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06/20/07 |
         
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Extra Credit Book Reviews |
Books |
Comments |
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I Am The Messenger, Markus Zusak |
19-year old Ed Kennedy has not made too much of his life so far. He's an ambitionless cab-driver who has unrequited love for his best friend, Audrey, and plays a lot of card games with his equally ambitionless buddies, Marv and Ritchie. When Ed unwittingly stops a bank robbery and gets his 15 minutes of fame, someone (the big mystery is WHO?) starts sending him playing cards with clues leading Ed to people that he needs to help. Slowly, Ed's self-esteem is raised and he discovers that maybe his life is not so purposeless after all. |
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Invisible, Pete Hautmann |
Doug Hanson, a loner who gets beat up a lot, is best friends with Andy Morrow, a popular football player who doesn't seem to mind Doug's quirkiness. Doug's hobby is building a model railroad village in his basement. He is currently working on an exact-scale replica of the Golden Gate Bridge made out of matchsticks. When Doug gets caught stalking a classmate, readers learn that all is not what it seems, and that a person's mind is not only fragile, but completely destructible. |
| Strange Times at Western High, Emily Pohl-Weary | A book about a school called Western High with a football team called the Mustangs: what's not to love? Natalie is the new kid in school, but that doesn't stop her from stumbling into a mystery before the first bell even rings. Not wanting to be picked on by a group of popular girls, Natalie enters the wrong door and discovers that the custodian has been brutally attacked. While calling 911, Natalie witnesses the attacker running away from the scene. With help from the custodian's cute hacker son, Jacob, Natalie solves the mystery and makes some good friends along the way. |
| Broken China, Lori Aurelia Williams | China Cup Cameron, a 14-year old single mother, is trying her best to take care of her daughter while going to school. When tragedy strikes at the babysitter's house, China makes some really tough decisions about how best to take care of her now dead baby girl. In the end, China comes to some harsh realizations about the lengths that some people will go to in order to get you to do something that you know in your heart is not the right thing to do. I liked China and I felt bad for her situation, but the choices that she made were AWFUL and I found myself getting more and more frustrated with her. |
| Twisted, Laurie Halse Anderson | I loved this new novel by the author of Speak. Tyler is a former geek who has become more popular because he pulled a graffiti prank last year and had to spend his summer doing community service landscaping. He is now tall and muscular and cute. He even attracts the attention of his father's boss's daughter, Bethany, the girl of his dreams. When Tyler's new "bad boy" reputation leads to false accusations, his morals, perceptions, and conceptions of the truth are challenged. As his life seems to spiral downward, Tyler chooses to live his life with integrity and self-respect, becoming the man that he decides he needs to be. |
| Life As We Knew It, Susan Beth Pfeffer | When an asteroid crashes into the moon, everything changes for 16-year old Miranda. Supermarkets run out of food, schools are closed, electricity becomes a thing of the past, and gas prices skyrocket to over $10/gallon. Just when things seem to be at their worst, something always happens to make the day before seem like a walk in the park. Miranda is plucky, though, and she has her two brothers and her mother to help her survive. Through Miranda's diary entries, we get a real sense of the one thing that is needed in situations like this: hope. |
| I Don't Want To Be Crazy, Samantha Schutz | If I did not have a family member who suffers from severe anxiety attacks, I might not have found Samantha to be a credible character. However, having seen firsthand what an anxiety attack looks like and how a person with severe anxiety thinks, feels, and behaves, I found Samantha's story to be bang-on. At times, I wanted to shake some sense into her, but in this book, as well as real life, people with anxiety disorders have to make a conscious decision to be well all on their own. The author's note at the end of the book gives readers a brief description of the difference between normal anxiety and anxiety disorders, and lists some organizations and websites for people who wish to learn more about anxiety disorders or mental illness. |
| It's a Mall World After All, Janette Rallison | Charlotte’s job of spraying perfume on people at Bloomingdale’s doesn’t require her to pay too much attention to what she is doing. That’s why she is able to spend so much time people-watching. Unfortunately, one of the people that she ends up watching is her best friend Brianna’s boyfriend, Bryant, and he is flirting with another girl. Charlotte has not liked Bryant since the sixth-grade and she can’t wait to break the news to Brianna. However, Bryant is a smooth talker, and he somehow convinces Brianna that Charlotte is simply trying to break them up. Charlotte’s mission becomes clear: to catch Bryant in the act of cheating on Brianna. Will Bryant’s best friend, Colton, stand in her way or become her ally? |
| Tropical Fish, Doreen Baingana | Through a collection of stories, the lives of three sisters are told. Set in Uganda, readers are exposed to the politics, religion, and history of their country. In the chapter entitled “Thank You Note,” Rosa writes a biting letter to the young man from whom she believes she has contracted AIDS. Christine’s search for self-identify takes her on a journey to America and back, where she discovers the true meaning of home. I thought that this book was more for college-age students or adults. Many of the themes were too heavy for high school students. |
| The Book of Bright Ideas, Sandra Kring | When Winnalee and her older sister, Freeda, breeze into town in the summer of 1961, Evelyn Peters (aka Button) can't believe her luck. She knows that somehow her life is going to be forever changed. Button and Winnalee become fast friends, in spite of the objections of Button's mother to Freeda's loose morals and relaxed ideas about parenting. Winnalee carries her dead mama's ashes around in an urn and has a big book that she calls her "Book of Bright Ideas" in which she writes down her thoughts and philosophies about life. When mysteries are uncovered and secrets are revealed, however, everyone learns that some secrets might be better left buried. |
| Emily Goldberg Learns to Salsa, Micol Ostow | Emily Goldberg’s last summer before college starts out all wrong. Her grandmother dies and her family goes to Puerto Rico for the funeral. Emily's mother, who is having a hard time dealing with the death of her mom, decides that she needs to stay for a while in Puerto Rico to reconnect with her roots. Emily agrees to stay with her, sacrificing her much-anticipated cross-country road trip with her best friends, Adrienne and Isabelle. During the course of the summer, Emily and her mom discover poignant truths about their past, present, and future. |
| Kiss Me Tomorrow, Susan Shreve | Alyssa Reed (aka Blister) is having a hard time adjusting to 7th grade. Her best friend, Jonah, has abandoned her in favor of trying to get in with the cool crowd, and her divorced parents seem to be bent on introducing new people into her life and letting her down. Her unconventional grandma, Daisy G., is the only constant in her life. When Jonah gets arrested for shoplifting, Blister knows that he could not possibly have pulled it off. In her attempts to prove Jonah’s innocence, Blister learns that people can surprise you with their goodness, and that judging a book by its cover isn’t always the right thing to do. |
| Accidents of Nature, Harriet McBryde Johnson | It is the summer of 1970, and Jean is experiencing Camp Courage for the first time. This summer camp, sponsored by the Jaycees and supporters of Jerry Louis’ yearly telethons, is for children with disabilities of every sort. Even though Jean has cerebral palsy, she has always attended regular school and felt very much a part of the “normal” world. At “Camp Crip,” as her bunkmate Sara calls it, Jean starts to wonder about where she fits in and what “normal” actually is. |
| The Book Thief, Marcus Zusak | Set during the Holocaust, this is a story of an average German family who is hiding a Jewish man in their basement. It is narrated by Death, who is not like the stereotypical depiction at all (black robe, scythe, gloomy demeanor). Instead, Death weeps for all of the exterminated souls as he tenderly carries them away. It's an excellent book, but rather long. |
| Wolf Boy, Evan Kuhlman | Sad story with characters who are painfully human, asking existential questions, seeing ghosts, each dealing with Francis' death in his/her own way. It's set in 1994, and so most of the pop culture references will be lost on 2007 teens. |
| The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl, Barry Lyga | Kyra ("Goth Girl") and Donnie ("Fanboy") strike up a friendship that ultimately gives Donnie the courage to show his graphic novel to his favorite writer/illustrator, as well as stand up to the bullies and come out of his shell. |
| The Last Days, Scott Westerfeld | Excellent book. It's a sequel to Peeps, but you do not have to have read the first book to understand or appreciate what is going on. Bizarre and disturbing things are happening in New York City. Moz, Zahler, Pearl, Minerva, and Alana Ray form a band. Every time Minerva sings, spells seem to be cast and events set into motion that will either destroy or save the world. |
| My Life Starring Mum, Chloe Rayban | I found this book to be a rather clichéd look at the life of a celebrity. Khandi, the mom, is an unbelievably shallow, self-absorbed character, and her 13-year old daughter, Holly, isn't much better. |
| Standing Against The Wind, Traci L. Jones | Patrice is an excellent role model for girls who are tempted to be somebody that they are not in order to fit in. She is definitely "standing against the wind" throughout much of the book, but when it comes down to it, Patrice discovers the confidence and inner strength necessary to achieve her goals. |
| Markus + Diana, Klaus Hagerup | The sheer torture and awkwardness of adolescence are captured in the main character, Markus, who discovers that being himself, though scary, is better than pretending to be someone else. |
| Weird Stuff, Richard Tulloch | Sweet, funny, clever story. What I liked best is Brian's realization that he does, in fact, have a good imagination and an ability to write, even without the magical Easyflow pen. |
| Tallulah Falls, Christine Fletcher | Tallulah (her real name is Debbie...don't ask) realizes some truths about herself when she gets abandoned in the middle-of-nowhere Tennessee and has to work as a veterinarian's assistant to make enough money to head down to Florida to rescue her manic-depressive friend, Maeve. |
| Grand and Humble, Brent Hartinger. | Loved the twist at the end. I sure didn't see it coming! I enjoy books that makes you question "what if...." It reminded me of the Gwyneth Paltrow movie, Sliding Doors. |
| Burger Wuss, M.T. Anderson | Light, funny, “Revenge of the Nerds” kind of book. Anyone who’s had a “McJob” will find the corporate parts hilarious. |
| Big Mouth & Ugly Girl, Joyce Carol Oates | Almost stopped reading this after the first chapter because I was so disappointed in the quality of writing. I stuck with it, though, and it got better. I liked the story, overall, but I expected more from the author. |
| The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis | Am listening to all of the books in this series in the car with my daughter. It’s a classic. We're on book six, The Silver Chair, now. |
| Vegan Virgin Valentine, Carolyn Mackler | Raced through this book in 2 hours. Totally related to over-achiever Mara. |
| Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson | Well-written; tackles taboo issue of date rape. |
| Copper Sun, Sharon Draper | The author rips you (along with the main character) from everything you’ve known and thrusts you into some uncomfortable truths about slavery. Excellent! |
| Fat Kid Rules the World, K.L. Going | Like the main character, I think I’m a frustrated drummer (not punk, though). Good story. |
| The Sledding Hill, Chris Crutcher | Brilliantly supernatural. Loved the way the author inserts himself into this timely story about censorship and 1st Amendment rights. |
| Angry Housewives Eating Bonbons, Lorna Landvik | In spite of the horribly misleading title, really liked this story of friendship and reading books together over the years. |
| Here Lies the Librarian, Richard Peck | Great appeal for librarians; not so much for teens. |
| Rebecca, Daphne Du Maurier | My second time around with this classic. It takes a while to get into it, but then you can’t stop. |
| Looking For Alaska, John Green | Excellent characters. I like the way the author doesn’t solve the mystery surrounding Alaska’s death. |
| Inexcusable, Chris Lynch | Fascinating look into the mind of a teen rapist. |
| Girl 15, Charming But Insane, Sue Limb | Cute book; made me laugh out loud. |
| The Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffenegger | Loved this book and the whole time travel concept. |
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One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies, Sonya Sones |
Sad situation; poignant characters. |
| Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy, Sonya Sones | Real look at depression and how it affects family members. |
| The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, Kate DiCamillo | Timeless story of learning how to love. |
| The Tenth Circle, Jodi Picoult | Fascinating to read; difficult subject matter of date rape. Interwoven with the plot are graphic novel illustrations. |
| Monster, Walter Dean Myers | Clever writing; must-read for all teens. |
| Bird, Angela Johnson | Excellent characters and inter-connectedness. |
| My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult | Topical and heart-wrenching; surprise ending. |
| The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Mark Haddon | Well-written; accurate and lovable characters. Excellent insight into Asperger’s Syndrome. |
| Hoot, Carl Hiassen | Who knew that Carl Hiassen could write for kids!? There’s a movie out, too. |
| Flush, Carl Hiassen | Loved the socio-environmental message. |
| The Silver Crown, Robert C. O'Brien | Slightly scary for my 5-year old daughter, but a terrific story. We listened to it in the car. |
| Saving Francesca, Melina Marchetta | My absolute favorite book for teens. LOVED it, loved it, loved it! |
| The Watsons Go to Birmingham, C.P. Curtis | Everyone in my family really enjoyed listening to this book. |
| Feed, M.T. Anderson | Is being connected to the Internet (or the “Feed”) at all times so great? Like the author, I’m not entirely convinced. |
| The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things, Carolyn Mackler | Every teen can relate to Virginia, regardless of body type. Story of date rape and so much more. |
| Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine | Loved this Cinderella story with a twist. Cute, clever. |
| how i live now, Meg Rosoff | Futuristic. More than a little disturbing, but well written. |
| The First Part Last, Angela Johnson | Bobby is an amazing character. Not many teenage boys would be so dedicated to their baby daughters while trying to finish high school. When the mystery surrounding Nia (the baby's mother) was solved, I was very surprised. This is a must read for all teens. |
Mrs. Thole |
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| The Book Thief, Marcus Zusak | Tale of a German girl during WWII. One of the most powerful books I've read EVER. |
| Water For Elephants, Sara Gruen | An old man tells about his life with the circus in the 1930's. |
| The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini | I think every human being should read this. I sobbed with sadness and JOY at the ending. Kids have read it and loved it, too. |
See if there are any books that sound interesting on this list of romances found in our library media center. The list is not exhaustive.
| Ironman, Chris Crutcher | Anger at his father fuels 17-year old Bo's quest for victory in the triathlon. |
| Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, Chris Crutcher | Swimming is the background for this story of Moby, an ex-fat boy, and Sarah Byrnes whose tragic past lives up to her name. |
| Halfback Tough, Thomas Dygard | Can Joe Atkin live down his bad-boy reputation when he moves to a new city and becomes the star of his new high school football team? |
| Danger Zone, David Klass | A small town basketball star travels to Los Angeles to join the American Teen Dream Team to prepare for international competition in Rome. |
| The Contender, Robert Lipsyte | What does it take to be a contender in boxing? In life? |
| Iceman, Chris Lynch | 14-year old Eric is a study in contrasts, emotionally insecure but an absolute animal in the hockey rink where he slams out his anger and suffering. |
| Hoops, Walter Dean Myers | Lonnie is at first disgusted with his basketball coach but soon learns more from him than how to improve his game. |
| Slam!, Walter Dean Myers | A 17-year old African American basketball player has to overcome lots of distractions that are interfering with his star status. |
| Alex Awards | Ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18. Winning titles are selected from the previous year's publishing. |
| Best Books for Young Adults | Fiction and nonfiction titles selected for their proven or potential appeal to the personal reading tastes of young adults. Acceptable literary quality as well as effectiveness of presentation. |
| Margaret A. Edwards Award | Honors an author, as well as a specific body of his or her work, that has been popular over a period of time. Recognizes an author's work in helping adolescents become aware of themselves and addressing questions about their role and importance in relationships, society, and in the world. |
| The Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature | Books that exemplify literary excellence in young adult literature. |
| Outstanding Books for the College Bound | Primarily intended for students in grades 9-12 who wish to enrich and strengthen their knowledge of various subject areas in both classic and contemporary literature. The lists can be used both by students wishing to round out their reading before entering college and by those taking college entrance examinations such as the ACT and SAT. The lists can also be used by young adults and adults who are lifelong learners wishing to increase or update their knowledge of literature in areas covered by the lists. |
| Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults | Books from a variety of categories: Religion, Humorous Books, Science Fiction, Mystery & Suspense, Music & Musicians, Relationships, War, Romance, Historical Fiction, and many, many more. |
| Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers | Books that will possibly appeal to those who do not normally like to read. |
This site was last updated 06/20/07
© 2006 Lara Walker
