Popular Paperback

Van Draanen, W. (2001). Flipped.  New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Bryce and Juli have been neighbors for the past six years or so. For six years, Juli has been in love with Bryce.  The feeling is not mutual, but Bryce cannot bring himself to tell Juli this.  Juli finds out what Bryce really thinks about her eventually though, which breaks her heart.  Bryce soon comes to realize that he does love Juli, but it may be a little too late.

I would recommended this book to fifth and sixth graders.  The relationship issues between Bryce and Juli are at a sweet, innocent level that a majority of middle and high schoolers would find boring, but preteens would find highly interesting.  The alternating point-of-view between Bryce and Juli is perfect for this story and very powerful.  Personally, I hated Juli in the first chapter because Bryce's narration of Juli painted her with such disdain.  By the time I learned Juli's side of the story, I was completely understanding of her behavior.  The multitude of conflicts going on within the main plot of this story definitely provide an insight into the world of its targeted readers: financial woes, school projects, varying levels of family issues, first loves, first kisses, betrayal, loss.  Readers will be able to see a little bit of themselves and their own families in many characters who make an appearance in the novel.  Without a doubt, by the book's end readers will have grown so close to the characters of Juli and Bryce that they will be frustrated not to find out whether they become boyfriend/girlfriend in the future. They will have learned however, to be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle, which is reinforced in a few ways throughout the novel.

Outstanding Books for the College Bound

Kleon, A. (2012). Steal like an artist: 10 things nobody told you about being creative. New York, NY: Workman Publishing Group.

Newspaper blackout poet Austin Kleon shares some tips about maximizing creativity that he has learned over the years.  In his book, he offers and explains ten tips that can help anyone be more creative.  The book itself has a graphic quality that includes quotes from well-known artists and inspiring illustrations and photographs.

Middle and high school fine arts teachers and English teachers would be wise to model and share some of Kleon's advice to students.  When it comes time to apply for college and seek out jobs, the students who have learned to reach their full creative potential will shine.  In his introduction, Kleon posits that all advice is autobiographical.  He is a writer and artist, so readers can rest assured they are receiving sound advice about the creative process.  A bibliography of suggested and further reading is included in the book.  The voice in which he presents his ideas is very conversational and inspiring.  His information is current and he avoid stereotyping artists, in fact, he makes the statement that "the romantic image of the creative genius doing drugs and running around and sleeping with everyone is played out", admitting that he works a job with standard hours, has a wife and dog, all while living in a quiet neighborhood.  Something I enjoyed most about this book is that Kleon addressed both the free-spirited nature of the creative process, but how to tame it with structure, routine, and organization.

Great Graphic Novels for Teens

Novgorodoff, D. (2014). The undertaking of Lily Chen. New York, NY: First Second.

When his older brother, Wei, dies, second son Deshi is sent out by his parents to find a corpse bride so that a ghost wedding may be performed and Wei can avoid loneliness in the afterlife.  Deshi hires Mr. Song to help him find a body.  On their quest, Deshi meets Lily who is running away from her parents.  Lily ends up helping Deshi give his brother a proper ghost wedding in an unexpected way.

Because of some language and sexual situations, I'd recommend this book for grades 8 and up.  Chinese folklore and ghost stories are very unique and this book offers a glimpse that might pique students' curiosity for what I feel is an under-appreciated Chinese cultural gem.  Teenagers will like the fact that the main characters rebel against their parents' wishes.  This element of the plot addresses Havighurst's developmental task because Deshi and Lily end up undergoing a major change in the relationship with their parents when they decide to abandon their families altogether in the end.   The popularity of zombies and ghosts may also make this book appealing.  Older readers may also enjoy Lisa See's Peony in Love which takes the idea of a ghost wedding and builds an intricate and captivating story around it.  Having prior experience with the concept of a ghost wedding, it was refreshing to see it placed in a modern context in The Undertaking of Lily Chen.

Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults

Stone, T. L. (2013). Courage has no color: The true story of the Triple Nickles. New York, NY: Scholastic.

This book chronicles the creation, training, and legacy of the Triple Nickles, a group of black paratroopers from World War II.  Stone discusses the treatment of blacks (and other people of color) in the military and how over a relatively short period of time these men and their commanding officers were able to start to change the U.S. military's rules about blacks in the military.  The photos, captions, and special spreads about the war are top notch and completely support the ideas stated in the text itself.

Courage Has No Colori is an excellent specimen of nonfiction for grades 5 to 8.  It provides an uncommon perspective on the racial prejudice that blacks face.  Most students are only familiar with the Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks and Jim Crow laws aspect of the civil rights issue.  Sharing a book like this with students and something like We Are the Ship by Kadir Nelson, would be a great way to expose them to racism outside their current schema.  A book like this is very important to share with students in the wake of the racial tensions in current events as kind of a "Is history repeating itself?" moment.  Tanya Lee Stone's desire in writing this book was to take what little was known to the public about the Triple Nickles, collect the scraps of stories and get the story out to the masses.  She extensively researched the topic to the point that she had too much information to include in this one book.  In her closing chapter of the book, she expresses the gratitude she has for our nation and these soldiers who did so much but go so little recognition.

Printz and Printz Honor

Tamaki, J. (2014). This one summer. New York, NY:  First Second.

While on vacation at her parent's getaway cottage, Rose and her friend Windy overhear conversations about sex and sex-related issues between the corner store's teenaged boy employee and his friends and girlfriends.  Between swimming and watching horror movies, the girls spend the next few weeks trying to get the low-down on what's going on between the employee and his girlfriend.  Meanwhile, Rose's parents are fighting and a miscarriage from the previous summer is the source of tension between her parents.  Near the end of the story, Rose's mom ends up saving the newly pregnant and emotionally distressed girlfriend of the corner store employee, when she is spotted floating in the water of the beach.

Middle school girls in particular will enjoy this book because the characters are on the cusp of venturing into adolescence.  Readers will find familiarity with the discussion of boobs, Rose's inexplicable interest in the corner store employee, sudden infatuation with horror movies, and difficulty dealing with her parents' issues which really have nothing to do with her.  I think it's very refreshing that the story is set in summer, so many realistic fiction books involve the drama of the school year; it's nice to know that summers aren't perfect either.  Havighurst's tasks of adapting to their physical bodies comes into play in this book because the girls compare and question the development of their bodies.  Rose and Windy also learn about appropriate sex roles as they see the drama unfold between the employee and his girlfriend.

Quick Picks

Doctorow, C. (2014). In real life. New York, NY: First Second.

Anda is recruited to take part in an online gaming experience exclusively for girl gamers.  Along the way she discovers that some of the features of the game are maintained by people in other countries working under unfair conditions.  She resolves to do what she can to bring light to this situation and help these workers.  Her actions as she tries to accomplish this goal get her into trouble in a few different ways.  When the truth comes out about what she was actually doing, she is lauded for her efforts and given full membership of the game.

The introduction of this book makes some very powerful and thought-provoking statements about worldwide economics and the issues of unfair working conditions throughout the world.  This book would be great for teachers to use to initiate or stimulate a conversation about this topic.  It would also pair very well with other texts about child labor throughout time and around the world.  A few minor cuss words used sparingly throughout the book might put a few teachers on edge, but they are used accurately within the gaming environment and mimic what real teens/gamers would say to each other.  Boys, who are more likely to be gamers could be interested in this book, but I think that the target audience is girl gamers.  Doctorow and illustrator Jen Wang do a great job of representing girl gamers realistically.  The girls depicted in this books are normal-looking, normal-sized.  They embrace their inner nerd.  Likewise, Anda's family is normal, portly mom and dad with genuine mom and dad concerns about their teen daughter playing online.  Girl readers will certainly relate to Anda and her fight to do what's right will inspire them to take a look at this issue.

Best Fiction for Young Adults

Pratt, N. (2014). Trouble. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster BFYR.

Hannah is a fifteen year old girl who finds herself pregnant after multiple sexual encounters within a short time frame.  Aaron is the new kid in school dealing with the grief of a traumatic event.  The two develop a symbiotic relationship to deal with their problems: Hannah gets a "fake father" for her baby and Aaron gets to "save" someone.  Their plan falls apart towards the end as the truth comes out, but their dedication to their friendship perseveres.

The novel is told from two perspectives, Hannah's and Aaron's, and is set up like a diary with dates and times, alternating in no consistent pattern between Hannah and Aaron.  Teenage girls in high school will certainly enjoy this book because the majority of the plot centers around pregnant Hannah and the drama that goes into getting pregnant, being pregnant, her fall from social grace, and dealing with friends and family.  Males who choose to read the book will enjoy reading about Aaron's issues.   The circumstances regarding Hannah's pregnancy cause her struggles with societal rules and doing what she knows is right demonstrates Kohlberg's postconventional level of moral development.  When she bravely ignores these rules to do what's right, she executes Havighurst's developmental task of changing her relationship with her parents.  Aaron meanwhile has been struggling with a changing relationship with his parents for the entire book.

Top YA Authors: Rebecca Stead

Stead, R. (2015). Goodbye, stranger. New York, NY:  Wendy Lamb Books.

In New York City, four seventh graders wrestle with adolescent drama.  Bridge is determined to keep her circle of friends together and strives to understand how she feels about Sherm,who dealing with the divorce of his grandparents and departure of his grandfather, while also trying to combat the jerks in his school who are tormenting one of Bridge's friends, Emily.  Emily getss caught up in a sexting scandal that stresses out their other friend, Tab, who just wants to be real and fair and fight for what's right.  Tab's sister Celeste is struggling with own friendships.  The storylines converge at the end and everything appears to turn out fine for all the characters.

I think this book would be exceptionally important for middle schoolers to read.  The issues that the characters in this book face are particularly relatable to this student population.  Stead's use of multiple characters allowed for her to cover a multitude of issues facing young adolescents.  The issues these characters face also address a few of Havighurst's developmental tasks.  Each character experiences some changes with their relationships with their parents, Emily in particular finds out that reaching out to her mom to deal with the sexting scandal was particularly helpful.  Tab is the poster child for developing morals and values. Through her teacher, Tab develops a genuine concern for human rights.  Bridge and Sherm's relationship is a great example of an easy relationship between opposite sexes but by the book's end they are advancing more than just friends status.

Top YA Authors: Andrew Smith

Smith, A. (2014). 100 sideways miles.  New York, NY: Simon & Schuster BFYR.

Seventeen year old Finn Easton suffers from epilepsy, but he meets and falls in love with a new girl, Julia.  Unfortunately, Julia's move to Finn's California neighborhood is short-lived and she moves back to her old hometown in Chicago.  Finn is devastated when she leaves, but agrees to continue with his plans to go on a road trip with his best friend, Cade to check out a college campus.  A life-threatening event during the road trip changes both boys' minds about this college and they decide instead to visit Julia in Chicago, where she and Colin agree to maintain a long-distance relationship.

Because of the frequent use of profane language and sexual references within this book, I would recommend this read to high schoolers.  I really appreciate the first-person perspective of someone who experiences seizures.  I have a student who experiences seizures in my class this year, and even though seizure experiences are varied, I feel like I have an idea of what it might be like.  Many kids will either applaud or abhor the carefree attitude and humor Finn's friend Cade brings to the story.  Either way, Cade is a very memorable character that most readers will be able to find amongst their own school populations.  This realistic fiction novel is such a satisfying read.  Finn and Cade matter-of-fact, humorous take on the life and times of seventeen year old males will give male readers someone to bond with and female readers a glimpse into the male mystique.  The narrative accurately reflects high school life from the lame requests of administrators to the shenanigans of the top dogs of the school.  Smith wraps up the story well, and the reader can leave the book knowing that Finn and Cade are going to be OK.

Top YA Authors: A.S. King

King, A. S. (2011). Everybody sees the ants. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company.

Lucky Linderman is a fifteen year old boy who has been bullied by Nader McMillan since he was seven.  When the evidence of bullying is physically represented with a facial injury, his mom decides to take him away for a few weeks and leave his dad to deal with it (he never does).  While away, Lucky makes a new friend and finds a male father figure in his uncle that help to bolster his confidence to deal with the bully.  This paired with some advice from his dead grandfather via dreams gives Lucky the confidence to stand up to the bully once and for all.

Everybody Sees the Ants is best suited for the high school aged student because of the language and some sexual references.  The book approaches very serious topics like bullying and suicide by using a first-person narrator to really share the inner thoughts of the character.  This allows the reader to explore the main character's fears, concerns, naïveté, and sense of humor.  King made the antagonist of this story so villainous that readers won't want to leave the book for long for want of revenge being exacted on Nader.

King crafted an exceptional piece of young adult literature with Everybody Sees the Ants.  Teens are provided insight into the bullied, the suicidal youth of America and explores the less talked about topic of parental bullying and control.  Through Lucky's first person narration, they'll learn they are more like him than different.  Lucky finally makes it through this terrible part of his life and appears to have the strength to do great things, which is very satisfying even though the story ends before the reader can see how the conversation between Lucky and his dad goes at the end of the book.

Top YA Authors: John Green

Green, J. (2006). An abundance of Katherines. New York, NY: Speak.

Colin Singleton, a child prodigy and recent high school graduate, agrees to go on a road trip with his lazy friend Hassan, in an attempt to starting the healing process from Colin's most recent relationship trouble, being dumped by the nineteenth Katherine he has dated.  They wind up in Gutshot, Tennessee where Colin and Hassan both engage in activities outside their comfort zones. The two change for the better in the end: Hassan decides to enroll in college and Colin dates a non-Katherine.

Last year were a group of very mature sixth grade girls decided to read An Abundance of Katherines.  I think given the other literature they consumed last year, that this book was certainly appropriate for them.  For most kids, I would say eighth grade and up would be the ideal age range that should read this.  I also think that although girls may gravitate towards it, boys would enjoy this too.  A male perspective on the complexity of relationships would prove helpful to boys who probably never bother to ponder the subject.  Colin and Hassan's ability to just be friends with females at the beginning of the book demonstrates Havighurst's developmental task regarding easy relationships with the opposite sex.  Although both of them fail at this in time, Hassan incredulously seems to be able to bounce right back into friend mode once he is double crossed by his love interest, which I think can be attributed to his carefree attitude towards life.

Top YA Authors: Chris Crutcher

Crutcher, C. (2013). Period 8. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.

After Paulie confesses to his girlfriend that he cheated, things in his life get really weird.  He confides in his Period 8 teacher Mr. Logs about what's going on and together they put together pieces of the puzzle to try and work through it.  It turns out, Paulie was just a pawn in someone else's sick plan, and a few people get hurt before this other person is caught.

Both male and female high school aged students would be best suited to read this book due to the use of profanity and references to sexual situations.  The plot of the book is hokey in my opinion (it has a low budget movie feel to it), but teenagers will eat it up because of the drama.  For this reason, I think it would be a great book to include in a high interest-low level collection because the book is an easy read and will keep teens' attention, especially those reluctant readers.  The profanity used in this book certainly matches the way teens use it in real life.  Likewise, most of the problems the characters face in the book are similar to the drama teens frequently encounter in high school: break ups, disloyal friends, senior year pressure, bad things happening to good people, etc.  These factors coupled with the fact that readers are kept in suspense of who is responsible for what is happening in the characters that they can relate to make it a great pick for high schoolers.

Top YA Authors: Holly Black

Black, H. (2015). The darkest part of the forest. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company.

Hazel and Ben are red-haired siblings who find that they are the only two people who can save their somewhat enchanted town of Fairfold from a monster that lives in the nearby faerie-infested forest.  With the help of their friend Jack (a faerie person living amongst the humans), they put together the pieces of the puzzle until they discover that Hazel has been fighting for the ruler of the faerie realm while she sleeps each night.  Eventually, a trip to the forest during a the faerie festival gives the trio the opportunity to supplant the faerie king and appease the monster.

The secrets that Hazel, Ben, and Jack all harbor will keep middle and high school readers glued to the book.  Black's writing reminds me of my beloved Neil Gaiman, in particular his book Stardust, because of the relationship between the town of Wall and the faerie town of Stormhold.  Black's attention to details create a believable setting for her story.  Her understanding of faerie lore is such that she was able to create a place in which the humans live mostly harmoniously with the faerie world just along the edges.  It just makes sense and that is why the reader dives in to this book so deeply and won't let it go until he/she knows the fate of the people of this town.  Even told in third-person Black manages to endear the characters of Hazel, Ben, Jack, and the faerie characters to readers.  We care about them and want everything to work out for them in this strange existence they live.

Top YA Authors: Tom Angleberger

Angleberger, T. (2011). Darth Paper strikes back. New York, NY: Amulet Books.

Back for their seventh grade year at McQuarrie Middle School, Tommy and the gang want to save their buddy Dwight from being sent to an alternative education school.  They put together a case file to present to the school board to clear Dwight's name.  In the end, Dwight's mother, fed up with the hypocritical school board decides to send Dwight to a private school so they cannot exact their punishment upon him.

 Even though the characters are in middle school, fifth and sixth graders alike are the best candidates to read this book.  I think the combination of the Star Wars references, the "case file" format, and the humorous characters are what attract boys to this series. With this second installment of the Origami Yoda series, Angleberger stayed true to the characters of the book.  Even though it had been years since I'd read the first book, reading this one was like reuniting with an old friend and clicking like no time had passed at all.  The characters are still up to their same shenanigans but face a new problem.  Tommy, Kellen, Sara, Amy, Harvey, and Dwight--they're all kids we could easily find in a middle school that are experiencing real middle school issues.  Best of all, Angleberger solves a major problem, but leaves the series wide open to continue and I hope he milks this series for as long as he can because I could read these books forever.

Brown Girl Dreaming

Woodson, J. (2014).  Brown girl dreaming. New York, NY: Nancy Paulsen Books.

Jacqueline Woodson takes readers through her childhood growing up during the civil rights era in both the South and the North.  Born in Ohio, Woodson's parents split up just after her first birthday and her mother moves her and her siblings to South Carolina with her grandparents.  Her mother leaves the children with their grandparents while she moves to Brooklyn to make a life for them there.  Woodson grows very close to her grandparents and is nearly devastated when her mother finally comes to take them up to Brooklyn just before Woodson starts first grade.  Woodson must adapt to life in the city and without her beloved grandparents.  She has a new baby brother, new Puerto Rican friend, and a growing love for writing.

When I read this book, I tagged many of the chapters' free verse poem because they connect with some of the novels my sixth graders read, particularly One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia.   The references to the racial tensions and lifestyle of the South, the relationship between Woodson and her sister as well as her mother reminds me a lot of Delphine's story.  Fifth or sixth grade teachers should certainly add this book into the curriculum to support standards relating to literary nonfiction, theme, connections, and thematic links.  Havighurst's task dealing with changing relationships with parents is exemplified in this book because Woodson is separated from at different times from her father (via divorce), mother (when Mom goes to Brooklyn), and grandparents (when Woodson moves to Brokolyn).  She must learn to negotiate this fluctuating authority figures in her life.

Persepolis

Satrapi, M. (2003). Persepolis: The story of a childhood. New York, NY: Pantheon.

In this memoir in the form of a graphic novel, Marjane Satrapi shares the story of her life in Tehran, Iran from age ten to fourteen.  During this period of time (1979-1983), Iran experiences political instability with the fall of the Shah and the implementation of Islamic rule.  Through her graphic novel, Satrapi tells about the imprisonments and death of family members, friends, and neighbors, strict rules inflicted on the Iranian people, and her experiences with bombings and attacks on her city.  Her family is upfront with her about the circumstances and because of this she is very informed and not afraid to stand up for what's right.  Eventually, after she is expelled from a school for striking the principal and conditions in Iran continue to escalate, her parents send her to school in Austria.

As someone who has taught sixth grade social studies, I believe this book would be a great tool to explore the concept of unlimited government.  The cruelties and harsh rules brought down upon the Iranians provide excellent examples of the characteristics of unlimited government.  The autobiographical and graphic novel format make the topic very accessible to students.  A few appearances of profanity could derail this from being incorporated into an assigned curriculum though.  Persepolis demonstrates the postconventional level of moral development because Satrapi experiences several times the reality that laws and social rules conflict with what is morally right.

Gabi, A Girl in Pieces

Quintero, I. (2014). Gabi, a girl in pieces. El Paso, TX:  Cinco Puntos Press.

Gabi is a Mexican American teenager who lives in Southern California.  She is a senior in high school who lives with her mother, brother, with the occasional appearance of her meth-head father.  Her senior year turns out to be full of surprises: her best friend is pregnant after a summer fling, she develops a love and talent for poetry, her mother gets pregnant, Gabi gets two boyfriends, her father dies, she gets into her first choice college, she has sex, she gets suspended, she doesn't get to participate in graduation.  Gabi's strong mind, support structure, and ability to express herself through poetry helps her to cope with it all.

The book is written like a diary starting a month before school starts and ending at her would-be graduation day dinner.  The diary approach lets the reader know Gabi's most intimate thoughts about all aspects of life and, naturally, creates that bond only a first-person narrator can achieve.  Quintero's writing style is a mix of Gary Soto and Sandra Cisneros.  The humor reminds me of Soto, whereas the raw discussion of the topics at hand reminds me of Cisneros.  Gabi, A Girl in Pieces is a shining example of contemporary realistic fiction.  Teenaged readers will be drawn into Gabi's story because so many facets of it reflect their own.  While it is unlikely that a reader will suffer from all the issues Gabi faces, one or two are sure to affect them or someone close to them.  Girls in particular will be able to see that they share the same doubts and concerns about sex, feminism, religion, family, and school.

The Knife of Never Letting Go

Ness, P. (2008).  The knife of never letting go. Somerville, MA:  Candlewick Press.

Orphan Todd Hewitt must flee the only home he's ever known (a town inhabited only by men).  Armed only with knife and a bag of supplies, Todd makes his way towards the place he believes can help him with Violet, a girl he found just before leaving town.  During their journey Todd learns the truth about his hometown and struggles to "be a man" and use his knife.  In the end, Viola ends up being more of a man than Todd and when they arrive at their destination, they are terribly disappointed to see what awaits them.

Fans of the Divergent, Uglies, and Hunger Games trilogies will love to sink their teeth into this dystopian series.  Were the use of the actual F-word a time or two not a problem, I could see this novel taking off in middle school English classrooms since the hero and heroine are of that age group.  Ness hits all the essential criteria for excellent science fiction with this novel.  Universal themes surrounding topics such as hope, truth, friendship and family are reinforced throughout the novel.  What the characters have to endure is totally foreign to us, but readers cannot help but sympathize with them.  The hardships faced by Todd and Viola and their uncertain fate were on my mind for days after I finished reading this novel.   I am not sure how I feel about continuing the series. I want to know what happens, but at the same time I am afraid to know.  When I was younger, it always bummed me out that the "villains" in stories never won, but now that it seems impending in this book, I don't want that to be the case.

Monster

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

Sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon stands accused of the murder of a shop owner and is facing life in prison if convicted.  An aspiring filmmaker, Steve reveals his story in the form of a movie script complete with camera and stage directions.  It turns out that Steve is completely innocent and was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Other accused individuals in the case, who happen to be people with records, are trying to use Steve as a scapegoat, or at the very least, take him down with the ship.  Steve is a good kid from a good family and winds up being found not guilty, probably largely in part to the testimony of his character witness, his filmmaking class teacher.

Even though this story is just the script for a movie, the details included are such that the reader can clearly visualize the movie playing.  I found that my mind's eye began to automatically telescope with the camera directions mentioned in the book.  Steve's story will appeal to nearly every reader because this is a realistic situation that frequently appears in the headlines and has the feel of many of the popular crime/law television shows these days.  As contemporary realistic fiction it certainly provides an insight into teenagers' world.  Some teens have friends, cousins, or other family members that are awaiting trial or in prison and this book will help them to understand what that is like.  Readers will find that Steve is just like them, a kid who wants to be successful but is facing what seems like insurmountable odds but never lets go of hope.