Every Day (322 Pages)

In this book, David Levithan has created a fantasy in which a sixteen year old high school boy (known only as A) wakes up in a different body. some days he's a boy; other days he's a girl. Some days he's in the body of a drug abuser; some days he's in the body of a person who is gay. But the one day that creates a problem for him is the day he's in the body of another junior boy who is "going with" a girl that A finds very attractive. That one day he falls in love with her. They spend most of the day at the beach, where he is much sweeter to her than her boyfriend could ever be. But he'll never be that boy again. Regardless of the body he's in, A keeps in touch via email with this girl. Eventually he tells her about his situation. They see each other again, but this time he's a girl. This is a very strange book. While reading it, the reader knows this could never happen, but in spite of that, the characters seem so real, that it's forgotten. Very interesting....

Shelter (304 Pages)

OK, so without input from you guys, I'd probably continue along life's path sublimely making mistakes and never knowing what I'd done. Friend and former student, Katie, informed me that I'd read Harlan Coben's book Seconds Away before reading the book that came first in what is bound to be a wonderful series. Shelter is the book that introduces the reader to Mickey Bolitar and his friends. It sets up the background information for Seconds Away. This book will be enjoyed by both boys and girls. It is exciting, fast moving, and interesting. One of the things I found interesting was the explanation of The Bat Lady who is Lizzy Sobek, the young girl who escaped from Auchwitz during WW II. I also found out about the Abeona Society, a group committed to "saving" young girls who are in a dangerous life situation. Mickey's mother and father were working for this society all around the world,  before moving to a town and settling down. It is here that Mickey makes a commitment to continue his Dad's work. Enjoy!

Beautiful Lies ( 422 Pages)

Jessica Warman has written an incredible book about two identical twin girls. Now, I had two sets of identical twins in my class in high school. As I got to know them, I was always able to tell them apart, but my teachers couldn't. So they switched places every once in a while. Often on April 1st, but sometimes on other days as well.  But in this wonderful new read, Alice and Rachel have more in common than just looks. They are able to literally feel each other's hurt.  Rachel disappears as the twins are with friends at a local fair. Alice knows something horrible has happened to her. Now, Alice is the one who always seems to get in trouble, feel angry, struggle with school work. So with Rachel's disappearance, Alice becomes Rachel to everyone else. When raw marks appear on her wrists, and bruises appear on her face, she makes sure to cover them up. She explains that as embryos they shared the same amniotic sac, and that is why they feel each other's pain. The switch will be a surprise to some readers, and I'm not going to talk about the end of the book, but I was so amazed by the ending that I found myself going back and reading it a second time, and then a day after finishing it, I went back and read the end again! It's quite a read!

The Story of My Thinking- Professional Book

This book, co-written by Gretchen Bernabei and Dottie Hall, gives teachers expository writing activities for 13 teaching situations. It is definitely for secondary teachers who are trying to move away from the 5 paragraph essay, yet maintain strong writing. With direct links to CCCS, the book assures teachers that it is not only possible, but desirable to create academic writing that has voice, narrative, addresses audience, and is interesting to read!  Early in the book the authors say,"This book is for teachers who need a lesson, but don't have time to read a book before applying it!" Included are such fun lessons as giving students paper plates, telephone answer pads, coffee filters and more to write their own "indelible moments" on. Indelible moments  is an idea from Tom Romano, and I think it's a great one to keep in mind. Believe me when I say that the book is filled with absolutely yummy teaching ideas that will help your students' writing improve AND have fun doing so!

Dodger ( 353 Pages)

This is Terry Pratchett's latest book, and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it. I've read other books he's written, but not for a long time. Now there are many "British words" in this text, and some of them were completely unfamiliar to me. But as I read, I came to understand almost all of them and that was partly because there is a terrific amount of humor in this book.  Speaking of humor,  the main character is a 17 year old boy by the nae of Dodger. He spends most of his time toshing. Now toshing means going down into the sewers of London and searching for money that has accidentally landed there. It doesn't sound like a great experience because of rats ever presence and because of sewage that accumulates in the sewers....not pleasant at all.  So Dodger is emerging from a sewer one evening during a horrible storm when he hears a coach ride by and a girl jumps out of it screaming. Of course he must save her. This is where the story takes off. It includes Dodger meeting up with Charlie Dickens, and Mr. Disraeli, among other well known characters. But will our students be able to connect with this book? Dodger is a great character. He lives with Solomon, a marvelous Jewish man who knows so much, and cares so much for Dodger. I am not doing the book justice. I giggled when Dodger said, "No Brit would ever say, " I think, therefore I am." However, he might say, "I think, therefore I am....I think." or how about this quote, " if you are going to be a successful urchin, you need to study how to urch."(p.78) Ha! I loved it. I'd really like some of you to get hold of this book and let me know what you think of it! PLEASE!!

The Girl Who Was On Fire (261 Pages)

This is a book that teachers might want to use as a series of discussions about the Hunger Games. 16 YA authors have contributed to this book, and they cover a wide territory of ideas. There is a chapter about the political messages in The Hunger Games; there is a chapter explaining  the importance and meaning of the characters' names in The Hunger Games; there is a chapter about the importance of fashion  in The Hunger Games; there is a chapter explaining "Game Theory" in The Hunger Games; and there is a chapter on the scientific information in The Hunger Games! SO, each chapter is an essay written by various writers about the ideas they formed from reading this series of books by Suzanne Collins. I leave it to each of you to decide whether your students can handle reading this book. It could really be fun to have different students each take a different chapter and bring it to the attention of the class as a panel discussion....You could do much with this book. I found it fascinating! The book is edited by Leah Wilson, and although I was only familiar with a few of the authors, their writing is wonderful. Wouldn't this make an interesting "cross curriculum" piece of work? Can you see a panel consisting of a science teacher, a social studies teacher, an English teacher, a math teacher, an art teacher, and a phys ed teacher- each taking a different section of the book to discuss with the students? WOW! Other teachers read for enjoyment??? Who knew?!

Reached (512 Pages)

Reached is the third book in Ally Condie's Matched,  and Crossed series. Those readers who met and loved Cassia, Xander, and Ky will find this book a wonderful conclusion to the trilogy. A plague has manifested itself throughout the Society and Rising communities. Cassia, as a talented sorter, and Xander as a talented physic, conspire to find a cure as the plague mutates, and Ki becomes a victim of the mutation. Those infected with the mutation are called "the still" which appears to be another name for a coma. They do not move; their eyes remain open, yet they don't appear to see; they don't talk; and the physics are not sure if they can hear, and then they begin to die. Cassia and Xander work feverishly to find a cure and to save Ky's life. But there are obstacles in their way. Readers will find themselves on the edge of their seats as they root for Cassia and Xander to succeed.

Pinned (228Pages)

Sharon Flake, author of The Skin I'm In and other wonderful reads (Including one of my favorites- Bang!), has written a text about a young, high school girl who is an outstanding wrestler, but unable to read. She falls in love with with a brilliant high school boy who was born without legs and as a result is wheel chair bound. Told in alternating chapters, Autumn and Adonis, relate the story of Autumn's success in wrestling and failure in reading. Adonis has rather rigid beliefs in what is right and what is wrong, but he is the manager of the wrestling team, and a volunteer in the school library. Autumn's difficulty in learning to read was made clearer when her parents acknowledged that they too could not read. But they knew how important reading is and how it effects every subject. As a result, they tell Autumn she must be off the wrestling team until she brings up her grades. They try to make her read with them every night. In spite of a major temper tantrum, Autumn is off the team. Now it is up to her to do something about her education. One thing to notice in this read is that Autumn's dialogue is spoken in the way many African Americans speak. This could be helpful for African American students. To see two black students and realize that one speaks flawlessly while the other speaks in what often sounds like slang, might be worth some discussion with kids.

Burning Blue (291 Pages)

I got this book, because I have loved so much of Paul Griffin's writing. Ten Mile River, and Stay With Me were both outstanding reads. In this book, Griffin takes a different path and focuses on the meaning of beauty. This was not my favorite read, although I think there are YA readers who will enjoy it. It does create some interesting characters, as well as conflicts, and emphasizes the idea of beauty being on the inside as well as the outside. Nicole Castro is the most beautiful, smartest, most popular girl in her high school. She's a great athlete, and if that's not enough; she's really nice.  One day while hurrying to a class, someone throws acid in her face. In addition to horribly burning her skin on one side, the acid also takes away her sight in one eye. Who would do such a thing? This is what Jay Nazzaro, a brilliant, if somewhat nerdy, student in her class decides to find out. Because he has incredible hacking skills (is that an oxymoron?) he slowly uncovers the person(s) responsible.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (213 Pages)

I decided to reread this book for two reasons: 1) it has just been made into a motion picture and 2) I hadn't read it since 1999. Charlie is probably a little nerdy; he's certainly naive. Author Stephen Chbosky introduces the reader to some of the many obstacles in a teen's introduction to the rough waters of high school. Charlie becomes friends with two people, Patrick and Sam, who are part of the "in crowd". They are step brother and step sister, and Charlie is infatuated with Sam- even knowing he hasn't got a prayer of the feeling being mutual. Through letters written to "Dear Friend" Charlie communicates his feelings about his family, his friends, about sex, drugs, and school. He learns that at least one teacher recognizes him as being brilliant, and throughout the book there are references to the many books the teacher gives him to read and discuss with him. It's an interesting book- one that I think many of our students will enjoy. Some parents may voice concern- it is one of the most contested books in the YA category. SO, teachers, remember to offer it as a "choice read" and that will not only protect you, if it becomes a contested topic, simply tell the student to choose a different book. (Of course, this will only make the book much more desirable to the student(s)!

The Kill Order (327 Pages + Top Secret Section)

This newest book by James Dashner is billed as the prequel to his book The Maze Runner. I didn't read that series, but found this book to be an oddly compelling read. The setting is the Eastern United States at some time in the future. Sun flares have caused death and destruction to much of the country, and if that was not enough, a group of adult "leaders" have decided that if the human race has even a slight chance of being saved then there needs to be an effective way for selected parts of the population to be eliminated! The solution is to shoot a powerful virus at those people, which is supposed to cause their brains to shut down as they quickly go crazy, unaware that they are dying.  But what happens if the mutates? What happens if some of the children are immune to it? And what happens if two teens, Mark and Trina, are convinced that they can save people from this horrible descent into mental hell? There is a prologue and an epilogue AND a "Secret Section" after the epilogue. Dashner lives in the Rocky Mountains and there were times as I read this book that I wondered if he had eaten one too many pot brownies! (Not that that's necessarily a bad thing!) You read it and decide!

Seconds Away (338 pages)

Just finished Harlan Coben's new YA book and it is a doozie! It is the first in a series,  and I can't wait for the next book! Mickey Bolitar has two new friends, Ema and Spoon. They are suddenly in the middle of a mystery along with another friend named Rachel. Part of the mystery involves the Abeona Shelter. This organization's goal is to save children who have been abducted. Mickey, Ema, and Spoon are suddenly rocked by a shooting that appears to injure Rachel and definitely kills her mother. Now Mickey's mom has been committed to a hospital for drug rehab. Rachel's mother HAD been in a mental hospital, but Rachel managed to bring her home, because she believed her father had her mother committed to get her out of the way so he could marry someone else. I am not doing the book justice. It is a fast, exciting page tuner,  and one that boys will enjoy and girls may also.

Multiple Professional Books

This is a "heads up." Many of you are building your own professional libraries, and this is a good thing. As I have told you, in both Developmental Reading and Grammar classes, you may very well be questioned by experienced teachers and concerned parents about practices that are new to them and not understood. Your professional library is the source where you can turn to help explain the "whys" of activities. All of the books below are from Heinemann.

Kylene Beers and Robert Probst have written a new book that is wonderful. Notice & Note: Strategies for Close Reading introduces 6 "sign posts" teachers can teach students so that they can practice close reading. There are lessons included. There are also many printable forms that you can use with your classes. This is really good "stuff". Appropriate for Grades 4- 10. $23

With Rigor For All: Meeting Common Core Standards for Reading Literature by Carol Jago pairs YA literature with classics to aid comprehension, Uses CCSS as a teaching touchstone, and includes tips to motivate reluctant readers, a study guide, and guidelines for curriculum development. Appropriate for Grades 6-10. $21

 Teaching Argument Writing: Supporting Claims with Relevant Evidence and Clear Reasoning by George Hillocks, Jr. Shows how to move from simple to complex arguments; Shares lesson ideas for writing and evaluating fact, judgement, and policy arguments; Includes handouts, activities, and discussion models. Appropriate for Grades 6-12. $24

The Story of My Thinking Expository Writing Activities for 13 Teaching Situations

Two teachers, each with 30 + years of classroom experience, Gretchen Bernabei and Dottie Hall have written this professional development book, and it is filled with writing lessons that respond to specific teaching situations. For example, "If you want to begin with heartfelt moments from students' lives" the activity is called "Indelible Moments".  Turning to that section, the teacher will find Basic Steps, Tool, Setting the Scene, The Point, Teaching It, Debriefing, What to Do Net, Spin-offs, and Student Samples. Believe me, there is enough here to keep you and the kids busy for months! The book can be purchased from Heinimann, and I don't remember the cost, but it isn't much. he book is appropriate for 4th - 9th grades....and maybe more! Enjoy.

Son (393 Pages)

This is the 4th and final book in Lois Lowry's   The Giver series. Ass most of you know, the first three books include The Giver, Gathering Blue, The Messenger, and now, Son. I just finished this last book and all I can say is, "WOW!" Lois Lowry's son was killed last year in Afghanistan, and she has dedicated this book to him. It makes it even more moving that this is so. The book's theme involves a mother's determination to find her son. The book goes back to the first book and pulls events from that to create the plot line in this book. Claire is the birth mother whose child was taken from her at birth and nurtured by Jonas's father, who brought the baby home each night for he was a fussy baby. If you remember correctly, Jonas discovers that the plan is to destroy the baby (he had witnessed his father destroying another infant), and as a result he decides to take the infant and escape from the community. At the end of The Giver, the reader is unsure as to whether or not both survived. So in the final book, Claire identifies her baby, and knows that she must find him. She escapes on a boat that frequently brings supplies to the community. The boat is lost at sea in a horrible storm, but Claire washes up on a shore, barely alive. She is welcomed into this new community, but has almost lost all of her memory. This is eventually returned, and at that point she vows to leave the village in search of her son. It takes several years for her to build up her body to be able to successfully handle the difficult trip. She accomplished this only to meet, at the end of her harrowing experience,  a man known as Tradesman. He makes trade to give people what they want. He tells Claire he will take Claire to her son if she will trade her youth. She arrives at her son's village a haggard, bent over, old lady. There she meets Joan, his wife and 2 children, and is able to see Gabe from a distance. But what should she do? Let Gabe see his mother as a bent, old hag? Or  should she just be satisfied that she has found him?

Insurgent (525 Pages)

I can't believe that I never entered this book on the blog! It is the book between Divergent and Bitterblue. Lord only knows where my mind was! In this book, Veronica Roth continues the tale of Tris and Tobias. It is a fast paced read like her other books. In this book, Tris and Tobias attempt to protect Bitterblue from her cruel father. They succeed, but at great cost....Your students will enjoy this book as well.

Picking Cotton (282 Pages)

The title of this book will fool you! This is a memoir written from two points of view with the help of Erin Torneo, the third writer. Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton both are able to tell this story during which the reader finds her reactions and concerns shifting from Jennifer to Ronald, to Jennifer to Ronald. Jennifer was a senior at Elon College in North Carolina. She was an A student, had a boy friend who she was planing on marrying, and looked forward to her graduation. Then she awoke one night in her off campus apartment, to a man holding a knife to her throat as he proceeded to rape her. Asked to come to the police station to view a lineup, she proceeded to identify Ron Cotton as the rapist. He was then sentenced to life in prison. All of this occurred shortly after the O.J. Simpson case. Eventually Ron was represented by lawyers who believed his innocence and were able to prove it using DNA as evidence. However, Ron had spent eleven years in jail for a crime he never committed. And then there is a surprising turn to the story. Ron forgives Jennifer, and they both become a team giving talks about the fallacy of memory and eye-witness testimony. This is a book with much room for class discussion, and may be one you'd like to consider for an all-class reading.

Stolen (299 Pages)

Lucy Christopher is the author of this Printz honor book, and it certainly grabbed me and held fast for the entire read! Gemma has a somewhat rocky relationship with her mother. Like so many teens, her emotions are raw and controlling. Her mom doesn't like the top she's wearing, thinking it to skimpy, so when she leaves her parents at the Bankok airport to get a cup of coffee, the beautiful mezmerizing, blue eyes of the stranger over-shadowed her common sense. He bought the coffee for her, and said he'd bring it to the table for her. She sat down, and he poured a drug(s) into the coffee. Before she knows what is happening, Ty takes her out of the airport, gives her a disguise to wear, and the next thing the reader knows, they are in the desert of Australia. She alternately hates him, is attracted to him, hates him, wonders what he's going to do to her, hates him, is attracted to him.... she attempts to escape, it doesn't work. Only when she is bitten by a poisonous snake does the story turn to Ty getting her help. He has never done anything to her, and it turns out he has been observing her from a distance for years. It is unbelievable, yet the reader is pulled into the story as it becomes more and more believable. Your kids will love this book!

Crazy Lady (180 Pages)

I recently came across this book, which I hadn't seen in years.I only have good memories of this book by Jane Leslie Conly. I grew up in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. We lived on a quiet street- well, usually quiet. However, on frequent weekend nights, we could hear an elderly woman leaning out of her bedroom window screaming. Nothing was wrong with her; she just would scream. We called her the crazy lady, and we were terrified to go near her front door. This book is a quick read and appropriate for both boys and girls. Vernon wanted to take part in his high school sports program, but he had failed English the year before. In order to play, he needed to be tutored and take a test. Well, his next door neighbor was a retired English teacher, and he went to her for help. He was honest with her and said he didn't have any money to pay her. Guess who lived next door to this retired teacher? The crazy lady herself! The teacher told Vernon that she would get him through English without being paid if he would work for Maxine Flooter, (the crazy lady). There was no getting around it. That was the deal. When Vernon goes to Maxine's house, he discovers she has a son, Ronald, who is retarded. As Vernon puts in time, he becomes fond of Ronald, who appears to adore Vernon. One day, Vernon finds out that Ronald can not participate in the Special Olympics, because he doesn't own any sneakers. Vernon gets his friends together and they decide to hold a neighborhood fair to raise money for Vernon. What happens after this is bitter-sweet, and worth discussion. Kids will love this novel.

Lie (207 Pages)

Caroline Bock is a new author to me. I was sent this book as a gift from the author. I read it, and I like it for a number of reasons. Lie is a short book written from 10 different points of view. All of the characters whose point of view is offered are part of each other's life. A group of Long Island high school students have decided to go beaner hopping. This expression is their own and it means they are looking for some Mexicans to taunt. One of the boys is Jimmy, and Skyler is in love with him. Jimmy is a natural leader, but not always leading in a good sense. Skyler is head over heels in love with him. Skyler's mother had recently died, and Jimmy is there to offer her support. As an adult reader, I must say he seemed like a good kid. He absently would not go beyond kissing and some petting. He acknowledged that Skyler was too emotionally broken, and he refused to take advantage of her.One night, all the kids go out beaner hopping. This time, Jimmy says only he and Sean (Skyler's next door neighbor) are going to go. Skyler secretly follows them and observes taunting get out of hand. It turns out that Jimmy is prejudiced against Mexicans. Now the two boys they "taunt" are not Mexicans. They are brothers, and one of them was born in the U.S.A. The other was sent by his mother from El Salvador to live with her son and her brother. There is so much to talk/write about in this book. Stereotyping, the definition of a lie, being true to yourself, standing up for what is right, when and where to go for help when a group is pressuring you to do something that isn't right....and you know if you don't go along- you'll be black balled. This is a lot for such a small book, but it is one that I believe will resonate with both boys and girls.

I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced (178 Pages +12)

Nujood Ali wrote this book with the help of Delphine Minoui. Nujood is one gutsy young lady. The book is non fiction and tells the story of how Nujood's father arranged a marriage between her and a much older man. The book is a fast read, yet I believe it is an important read, especially for our protected kids who see life through rose colored glasses. At the end of the book there are about 5 pages explaining some of the words/ actions/things mentioned in the book. There is also a readers' guide of questions at the end. I think students might find it helpful responding to some of these in their reading response notebooks, or at the very least in classroom discussions. At the very end there is a note about the desperate need for help for girls like Nujood. It mentions The Girls World Communication Center (GWCC) and some of the international organizations backing GWCC.

Stay With Me ( 288 Pages)

Paul Griffin should be an author with whom you are familiar. He has written several award winning books, among them, Ten Mile River, and The Orange Houses. Stay With Me will be enjoyed by both boys and girls. It is a love story and a story about Cece is a straight A student, who works as a waitress in a successful restaurant. One day in walks Mack, an attractive, young man who is a high school dropout. Bam! the two are drawn to one another. Walking home one evening they are approached by a frightening scene of a dog being abused. Mack stops those responsible, and proceeds to bring the dog home to a rooftop hide-away where he is able to nurse the dog back to health. They name the dog Boo, and all is going well until....Mack goes crazy when he returns home late one night after seeing Cece to find Boo dead. He smells his water dish and the smell is anti freeze. He knows that his neighbor has poisoned Boo, and he goes after him in a moment of insane anger. Mack is accused of killing the man, and ends up in jail. There he will spend the rest of his life. However, an officer notices that Mack is able to calm the police dogs down so that they obey him. He gets a prison job training the dogs so that they obey. The plot continues and Mack becomes more and more capable of training dogs. Boys will really love this book, and girls will enjoy it too. It is a heart breaker, but also uplifting, and filled with hope.

You Against Me ( 413 Pages )

Jenny Downham ( author of Before I Die) has written another winner. In this novel she develops two characters from opposite sides of the tracks who meet and fall in love. Neither knows that they will eventually be against each other in a court of law! Mikey's sister has been abused. She has climbed into a shell and does not was to be touched physically, emotionally, or mentally. Ellie's brother has been jailed for sexual assault.However, he says he didn't do it. But Ellie's family has money, and they are able to get him out of jail...at least until the trial. When Mikey sets out with a friend to go to their house, they find the family has thrown a HUGE welcome home party for their son, the golden boy. Although Mikey does not realize it, he meets Ellie and does not discover that it is her brother who assaulted his sister. This is a story about loyalty, family,honor,and most of all, about love. It is a winner.

Bitterblue (539)

Billed as a sequel to Graceling and a companion to Fire, Kristin Cashore has written another wonderful novel that speaks to the reader about loyalty, family, leadership, and asks the reader to question, "What happens when a leader abuses power?" Remember, "absolute power corrupts absolutely!" (I don't know to whom I should credit that quote!) The same characters appear in this novel as in the other two, and because I had become so enthralled with many of them, this became one of those books where I found myself not wanting it to end. I wonder how many of our students could look at people around them and recognize their "grace"? Both boys and girls will enjoy reading this, and although it is not important for them to have read Graceling or Fire, they will want to read both when done with Bitterblue.

Beyond the Five Paragraph Essay

This book should be required reading for any secondary English and/or social studies teacher. It is written by two teachers who know their stuff! Kimberly Hill Campbell and Kristi Latimer have crafted a professional text chuck full of ideas for reading and writing, appendixes of forms and pass-outs for teachers to give to kids, a gazillion secondary book ideas, and more. They stole my quote ( which is quite alright) of "Read like a writer and Write like a reader." An entire chapter is devoted to reading like a writer. But understand, this book is more than just a sermon of anti formulaic writing. It takes this philosophy one step further with specific ideas of how to get your students out of the 5 paragraph mold! Available from Stenhouse, this book needs to be in the hands of everyone who trying to improve student writing!

Code Name Verity (327 Pages)

There are many books written about the Holocaust, and it is my hope that schools will reach beyond Diary of a Young Girl.Although it is a perfectly fine book, other have surfaced that offer other ides about the war. Here is a book that is quite marvelous. Written from two points of view,author Elizabeth Wein has crafted an historical novel that is spell binding. The first half of the book is "written" by Verity, a code name for Julie Beaufort-Stuart. Julie is from an upper class Scottish family who becomes a spy for England. The second half of the book is "written" by Maddie, a young, Jewish, British girl who is a bit of a tom boy. She becomes quite a capable pilot and flies for much of the war carrying supplies to resistance in France and bringing back English pilots who have been shot down, but survived. Maddie and Julie meet and quickly become best friends. I will not tell you how the book ends, you obviously know "who won the war"! But this is not about the war as much as it is about the active duty of women during the war, about close friendships women achieve, and about the word "truth". Much truth,and therefore, such an aptly named title. I was on the edge of my seat for much of the read!

Never Fall Down (214 Pages)

Patricia McCormick has written several books that I may have mentioned in class, among them are Sold, Purple Heart, My Brother's Keeper, and Cut. Everyone of them have proven to be great for discussion. This book is no exception. It is historical fiction, although most of it is based on the memory of the main character, Arn Chorn-Pond. It is the story of the atrocities dealt by the Khmer Rouge on the Cambodian people, and in particular on the Cambodian children. Without knowing what he was sucked into, Arn finds himself in the middle of what has become known as The Killing Fields. The book is filled with gore, brutality,and horrific violence. It documents once again man's inhumanity toward man. It is an important read, I believe, and one that could be embraced by social studies teachers as well as English teachers.

The List (332 Pages)

In this book, Siobhan Vivian follows eight high school girls, all of whom have found themselves on "The List." The List appears each year as a tradition for this school. The List states the prettiest and ugliest girls in each grade. Those who are named the prettiest have an initial reaction of "Wow, this is great!" Then they have to deal with the jealous feelings of their peers. And those who are named ugliest must face each day knowing that they are the bottom of the heap. I hate these lists, but in this book, Vivian allows the reader to examine the caste system that exists in most high schools, as well as what makes a girl "pretty" and how people are judged by peers in high school. There is much for discussion in this book.

Graceling

This is another book I read on my Kindle. Kristin Cashore has written a novel that will be loved by those who enjoyed The Hunger Games. The main character, Katsa, has a "Grace" that gives her extraordinary powers to fight, and I mean fight to the kill. Her uncle is using her to fight for him, killing those people who don't obey him or who do not honor him. Then she meets Prince Po and the two of them become friends. They frequently "fight" or perhaps I should say "spar." This is just to keep Katsa in shape and prepared for the next deadly fight. Katsa doesn't know that Po is also a Graceling. He has been born with the "grace" to be able to read people's minds. Katsa and Po escape from her mean uncle's grip when Katsa refuses to hurt a citizen of her uncle's kingdom. They proceed on a quest to determine who kidnapped Po's grandfather. This is a wonderful read, and gives the reader a thought to consider: Do all of us have some sort of grace? As students read about the romance that builds between Katsa and Po, they will be faced with a mystery as well as a love story. Another goodie!

Shatter Me

I read this book on my Kindle, so I can't say how many pages this novel by Tahereh Mafi has written. Juliette is 17 years old. She has been thrown out by her parents and put in prison by a ruthless dictator. One day Adam is thrown into her cell and thus begins a new phase of her life. Juliette has unusual powers and it is this that makes her seem invaluable to the dictator. He brings her to his castle, feeding her wonderful foods, and giving her beautiful clothes, and he believes she will eventually love him. But she's fallen for Adam, and the two of them want to escape from the clutches of the dictator. I am sure there will be a follow up to this book; it's just too good of a read not to continue!

90 Miles to Havana (292 Pages)

Enrique Flores-Galbis has written a wonderful book of historical fiction. The story takes place during 1961 just as Fidel Castro over threw the Cuban government. At this time Cuban parents wanted to protect their children by giving them safe haven in the United States. As a result Operation Pedro Pan began evacuating the children to what was supposed to be a safe land. But it wasn't. Julian and his older brothers Alquilno and Gordo leave Cuba, they end up in a "camp" in Florida that is run by a young priest who depends on bullies to keep order in the camp. The boys experience an incredibly scarey time resulting in the older brothers being sent to Colorado. The story is told by Julian. This book offers students a chance to know a little more about Cuba, and the people who immigrated to this country from there. It's a good read.

Addie on the inside (202 Pages)

Addie on the inside by James Howe is a perfect middle school read. Some of you may remember my saying that The Misfits and Totally Joe, also written by Howe, are books that I think crack the glass ceiling. (I mean that as a good thing!) Totally Joe is about a young boy who is not aware of the fact that he is gay, but his aunt knows and as he discovers for himself that his sexual identity prefers males. It's a wonderful book. Addie starts off with a letter to the reader from Mr. Howe. The entire book is written in poetic form and this letter is as well. In it he asks the reader, "Who do you see when you think of me? Who do you see when you think of you?" And that is what this book is all about. A young girl in 7th grade trying to figure out who she is. She is very intelligent, very outspoken, and perhaps a little pushy. But as with most 7th graders she is not sure what makes her tick. This is a wonderful read about a girl who cares about all kinds of "stuff"---stuff that most 7th graders might not think is important. But Addie does. Get to know this author. You will not regret it for a moment!

Wonder (313 Pages)

Wonder is a book that should be read by every 8th + grader. I hate to put ages qualifications on books, but this book is truly a wonder! It is a first write for R.J Palacio (which I think might be a pen name). Auggie is a ten year old boy who was born with severe facial disfigurement. He has been home schooled, but his parents decide he should attend school with other kids at the start of middle school. In this case, middle school begins in 5th grade. The school is a private, coeducational school in Manhattan, and Auggie has the huge task of getting his classmates and other students to accept him. This book deals with loyalty, it deals with family, it deals with bullying, it deals with friendship, it deals with the other child in the family-who doesn't have a physical problem. I laughed, I cried, it's quite a book. GREAT opportunity for class discussions/ individual reader responses etc. Wow! I loved it.

Starters (336 Pages)

Lissa Price is a new author for me. She has written a fantasy that often sounds more true than fantastic. I believe this may the start of a series which is not unlike The Hunger Games. So move over Catniss here comes Callie! Living on the West Coast, Callie has lost both her parents when a war with---dropped deadly SPORES on the inhabitants of California. Vaccines against these spores were only available to the very young and the very old. Most people between the ages of twenty and sixty died from exposure to these spores. Callie is left with her younger brother, Tyler and her friend, Michael to fend for themselves. Tyler is not well, and thus Callie feels that her only hope to earn enough money to care for him is to make her way to Beverly Hills and Prime Destination where she is promised a large amount of money if she loans her body to an Elder. The idea is that the Elder will be able to enter her body and live some time a life of youth and vigor not possible at the ages of 120+ years. Micro chips are planted in the back of Callie's head as well as in the back of Elders' heads. But Callie's chip is faulty and she remains in her own body, but is able to communicate with the Elder who was supposed to change places with her. What this Elder asks her to do, and who she meets along the way comprise the basis for this plot. It's a little scarey, but also exciting. Good read!

irises (288 pages)

Francisco X. Stork is also the author of Marcelo in the Real World, which won many starred reviews and The Last Summer of the Death Warriors which won the Best Fiction for Young Adult Readers list. And so I was pleased to see a new novel by him. Stork was born in Mexico, but spent his teen years in El Paso, Texas, where this book is set. It is a story of two sisters, Kate who is the older of the two and is a brilliant student aspiring to go to Stanford University and become a doctor. Her younger sister, Mary, is an incredible artist who is happiest when she is drawing. They live in a home controlled by a very strict father who is a minister in the local church. He controls what they do to the extent that they don't have cell phones, have never been to a shopping mall, wear clothes that are not in style, etc. We find out that their mother has been in an automobile accident in which her husband was driving. She has been deemed to be in a persistent vegetative state. Father insisted she be brought home, and for two years the girls have been caring for her with the help of a daily nurse and care giver. And then their father dies. Kate has to decide whether to stay with her boyfriend, or break up. Whether to stay in El Paso and go to college there, or go to Stanford where she has received a full scholarship. Meanwhile, Mary has met a young man from "the other side of the tracks" who is also quite artistic. And Kate has met a very attractive young minister who has come to temporarily cover her father's church. How the girls deal with what has happened to their safe, protected life and the difficult decisions they need to make, makes this a fascinating, quick read. Students need to ask themselves, what would I do in this sort of a situation?

City of Orphans (350 pages +2 pages Author's note)

Avi has written this historical fiction book about New York City's early immigrant children. He states in the author's note that he did a tremendous amount of research prior to writing this novel. So although the characters are conceived by him, the facts of the story are true. I think this is a perfect middle school read, but could also be a jumping off point for a creative writing assignment for any student. The story takes place at the close of the 1800's, and focuses on Macs, his family, and Willa, a young orphan who comes to live with Mac's family. Life in lower New York's tenements is harsh to the say the least, but when juxtaposed against the wealth of patrons of the new Waldorf Astoria, the reader is able to understand the gap between the haves and the have-nots!This is a mystery that readers will find pretty amazing. You might want them to read the author's note first so that they have an understanding of the amount of truth within these pages. Good read!

tales of the MADMAN underground (532 pages)

The back flap telling us about author John Barnes presents a fascinating read in itself. Barnes co-authored a book with astronaut Buzz Aldrin and has written science fiction, and over 100 nonfiction articles. He has taught college classes in English, math, theater, speech, and communications, designed stage scenery and lighting, drawn weather maps, etc. etc. etc. He is multi-talented, and if nothing else shows us that it is never necessary to stick with one line of work for life! AND, I did not include everything he has accomplished!This book was a Printz Honor book, and I started to read it at the onset of my husband's illness, couldn't concentrate, put it down, and just recently picked it up and began reading it from the beginning. It is an interesting book about family, love, friendships, and loyalty. The main character is Karl Shoemaker, a senior in high school, who along with a very tight group of friends,has been in a required therapy group since middle school. Every kid in the group has major problems at home. Many have endured awful experiences. Karl vacillates between wanting to be "normal" and out of the group and wanting to remain with his loyal buddies. His dad has died, his mother has become a drunk, Karl has to take care of her, as well as try to take care of the house, as well as hold down a ridiculous number of jobs. The language in the book can be a bit harsh at times, but I think many teens will relate to what these kids are going through. Much of the book is hysterically funny, some of it is maddening, but overall, it is a good read!

Jasper Jones (310 pages)

Craig Silvey is an Australian writer, and this is the first book of his I've read. It's definitely a High School read, and it won't be the last book of his I'll read! There were moments when I laughed out loud, and moments when I cried. Let me give you a couple of laughs. Charlie Bucktin's best friend is Jeffrey Lu. Jeffrey and his family are from Vietnam and live down the street from the Bucktins. The two boys are constantly teasing each other and one of their favorite things to do is to create a play on words. So Jeffrey will say, "Cheeses Christ, Charlie!" or Charlie will leave Jeffrey saying, " I bid you fond a Jew." There are several more of these that come out of nowhere and just make the reader giggle...if s/he picks up on them! In their town, there is a teen who is the town's "bad boy." His name is Jasper Jones, and one night he knocks on Charlie's window asking for help. Charlie knows Jasper only by reputation, but Jasper is very convincing, and Charlie leaves his room via his window and follows Jasper to a secret place near the edge of a river. There they come upon a young girl hanging from a large tree. Now, Jasper is definitely NOT a bad boy (even though he smokes and drinks every chance he gets), and the girl hanging from the tree was the love of his life. She was also the oldest daughter of the town's mayor. The mystery of how she was killed, what happened to her body, and how it all effects Charlie is a spine-tingling read. The language is a bit raw, but this is a great read and I think both boys and girls will enjoy it very much!

7 Days at the Hot Corner ( 150 pages )

I think I've read every book Terry Trueman has written, once I was hooked by his writing in Stuck In Neutral. However, it has been several years since I've read one of his texts. This is a book about baseball and friendship and family. What happens when, in your senior year of high school, you find out that your best friend since 2nd grade is gay. You find this out at the end of the baseball season. You play third base which is known as the hot corner. Baseball is your life, your love, and your dream of becoming a pro. This is a very short read,but it is a terrifically important read. It is a book that will interest many, many students and be great for discussion. Wow! Way to go, Terry Trueman; you've hit a grand slam homer this time!

Where Things Come Back (228 pages)

Okay, I'm going to be honest with you and say that I don't know how I really feel about this book. I got it and read it for two main reasons: 1) It won the Printz award for 2012. (For those of you who don't remember what the Michael Printz Award is, I will recap for you. It is to secondary students what the Newberry award is to elementary and early middle school students.) The award usually picks books that I agree should be so honored. I'm not so sure about this one. I didn't dislike it; I just kept wondering how students would take to it. I'm usually pretty good at nailing what books kids like. Okay, reason 2) It was written by a man named John Whaley. I had a grad student at Fairfield University whose name was John Whaley, and so I couldn't pass up reading it, even though I was sure it wasn't the same John Whaley...and those of you who were in class with him will appreciate my curiosity. I think. The book is about a young man who lives in a small town in Arkansas with his mother, father and younger brother. Then two things happen almost simultaneously: a kind of nutty scientist announces that he has spotted a woodpecker that was thought to be extinct for years, and the younger brother disappears. The book covers some wonderful relationships of a real friend, and an incredible bond shared by both brothers. But then the main character starts seeing zombies, which kind of turned me off, because I feel about zombies about the same way I felt about vampires. I'd really love it if one of you would read the book and responded as to your feelings in this blog. Post your own thoughts because maybe I'm crazy and this book deserved its award....

The Lions of Little Rock ( 291 pages )

Kristin Levine has written about a 12 year old white girl entering middle school the same year that the Little Rock Nine attempted to integrate the city's schools. This is not the first book on this subject, but I believe it is the first written from the point of view of a Caucasian. Set in 1958, Marlee is one of those kids who doesn't want to draw any attention to herself; so she doesn't talk (except to her sister and brother)! She's a math wiz, however, and uses the repetition of prime numbers to keep her from feeling totally over-whelmed. And then she meets Liz, and for the first time in all of her years of school, she has a friend. Liz is bright, bold, and unknown by Marlee, an African American passing as white. The novel shows that it is possible for a 12 year old to take a stand on something s/he believes to be the correct course to follow. This would pair nicely with Fire In The Rock by Sharon Draper.

Black Boy White School 246 Pages

When I first got into Brian Walker's book, I was VERY hesitant to continue reading and even more so to write about it in this blog. The use of the "N" word seemed more than harsh and grating. I started asking myself, "Why does it seem to be okay for black people to call each other by this term, but white people are viewed as offensive when they use the word?" Then I thought of all of the Jewish comics who made Jewish jokes that seemed funny to Jews, but might not have seemed so funny if gentiles were saying them. Hmmm, so it's okay for us to poke fun/laugh at ourselves, but people outside of "the fold" had better not? Anthony is one of a few African Americans attending a prep school in Maine. What happens is that he finds he doesn't feel comfortable at school and he then doesn't feel comfortable at home. When he is at school, he misses home, and when he is at home he misses school. This book will evoke much needed conversation about racism in America....even in Maine!

I'll Be There 392 Pages

Holly Goldberg Sloan has written a wonderful read for both boys' and girls' enjoyment. It is about two young boys, Sam and Riddle.Sam is 14 and Riddle is much younger. Riddle has several things going against him: he doesn't speak, he has terrible asthma, and he has never been to school. Sam has never been to school either, and he has assumed the responsibility for keeping his brother alive. Their father is an ex-con and an alcoholic. So when their mother dies, he decides to take the two boys, pack them up in his truck, and hit the road. They keep moving as the father would steal license plates from cars, jewelry from homes, and anything else he could easily get his hands on without creating too much suspicion. And then Sam meets Emily, and everything changes for both boys. But when their father discovers just what this meeting has meant to the boys, all hell breaks loose.He has a plan to drive out of state,into a deserted area and kill both boys. Your students will love this book.

Classroom Instruction that Works 2nd edi

This book is written by a team of authors: Ceri Dean, Elizabeth Hubbell, Howad Pitler, Bj Stone, and builds on the earlier work of the same title by Robert Marzano. I'm not sure if I mentioned him in my last class, and if I didn't, shame on me! Marzano is another one of the gurus you teachers should know. If you are interested in any of his work, he "resides" on the cart in my "office" DMH 218. Email me if you want to get in. Years ago, I attended a professional development workshop given by one of his cohorts. During the workshop, she quoted his research on the importance of teaching kids similarities and differences. There is all kinds of research that supports this importance and how it raises student scores...This book is not thick, but it has an entire chapter devoted to teaching similarities and differences!It was a freebie from ASCD, and is published by McRel (Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning). You are welcome to borrow it from me.The book focuses on 9 strategies that have the most positive effect on student learning: 1)Setting objectives and providing feedback, 2) Reinforcing effort and providing recognition, 3)cooperative learning, 4) Cues, questions, and advance notifiers, 5) Nonlinguistic representations, 6)Summarizing and note taking, 7) Assigning homework and providing practice, 8)Identifying similarities and difference,and 9) Generating and testing hypotheses. You should probably This is one you should have!

The Berlin Boxing Club (398 pages)

Robert Sharenow (don't you love his last name?) has truly "shared" an outstanding YA read about the Holocaust. Now, I am NOT a boxing fan. I dislike it even more than football! But, as with Robert Lipsyte's book, The Contender, this isn't really about boxing. It's a book about coming of age, about self image, about family love, and I think it is a book that should replace many of Holocaust books that have been over-taught for years. It is my new favorite YA book! It is perfect for 7->12th grades. Please, do me a favor and get back to me after you've read it! Or add to this post....if it's possible. What do I know about Blogs????

The Fault In Our Stars (313 Pages)

John Green may be familiar to you as the author of Looking for Alaska. Although I didn't really care for that book(I know it won all kinds of awards, so what do I know?) this book I adored, and your students will also. I laughed, I cried, and the characters feelings became my feelings. It's just a wonderful read. I'm not going to say another word.

The Future of Us (356 Pages)

Jay Asher ( author of Thirteen Reasons Why) co-authored this book with Carolyn Mackler (author of The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things). The book offers one chapter in Josh's voice and the next in Emma's voice. Josh and Emma have lived next to each other for years. They have been best friends, until Josh perceived the relationship to be more, and Emma was shocked at the thought. "You're...Josh!" she said. And he felt shunned and embarrassed. He stays away from Emma until one day his mother sends him next door with an America On Line CD that offers 30 free hours of free web time, including email. Emma loads it on to the new computer her father has sent her, only to be amazed that it shows her life 15 years into the future! She calls Josh over and the same thing happens when he joins the service. How they live their lives making changes or not that effect their future is what the story is all about. It's a good read.

Brain Jack (347 pages)

Brian Falkner has written a book that will be a winner for any boys or girls who are "techies." It takes place in the future, after the United States has suffered from a nuclear blast that wiped out Las Vegas. The plot ranges from cyber stealing, to national terrorism. This book involves the character's using a futuristic cap that allows them to operate a computer without a keyboard, just by thinking what they want the computer to do. It's cool. And I'm definitely not a techie! Falkner is from New Zealand and this is the first of his books that I've read, but it definite;y won't be the last!

The Rag and Bone Shop (154 Pages)

Robert Cormier died just before The Rag and Bone Shop was published. It is not a new book, is a very short book, and it is not a difficult read. However, I think it is a very important book for students to read and discuss. Most kids think that if they are accused of something they didn't do, nobody could make them admit to having done it! This is a book that says otherwise. For this reason alone, students need to know that they should never answer any questions without a parent or lawyer present, no matter how innocent they may be. The interesting thing about this book, published in 2001, is that three years later, in 2004, I was in Virginia visiting family, and happened to pick up a local paper. There was a story that absolutely mirrors this short novel. I have the article, and if any of you want it, email me your address and I'll send it to you. It will scare the....out of your students. But sometimes it's good to be scared, if it protects you from potential harm! BTW, if you are considering this book, I'd get a copy asap before it goes out of print!

The Always War (197 Pages)

If you're not familiar with Margaret Peterson Haddix, and if you are a middle school teacher, this is an opportunity to meet this wonderful author. I first read her book Among the Hidden (the first in the series The Shadow Children) and I was hooked. The premise for that series is that government has passed a law allowing parents to only have one child. (Sound familiar?) This is a story of a family that has a second child and does not destroy him, but hides him. It is a good read, and very appropriate for middle schoolers OR for high school kids who have not been hooked into reading! If they read the first book, they will probably be hooked to read the others. But enough of that. Haddix often writes in the "what if ?" genre. (I made it up, but it has become one of my favorites) "What if? examples would be stories like "What if all the birds in the world turned against humans for caging them and furiously attacked? This latest Haddix book is short, but the "What if?" may not be such a stretch of the imagination, unfortunately, to your students. What if all you have ever known was war? What if all your parents and grandparents had ever known was war. Now here comes the twist. What if there really was no war, and there had not been a war for a LONG time? It's a good read.

Crossed (367 Pages)

This is Ally Condie's sequel to Matched, and it will not disappoint the reader who enjoyed the first book. Once again dystopian society and a continuation of characters Cassia and Ky, the story is told from both characters' points of view. Even Xander enters the plot with a few surprises of his own! Cassia is determined to make her way to Ky, for whom she has deep feelings of love. But she was supposed to be matched with Xander, the boy she grew up with, the boy who knows her, the boy she knows and loves...Many of your students will be interested in Cassia's decisions in this sequel, and there can be some lively discussion. So now we have a 2 book series for dystopian book clubs with at least 3 different series. Hmmm, how to handle that?

The Adoration of Jenna Fox (265 pages)

Mary Pearson has written a book that will have your students talking/arguing about any number of issues brought up in this plot. Here is the story of Jenna Fox, a young girl who parents are intelligent people, her father a scientist connected to a university. The question is this; just how far will parents go to protect their children? Waking up from what she is told has been a coma lasting for one year, Jenna remembers nothing. She has been given pictures, home movies and although they spark something- it isn't really enough to bring everything back. Why won't anyone talk to her about the accident? And then one day, she cuts herself accidentally, but it is a deep cut and it is a cut that answers all those questions and brings up more....The book has some discussion questions at the end as well as questions for the author. This book would pair very nicely with Jody Picolt's My Sister's Keeper.

Wonder Struck (617 pages)

Don't panic! Although this book is hefty in length, at least half of it is composed of marvelous pencil drawings. Brian Selznick has created a novel following the same format that he used in his first, award winning book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. This has recently been made into a movie. Hugo is the story of a young boy who lives with his dad behind a large clock in the Paris train station. When his dad dies, Hugo carries on the work trying to figure out an invention his dad had started. The drawings are incredible, and many of your students may have already read this National Book Award winner. Where Hugo was set in Paris in the last century, Wonder Struck is set in the good old USA. However, the book is really 2 independent stories, each set 50 years apart. Two children (Ben and Rose) are both on a journey to find something important to them. After his mother's accidental death, Ben looks for the father he has never known. Rose looks for an actress she has been chronicling in a scrap book. Once again, the art work is amazing and reminds me of Chris Van Allsburg books which are also illustrated in pencil. I read 1/2 the book in one evening. It will not cause headaches to any of your students.

Miss Perrigrine's Home For Peculiar Children (348 pages)

This novel mixes fiction and photography, and author Ransom Riggs (yep, that's his name; can you believe it?!) has created a plot that brings World War II and today into one time warp. Jacob's grandfather always told him stories. Peculiar stories. Stories Jacob wasn't sure he believed, in spite of his grandfather's insistence that they were true. Then his grandfather dies quite mysteriously. Jacob got a glimpse of the killer, but no one believes him, and he is sent to a child psychiatrist. As many other bright children have done, he eventually plays the game, telling the doctor what he thinks the doctor wants to hear. It turns out that Jacob's grandfather was sent from Poland by his parents in order to escape the Nazi regime. People he didn't know hustled him across Europe to Wales where he ended up in Miss Peregrine's home. I can't begin to tell you the mystery that develops, or how Jacob ended up going to Wales with his father (who was a little peculiar himself- if you ask me-) and how once in Wales he begins to uncover his grandfather's stories which were really not so peculiar after all! You will adore the photographs and the story just transport you into another time and another place. Have fun with this one.

You Against Me (413 pages)

Jenny Downham (the author of the outstanding book Before I Die) has written a book that was not at all what I expected. I loved her first book, but thought this was going to be a book about teen sex. Yuch. It isn't. Mikey's sister has been assaulted. They are part of a poor family, and the boy who assaulted her is from a very prominent, wealthy family. Mikey wants revenge, and he sets out with his buddy to get it. And when he goes to the mansion where a welcome home party is being held for the boy who committed the assault on his sister, he meets the boy's sister, Ellie. They become friends, and eventually more than that. Mikey cares deeply for Ellie, but he also loves his sister and sees what an emotional impact this has had on her. The book is about loyalty, love, and having the courage to stand up for what is right. It's a winner!

elsewhere (276 pages)

Gabrielle Zevin has written an absolutely wonderful book, in every sense of the word. But why would I especially want to read a book that deals with death? For those of you who have not been in touch with me lately, let me give you some background information. Last year was ghastly. In January, my beloved grandson, Kyle, died unexpectedly. Although only 8 years old, he was a big part of my life and I was devastated. Six months later, my beloved husband, Ed, died two months after being diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Then in October, we received news that my sister has terminal cancer. Good Lord, I sound like a contestant on the old T.V. show Queen for a Day! But enough. Let me tell you about Elsewhere! It is the story of a 15 year old who is hit by a car, and who dies. She goes elsewhere....heaven? Not sure, but it is elsewhere. There she meets her grandmother who died before she was born. She meets many other people too, and they all become part of her coming of age! Coming of age? But she's dead. Ah, yes, but in elsewhere people age backwards, and then return to a new life wherever. What Liz learns in Elsewhere is more than she could have ever learned when she was alive. Believe me, your students will enjoy this book. There is much to discuss and write about whether it be knowing who we are, or knowing what we expect of others, or what it mens to do something meaningful. I think you'll enjoy it. I know it isn't true. I know I'm probably searching for comfort, but that is what I found reading this book- if for a little while: what if????

Divergent (487 pages)

Veronica Roth is a new author to me, but this book will be of interest to any of you who enjoyed The Hunger Games....I write that with some hesitation, as this book is similar, and will be a series, yet it is definitely different from the Hunger Games. There is much good about it, but I was a little concerned about the ending. That may be the link to the next book in the series; we'll see. It is a book set way into the future in Dystopian Chicago. Those of you who are familiar with Chicago will relate well to the text as you recognize Chicago "sites". Beatrice is a young girl who has lived with her mother, father, and older brother in what seems like a fairly normal nuclear family. The society has a tradition of requiring adolescents to choose the "path" they wish to follow. This path is either to stay where they are or go to a different faction. each faction has a its own "virtue." Both Beatrice and her brother choose not to stay with their faction. The plot includes more than enough exciting moments of fights, frightening tests of mental and physical endurance, and testing of loyalty. It's a keeper. This is a book that could be added to the possibility of a book club with a theme of dystopian reading.

Stay With Me (228 pages)

Paul Griffin, the author of this book may be familiar to you as the author of Ten Mile River. Once again, he writes about kids that are on the fringes of society; all facing some problem, often lack of money, lack of parenting, etc. In this book he tells us the story of two adolescents who fall in love, as adolescents are wont to do. Cece is a young girl, a little over-weight, who works as a waitress in a local restaurant. Mack, is a young man who has already had a run in with the law and has spent time in jail We learn that Mack has a learning disability- possibly A.D.D, and definitely has anger management issues. However, he is the original "dog whisperer." Mack is able to tame any dog making the animal comply with his commands. Mack has secured a job as dish washer in the same restaurant where Cece works. As their relationship develops Cece goes from not trusting Mack to believing that he'd never do anything to hurt her or the people she cares about. Then her brother goes off to training for combat in the army. He has done his best to get Cece to accept Mack because he believes Mack is a good guy. Cece idolizes her brother, so she allows herself to fall for Mack. Mack's dad is an alcoholic, and often not home, or when he is there, he's out of it. A man who lives in their building has threatened Mack's dog on several occasions. What he does to the dog, and Mack's reaction to this action reverses the road the book was taking. It is an amazing ending that will open up many opportunities for discussion or response with your students. It would make a GREAT book for a Book Club read.