Young Adult Literature - Monster

Myers, W. D. (1999). Monster.  New York: Amistad.

Steve Harmon is sixteen years old and is on trial for murder.  In a robbery gone wrong, a drug store owner is killed.  Two men went into the store to get the money.  Steve allegedly had the job of going in before the robbery to see if the store was empty.  One other teenager had the job of slowing down anyone who chased the robbers.  This story is told through Steve's journal and a screen play that he is writing.  In a way, the reader can't help to feel sorry fo Steve.  He did not pull the trigger, and he wasn't in the store when the murder took place.  On the otherhand, if he was involved in the way that he was accused, then he is still an accomplice to the murder. 
I really enjoyed this book.  It did take me a little while to become accustomed to reading the screenplay format, but I enjoyed the story.  It is a book that makes you think and examine the sometimes thin line between guilt and innocence. 

Young Adult Literature - What My Mother Doesn't Know

Sones, S. (2001). What my mother doesn't know. New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.

This is a book written in poetic verse.  Sophie tells her story of relationships with boys, her mother, and her father.  Her parents' marriage is falling apart and Sophie is trying to cope with the distance between her mother and father.  She is also trying to adjust to her ever-changing feelings about the boys around her.  First she is in love with her boyfriend Dylan, but later she can't stand the though of being near him.  While her friends are away for Christmas vacation, she begins a relationship with the school outcast.  She quickly learns that they have a great deal in common and that they are actually perfect for each other.
I enjoyed this book.  It accurately portrays the many changing feelings and experiences that teenagers go through.  I thought Sophie was an interesting narrator, and it did not take me long to become comfortable with the format of the story.

Young Adult Literature - Charles Darwin

Krull, K. (2010). Charles Darwin. New York: Viking.

 

I was extremely impressed with the say Kathleen Krull presents her biography of Charles Darwin.  The book is written in a very easy to understand format that makes Darwin's life not only interesting, but also exciting.  I found Darwin to be a fascinating subject and greatly enjoyed learning more about his life.  I think that he was a brilliant scientist for his time and also an all-around nice person. 

Young Adult Literature - Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing

Angel, A. (2010). Janis Joplin: Rise up singing. New York: Amulet Books.

Janis Joplin:  Rise Up Singing is an interesting, well-written biography that covers the tragic life of Janis Joplin.  I found this book fascinating since Joplin grew up in Port Arthur, an area where my dad's family briefly went to school.  Angel does a great job of telling Joplin's story in a way that is appropriate for young adults. 

Young Adult Literature - Saving the Baghdad Zoo

Halls, K. M., & Sumner, W. (2010). Saving the Baghdad zoo: a true story of hope and heroes. New

     York: Greenwillow Books.

Saving the Baghdad Zoo was simultaneously an uplifting story and a sad story.  It was wonderful to read about the success stories for some of the animals.  However, it was also tragic to think about what happened to all of the animals that were missing or that died before help could arrive.  I enjoyed the stories of each animal that was given a new lease on life.  I especially enjoyed the pictures of the happy animals in their new habitats.  I loved the story of the lions and their special relationship to the dog they grew up with.  Even though the lions were starving, they did not eat their companion. 

Young Adult Literature - It's Perfectly Normal

Harris, R., & Emberley, M. (2009). It's perfectly normal: Changing bodies, growing up, sex and sexual

      health. New York: Candlewick Press.

It's Perfectly Normal is a book that intends to educate adolescents about puberty, sex, and reproduction.  I think it is a good book to introduce the topic of sex education with a child; however, I am surprised that the cover recommends it for ages 10 and up.  Some of the illustrations in the book are detailed and seem too mature for most 10 year olds.  I would recommend the book for 13 and up, but I think more than anything, it depends on the maturity level of the child.  The book does cover a wide range of topics that are important for adolescents to understand as they are growing up and entering puberty.

Young Adult Literature - It Gets Better

Savage, D., & Miller, T. eds. (2011). It gets better: Coming out, overcoming bullying, and creating a
     
       life worth living. New York: Dutton.

It Gets Better includes a wide range of people telling the stories of how they overcame bullying and survived high school.  On the surface, the book is aimed at gay and lesbian teenagers to let them know that life does get better and they shouldn't take the road to suicide because they are different.  However, the book has a great message for anyone who has ever experienced bullying in high school.  Basically, it is important to let kids know that just because life is hard right now, that doesn't mean that you can't overcome it and have a great life in the future.  The book includes stories from many famous gay and lesbians, as well as from ordinary people who succeeded in life, to straight politicians, including the president.  Each person who contributed to the book tries to show support to teenagers who are bullied for their differences.
I think the book is very relevant to today.  Bullying is something that, unfortunately, goes on constantly in our schools, often with tragic results.  Bullies often push their victims to drastic measures.  The only downfall to the book was that it seemed almost like overkill.  I think that the book almost had too many contributions.  I think a smaller number of well-written contributions would have been better.

Young Adult Literature - Cool Salsa

Cool Salsa Bilingual Poems on Growing Up Latino in the United States.. (2008). Chicago: Paw Prints.

 

 

Cool Salsa is an interesting book of poetry.  I did not enjoy this book as much as What Have You Lost?  Most of the poems in this book are in English on one page and Spanish on the next page.  Since I am not fluent in Spanish, I went through the book quickly since I focused on the English translations.  I can see how this would be an interesting book to use in a Spanish class, or for hispanic students.  I thought that many of the poems were interesting, but I didn't connect with them as well as I did with the poems in the other poetry book I read. 

Young Adult Literature - What Have You Lost?

What Have You Lost? is a unique book of poetry.  Naomi Shihab Nye, an excellent poet herself, has selected various poems from a diverse array of poets covering different forms of loss.  The book contains poems that cover losing everything from a loved one to a sweater, and everything in between.  I enjoyed many of the poems in this book, eventhough poetry is not my favorite type of leisurely reading.  I think that some teens would enjoy reading this book especially to help them cope with the various types of loss in their own lives.

Young Adult Literature - Code Talker

Bruchac, J. (2005).  Code talkers: a novel about the Navajo marines of World War Two. New  
          York: Speak.


Code Talkers is an interesting book covering a fascinating topic.  However, for some reason, I had a hard time getting into this novel.  I think that the main downfall is the way the author moves from one episode to another so quickly.  Sometimes it seems as if he is giving way too much military detail, and other times he moves quickly onto another battle or training session with little detail.  I think this inconsistency kept me from really connecting with the main character.  I do understand that it would be almost impossible to write a book of a manageable length that fully covers his entire experience leading up to and during World War II; however, I felt that the book would probably be more interesting if the author had focused more on a shorter period of time within the main character's life.  I also would have liked to have seen more interaction with his friends throughout the war.  It all just seemed  a little episodic to me.  I think the story of the code talkers is interesting, and I think it would appeal to boys who are more interested in battles and history.