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!