It's all Reality

Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour – Morgan Matson

After the death of her father, Amy, a high school student and Roger, a college freshman, set out on a carefully planned road trip from California to Connecticut, but wind up taking many detours, forcing Amy to face her worst fears and come to terms with her grief and guilt.

Forgotten – Cat Patrick

Sixteen-year-old London Lane forgets everything each night and must use notes to struggle through the day, even to recall her wonderful boyfriend, but she "remembers" future events and as her "flashforwards" become more disturbing she realizes she must learn more about the past lest it destroy her future.

Kick – Walter Dean Myers and Ross Workman

Told in their separate voices, thirteen-year-old soccer star Kevin and police sergeant Brown, who knew his father, try to keep Kevin out of juvenile hall after he is arrested on very serious charges.

Notes from the Blender – Trish Cook

Declan, a fan of Finnish death metal, violent video games, and Internet porn, dreams of getting to know beautiful gymnast Neilly Foster, not realizing his dearest wish is about to come true because his dad is going to marry Neilly's mother.

Again, this is a grouping made for grouping's sake - these four books couldn't be more different.  Kick is another collaboration book that makes readers think about how they feel about how juveniles are processed through the legal system.  Myers is always a favorite with my students, and his new book will become a favorite as well.  Kids will be interested in the fact that Myers co-wrote this book with a fan over the course of several years.  Notes from the Blender was a fun read.  I think that because the point of view switches between Declan and Neilly, this is a book that will appeal to both boys and girls.  This is a book that looks at many issues that face kids today - divorce, the death of a parent, blending families, and new siblings.    Forgotten is the odd-book-out in this set.  I didn't really know where it fit, because I don't know how much of London's "disease" is real, but the way the story is told - the reader accepts that her daily amnesia is real.  Although Forgotten started out on a light note, it ends with a powerful message about the power of memories.  Amy and Roger's Epic Detour was a book that I have walked by in the bookstore several times.  I did not want to read it, but after looking at what was popular with buyers online, I decided to purchase it.  This was the second book that I read for the project, and it was another of my favorites.  Morgan Matson is able to look at grief and trauma in a new way, and present it in a love story - which makes it much more readable for teens.  Not only did this book have me thinking about grief - it had me wanting to take a road trip (and I HATE riding in the car!)

Who we are

 

She Loves You, She Loves You Not – Julie Anne Peters

When seventeen-year-old Alyssa is disowned by her father for being a lesbian, she is sent off to a small town in Colorado to live with the mother she has never known, where she is forced to come to terms with herself and her family.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson – John Green and David Levithan

When two teens, one gay and one straight, meet accidentally and discover that they share the same name, their lives become intertwined as one begins dating the other's best friend, who produces a play revealing his relationship with them both.

Although these are both LBGT books, that is where there similarities end.  I became familiar with Julie Anne Peters after reading Luna for a class, and when I saw this book on a display, I picked it up to read for my project.  I really appreciate how Peters emphasizes the sameness of her characters.  No matter what the gender or sexuality of her characters, they remain real - with real problems - just like everyone else.  Peters goes a long way in breaking stereotypes and fears about people who are different.  

Will Grayson, Will Grayson is a MUST read.   This is my top pick from ALL of the books that I read for the project.  I regret that I did not purchase this book prior to the project because I did not want to spend money on a hardback book. (I am sometimes cheap like that.)  I plan on buying my teenage sister a hardback copy of the book for her next birthday (as she is a John Green fanatic) to make up for my oversight previously.  This book explores the boundaries of relationships - and it shows people in their real element.  Green and Levithan share the story of each Will Grayson so well that each transition is seamless, and the story blends to create a unique voice.  It will be one of my frequent re-reads!

Imaginary Girls

Imaginary Girls – Nova Ren Suma

Chloe is sent away after a night with her hugely popular sister Ruby and her friends ends with a classmate's body floating in the reservoir, and she returns two years later to find deadly surprises await.

This is a book that I am unable to categorize with any of the other books that I read this month.  It is also a book that I feel will need a lot of time and thought.  This is the last book that I read, and I am still not sure about what I am going to take away from reading it.  Imaginary Girls is a book that will make you think - my feelings about this book were similar to my feelings after watching Source Code - I knew that I was thinking about it, but I couldn't figure out exactly what I was thinking.  I have a feeling that this book is going to stay with me for a long time.

Tough Stuff

 

Scars – Cheryl A. Rainfield

Includes bibliographical references (p. 235-246). Fifteen-year-old Kendra, a budding artist who has not felt safe since she began to remember devastating memories of childhood sexual abuse, cannot seem to recall her abuser's identity and copes with the stress by cutting herself.

Stolen – Lucy Christopher

Sixteen-year-old Gemma, a British city-dweller, is abducted while on vacation with her parents and taken to the Australian outback, where she soon realizes that escape attempts are futile, and in time she learns that her captor is not as despicable as she first believed.

Although I grouped these two books together, I don't really know that they are all that similar.  Scars was the heart-wrenching reality of Kendra, and while Stolen explores some tough issues, the reality was not as real for me.  I think that if I had not read these two books back to back, I would have appreciated Stolen so much more.  Scars was so realistic and moving that it was impossible for me to feel the same passion in Stolen, even though it is a book that has an important message and a moving story.  

What does the future hold?

Dystopian literature is one of my favorite things to read, and has been since I read The Giver as a tween.  These books were probably the ones that I enjoyed the most out of my reading.  Awaken made me think about the future of education, Bumped made me think about how we view teen pregnancy, and Ashes, Ashes was an interesting look at survival.  All three of these books made me wish for a sequel so that I can know what happens to all of the characters!

  Awaken – Katie Kacvinsky

In the year 2060, when people hardly ever leave the security of their houses and instead do everything online, Madeline Freeman, the seventeen-year-old daughter of the man who created the national digital school attended by all citizens, is wooed by a group of radicals who are trying to get people to "unplug."

 

Ashes, Ashes – Jo Treggiari

In a future Manhattan devastated by environmental catastrophes and epidemics, sixteen-year-old Lucy survives alone until vicious hounds target her and force her to join Aidan and his band, but soon they learn that she is the target of Sweepers, who kidnap and infect people with plague.

 

Bumped – Megan McCafferty

In 2036 New Jersey, when teens are expected to become fanatically religious wives and mothers or high-priced Surrogates for couples made infertile by a widespread virus, sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony find in one another the courage to believe they have choices.

True Stories

 

The Dark Game: True Spy Stories – Paul Janeczko

A collection of true spy stories from throughout the history of the United States, discussing personalities, missions, traitors, technological advances, and more.

They Called Themselves the KKK – Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Documents the history and origin of the Ku Klux Klan from its beginning in Pulaski, Tennessee, and provides personal accounts, congressional documents, diaries, and more.

Nonfiction is sometimes difficult to recommend to young adult readers.  In my experience, they want a story - and these two books provide a great story.  The Dark Game is a collection of stories about the "Spy" industry in the United States.  Each section of the book is a new story, and Janeczko presents so many different types of spy stories that the reader is never bored.  I read this book section by section, whenever I had a few moments of free time. 

I knew when I started this project that one of the books that I wanted to read was They Called Themselves the KKK by Susan Campbell Bartoletti.  I have read several of her books, both fiction and nonfiction, and I am intrigued with how she is able to put such difficult stories into readable, interesting books.  While the KKK is certainly not an easy topic, Bartoletti presents the facts about how the group began in such a way that made me examine my own personal thoughts.  

These two books would be great for kids who are interested in history, or for a teacher to use in conjunction with U.S. History lessons.  

Graphic Novels

To be honest, most graphic novels are not my thing.  I have had to read several for my different classes, and I have never really seen their appeal, until now.  I read Page by Paige, by Laura Lee Gulledge, and I see now why readers flock to this format.  Without the graphic novel format, this story would be dull and lifeless.  Paige's art brings her story and struggle to life.  Paige uses her art to figure out who she is, and in doing so, she is able to become an artist.  The black and white drawings by Gulledge only help to add drama and emphasis to the words that she puts on the page. 

Page by Paige – Laura Lee Gulledge

Paige Turner, who has just moved to New York with her family, uses her sketchbook to try to make sense of her new life, and she finds the process of sharing her artwork and identity with others both scary and rewarding.

 

Fun Summer Reads

He’s So Not Worth It – Kieran Scott

Told in two voices, Allie and Jake continue to be bombarded by family issues and pressures from the "Cresties" and their poorer counterparts as they spend a summer dealing with the fallout of their breakup.






Little Blog on the Prairie – Cathleen Davitt Bell

Thirteen-year-old Genevieve's summer at a frontier family history camp in Laramie, Wyoming, with her parents and brother is filled with surprises, which she reports to friends back home on the cell phone she sneaked in, and which they turn into a blog.






What Happened to Goodbye – Sarah Dessen

Seventeen-year-old Mclean begins to lose sight of who she really is after she tries to reinvent herself at each school she attends after her parents' divorce and her father moves her from town to town.





Uncommon Criminals – Ally Carter

This is the sequel to Heist Society. Fifteen-year-old Kat Bishop and her fellow talented teenagers work together to find and steal the "Cleopatra Emerald" from an unscrupulous dealer and return it to its rightful owner, while a former love of her Uncle Eddie tries to get the gem for herself. 






Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn’t Have) – Sarah Mlynowski

Sixteen-year-old April, a high school junior, and her friend Vi, a senior, get a crash course in reality as the list of things they should not do becomes a list of things they did while living parent-free in Westport, Connecticut, for the semester.

This group of books was so much fun to read. I picked up most of these from just browsing at the bookstore. The book out of this set that I was most excited to read was Uncommon Criminals. It made my day that the bookstore had set them out before the actual release date. Ally Carter did not disappoint. If you liked Heist Society,  this second book about Kat Bishop's thievery will make you hope that Carter continues the series. However, as much as I enjoyed this book, my favorite book out of this set was  What Happened to Goodbye. Sarah Dessen really is able to reach in and write what teens are feeling. I remember having to move many times when I was younger, and each move was more difficult than the last - how do you keep yourself when you have to frequently start over and make new friends and find new groups to join? Mclean is able to realize that if she stays true to herself, the moving and the changes won't matter as much -  and that her true friends will always be there for her. This is a message that everyone needs to hear - whether they are moving or not, which is why this was my favorite book out of this set.

All Grown Up

Sweet Valley Confidential - Francine Pascal

After she betrays her identical twin, Jessica Wakefield longs for forgiveness, but Elizabeth moves from Sweet Valley, California, to New York City and searches for the perfect revenge.

This book - about the Wakefield twins after they have grown up is not really a young adult book, but for those of us who grew up on the Sweet Valley High books, it is a must read.  This book brought back all of the memories of reading the Sweet Valley High books, and makes me want to go and search out some of them to re-read.  For anyone who loved or loves the Sweet Valley High books, this is a must-read!

 

Independent Study

This semester, the elective that I wanted to take was full, so I got put into an Independent Study class.  I was really worried about what I was going to do to have a worthy topic to study and a worthy method of presentation.  When talking with my supervising professor, we talked about book talking books that I had already read, and I didn't think that I wanted to do that - there wasn't really enough of a challenge.  She suggested that I read 10 young adult books and blog about them.  Now the challenge that I faced was not the reading part, it was the blogging part.  I have never been a person who likes to journal or to write about what I have read.  Since I was unsure about my strengths blogging, I decided to go above and beyond the reading requirement.  I am going to blog about all of the books that I read, but some of my entries will be longer than others.  Also, all of the entries are going to come in the next few days because I moved, and with the move and my other class, I have just been reading, not blogging.  However, I have been keeping a book journal on my nightstand, and I write in it with each book that I finish. 

Now - my assignment was to read 10 young adult books.  As of right now, I have read 21 (20 young adult, and 1 adult fiction).  I have read fiction, nonfiction, and a graphic novel.  I didn't stretch myself as far as I would have liked (some of the books that I haven't gotten to are more boy-oriented), but I am excited about the books that I read.  I have 7 more books that I picked out to read that I have not gotten to yet, but that I wanted to share on my blog because they look interesting, and I will be reading them in the next few weeks. 

Book 1: The Ask and the Answer (Chaos Walking Book 2), Patrick Ness

I read the first book in this series for another class, and I am looking forward to continuing this series.

Book 2: Blood Red Road, Moira Young

 

I picked this up from a display in a bookstore.  It looks really interesting, and it is next in my to read stack!

Book 3: Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, Lish McBride

This book was one of my picks because of the excitement that it got on Twitter.  Many people talked about how much they enjoyed this read. 

Book 4: Hurricane Dancers, Margarita Engle

I am really excited about this book.  I love Margarita Engle's books in verse, which is a format that I am usually not fond of.  She has a way of making books in verse feel like prose, and she tells such beautiful stories.  

Book 5: Ship Breaker, Paolo Bacigalupi

I chose this book to read based only on the fact that it is the 2011 Prinz Winner.  I am intrigued with the description inside the book jacket.  I have almost started on this book a couple of times, but I haven't felt in the mood for the adventure story just yet. 

Book 6: Tighter, Adele Griffin

To be honest, this book was on several lists, and each time that I looked at it online, it did not seem like a book that I wanted to read.  However, once I got to the bookstore, I picked it up, and became interested in it immediately.  I haven't read very much, but I confess that while sitting in the floor of the bookstore making my final decision, I did read a few pages!

Book 7: Closer (Book 4 of the Tunnels series), Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams

This book is a borderline book.  The series is more of a tween series, but I think that older audiences (boys especially) will be interested in it.  I am DYING to read this, and have been since I finished the first 3 books in the series (Tunnels, Deeper, and Freefall).  I was crushed that Closer was not out in the U.S. last fall, and I have been impatiently waiting for it to be released.  I am making myself finish unpacking before I can re-read the series and start this book.

Introduction

I have started this blog for my Library Science degree for one of my classes.  I will be reading and blogging about (mostly) young adult literature that I have read.  For this class, I have read 20 books that I will be blogging about.  Some of the entries may be longer than others, but hopefully each entry will give a good review of the book, as well as give some insight to the kids who might enjoy reading each book.