, who is shot by a white police officer while being unarmed. His death becomes a national headline and he is labeled as a drug dealer and gang-banger. She was the only witness when it happened and she knows that the media has twisted the entire story around in the officer’s favor. Starr already had a hard time fitting into her worlds but when her school friends say that Khalil had it coming it and her neighborhood friends call her chicken for not speaking up she becomes hurt and angry. She is stuck in the middle not knowing what to choose, if she speaks up her life could be put in danger if she doesn’t speak up she is a coward. She faces so much adversity but in the end she is an inspiration to  others on finding their voice as well as fighting for change. 

This book contains social and political criticism on issues such as racism, police brutality and discrimination. I believe there should be more books like this that way it can make teens aware of current issues and encourage them to get involved in their community to make a change. 

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

Here is a link to books similar to this one: Similar Books 

Special Note: There is a movie adaption that will produced. Movie Details

The Knife of Never Letting Go

Prentisstown isn’t like other towns, it is a town without women and where men can listen to thoughts of others. Men hear each other’s secrets, memories and thoughts which is known as the “Noise.” Young Todd Hewitt is about to become a man at the age of fourteen, his parents died of illnesses, according to the two men raising him Ben and Cillian. Todd enjoys going to the swamp to collect apples because it is the only place where he can hear himself and get away from other men’s “Noise”. One day when Todd is out with his dog Manchee, he encounters a pocket of silence. On the way home Todd walks through town like he normally does and the men read his “Noise” and it reveals what he found in the swamp. As soon as Todd returns home and explains to Ben what happened, Ben sends him away with a packed bag containing his mother’s journal and a hunting knife. Todd and Manchee are sent away from the only place they’ve ever known. At the beginning of his travels Todd meets a girl (the silence in the swamp), comes across towns filled with men, his dog Manchee dying at the hands of Aaron, women and children, everything that he has have ever knows is changed. Todd has no idea on why the men of Prentisstown are after him and will stop at nothing to get him back.

This wasn't a bad book but it did take me a few chapters to get used to Todd's language and grammar. I did feel that it dragged a little bit. I like how the friendship between Todd and Viola develops and they both have the will to survive and search for freedom. They are very well-developed characters, with a strong sense of hope and will power. This book is a suspenseful read. 

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

Special Note: This is the first book to the Chaos Walking series. Here is a link to the author's website: Patrick Ness

Monster

Steve Harmon is 16 years old and he is on trial for a murder that happened in his Harlem neighborhood. He is being accused of being the lookout for a robbery which ended in with the death of the store owner. Steve writes in his journal everything that is happening in and out the court room. He writes about how life is in the jail cell and how his parents must feel. The majority of the witnesses in his case are criminals who were cut a deal to go against Steve and his alleged partner James King. This story includes guilt, peer pressure, racial stereotyping and the flaws within the court system. This book depicts what the judicial court system looks like through the eyes of an African-American teenager. 

This book is written in a diary and screen play format which was interesting but can be confusing if you are not into the story. In the beginning I didn’t enjoy reading it because I was getting confused with format but I did get used to it and in the end it is a good read.

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

Annie on My Mind

Liza and Annie attend different high schools in completely different neighborhoods in New York. They meet at a museum and develop a friendship through phone calls and weekend visits. They both have a hard time showing their feelings for one another in private and in public. Annie and Liza gradually fall in love with each other It isn’t until Liza realizes that she can't live without Annie does she become more comfortable with being gay and starts showing more emotion.They both understand that they need to keep their relationship under wraps especially because Liza attends a private school. When two of Liza’s teachers go out of town she and Annie realize they have a place to have for some privacy. However, their secret is exposed when one of Liza’s classmates (Sally) and teacher (Ms. Baxter) find them at the apartment of Ms. Stevenson and Ms. Widmer in distress and out of breath. Not only is their secret exposed but also the relationship between Ms. Stevenson and Ms. Widmer. Liza attends a school hearing to defend herself and to find out whether if the incident will be reported to her college. 

This novel is considered a realistic fiction novel. I found this book interesting but I felt that the story just dragged out. I did get bored after a while and this book took me a longer time to finish than others. I like how it shows the importance of standing up for yourself and being true to yourself even when others don’t agree. "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

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

Special Note: This is one of the first books about female relationships. It has been under extreme scrutiny especially when it was first published.

The Absolutely True Diary of A Part-time Indian.

Junior is a teenage boy who lives on an Indian reservation (rez) who finally decides to that he wants to make something of himself and receive a better education. He is always getting picked on at the rez because he is awkward, nerdy and he was born with medical problems. On his first day of high school he sees that he is using the same book his mother did ages and throws the book. When his teacher arrives at his house to talk to him he is advised that they only way he will make a living is by getting out of the rez. Junior then decides that he wants to attend a different school 22 miles away where he will be the only Indian. Throughout the transition Junior deals with several deaths in his family including his own sister, being bullied, losing his best friend Rowdy, and walking to school because his parents don’t have enough gas money. Through his hardships and his perseverance he is finding acceptance and respect at the rez and his new school.

This book has several cartoons throughout that I thought were humorous. I found Junior's friend Rowdy hilarious on the things he would do like sending an email with a picture of his butt! I literally could not put this book down. It shows that if you’re determined to achieve something you will have to go through trials and tribulations to reach it. 

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

Special Note: This book is usually on the banned book list as it mentions certain topics that are can be inappropriate for young audiences. 

Speak

Melinda is an outcast at her high school because she called the police during a party where there was illegal consumption of alcohol. Everyone at her school thinks of her as a weirdo and they do not want to associate with her. She is bullied throughout the school year. All she wants is to be left alone; she skips class and finds an abandoned custodian closet to hang out in. She has a hard time coming to terms of what happened during the party and why it happened. Melinda keeps the secret of her being raped by Andy Beast at the party herself. She feels like she doesn’t have a voice and that she is lost. Melinda’s favorite class is art and it is through art where she can let her emotions out and find her voice. When she sees her ex-best friend, Rachel, getting close to him she tells Rachel what happened but Rachel refuses to believe her. In the end Andy traps Melinda in the custodian closet and she finally finds her voice to call for help. Students hear her and open the door and find her fighting off Andy.

This is a realist fiction novel. I really enjoyed how Melinda develops as a character in the story. I like how she finds strength and courage to speak out and try to protect others. Melinda found her voice! This is a very moving novel and definitely recommend it!

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

Here is a link to other books similar to Speak: 16 Powerful Books

Special Note: This book is on the banned book list. 

It's so amazing! A book about eggs, sperm, birth, babies and families.

Harris, R. (1999). It's so amazing!: A book about eggs, sperm, birth, babies and families. Boston,                    MA: Candlewick Press.

This book covers basically everlasting when explaining the "birds and the bees" in an appropriate way. It starts off with a very curious bird and a grossed out bee. They start discussing AND learning where babies come from, sex, bodies maturing and types of love. The entire book is written a cartoon format making it engaging for kids.

I found that this book covers everything from sexuality to the diversity of families. This book would definitely help parents or adults approach this topic to kids. I really enjoyed the conversation between the curious bird and the grossed out bee they made it fun to read.

George

Gino, A. (2015). George. New York: Scholastic Press.

A beautifully written story of a boy named George who knows deep down that he is really a girl. She secretly looks at the pages of girl magazines and dreams of being a female. When school does the yearly production of Charlotte's Web, George really wants to be Charlotte but when she auditions her teacher thinks it is some sort of joke. She also knows that if she gets the part she will be revealing  her true self to everyone. Is she ready to let the world know her secret?

I found this book very important especially nowadays. There are a lot of children who are going through the same thing that George is going through. This is a modern contemporary read for middle aged students. It is an easy ready that everyone should read.

Geisel Award and Honor Books

Arnold, T., Hamilton, M., & Weiss, M. (2017). Noodleheads see the future. New York: Holliday House.                                                                                                      Two noodle brothers Mac and Mac that take everything literally. They try help their uncle but can’t understand the meaning of “give him a hand” or that a job is not a “piece of cake.”  They want to help their mother so they go to a forest to get firewood. They decided to cut off the firewood while sitting on the tree branch they are cutting! When their friend Meatball tells them they are going to fall and they do, they believe that Meatball can tell the future. This is a hilarious book to read with great illustrations.

Fenske, J. (2015). A Pig, a Fox and a box. New York: Penguin Young Readers.              This book has three parts that build on each other, two friends a Pig and Fox. Fox likes to play tricks on Pig. However eventually Fox’s tricks start to go wrong because Pig is not liking them and does not fall for it. This is a comic style book that has comedy and helps with learning to rhyme with small words. This is a great book for young children.

Henkes, K. (2015).  Waiting. New York: Greenwillow Books.                                          There are five toys sitting on the windowsill waiting for things to happen. There is an owl who waits for the moon, a bear who waits for wind to fly his kite, a puppy waiting for snow, a pig who waits for rain and rabbit who does not wait for anything in particular. At the end of the story they are joined by a cat and magically become ten.

Keller, Laurie. (2016). We are growing. New York: Hyperion Books for Children.       Eight blades of grass that start growing. They each start growing in their own way except for Walt. He starts comparing himself to the others for he is not the tallest or the curliest. This is a great book for children looking for the individuality and helps them understand that it is okay to not be like everybody else.

Long, E. (2012). Up! Tall! and High!. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.                               A group of birds compete on who is tall, who is high and who is up in a tree. They compare themselves to each other all insisting that they are the tall one. The highest bird is a bird that can fly and a penguin who can’t. This book teaches directions in a fun colorful way. 

Meisel, P. (2017). I see a cat. New York: Holiday House Books.                                           A dog sits next to a glass door and sees a cat, bird, a fly, and mice with little reaction. After he sees a squirrel he starts barking with excitement. When his human comes home the dog is excited to go outside and he immediately chases a squirrel right up a tree ignoring the cat. The cat has nothing to worry about!

Pizzoli, G. (2016). Good night Owl. New York: Hyperion.                                                  An Owl that is trying to go to sleep is continues to be disturbed by a squeaking noise. He opens the door, empties the cupboard, pulls up the wooden floor, and took down his roof and finally he tears down the walls to his house!! Even after all of that he still hears the squeaking and sees that it is a mouse.

Schneider, J. (2011). Tales for very picky eaters. New York: Clarion Books.                      A father tells his son, James, stories about what happens when he does not eat the food placed in front of him. James can eat dirt instead of broccoli, a troll can be fired from his cooking job or he can chew gum that others have chewed! The last food that James needs to eat is eggs he starts to come up with his own story however his father just simply asked him to try it because he might like it.

Seeger, L. V. (2007). First the egg. New York: Roaring Book Press.                                      It starts with an egg turning into a chicken, there is a tadpole, see, caterpillar, word, and paint and it ends with a chicken and an egg.  The simple die-cuts give a small surprise when turning the page. This is a very straightforward book showing change and transformation that is great for young children.

Sullivan, M. (2013). Ball. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Children. When a dog wakes up in the morning all he wants to do is play ball. When his human leaves for school he tries to find someone to play with him, he goes to the cat, her mother, and the baby.  When no one plays with him he decides to make up his own game and put the ball in various place as well as having vivid dreams about his favorite toy. The entire book uses one word- BALL!