Outside the Outsiders: Great Books for Young Adults

Anyone still coming here?

2011-08-22T08:04:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!! I'm just about to start my last quarter of grad school. YAY!! That means student teaching, of course. In my quest to put together a list of YA books that my 11th & 12th grade CP and Honors students can use for their multi-genre projects, I remembered this blog and began to wonder if I could access it and go back to what everyone read for YA Lit class. WOW- I was surprised to see that Ray and many others have continued posting over the years. AWESOME!!!

I've read a countless number of YA books since class and have read MANY YA Vampire series--1- because I like them
2- because our kids are reading them

so I will add a list of the series I have found to be most enjoyable:
The Twilight Series (who can like vamps and NOT love Twilight, right? My daughters and I have even been to Forks, La Push, Port Angeles, and Seattle!!)- Stephenie Meyer
Vampire Academy- Richelle Mead
The House of Night- PC & Kristin Cast
Blue Bloods- Melissa de la Cruz
The Vampire Diaries- LJ Smith

I'd say those are rating in order from my favorites to my least favorites. If you are a Vamp Genre lover but want something a bit more spices (non-YA)-- my all time bar none favorite author is JR Ward. Try the Black Dagger Brotherhood Series -- make sure to start with Dark Lover and read them in order. She has a new "Fallen Angels" series that is also good but only 2 books are out in this new series so far.

Other paranormal books that I enjoyed include:
the "WICKED" series- Nancy Holder & DebbieViguie (this is NOT the Wizard of Oz books)
& The Secret Circle- LJ Smith
(again- in that order)

When I took this YA class, my theme was teen issues and through it, I found Ellen Hopkins. You may remember how much I plugged Crank in class. To date, I've read all of her books. Crank is now part of a trilogy... all worth reading! Excellent storyline and I love the poetic form that Hopkins uses. The other two books in that trilogy are Glass and Fallout.

My FAVORITE book by Hopkins so far is Identical. Burned and Impulse were also good. The only one that I really did not care for was called Trick.

One thing I just can't believe as I have been going back through these posts is that there were classmates that were reading The Hunger Games and still, I did not pick up those books until much later. It must have been because the trilogy did not match my theme and I was reading books that quarter like a madwoman. That MUST have been it. If you haven't taken the time to read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, you should really do so. It is an amazing well-written trilogy and I won't be surprised if we don't begin seeing it taught in classrooms along side classics such as The Lord of the Flies. Great read!!!

I guess that's it for now. I just wanted to pop on & say Hello and Thank You for making my search for YA books for my students so easy!

I'm Back....

2010-05-31T15:44:00.000-07:00

It is nice to see that the next generation of WSU teachers in training are keeping the YA lit dream alive.

Now, on with the good stuff. For those of you who know me, I am a graphic novel fan. Recently, I have read Blankets by Craig Thompson, Chew by John Layman, and Zombies by Don Roff. I also finally read 13 Reasons Why and The Absolutely True Diaries of a Part-Time Indian.

ALL WERE GREAT!!!

Til' Next Time

Leftovers

2010-01-31T10:09:00.000-08:00

I am almost done reading Leftovers by Laura Wiess. This is not a book I would have typically chosen, but Sally brought it in as one of the books we had to take home with us. I LOVE it! It is rare that I like every book I am reading, but so far so good!

This book is about two young girls entering high school. They begin as best, inseparable friends, and they slowly drift apart and come back together as the book continues. Ardith comes from a family who is well acquainted with wild partying and the law, and Blair is usually at home alone while her lawyer mother is busy with a client and her two-timing father is busy with his mistress. This book shows that two very different girls from very different families are similar in many ways. They hurt the same and they strive to be noticed in the same ways.

I have yet to reach the end, but so far Blair has explored her sexuality with Ardith and Ardith's brother, and Ardith had her first boyfriend for a while and dumped him. Blair is jealous of the time Ardith spends with her new boyfriend, Gary, and Ardith is just as jealous of the time that Blair spends with her new best friend, Dellasandra. The novel begins by suggesting that something horrible has happened, and the two girls lure in readers with their story, and we delve a little deeper into the lives of Ardith and Blair.

Goodreads Lists

2010-01-30T18:24:00.000-08:00

Hello, all!

This is Cassie, I came in to your class this past week to talk about Guy's Lit and I heard you guys were having some problems with Graphic Novels. I put together a list on Goodreads for you here. If you need more suggestions, the American Library Association's YA division, YALSA, puts together both a comprehensive and a Top Ten list of Graphic Novels for YA Readers which you can find here. If you guys need anything else, let me know, and have fun with the class!

Cassie

J.D Salinger

2010-01-28T15:48:00.000-08:00

That is what I saw at the top of the hit list, when I sat down. I was wondering why that name was at the top of the list only to find that he has passed on. The Catcher in the Rye got me through a hard time once. I did not read it for school or anything, I just came a cross it in a used book store. I was hooked from the first page to the last, where he left me with these words "Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do you start missing everybody."

Graphic Novel: Marvel Civil War

2010-01-28T07:31:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

This week I have been reading the graphic novel "Civil War" by Mark Millar. This graphic novel centers around a conflict between superheroes after a reality TV show starring young superheroes pursuing dangerous villains goes terribly wrong, leading to the destruction of a school and the deaths of several hundred school children. This leads to a major backlash against superheroes by common citizens, who are tired of the superheroes destroying things and living these rogue lifestyles. In order to appease the citizens, the government mandates that all superheroes must be registered and reveal their secret identities in order to continue fighting crime. This becomes the great dividing point between the heroes. Many feel they must maintain their secrecy in order to protect those around them and flee underground, others feel that they must restore the people's faith in them and reveal their identities. This leads to an all out war between the two factions.

This is an excellent read! Personally, I'm not a huge fan of comic books but the story is so well written, that it sucks you in and holds your attention throughout with great animation and a suspense filled story that makes you turn the page, trying to anticipate what is going to happen next. Even if you don't know a great deal about superheroes, you can still appreciate the story as it gives some insight into the previous friendships between the superheroes, which makes the civil war such a complex situation.

Catching Fire

2010-01-27T07:40:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

Just wanted to update you all on Catching Fire, the sequel to Hunger Games. It looks like I'm in for another adventure. The story begins with Katniss finding out that all is not perfect in her cushy new life. She is about to embark on a journey to make things right, but she is extremely conflicted about it. In addition, she's having a little PTSD with her memories of the HG. I'm wondering if she will do something to forever change the state of affairs- but there is a sequel, so I'm not sure how much. Anyways, I'm about 60 pages in and already on board. Collins' descriptions of setting and characters are so amazing. It is so easy to picture everything. I even find myself going back and reading again and finding more I missed.

Next I'm onto Shiver and Laurie Halse Anderson's Chains.

The Hunger Games

2010-01-26T11:17:00.000-08:00

It is like The Running Man meets R&J meets Lord of the Flies meets Great Expectations. I would say more but you should read it. And I want to finish reading it \m/ (-_-) \m/

Dave at Night

2010-01-26T09:57:00.000-08:00

I am a huge fan of Gail Carson Levine's books. My favorite is probably "Ella Enchanted." The story of Cinderella had never felt so real and honest an adventure until I read her adaptation of the story -- I'm a girl and a sucker for a good fairy tale. Anyway, I knew she could retell a fairy tale quite well, but what I didn't know was the she is quite a historical fiction writer as well! "Dave at Night" is the story of an eleven year old Jewish orphan boy during the Harlem Renaissance. His father died a tragic death, and his mother is unable to afford either of her boys. Dave's older brother, who is a good quiet student, gets taken to California with his uncle and goes to a prodigious school. Dave, a wild and rambunctious boy with artistic aspirations, goes to the Jewish Home for Boys in Harlem. It is a tragic experience full of starvation, mean professors, and bullying. But when Dave escapes at night - the world opens up and the impossible becomes possible. This book is perfect for tweens, and would be an excellent way to talk about the Harlem Renaissance, minority issues, and art of all kinds, since it is art that saves him from despair, and in many ways saves everyone in the story (I'm trying not to give anything away!) Dave is a charming hero throughout the story, making artistic sensitivities cool. Brave in the face of bullies, and imaginative when things are bleak, Dave is creative and questioning as he searches for his identity. Some of the other characters in the story are very famous figures; Langston Hughes, W.E.B. DuBois, and other jazz musicians and painters to name a few. It makes historical movements personal and relevant - things that tweens need in literature.

You will be glad you read it:)

Rats Saw God

2010-01-24T18:32:00.000-08:00

I just started to read this book so I don't have much to say about it. The book starts out with a little mystery. The main character is 18 year old Steve. He's kind of a rotten teenager. He smokes pot, misses classes, gets bad grades, etc. But then we find out he used to be a straight "A" student and he scored in top percent of the SAT's. The mystery is how did he get that way, what happened to this kid? We find out what happened to him through an autobiography that he has to write for his school counselor in order not to have to go to summer school.

I really like the characters in this book because it reminds me of people I know. Plus the family is much like my family and dysfunctional. I'm really excited to read the rest of the book.

Graphic Novels: Persepolis, Aya, Daisy Kutter: Last Train

2010-01-24T18:04:00.000-08:00

Persepolis:

What a great read! This is the first graphic novel I've come across that I would include in my lesson plans. Even as an adult, sometimes I have trouble following the complicated history of Iran and why exactly we're in the political mess that we are today. I learned more about Iran and it's people from this novel that I ever have from the news or school. I think that reading this would teach students not to hate all Iranians for the actions of a few radicals. (Which the girl in the story points out.) Persepolis is funny, easy to understand, and full of historical facts. I also rented the movie, so I'll comment on that as soon as I watch it.

Aya:

I think this one was trying to be educational like Persepolis, but kind of missed the mark. The story revolves around three girls living in Africa during the 70's. One is promiscuous and ends up pregnant. I think this book does a fairly good job of portraying their living conditions and the limited lives of women during that time period, but it's more entertainment that teaching material. I would also say that the art is a little odd. It seems very juvenile, while the story is definitely not.

Daisy Kutter: Last Train

This one was interesting, and reminded me of a watered-down version of Cowboy Bebop, if any of you have ever watched that anime or read the novels. I know this shouldn't be a factor, but I found the main character's hair so annoyingly poofy that it was distracting. (haha...) Anyway! The storyline consists of a bounty hunter/thief trying to clean up her act, then going back to her old ways. It's definitely a western, but robots and futuristic weapons are thrown in.

New Thoughts on graphic novels.

2010-01-24T17:24:00.000-08:00

This week, I read two novels: The Dresden Files and The Runaways. The Dresden Files was exciting and engaging. It was predictable enough that the conclusions seemed logical, while at the same time there was enough surprise to keep it interesting. I did want there to be a little more challenge before the conclusion. It seemed just a little too easily solved.

I move on to the Runaways. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was full of well developed characters excluding the bios at the end that gave an even clearer explaination of thier lives. The story had enough depth of character to suspend disbelief on the other supernatural elements. After saying all that, I started to think about what literary elements I could teach from this book. While it was an enjoyable book, I would find it difficult to teach a lesson on it.

So, I admit I was getting a little frustrated with Graphic Novels. Then, I started talking to a writer I know. He pointed out how young the Graphic Novel genre is compared to written novels that have been written in various languages for hundreds of years. By comparison, Graphic Novels which are less than one hundred years old have a reason to be less developed than the massive novels I am used to devouring. Also, it takes many more pages to say the same thing in pictures than in words, and Graphic Novels are typically shorter than Written Novels. Putting those together and logically I should lower my expectations of density in this genre. I am not going to get Dickens level writing from a brand new writer.

Poison by Chris Wooding

2010-01-24T13:50:00.000-08:00

She's a poison to her familyand the town. She has an evil stepmother and a father who's fallin' for her, and a little sister who gets all the attention; she lives life unwanted. She has nothing against her little sister cause she's just a baby, but really--couldn't dad see her for once? Her original name is Foxglove, but she's always felt so different and outcasted from the people of her home marshes; her friend says that its because her blood pools and runs with the Old Ways, therefore she cannot ever be content in just staying stagnant in one place. ...Still, she deals. Once a marsh girl, always one she suposes. The only good thing about the marsh people is that you get to choose your name when coming of age...Poison is what she now calls herself; yes, it was to reflect her feelings but more so in reference to when her step-mom called her a poison to the family. Sick of the place, and wanting a different change of pace, she stays home when the yearly marsh festival commences. In her stay she is lulled to sleep by the Scarecrow who then takes her little sister~ So starts her journey to get her sister back from the phaeries that took her! What? Scarecrows, phaeries, and marsh people? This is all moving too fast!

Yes, its a fast pace read-slow to start-but after that it definitely picks up. Its a world of adventure, of witty and cynical remarks from our uncanny heroine Poison, and other characters she meets along the way, and a world full of danger, seriousness, and enchantment. A definite fantasy novel in all the right senses! It plays on the steretoypes of your typical fantasy novels of always having a quest/journey and how those are littered with puzzles, and ryhmes. Wooding mocks the traditional set of rules placed for fantasy adventure novels and totally tweaks them to fit his raging, cynical, unruly character of Poison. It's a pretty good read and you're rootin' for her all the way, even if some of the things she says make you wanna tell her to shut her mouth; shoot honestly, someone talk to me like that they bes' believe somethin'd happen ;-P

Through her journey, we find that she becomes the writer of her own story~ a choice, a path~ stay in the Marsh, or get her sister back?

~Its a book definitely chalk-full of lessons for kids trying to find their place. I reccommend it really as a tween novel.

So to close:

The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all they Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to the cancel half a Line,
Nor all they Tears wash out a Word of it.

Happy reading~

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

2010-01-24T09:23:00.000-08:00

This week I have been reading The Chocolate War. I must say it's different than any other book I have read. Why? Because it is written in third person, yet I get the viewpoints of all of the major characters. It's like I as the reader have an exclusive, inside look to everything. So far, I have witnessed a power struggle between the school administration and the Vigils. This is strange because where it would appear that they should be enemies (the Vigils torment the teachers), the agree to a business deal in secret; the Vigils agree to help to double the schools chocolate sales. However, neither side factored in Jerry Renault, the daring freshman who refuses to sell chocolates. It seems that he is messing up everybody's plans, including the Vigils. This seems like it is a risky move on Jerry's part.

This book has held my interest so far. I keep trying to guess what will happen next. This book would be great to use for the midterm exam because the characterization is well developed and there is a variety of characters you could choose to be. I hope this helps those of you who may be still trying to decide what to do.

Lord of the Flies

2010-01-22T23:36:00.000-08:00

After reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, I decided to read Lord of the Flies by William Golding because they have some similarities: children fighting others to survive, children against nature, and, oddly enough, keeping up appearances (with the whole entrance from HG and the paint from Flies).

Anyways, Flies takes place on an island after a plane full of boys crash. The pilot is dead, and the group of boys are left to fend for themselves in a place with no adults. All seems great at first. Even Ralph, the protagonist, declares with his arms in the air that there are, "No grown-ups!" However, the boys soon figure out that creating a society with no adults is less than fun.

Flies is full of conflicts, so it really keeps your attention the whole time through, though I did find starting the novel a bit difficult. But, for those who endure, you'll soon find that this is a gripping read. Flies is also rich with symbolism: the conch shell, the fire, the smoke, the war paint. Every one of those has meaning in the novel, and it's the readers job to discover their meanings. I guarantee that, once you do, you'll not only understand the depth at which Golding investigates human nature and fear, but you'll also enjoy the novel more.

The Scarlet Pimpernel

2010-01-22T22:12:00.000-08:00

I wanted to read another classic aside from the list provided because I’m a classic literature fanatic, so I chose The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orcksy. I remember reading this in High School and falling in love immediately, so whenever I can get a chance to re-read this novel I definitely jump on it. (you should too=)
This is a book about a lady named Marguerite Blakeney and her infatuation with a person called the Scarlet Pimpernel. Her marriage is on the rocks and she finds her husband quite despicable, but the Pimpernel heroic. You see, the great Pimpernel saves aristocrats from the Guillotine during the French Revolution with uncanny methods of doing so; you’ll have to read it to find out how. The antagonist of the story Chauvelin sets up poor Marguerite by saying her dear brother Armand is connected to this Pimpernel and he will be executed unless she will help him discover the Pimpernels true identity. Will her goof of a husband be able to help her??
I don’t want to write too much and give the plot away in case some of you are interested in reading it, plus I really can’t give it justice because it’s in my top ten of favorite books, but it truly is perfect for a teenage girl. If you want to express being happy and admiring what you already have in life, than this is perfect. It’s a quick easy read and once you get started you’ll find it hard to put it down, or at least I have multiple times.

Boys group-Check out this website!

2010-01-22T20:00:00.000-08:00

Hey guys- I stumbled across a great website if you are struggling to pick books out for boys. (Anyone should check It out though- its a great tool)It is called Good Reads (if you have not already heard about it- I'm always the last to find things out!) You can google it or below I have attached the http for books highly recommended for teen boys:
http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/45.Best_Books_for_Teen_Boys
They rate books and give you a good sense of what the book is about- A librarian I talked with said many of them use it too- so if you get the chance check it out. Have a good weekend.

Looking For Alasksa

2010-01-22T19:28:00.000-08:00

I know there are quite a few of us who read this book already and a few posts about it- I read this book in about a day (a few hours here and there). I really enjoyed it (sorry Caleb!) And since there are a few posts about the book's synopsis already...I will just describe some of my thoughts during the readings. I will say that the book maintained a suspenseful plot, not an action pact one, but rather you get so involved with these characters that you cannot help to wonder what path their lives take. For awhile I thought something bad was going to happen to Mile's after getting bit in the butt by the swan during the barn prank (I actually thought he might have contracted the bird flu and die!!)- but when the story kept rolling and he was fine...I knew something else bad would happen- I just couldn't figure out what.
Alaska was my favorite character- a sex crazed teenager who had to grow up way too fast. When the story unfolds, you realize why she had to though. There were some tough scenes in the book, but some very funny ones too-I think boys and girls would enjoy this book equally. It has a little bit of everything in it! (And as we talked about on Wed.- the cover isn't all pink and girly....so boys wont have to be ashamed!)
All in all- definite read

Robert Cormier's The Chocolate War

2010-01-22T16:51:00.000-08:00

For our textbook group, we are reading The Chocolate War. So far, it's a great read! The story takes places at Trinity School where there are jocks, geniuses, and members of The Vigils. I really love the different perspectives that are provided by the different characters throughout the story. We really get into the minds' of these boys! There are leaders and followers, boys who take control and boys who don't have control over anything. I am excited to learn more about The Vigils and what they are all about. So far, the worst they have done is loosen a few screws, but I imagine that peer pressure, power battles and everyone's insecurities will result in lots of conflicts and disasters! I'm excited to read on!!! :):)

Lord of the Flies

2010-01-22T13:33:00.000-08:00

This book is wizard! As an avid deer hunter, I felt that it has one of the best explanations that I have ever seen for the feeling encountered when hunting, "Just a feeling . But you can feel as if you are not hunting , but- being hunted, as if something is behind you all the time in the jungle." This is an unexplainable phenomenon that also happens to animals. The heart rate of the animal or human speeds up and adrenaline rushes to the brain, when the animal approaches it's prey.

It is important to note that I hunt for food. I am like most Americans, double mortgage, upside down on the house, in credit card debt, then tack on student loans and I need food any way I can get it. This is also to let you know that I feel hunting animals just for a trophy is a gross and despicable thing.

That said I also have a daughter who is a vegetarian. This is her decision and I respect her for it. I am bringing this up because this book does have some pretty explicitly brutal images of killing a pig. That said, I think if I was going to teach this book in school I would definitely have another book that might appeal to people who might find this offensive. The other idea that I have would be to offer Great Expectations and The Lord of the Flies at the same time and then let the students choose. They would be free to post to a blog in each group like we are doing.

Looking for Alaska

2010-01-21T04:51:00.000-08:00

I read John Green's Looking for Alaska in a very small amount of time. Before I go into the book, I want to note that I would definitely recommend it to my fellow classmates as well as my future students.

This book is about a boy, known as Pudge, who enrolls in a boarding school. The name Pudge is ironic because he is so lanky. Anyway, Pudge is one of those teens who never really had any friends, and he doesn't care to make any. This is inevitable on day one at his boarding school. He meets his roommate, the Colonel, Takumi and Alaska-the girl he falls in love with.

Not only does Pudge get into mischief and find trouble, he finds love within Alaska despite her wild behavior and drinking and smoking benges. He loves Alaska perhaps because this is the first girl who has ever paid Pudge any bit of attention. As the story progresses, Pudge's life progresses as well. He is growing up without even knowing it, and this is indeed a crucial aspect of an adolescent's life.

I shall not tell a lot of the story because that would, indeed, give it away. However, this book is definitely a well balanced book for young adults, but there is some graphic language along with graphic images! Happy reading!

Sarah Dessen, "This Lullaby"

2010-01-20T08:52:00.000-08:00

I just recently picked up a few Sarah Dessen books for our book readings. Seeing as I'm focusing on literature for teenage girls, I researched and discovered that she was pretty popular with young girls. I started "This Lullaby" this morning, and am slowly falling into the plot. The main character, a young girl named Remy, has issues in her young romantic relationships. I don't really know much yet about what will happen, but reading this is reminding me of a lot of issues people I knew in my past struggled with. Even though I was a teenage girl, I feel like reading books like these will give me another perspective to what it is like to be a normal teenage girl, because I'm swiftly realizing I was a breed of my own. It's probable that I make absolutely no sense, but I have a feeling that as I become more open to YA books, I'll make more sense. So my point is that if you're looking for a good author for teenage girls, I recommend Sarah Dessen. She's easy to read, accessible, and heart felt. I believe that's all for now!

Whale Talk

2010-01-19T09:34:00.001-08:00

I recently read Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher. Whale Talk is a YA novel about a kid name Tao Jones who we will affectionately call T.J. as in the novel. He is an Asian-African-European American who lives with his adopted parents in Cutter, Washington. He attends the highly athletically centered high school and is asked to become a swimmer. Instead of seeking out the "cream of the crop", TJ sticks with the outcasts to make up a seven-man team. He also meets a half-black girl named Heidi who is abused along with her mother by her drunken father. Through therapy, Heidi and TJ form a close bond. I could see this book being challenged in school easily because of themes like alcoholism, rape, and other adult themes. This would be a great eye-opener for people who don't live in the real world and believe that nothing like this happens in our backyards. I would recommend this book to both boys and girls.

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid

2010-01-19T05:41:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I have flipped through a couple of The Diary of a Wimpy Kid books before and found them lacking in character. I didn’t understand why a young person, mainly a young boy, would like to read diary entries about some pathetic kid. Well, if you have ever read them, you obviously know how wrong I was!
From the opening pages to the last, I had to stop myself from laughing out loud at almost ever turn of the page. This kid is hysterical. He is definitely a wimp, not only when it comes to bullies, but also when it comes to telling the truth, and being good to the loser kids. He faces what we have all faced while we were in middle school -- just try to look cool at all times and don’t let them find out you keep a DIARY!
One of the best moments of the book is on Halloween night. Greg’s Dad, well both of his parents actually, is comical figures that also give good advice and attempts to point Greg in a constructive direction. However, on Halloween Greg’s Dad has a bit of a backwards idea of Trick-or-Treating. When ever the teenagers come in front of the bushes in front of their house, Greg’s Dad, who has been hiding behind the bushes, comes out with a huge bucket of water drenching the by passers. He then asks them “trick-or-treat?” I couldn’t stop laughing…mainly because I know people who might do something that backwards!
Anyway, if you need a book that will get a young middle school aged boy to read, this is your ticket. He won’t be able to stop himself. While not being the most charming or well-written book out there, it definitely has a place in a classroom for the kid that thinks books are full of people he doesn’t know or can’t relate with. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid includes us all.

Catching Fire

2010-01-19T05:23:00.000-08:00

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins is the sequel to The Hunger Games. It is the 75th anniversary of the hunger games and every 25 years there is a Quarter Quell. This means that something extreme will happen in the games and the deaths will be twice as horrible. There are alot of twists and turns that not one reader could possible ever guess. It is amazing.

I can't say much about the book until you read The Hunger Games, because it will give away the plot but I can say that I am so excited to read the next book. (I am so angry that it doesnt come out until late this year!) The end of the book is a cliff hanger and it made me really mad at first, only because you really feel like you are apart of their world. Collins does an amazing job at characterization. Both books hit every point on our "What makes a great YA book" lists. They are great books.

These books can be read by tweens and up. The language is not difficult at all and the plot is clearly defined. Katniss (the main character) is very relatable. Oh and for people who are like, this book sounds stupid or they think it sounds like too much of a sci-fi book, you really are missing out. There is a love story that continues throughout the books, that I think, everyone has been through in their lifes. I am a "PEETA" fan :) Not a "GALE" fan. I love Peeta. He is such a sweetheart.

EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK. It really is such an amazing book.

Graphic Novels: Uzumaki, Runaways, and Death Note

2010-01-18T05:18:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki: This is a horror series dealing with a town cursed by "spirals." Let me just say right off the bat that these are not something you want in your classroom. They are definitely true to the horror genre and contain some pretty graphic images. For instance, one man becomes so obsessed with spirals that he literally turns himself into one. I will say that the art is good, but that's where the problem lies; it's too good for you to risk your teaching job on. ;) These were an interesting read even if you're not a fan of horror things (which I'm not), but not appropriate.

Runaways: This is the second book in the Runaways series that I've read, and I am still loving them! They have very simplistic art compared to most Marvel comics, but it works for the story. (Children of the Pride, a group of super villians, find out who their parents are.) The dialogue is age-appropriate for high schoolers and probably middle schoolers too. The books reference many other super heroes, like the Avengers and Fantastic Four, so although they're kind of a new generation thing, they are still as Marvel as Marvel gets. I would definitely say you can recommend these to your students.

Death Note: I am loving this manga!!! Basic idea is that a japanese shinigami (god of death) drops his notebook called a Death Note. A human boy finds it and discovers that the Death Note is a tool for killing. He begins to write the names of criminals in the Death Note, and they die. From there on, he begins a thriller/crime show evasion of the police and fbi from various countries. I would definitely recommend this for mature readers. This book brings up the important issue of human life; is it wrong to kill criminals? People who have murdered, raped, and stolen?

Graphic Novels for free reading

2010-01-17T18:46:00.000-08:00

So, this week, I read four "graphic novels." I put that in quotations because I've decided one of them doesn't count as a graphic novel. Avalon High 2, the sequel to what I read last week, doesn't really stand on its own, thus it isn't a novel but a serial. I also read "Go with Grace". It was a depressing little book about a suicidal bedridden girl who falls in love with a ghost. Next, I read the first book in the "Fool's Gold" series. It is about a girl who starts a club to empower girls to stop dating jerks. In the process, she turns her school upside down. I really enjoyed this book. Lastly, I read "Star Trek: Debt of Honor". Chronologically, this story fits in right after the fourth movie and really sticks to the characters portrayed in the tv series. Any guy and some girls would enjoy this book. Unlike the others, This felt like it had some depth to it. it really felt like I was reading a book and not a comic strip.

Anyway, happy reading everyone!

Redwall

2010-01-17T18:24:00.000-08:00

So I am halfway into Redwall and so far so good. It is hard to be an adult and try to read a novel written for someone younger. I would suggest it to middle school students more than high school students. It is an easy read but fully of adventure. The plot is a little predictable but it moves fast. I guess I was expecting something more like Watership Down or the Rats of Nimh. I was huge Beverly Cleary fan and her Ralph Mouse series and loved Stuart Little, too. I read those in fifth grade so moving into middle school, I could see Redwall as a step up from those books. But I haven't finished the book so it still may surprise me.

Speak

2010-01-16T18:01:00.000-08:00

This past week I read Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. I originally chose it for the Vizzini project but realized after I read the book...maybe it wasn't a perfect fit for Ned. However, I think it is a great book for teens in general but more specifically teens dealing with the very sensitive issue of rape, wether you are the victim or a friend of a victim. Melinda, the main character in Speak, was raped and struggled with her own personal guilt throughout the book. She decides not to talk, but with that decision she becomes misunderstood by her peers and her parents. No one knows, which also makes it impossible to help or communicate with her. She relies on her own strength and deals with the rape on her own terms. She is an amazing character who eventually looks fear in the face, learning that she not only able to begin the healing process after addressing her horrific experience but also she becomes aware that she is able to help other girls along the way. When you read Speak, you are reminded of how easy it is to judge without knowing the entire story...or without walking in "their" shoes for a day. I was not blown away by this book- however it is very well written, Melinda has a strong point of view and I believe it addresses the very important issue of rape, especially with young girls.

Looking for Alaska: By John Green

2010-01-16T16:12:00.000-08:00

I just started reading this book and it is so hard to put it down. Unfortunately with the reading load of this class and the other classes that I am taking I have only read a few chapters. What I have read, amazing. The story is about a young boy, Miles or "Pudge," searches for a purpose at a Culver Creek Boarding school. A loner at his old public school, Pudge longs for a "Great Perhaps" at his new location. Struggling with a new group of friends, a new location and a new found love for the girl down the hall, Green does an amazing job of conveying the thought process of a 16 year old boy. I can't wait to read further into this book! As I sit and read into this book I seriously feel like I am pudge with how descriptive Green is about how the main character feels for Alaska (girl that lives down the hall). Well.. would love to write more but I need to go read more in order to inform you all more about the book!

Game

2010-01-16T11:36:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! i am currently reading "Game" by Walter Dean Myers. This book came recommended by the Teenreads book guide and although I'm only about half way through, it has not disappointed. "Game" tells the story of Drew Lawson, an inner city youth who has big dreams of playing professional basketball. He sees the wasted lives of others in his neighborhood and aspires to have basketball be his escape. He believes he has the talent to accomplish this dream as well, so much so that he at times oversteps his bounds and does not follow his coach's ideas.Drew's supreme confidence in his game is shaken when the coach brings two white players onto the team and changes how the team dynamic operates by preferring to get the ball to one of the white players- Tomas, a kid from the Czech Republic. This threatens Drew's dream of escaping the city and he continues to rebel against the coach's plan, leading to him being relegated to the bench. As the novel develops, a friendship between Drew and Tomas blossoms. Drew begins to conform to the new game plan, and he starts to see that although Drew and Tomas have vastly different backgrounds, they share a common love for the game. As I said before, i am only about halfway through the novel but its is an extremely quick read. The story develops well but at times can be predictable. All in all though, this book is a great read and would definitely be a great read for teen boys, especially those interested in sports.

Looking For Alaska by John Green

2010-01-16T11:18:00.000-08:00

This book was a "can't put it down" for me. (Seriously, I stayed up until 3 a.m. in the middle of the week reading it because I had to know what happened next.) The book is about Miles Halter's (a.k.a "Pudge") journey to the "Great Perhaps" when he leaves his home in Florida to attend a Culver Creek, a boarding school in Alabama. Before attending Culver Creek, Pudge is a nobody. He is a loner content to reading biographies to find people's last words. The second he gets to Culver Creek his whole life changes. He meets Alaska, the mysterious girl of his dreams.He becomes a member of a close-knit group of friends. He partakes in some wild behavior and creates memories that will haunt him for a lifetime.

This book is great for boys because it has a male protagonist and is full of suspense. It also forces the reader to experience almost any emotion you think possible. There were times when I laughed, times when I fell embarassed, times when I felt horrified, and times when I felt proud. Looking for Alaska has won a Printz Award and is sure to not disappoint. While my reading group is boys, I could see girls just as easily enjoying it. Two thumbs up!

The God of Small Things

2010-01-15T22:33:00.000-08:00

The God of Small Things is written by Arundhati Roy and focuses on a declining family in India. The voice of the novel belongs to a twin girl named Rahel and she shares her family’s life tragedies through the different stages in her life. Her twin brother Esthappen and she seem to share a Siamese connection that no one can explain and they struggle through life together feeling one another’s pain, until Esthappen stops speaking all together. They are both degraded as human beings after their mother divorces her husband and moves back home with her twins.

This book has much to do with exploiting gender violence internationally, with son preference, divorce, rape, molestation, and dowry prevalent, it is not meant to be read by young adults what so ever. I suppose you could allow a super advanced upperclassman that is in to politics pick it up, but I believe it’s more of a college level read. The novel switches places and times quicker than you can bat an eye, but it is extremely well written and focuses on issues that are still occurring today (in the past fifty years more women have died then casualties of all of the wars in the twentieth century due to gender violence…sorry I love political science and I learned that this week). Once I got passed the first chapter I couldn’t put it down, so if you ever get some free time and want to see the life of a poor Indian family, than this is a great option (Kite Runner is too).

Since this novel is not fit for young adults, I just purchased the book speak and so far I’m really enjoying it.

Let the Hunger Games Begin!

2010-01-15T22:00:00.000-08:00

I've been reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It's about a dystopian society called Panem that resides where North America used to be. Panem is made up of a wealthy and oppressive place called the Capitol and 12 poor Districts aptly named Districts 1 through 12. There used to be 13 Districts, but District 13 was obliterated as a result of the District's rebellion against the Capital. After the Capitol stopped the resurgence, they destroyed District 13 and established the Hunger Games.
The Hunger Games is a televised annual event that pits 12 children, 1 male and 1 female from each District, against each other in a brutal fight to the death as a reminder that the Capitol is all-powerful. Enter our heroine: a 16-year-old female from District 12 named Katniss. Katniss is a seasoned hunter from the coal district who would do anything for her little sister, even if she has to throw her life away.
I'm about 200 pages into the book, but I'm already addicted. The characters are engaging, the setting is believable, the atmosphere is dark, and the plot is intriguing. I also enjoy the the social commentary and how Collins satirizes populist entertainment. One would be hard-pressed not to get hooked in the story. This is definitely a book worthy of your 3-day weekend!

The Tequila Worm

2010-01-15T20:20:00.000-08:00

Somewhere between To the Lighthouse, Things Fall Apart, and Veronica Decides to Die; I had forgotten that books can make you laugh.

Well, let me tell you this one made me laugh. I am not finished yet, but I'm getting there. Lets see, so far Sofia wouldn't eat the host because she thought if she dropped it she would go straight to hell. Then there is the time she goes to visit Tia Petra her godmother. Everything in the house is covered in plastic, including the sofa and the lampshades. I would tell you more about this one, but it might embarrass Sofia to much. I was worried about the title, but then I found out that when the family drinks mescal Sofia only gets a drop.

This book also asks that question we were always fascinated with in high school. Could you eat the Tequila Worm?

I would say that this book would be better for kids 16 and up. The other thing good about this book is that it is written with a little Spanglish. This would be great for the Spanish student or the non native English speaker.

Lord of the Flies

2010-01-15T19:46:00.000-08:00

“What I mean is . . . maybe it’s only us.”

This was a required book in my highschool, and I can remember a lot of guys really getting into the story. I thought this would be a perfect "classic" to work with for boys! I must say, so far, it's a goodie!! :):) The story takes place during wartime and follows a group of schoolboys from Britain. When their plane is shot down, the boys must learn to fend for themselves on a stranded and dangerous island. Throughout the story, the boys battle for control over the group. Lack of responsibility causes tension, and they battle between choosing to live by moral rules or gratifying immediate desires.

I'm excited to see where the story goes and how the relationships evolve! :)

The House on Mango Street

2010-01-14T15:42:00.000-08:00

Excelente y Fantastico!
I got home, I sat back, and I drank it in! It was soft to the palate and went down smooth! It was like sangria only better. It made me laugh and smile. I liked it so much I thought you might enjoy a taste:
"You can never have to much sky. You can fall asleep and wake up drunk on sky, and sky can keep you safe when you are sad. Here there is to much sadness and not enough sky. Butterflies too are few and so are flowers and most things are beautiful. Still we take what we can get and make the best of it."

I would say that this book's age range would be from 8 to 102.

P.S. Thank you, Sally!

Because of Winn-Dixie

2010-01-14T07:29:00.000-08:00

I realize this is a movie, and even if you have watched it you should still read this book. The story of Winn-Dixie and Opal is so charming and precious, great for girls or boys in my opinion. It is the story of a little girl who finds a dog in the grocery store, Winn-Dixie, and takes him home. Opal, the little girl, has just moved and is unable to make many friends in her new community. But once Winn-Dixie comes along she has more friends then she could ever ask for.

What I really liked about this story were the stories within it. Opal has preconceived ideas about all the people in her community. Her dog, Winn-Dixie, doesn't care about any of them and thereby introduces Opal to her town in a whole new way. From the pinched faced girl at her church, the "witch" who lives down the lane, to her father, the minister, who lives in a shell, Opal goes on a quest to bring her friends together and discover their stories, including her own.

Everyone in this story has a story, and I think for young and old students alike this is a powerful message. "Because of Winn-Dixie" is simple and straightforward, but extremely profound. The sadness of Opal's life and her mother's abandonment lace the entire tale with a bittersweet tone, but it is also full of hope and community. It is a perfect representation of life's joys and sorrows put into the context of a precious story for all readers to grasp and relate with.

Sunrise Over Fallujah

2010-01-12T15:01:00.000-08:00

*Previous Note First: Finished How To Be Popular: A Novel by Meg Cabot. I highly reccommend! I mean, come on, I'm a dude and I'm reccomending this novel xP okay okay, so that has nothing to do with it cause guys can like 'girl books' too, but seriously, it was a quick-fun read; I really did enjoy it, but that's probably because I connected with Jason as a character. Mwhahahaha yes you want to know what I'm talking about dont you!?! But in order to do that you've got to read that book! SO DO IT! ~jus' do it ~ (though I'm an addidas fan)

Anyways, read Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers.
It's a war novel about the Iraqi War and the different perception posed on this war by the men and women stationed there. You've got our main character Robin (aka Birdy-nickname given to him by his squad mates) who joins the army with the initial thought thinking that it's so cool to serve his country and he has to do this for him (also, it should be noted that his favorite uncle was in 'Nam ...so yeah). Another loveable character named Jones (aka Jonesy) who's got rythm and soul marked all over him, the harda** woman fighter Kennedy (aka Marla), the same typical harda** woman fighter, yet motherly figure Miller, and their in charge Col. Coles. You meet various people along the way and get a real perception of a soldier's story and how he involves, or not involves himself with those around him. Sounds a bit confusing, but it'll make more sense when you read the book.

Its a pretty important read as it questions many facets of War itself. Being the Iraq War, it sheds light on a fairly current topic, and kids in your class will definitely probably have a say on their own stance about the War ... I mean havent you ever heard a kid, or maybe even classmate say, "Hey, why can't we just nuke 'em ?" or "What's this war about?" "Why are we involved?" As we may know, a lot of the times those kids' stances are influenced by their parents just as much as their moral beliefs. Pick up the book-its an easy read, but a bit challenging in all the moral questions it poses. Offer a new perceptions on War~ ones maybe at first based on emotion and Partiotism, and others based on questioning that initial emotional response with reality.

I liked it, but that's because I like war books. Its definitely something to be read first though and contemplated on whether to assign it in a classroom... I'm seeing the possibilities, but I'm still thinking on it~

The Watchmen

2010-01-11T22:41:00.000-08:00

Well, all I can say is that I am done. I can not read this book anymore. I tried, but it just does not hold my attention not to mention it is not fit for adults! There is no way I would teach this book or recomend it. I would not take it away from a teen or fight against it. This is just not the kind of thing that I chose to be a teacher for. I love literature and want to share that with kids.
Ok, so whats bothering me. In this book there are derrogatory comments, full frontal male and female nudity, rape, pornography, and the killing of a pregnant woman. Maybe, I am crazy but I want to give kids an escape from the bombardment I feel they are already getting in these catagories.
When it comes down to it I think that I would rather teach some classics like The Call of The Wild or Lord of the Rings. I feel that there are still plenty of good books that are engaging and will even expose kids to some adult content yet not jump off the deep end. Anyway, purpose served I know it is out there. I would just rather focus my time on finding a book that is truely amazing for my future students.

The Hunger Games

2010-01-11T15:30:00.000-08:00

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is THE BEST BOOK EVER. THIS IS AN AMAZING BOOK AND I SUGGEST THAT EVERYONE READS IT :) I can't say enough about it. I love it!

The book follows a girl named Katniss who lives in District 12. What was once known as North America has became Panem. There is a Capitol that rules all and 12 other districts that surround it. The Capitol controlls everyone and eveything. There used to be 13 districts but the Capitol destroyed it after the districts tried to overtake the Capitol. To remind the distircts that the Capitol is the strongest and to keep them in line thwy have set up these hunger games. A girl and a boy from each district is required to participate in these games. Names go into a bowl for ages 12 to 18 and each year you are entered your name get added an additonal time. In order to get grain to eat, you can have you rname put into the jar more times.

So Katniss has a mother and a sister who she takes care of. She illegally hunts in the woods for food to feed her family. When the day of the drawing comes, she has 20 some pieces of paper with her name in it and her sister has one. It turns out that her sister gets her name drawn to enter the games. Katniss quickly jumps to her sister's aid and offers to go in for her because the games are a cruel reminder from the Capitol. They put the 24 contenders into an arena and the only one that gets out alive is the winner. To make it even worse, they have made it into a tv show that all districts watch and bet on.

Okay so it follows her and the other tribute from her district Peeta, throughout the games. I could go on forever, but I want you to read the book so I'll stop. But it really is an amazing YA book. I am so excited to read the second book, Catching Fire!

Avalon High

2010-01-10T19:14:00.000-08:00

When I decided to explore graphic novels this term, I had no idea how outside of "normal" it would be for me. I decided to start with something as close to "normal" as I could get. First, I started with an author that I knew. Meg Cabot wrote The Princess Diaries series as well as others. Secondly, this book is in the manga format. This may surprise some of my classmates, but I am an anime junkie. I love watching japanese "magical girl" anime cartoons.(Yes that is a legitimate genre.)

Well, I found this series in which all of the characters seem to be reborn versions of the characters of the King Arthur legends. Only one character believes that they arethese reborn characters, and he has only told a handful off the other characters his theory. The series is told from the perspective of Ellie. She is the new kid/ track star/ Lady of the Lake who is dating the class president/football quarterback/ Arthur.

I would probably recommend this book for nineth grade free reading. It was a very quick read. It would be a nice way to explore the differences in gender roles of medieval england and today when paired with an actual medieval text.

Bring Back Yesterday

2010-01-10T17:22:00.000-08:00

I liked this book. I felt it would be a great book for free reading by freshman girls. It would also be a great book to accompany Shakespeare's R&J. It is about a teenage girl, Lisa, whose parents are killed in the plane crash of 9/11. She ends up living with her aunt. While struggling with her parents death and her new sorrounding, she finds herself sort of time travelling back to the Elizabethan days of Shakespeare. There she runs into a girl from her past. Her childhood imaginary friend to be exact. Also known as Rooji Shakespeare Will's cousin and aspiring actress. This world is parallel to her own and it is hard to tell if things are real or imagined
One other good thing about the book is that the most dangerous expletives used are "turd" and "a pox on you." This would make it an easy book to recommend with no worries.

2010-01-10T16:14:00.000-08:00

I picked up this book from the library called Under the Wolf, Under the Dog. It was suggested in 500 Great Books for Teens. It was described as "If Holden Caulfield ventured into the twenty-first century, he might sound just like sixteen-year-old Steve Nugent, who writes an autobiography, 'A Pretty Depressing Time in My Life.'" Lets just say it was a very depressing book. I made it to chapter six and had to walk away and start a new book. So now, I am reading Redwall. So far I am really getting into Redwall. I am a Tolkien fan and the writing is similar to Lord of the Rings. It is basically Lord of Rings with wild animals. I might return to Under the wolf, Under the Dog later on and finish it. It might get better. I might not reject it, yet.

Tears of a Tiger by Sharon M. Draper

2010-01-10T14:52:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading Tears of A Tiger by Sharon M. Draper. It is probably one of the better books that I have read in a long time. It contains some fairly rough and somewhat graphic material such as drunken driving, death, problems with racial stereotypes and the effects on education, relationships, and suicide. The main storyline of the book is seventeen-year-old Andy Jackson's struggle to deal with the death of his best friend caused by drunk driving; Andy is the drunk driver.

This book is interesting because it has a very different style. The chapters are made up of a consecutive series of conversations, internal monologue, police reports, letters, journal entries, homework assignments, notes, prayers and newspaper articles. Also, each character's point of view is offered in the book, which is something a high school reader rarely experiences. It offers the reader a break from the traditional novel.

This book has also received some recognition. It has won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent, is an ALA Best Book For Young Adults, and an ALA Quick Pick for Young Adults. It is also part of the Hazelwood High Trilogy. The other two books are Forged By Fire and Darkness Before Dawn.

As I have said, I enjoyed this book. I think it would be good to offer boys and girls alike to read. It would definitely appeal to minorities and reader's looking for edgier books. I think this book has great potential for a classroom.

How to be Popular: A Novel by Meg Cabot

2010-01-10T10:45:00.001-08:00

Page 1:
Popular: adj. Widely liked or appreciated; liked by many acquantances; sought after for company.

Popularity.
We all want it. Why? Because being pouplar means being liked. Everyone wants to be liked.
Sadly, however, not all of us are.

So what do pouplar people have in common that makes them all so popular?

They all have:
*A friendly way about them.
*An eagerness to pitch in and help get the job done.
*An interest in everythign that goes on at work or school.
*A look that's fresh and neat.

These aren't traits popular people were born with. They've cultivated these characteristics that make them so popular... (Contrary to Popular Belief right? [no pun intended] =P )

~Let's begin by determining yoru popularity level~

Steph Landy is a teenager who goes to Bloomville High, works as a cashier/slave-worker for her parent's own form of a Quick-E-Mart (Sorry, Love the Simpsons), and has to live with the fact that shie is 'unpopular', especially compared to her -once- best friend, Laruen Maffot.

Once best friend? Why yes, 'once'. You see, due to a certain bright-red-cherry Super Big Gulp (think slurpee) involving Lauren's new-white-D&G Skirt, well, to say the least, the two just haven't been friends ever since, even after Steph's deep-hearted apology. At any rate, their friendship probably wouldn't last because Lauren is popular and Steph..well..she's just Steph, and being -Steph- is a bad thing. You see, everyone witness the bright red cherry Super Big Gulp Slurpee Fiasco, and now when anyone does something remotely "crack-headed, stupid, or just all out geeky, dorky, or silly" (This all covers quite a bit now doesn't it?) everyone feels the need to remark: "Don't pull a Steph Landry" or "Don't be such a Steph" or something to that effect. If it isn't bad enough that her peers are doing it, kindergarteners and adults are shouting the same thing, and they don't even know her!

Her entire high school career looks as if its in shambles and she will just have to get used to the fact that her life will be filled with no-party invites, constant ridicule and blame, and all-time labels of geek, dork, stupid, and "Crazy-top"-as called by her "somewhat hott" friend, Jason. Dang, she can't even get her childhood friend to notice her differently, except for the fact that he constantly points out her "huge chin, [and the] large amount of real estate between [her] eyes!" But what's all that matter? Jason isn't popular...just ..."somewhat hott" (and maybe attainable? compared to other guys that her out of her league, especially the "hottest guy in school: Mark Finely). Oh yeah, Jason and Mark...no contest, Mark wins hands-down [mind you this is according to Steph...not myself. Just as so long as we have that cleared =P ]

Oh if Steph could only get Mark to notice her, but that reality looks so far from her, that is, until she finds this book titled: How to be Popular.

Understandably, that's a lot in just the first few pages, but you get the idea. Reading through, you'll find that this book is comical, has a nice set-up that allows you to keep all the characters straight, and one that you just can't stop reading until its finished (presumably if life doesn't get in the way first). With that interlude, I confess that I am not all the way done, but I'm getting there in between the times I have to do this juggling act (man I don't even have kids yet either, how do you people do it!?! )

Neverthelss, this book is definitely a novel that many girls, and guys to, can relate. I mean come on, we've all probalby dreamt at some point or another about being pouplar...and if not that, then at least we've thought about it (if we weren't 'part of that group' to begin with). And if you're still in some sort of denial of never wanting that [=P] then at least we may have thought about trying to impress, or rather get the attention of (in a good + way) that guy/girl who's deemed "out of league".

Cabbot manages to master all these feelings by intertwining Steph's (and really perhaps our own) story with that to the 'tips' of the book that Steph has found (and that is also consquently in our possession...well...in yours if you go buy it at BN for like $9- trust me, it's worth the $9 plus the 10% discount if your a BN member -okay done advertising...think BN 'll give me more of a cut since I so craftily inserted that promotion there? No? ...Didnt think so...sad face...)

Anyhoo,

it's a read you should pick up. I mean, don't you wanna know if Steph gets the guy? Or if she becomes, oh my god - popular? (maybe I'm being a little bit of cynical smart-a but eh, you'll get used to it). Or do new relationships blossom elsewhere? And what about that-excusez mon francais- bizz-itch - Lauen Moffat- who decides to make Steph's life a living hell because of one incident!?!

Yeah~ So I'll leave you all to it. Happy reading xD

~BrownEyes

Dresden Files: Storm Front (Graphic Novel)

2010-01-10T10:23:00.001-08:00

All right, so this is my first time blogging about a book I've read so we'll see how this goes!

To start off with, Jim Butcher is my all time favorite author of urban fantasy. This particular book is a graphic novel based off of the actual series he's written. It's illustrated by Ardian Syaf, who does fantastic work. The graphics really are vivid and keep you captivated! It's really amazing to read a series and then actually get to see what the author wants us to see. This one, called Storm Front, is only the first part as the second one doesn't come out for a few more months.

The low down on it: The Dresden Files themselves are based on the life of a modern day wizard living in Chicago. Harry Dresden always runs into some sort of trouble whether it be with women, the Laws of Magic, blood-thirsty vampire seductresses, a Dew Drop Fairy who devours pizza as if it were ambrosia, or his own limitations. I highly recommend not only the series itself but the graphic novels as well. It really brings about a complete picture for the reader! As for YA students, this book might be a bit mature for the younger ages but I feel as if it will be suitable for the upper levels.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret...

2010-01-10T09:52:00.000-08:00

I started reading this book because it showed up as one of the banned books. I couldn't believe that a book wrote in the 70's about an eleven year old could possibly be banned. As I read it, however, (it only took me 2 hours!) I began to understand why people could have a problem with it. It takes a very interesting look at young girls, and remarkably, or perhaps not so remarkably, girls haven't changed that much in what they think about at the ripe young age of 11. Margaret's story is also interesting in the fact that her parents, one Jewish and the other Christian, have both rejected the faiths of their childhood and are going to let Margaret choose her own religion whenever she is ready. This become one of the main focuses of this book, her search for identity in a religion. Now religion, I this may come as a shock, is a very touchy subject, and suppose that it is for this fact that the book was banned. Also for the some of the very honest descriptions of puberty and growing up in a culture that was beginning to discover itself in a whole new way.

Overall, I thought this book was quite shocking. I went into thinking that is would be a mild story of a young girls search for identity, but ended up realizing that it was a sometimes uncomfortable story about a young girls search for meaning, not only for herself but for her small world of classmates and family. If you are wanting a book that focuses on identity, girls, bullies, clicks, or any religious issues, this would be a great book to read.

Savannah

American Born Chinese

2010-01-10T09:45:00.000-08:00

For the first time in my life I read a graphic novel! I selected American Born Chinese and to my surprise I absolutely loved it! First let me start by saying it took very little time to read (about an hour and some change), so if you need a good and quick introduction to graphic novels...this book is perfect for you! The story line is outrageous I must admit, using the Monkey King one of the three main character...but the general theme of judging a book by it's cover- sorta speak, is inviting. The three characters (to include the Monkey King, Jin Wang, and Chin-kee) give a great perspective of living under stereotypes, stipulation, and discrimination (which is something everyone can relate to no matter what sex or color, right?). More specifically, the book gives the Asian living in America perspective while narrating three colorful tales that eventually intertwine as the book comes to an end.
What I found even more interesting was the author's personal blog about his ultimate intentions on writing the book and the history behind the Monkey King. If you end up selecting this book to read- check out Gene Yang's blog: http://www.firstsecondbooks.com/authors/geneYangBlogMain.html.

In brief, he describes the Monkey King as very well known and an extremely popular pop culture icon (news to me, I thought he completely made it up). The author states, "the Monkey King exploits were always told as bedtime stories by my mother" (Yang). When asked how he came up with the idea he said, "he used the Monkey King as a lens through which to reflect on my own experience as an Asian-American." However, he had one drastic change to make. The original story of the Monkey King's religious roots trace back to Buddhism but Yang wanted to convey a more universal theological message (with emphasis on Christianity) because "Christianity is at the vital center of my identity as an Asian-American"(Yang). Overall his blog added another dimension to the actual book for me.

Bottom line- graphic enthusiast or not, you will not be disappointed!

Watchmen

2010-01-09T19:58:00.000-08:00

Well...I must say, after seeing the words "dog carcass," "blood, and "sex and murder," on the first page of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchman, I began to questions what I had gotten myself into! This is my first graphic novel, so I began the book with a mind as opened as open gets! Though I was startled at first by the intense language and artwork, I have to admit, it's been hard to put the book down! It was difficult to get used to this new way of "reading," but I think I have mastered the process (read, look at picture, figure out who is talking...read, look at picture, figure out who is talking).

Basically, the book begins with a guy, the comedian, falling out of a window. Intense, right? Rorschach, the main "costume hero," believes there is a conspiracy going on and works to warn the other "costume heros." The plot takes off from there with Rorschach and his mission. Dr. Manhattan, another "costume hero," works closely with a woman named Laurie. There ends up being a huge debacle between these two characters, but I don't want to give too much away! I'm not too far into the story, but I am surprisingly consumed by this new genre! So, if you are like me, and you have never branched out into graphic novels, I think this is a great one to start with. It's something that would be challenged by adminsitrators and parents FOR SURE, but it's the type of book I think a lot of kids read and enjoy. So, even if you don't read it to teach it, I would suggest reading it to understand what kids are reading and relating to, so you can relate to them! :)

Graphic Novels

2010-01-09T16:00:00.000-08:00

I have to admit, I love YA books. However, despite loving anime shows, I've never really gotten into graphic novels. I am so excited to be experiencing something new!

Runaways: True Believers
I've never been a comic book type person. I think after watching Daredevil (possibly the most awful movie ever) I was just turned off to superheros in general. Runaways was the book I picked thinking, "I don't want to read this...Sally said to branch out..." Surprisingly, this is a great book! The storyline takes time to remember old Marvel superheroes while introducing their power-blessed offspring. The dialogue is fresh and funny, and definitely something teens could get into.

cons: There are a few curse words and some graphic language. The worst of which is probably, "rip his damn heart out," which is so much milder than what kids today are hearing when they go to the movies.

Star Trek: Year Four
I'm a trekkie...I'll admit it. I think Spock is sexy and I know the intro to the show by heart. The Star Trek graphic novel is based on the planned (but never released) season four of the original show. The animation is absolutely gorgeous and the characters are true to the show and novels. Of course, this graphic novel gives a deep storyline and makes you think. Like the shows, it contains subtle lessons in morality, such as treating all people equal.

cons: The word damn is used quite frequently by our dear Bones. "Damn it Spock, I'm a doctor, not a -fill in the blank based on the episode-"

Papillon
I picked this graphic novel up because I love Peach Girl and this was created by the same woman. The novel is based on the lives of twin sisters; one is beautiful, one is not. Of course there is drama like the sudsiest of soap operas, but that happens to be the kind of thing teenage girls enjoy. (And apparently I like them, too!) The animation for this novel is great; very true to the manga genre.

cons: This one has a strange storyline that I'm not sure about. The new guidance counselor hits on the main character, who is a high school student. The guidance counselor is only a college-aged kid, plus he's only joking around, but it's still a little odd. I personally think it would be alright for highschoolers, but I'm sure there would be parents who would argue. Again, teenagers are seeing so much worse than this at movie theaters.

Borrow My Books?

2010-01-09T15:39:00.000-08:00

Just to let everyone know, I have a fairly large personal collection of YA appropriate books and am willing to lend them out, so long as I get them back. I know not everyone has the money to buy new books, and that with 19 of us scouring the libraries and used book stores, eventually the wells will run dry. :D

Some of my books:
all Tolkien's books
all J.K. Rowling
all Anne McCaffrey
Narnia series (C.S. Lewis)
Wrinkle in Time series (Madeleine L'Engle)
Hatchet (Gary Paulsen)
Treasure Island
Jane Eyre
last two books of the Bartimaeus trilogy (Johnathan Stroud)
last three Twilight novels
Dracula
Stravaganza: City of Masks (Mary Hoffman)

Please email me at ross.132@wright.edu if you're interested. I love the idea of lending my fellow future teachers books. :D

-Kelley

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

2010-01-08T19:12:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone,

I hope everyone is surviving the cold beginning of 2010! I just finished reading Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. It was an EXCELLENT book! The story is told interestingly from the viewpoint of the two main characters, Nick and Norah. The story follows the budding relationship of the pair through out the course of one night after a chance meeting inside of a rock club. Both are still struggling from the baggage of previous relationships, which has left both cynical and slightly jaded to the prospect of relationships. It accurately represents the feelings many of us may have felt in our youth in regards to rejection, heartache, love, lust, and the dream of finding the right person. The novel makes use of music as a great representation of the characters inner emotions by highlighting specific songs and artists. The character's dialogue and inner monologue are also greatly representational of how people their age think and act(both characters are 18). Because of the unique way it is written, this book could appeal to both boys and girls, however it deals with slightly more mature subject matter and would probably be better suited for boys and girls in their late teens, as opposed to middle school or early high school students. All in all though, this book is a fantastic read and i would highly recommend it!

The Greek Gods Live!

2010-01-08T18:47:00.000-08:00

Right now, I'm reading Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Last Olympian. Percy Jackson & the Olympians is a serial by Rick Riordan about demigods (half human, half god) who must train at Camp Half-Blood in the summers leading to adulthood so that they can learn to control their godly powers. The Last Olympian is the fifth and, unfortunately, final installment in this series. Just in case you were wondering, I have read the other four books. I enjoyed them very much.

Before I talk about The Last Olympian, I think you should know what the series is about as a whole. The protagonist is an adolescent boy named Percy Jackson who lives with just his mother. He has been diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD and is constantly getting expelled from schools for various strange happenings that are beyond his control. Percy never had a father and his mother would always change the subject when Percy asked about him. One day, Percy makes friends at a new school with a strange kid named Grover, who periodically eats paper from his notebook. They become close and decide to drive to the beach with Percy's mother. Unfortunately, during the drive, they get attacked by a minotaur and Percy's mother is “killed!” Percy defeats the minotaur, to his own surprise, and Grover reveals that he (Percy) is a demigod! The boys then go to Camp Half-Blood to begin their adventures.

What I love about these books is how Riordan takes Greek Mythology and makes the myths not only seem plausible, but that they have never gone away. The gods still run their respective “rackets,” some monsters co-exist with humans a la Men In Black, and magic is very, very real. I am only about fifty pages into The Last Olympian, but I'm already loving it. Favorite characters have returned, it's rich with Mythological references from The Iliad and The Odyssey, and there is humor to be found on every page.

The Last Olympian begins with Percy going on a date with his new girlfriend, whom he had met in the third book. Their date is interrupted by Blackjack, Percy's Pegasus friend, when he literally drops in on them. Blackjack tells him that Kronos, Zeus's evil Titan father, is about to assault New York City by sea. Percy leaves his date and meets up with his friend Brechendorf. Together, they plan to blow up the cruise ship that Kronos and his army are using to get to New York. Well, they blow it up, but Brechendorf and Percy are caught in the explosion. Percy is knocked unconscious into the sea and the reader is left wondering what happened to his friend. Normally, being unconscious in the ocean would be a bad thing, but, luckily for Percy, he ends up in Poseidon's palace where a cyclops nurses him back to health.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians reminds me a lot of the Harry Potter series, though I actually prefer the former to the latter. The similarities are salient: the protagonists are adolescent boys, they both have great power, they both must stay at an isolated location in order for them to develop these powers, and they both have these prophecies that haunt them throughout the series.

I highly recommend Percy Jackson & the Olympians, though I can see how this book would appeal to younger boys rather than girls. However, anyone who has a passing interest in Greek Mythology will definitely enjoy this series. It's light-hearted, action-packed, often humorous, and rich with Greek Mythological references.

Hoot

2010-01-08T13:35:00.000-08:00

Carl Hessian’s Hoot, is an awesome book! I loved it. It would be a perfect book for tween boys to read. It is about this boy, Roy, who moves to Florida with his family and is the new kid in town. He is used to this because he is the new kid a lot considering his father works for the government and they move a lot. It would be an awesome book for students who are new or students who have dealt with school bullies because Roy has a bully of his own in the story.

It becomes quite a funny story because the characters are truly “characters”, they would be very comical to any tween. Anyway, it becomes this story of how these teens help save a piece of land for the owls. Roy learns how to fit in and grow up at the same time. It is defiantly a great book. It would be perfect for new students, boys, students dealing with the struggles of adulthood, and really anyone who is trying to overcome something.

*The cover is really cute too :)

Nancy Drew

2010-01-07T19:08:00.000-08:00

My daughter is eight and loves Nancy Drew. Yesterday, when she came home from school and plopped on the couch I decided to have some fun. I grabbed the Nancy Drew graphic novel # 13 Doggone Town, sat down on the couch, and started reading. She did not notice at all. "This book is great," I said. This finally got some attention. "Your reading Nancy Drew ?" she questioned with a strange face. "What's wrong with that," I responded. "Well for one thing your a guy and your, your thirty five!"

That was so much fun. The book was better than I expected. The art work was a little anime but in a good way. I thought the story had some good humor and followed the mystery girl extraordinaire theme very well. It was clean but up to date. There was a myphone and X-files. This really did not seem like a graphic novel to me, though. It was more like a comic strip with a hard cover. It just seemed to short to call a Graphic Novel. I would still recommend it for fun tween reading.

I'M BACK!!

2009-03-31T12:01:00.000-07:00

Hey there fellow bloggers!!
It's been a long long time since I've been on this blessed blog, but I'm back once more. Right now I'm working on reading Ender's Game -- which I have been told by multiple people is amazing. I like the beginning of it but I haven't yet gotten very far. I've been sidetracked by other things going on ... and now with the quarter back on we'll see if I actually get more reading done!!
Recently I completed a few books that I'd like to rave about on here... well first I just want to say that the Uglies trilogy is AMAZING!! but I read that back around Christmas haha
Recently read The Devil's Arithmetic which is a GREAT book for Holocaust. Also read Vizzini's Be More Chill -- that book took a great look at the effect of technology on our brains as well as to the lengths adolescents will go to be 'cool' and for guys - to get with girls. I'm on to Feed next -- loaned by the lovely Cassie!! yaya

City of Ember

2009-02-04T19:34:00.000-08:00

Hello my YA friends,

I just finished City of Ember and it was very good. It is written for kids aged 9-12, but the suspense and pacing is very well done. I just put the sequel on hold and I cannot wait to start reading it.

For lovers of manufactured worlds and adventure, I would recommend this book!

Discovery!!!

2009-01-22T17:37:00.000-08:00

I love John Green, he is amazing and I want him to write enough books that I can have a bookcase full of them complete with a little grotto to honor his magnificence. In his newest book, Paper Towns, is little bio clip mentions a project he's involved in called Brotherhood 2.0. I finally looked it up and its the coolest, funniest thing ever. He and his brother did a video blog for a year and had some of the goofiest, off the wall topics ever! There are all kinds of fan groups dedicated to their awesomeness and they have the "official" website, brotherhood2.com. There are tons of the videos on YouTube, so if you love this guy as much as I do, be sure to check it out!

Inside "The Outsiders"

2009-01-21T18:29:00.000-08:00

So, I finally encountered the outsiders as part of teaching an 8th grade class. We are starting the novel as a class next week, so I broke down and got the book-on-tape from the library. I listened to it over the past week and I have to say a few things about.

First, I have to commend the backstory on the writing of this novel. Obviously, this book paved the way for millions of teenage-focused literature.

However, this novel has caught the "out of style" bug like so many other novels. Sure, there are the gang themes/peer pressure/etc that this book does a very good job of presenting in believeable terms. That being said, the book was written in 1967!

The terms "soc" and "greaser" do not apply anymore and this book gives an in-depth look of a culture that may not exist any longer.

So, needless to say, I am not looking forward to presenting this book to the class in the coming weeks.

London Calling

2008-12-22T10:25:00.001-08:00

I've had my eye on this one for a while and, even though I'm scheduled for the GRE tomorrow and should be studying, I picked this one up and fnished it last night. Great sci-fi/spiritual/historical/psychological something! Martin attends a private Catholic high school where he and his mates are looked down on because they're scholarship students. Summer comes with the one of his friends expelled and Martin wanting nothing more than to go to the local middle school instead. Meanwhile, his senile grandmother has taken to calling him late at night and asking him to help Jimmy, a boy no one else has heard of. When his grandmother dies and leaves him a radio, Martin sets it up in his room and falls asleep...and meets Jimmy. Time travel, spirits, or Martins own imagination have led to this and now all Jimmy can say is "Will you help?" I absolutely LOVED this book! Serious, it was awesome. SO, London Calling by Edward Bloor. Check it out!

Swiss Mist by Randy Powell

2008-12-22T07:04:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading this book. It is fantastic. It takes place in Seattle and the surrounding areas and gives a great portrayal of everyday life in the Pacific Northwest. It a coming of age story about a boy named Milo. We follow Milo from the fifth grade through tenth grade as he struggles with divorced parents who are following completely different paths. Also, Milo is dealing with the usual pressures that adolescents experience in present-day America.

Very good book with many interesting characters and settings!

finally starting uglies!!

2008-12-19T10:59:00.001-08:00

Finally starting Uglies!! it's amazing so far =) I bought that trilogy last year and just now started it but am so glad i am
I would definitely recommend it.
The inner-turmoil and pressures of society come through really well. Very easily relatable to YA students! Who do you keep a promise to? Should you follow what society tells you to do?
So yay for uglies!! Can't wait to get to the next two books in the series =)
~emilyp

HYSTERICAL BOOK!!!

2008-12-13T16:40:00.000-08:00

Everyone must read "Ant Farm and Other Desparate Situations" by Simon Rich. It is not a YA book, but deals with a lot of the funny things that kids, young adults and such go through in life.

The book is comprised of several short stories (5 pages or less) and almost every one had me laughing out loud. My wife thinks I have lost it!

Anyway, I hope the Christmas break is going well and I will be seeing you...

Ask Me No Questions, Peter and the Starchasers, and Ember

2008-12-07T10:32:00.000-08:00

I'm still here, Ray!

So I last blogged on Speak. Immediatly after that I started Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos. This one is about a girl whose family is living in the US illegally when 9/11 happens. They try to get into Canada and are turned away and, when trying to reenter the US, the girl's father is taken into custody. It shows the post-9/11 scare from the other side, where people that had been born and raised in the US were suddenly viewed as dangerous and were taken into custody for no reason other than their ethnicity and religion. Definetly a good read.

After that, I read Peter and the Starchasers by Barry and Pearson. This is the first in their many prequels to the traditional Peter Pan story. In this, Peter is an orphan that has been, basically, sold by his orphanage to an evil ruler in a foreign land. In the ship on the way to his new home, he and the other orphans, the future Lost Boys, discover there is precious cargo onboard and there are many people trying to get to it. They meet up with pirates (soon to be Hook), indians, a giant crocodile, and a fairy before finding their new home on an island Peter cristens "Neverland". Really good story, although I had trouble reading the constantly switching viewpoints. Either way, I'll probably read the next one.

After this one I read Ember by Jeanne Duprau. I had no idea when I was reading this, but they just made this one into a movie. Cool! There's a city underground where people have been living for 200 years as a last effort to save the human race as we destroy ourselves with war. The city was only supposed to last 200 years, at which point the mayor would had instructions on how to escape the underground city. When a corrupt mayor destroys the instructions, the city ages beyond its lifespan with its citizens not knowing they're even supposed to be trying to leave. The generator is dying an no one even knows how it works. The food is running out, the supplies are low, and then the lights are going out. Of course, some kids find the answers...Its an awesome book! I loved this one and got the next one immediatly. And the 3rd. I don't want to give a whole lot away, but I liked these.

Ok, that's all for now! cya!

Ray is a YA late bloomer...

2008-12-05T13:10:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone,

I realize that I am blogging to myself here--considering I have written the last three posts on this site--but I just had an incredible reading experience. I just finished reading "The Giver" and I think it was quite excellent. I realize that most of you experienced this book a long time ago, but I am a late bloomer, a newby in the YA reading universe.

I love the social message of the novel. The love the creation of a repressed society. I was surprised by the simplicity and depth of the characters and setting in the book. There isn't much more to say than:

If you haven't done so, you need to read this book!

"The Cricket Man" by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

2008-11-25T12:12:00.001-08:00

So, I just finished reading this book for ALAN and I have to say it was pretty decent. Much of the book is predictable--especially for us older readers--but in the end it turned out to be a pretty good read. It is short, I read it in about three hours and the plot is very fast-paced.

It is about a eighth-grade boy named Kenny, who is caught between stages in life. High school is on the horizon, but he still enjoys many things a kid would like (comics, skateboarding, superheroes, etc).

Kenny becomes acquainted with the girl across the street, Jodie, who is a high school junior and takes a strange interest in Kenny.

There are some funny interactions with family and friends, as well as some unexpected turns that questions tough issues.

Overall, a good read. One that you may pick up at your local library.

Boy in the Sriped Pajamas and Speak

2008-11-15T06:24:00.001-08:00

I finally read Speak. I know, took me long enough! But yeah, it was as wonderful as everyone said. It was kinda depressing that I knew the entire story line from our classes, but then it was nice to finally read it for myself. Definetly enjoyable, though, and I'm defienetly gonna be singing its praises for a while. :D
I also read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by Boyne. I don't want to say a whole lot about this one because a large part of the book's coolness is that you go into it so blind and figure it out piece by piece. I will tell you it gets pretty emotional at time and I cried when I finished it. Its very short and I would highly HIGHLY recommend it. Also, they're making it into a movie if anyone thinks thats cool.
I started Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos this morning and its shaping up nicely. Its about a family from Bangladesh living illegally in America when 9/11 happens and how it impacts thier life. I'm only in chapter 6 now, so I'll let you know how it shapes up.
I also wanted to quickly remind everyone of a book I read way back during class, Sherman Alexie's Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. Its been getting some media exposure lately and I think it won some more awards. Also, I was very happy to see Alexie in my 20th cent. American Literature anthology, so yeah, happy days! Check it out!
Till next time!

Some YA stuff and Etgar Keret

2008-11-13T18:31:00.001-08:00

Hello Everyone,
Nice to see that some of our old buddies have started posting again. Recently, I have read some good and bad YA novels. First off, "Chameleon" by Charles R. Smith Jr. is about a fourteen year old boy who lives in South Central. His parents are divorced and he spends his summer vacation being shipped from his alcoholic aunt's house to his father's and everywhere in between. I know this account seems like it is a depressing story, but it is actually very inspirational. Although his parents are separated, they are supportive and he has three good friends, which help him in a very trying part of his life. It is a good coming-of-age story.

I reviewed a book for ALAN entitled "Stravaganza: City of Secrets." I did not care for it too much, but those of you who enjoy fantasy/historical fiction will love it. It takes place in present-day England and 16th century France. It is part of a series of books by Mary Hoffman.

Lastly, I was recently urged to pick up a collection of short stories by a author named Etgar Keret. He is not a YA author, but stories are some of the strangest and inventive concepts I have ever read. Keret is primarily a short fiction writer, but he dabbles in some longer forms and the graphic novel arena. He had one of his stories ("Kneller's Happy Campers") turned into a movie (Wristcutters: A Love Story) and a graphic novel (Pizzeria Kamikaze). The collections I have been reading are "The Girl on the Fridge" and "The Bus Driver Who Wanted to be God." Anyone who likes reading short stories (most of them are 1-10 pages) that are strange and thought-provoking should definitely check Etgar Keret out.

Well, well....How time flies when you are having fun. I am presently reading a YA book called "The Cricket Man" by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor and John Grisham's "Playing for Pizza." I will write again in a few weeks with the down-low on these and maybe more.

Later, Fellow ILA and YA Travelers!

YA and Adult Novels Galore!

2008-11-13T09:10:00.001-08:00

I can't believe people are still posting! I'm subbing right now at Beavercreek High School and I always find myself checking this website when I'm here. It's probably the one reason I keep coming back. I have been reading like crazy. I read Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (which was amazing; movie was terrible) and Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List. Both were written by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn. They were both amazing and easy reads. Since I liked them so much, I decided to try a Rachel Cohn book called "Cupcake." I was so dissapointed. Her co-writing with David Levithan was so awesome and filled with sarcasm, humor, and great metaphors. However, I couldn't even make it past page 50 in Cupcake. It was pretty awful and I was very surprised.
I am currently in the middle of 2 books. One I am reviewing for ALAN called "Wherever Nina Lies" by Lynn Weingarten. It is actually really good so far (I'm about 100 pages in) and will come out in February 2009. It's about a girl who is plagued by the mysterious dissapearance of her sister Nina. Nina has been missing for 2 years and Ellie has never gotten over it, but has began to accept it. She begins finding clues into her sister's dissapearance and she decides Nina is still alive somewhere and it is her job to find her. It's a little under 400 pages, so i'll let you know further in if it stays good. The only quam I have is that the book has tons of publishing errors, which i'm sure will be fixed before it is officially released. I can't help but notice them. It's the teacher in me :)
The second book i'm reading right now is called "Choke" by a guy named Chuck (i don't have it with me right now and his name is really hard to pronounce). It's really hilarious. It's about a guy who is a recovering sex addict. He decides he has to drop out of med school in order to pay for his mother's hospital care (it's $3,000/month for her to stay at a nursing home type hospital). In order to pay his mother's medical bills, he devises a plan where he goes to high-end restaurants and pretends to "choke" on food in the hopes that a rich customer will "save" his life. In turn, the customers hear his sob story about how awful his life is and give him money as help. The best part is, that it actually works for him. The sarcasm and humor in this book are really great and the writing is very creative. I really like this book!
I just bought another book called "Dead Until Dark" by Charlanne Harris (IDK if i spelled her name right). The new HBO vampire series called "True Blood" is based off this series, which is why I bought it. The TV series is excellent, so I figure the book is probably even better. Speaking of Vamps, who's pumped about TWILIGHT THE MOVIE? I'm stoked :) Can't wait to see if it compares to the book. I'm glad everyone is still writing on here.
I have read sooooo many more books, but can't remember all of them. If I read anything else that's really good, I'll let you guys know. Can't wait to see all of you (and Sally) who are going to be in winter cohort!

Lindsay :)

Rules of Survival, So Yesterday, Indigo's Star, and Runaway

2008-11-11T12:04:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I'm still reading, lol! I sat down the other day and worked out a list of all the books I've read, YA or YA related, since our class and I'm somewhere around 70 now. :D anyway, last post I was reading Code Talkers by Joseph Bruchac. After that I read Runaway by Wendelin van Draanen, which was really good. The title is pretty self-explanatory, but I'll give you a recap. It's the diary of a (fictional) 13-year-old girl that runs away from her foster parents. I think this one could be a really good one for future teachers because it really puts some issues into perspective. She actually starts the diary writing to her english teacher to tells her its her fault she ran away. While there are some things, in the story, the teacher did that probably wasn't the most helpful, it'll mostly show that the sullen, surly kid in the class may have more going on than a desire to disrupt your class.
Next was Indigo's Star by Hilary McKay. I've actually been avoiding this book, not for any particular reason really. I kept seeing it and writing it off, seeing it, writing it off. Finally I read the back's list of awards and was like, "Ok, fine". It was actually really REALLY good! Probably more for a mild or younger (tween) audience than what I usually read (probably why I avoided it...), but very very good! The story follows Indigo, a 12-year-old boy in England that gets picked on a lot. After a bout of Mono leaves him out of school for a term, the fights are more centered on a new kid from America. Indigo befriends the boy and, with his family, start to find out why exactly he's in Britain. I loved LOVED the family in this book! I really love those excentric families that take in people like they're stray cats, the kind where you walk in the house and are expected to help make dinner and find the missing sock. That's just this kind of family, and I loved it! I think there are more books on this family, but I haven't found them yet. Hope I do soon!
Next I reverted to one of my favorite authors, Scott Westerfeld. Before writing Uglies and Peeps, he wrote this little book that I have somehow kept from picking up called So Yesterday. Of course, it was great! The book investigates the world of advertising and marketing, focusin on the concept of "cool". Hunter works as a "cool hunter," scoping out new trends on the street created by "innovators" and selling the ideas to "the client" who sends them into mass production. Upon meeting a particular "innovator", he gets drawn into a mystery involving kidnapping, poisoning, and mind control all over...shoes. Its an awesome book, either for guys or girls, and has that old-school Westerfeld feel I love!!!
Lastly, I'm currently working through Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin. As the older brother, it was Matthew's job to protect his sisters from their mom. Caddy was old enough to understand, but not Emmy. I'm only about half through this one now, but it deals with some pretty heavy stuff, but nothing really graphic yet. Its an Edgar Award Winner and, so far, its a really good story. I let you know how it fleshes out. Till next time!

For the Twilight lovers out there

2008-11-07T08:41:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,
It has been so long since I have posted something. My older sister sent me an interesting article so I thought I would share it with everyone. especially with those of you who have read Twilight and loved it. This article takes into affect how a place that everyone thought might have been imaginary is actually real and can be affected by a novel. For example the town of Forks, WA actually exists. Here is the link enjoy. You might be able to use it in your class room if you are teaching Twilight or how a book can affect the real world.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26811199/

Have a good finals week and a good break,
Katie

Books galore!

2008-10-28T06:47:00.000-07:00

Before I started on the books I read, I wanted to take a minute to tell everyone about an email I got this morning. Dayton Metro Libraries have started an Email Newsletter program. They have different lists with everything from the New York Times Bestsellers, to YA Lit, to Childrens Picture Books, and books for Early Eduacation and ESOL instructors. Thought I'd post the link in case anyone else wanted on some of them. I signed up for a bunch. The list go out either weekly or monthly depending on the list. Here's the link, though:
http://www.booksite.com/texis/scripts/bookletter/addnluser.html?sid=6500

Now for some books! Right now I'm reading Code Talkers by ------------ about the Navajo Code Talkers during WWII. Its really cool, very authentic, and would be a very good class book, at least from what I've read so far. There's enough (but not too much) war action in it to appeal to the boys in the book, but the historical and cultural aspects of it definetly keep me involved, as opposed to some of the other YA WWII books I've read. There would also be tons of extra activities a teacher could tie into this book, I'm just really enjoying it.

Before that I read a new Sci Fi book called Otherworldlies. Now, I think I might end up trashing this book before this post is over, but don't get me wrong! It was a nice, flowing, quick read that I'm sure many, many students would get into, especially the Harry Potter set. Why, you ask? Because the plot basically IS Harry Potter, only with a girl instead of a boy and vampires instead of wizards. The author really tries to be unique, but all through the book, especially at the end, that was all I could think of. And the fact she used vampires kind of irked me as well. I mean EVERYTHING right now in YA Lit is Vampires (and we all know who to blame for it :D). I was honestly really REALLY hoping for aliens on this one just to save myself from another creative, but predictable, accounting for kids with fangs that can be in the daylight, just not for too long, and that really don't drink blood, its just the BAD ONES that do...But it really was a nice little story and, like I said, if you have anyone that still cries at night over the end of Harry Potter, hand this to him/her, it'll stop them in their tracks.

I went back to some old favorites before that by revisiting the Royal Diaries series, an offshoot of the Dear America series that focused on young princesses, etc. of the historic world. I found a fascinating one about Catherine the Great of Russia when she was a tween. Very good series for anyone into short, sweet historic fiction. You can knock one of these out in two hours, no problem!

Next, I finally finished House of the Scorpion! I loved it! Although it was kinda touch and go in the middle. My younger stepsister actually told me about how they had read this one as a class novel in middle school. I don't know if I ever would, just because it can drag on and might be hard to have activities on because of its length, but maybe with some creative management...Anyway, loved this book! I really apreciate books that can take you so completely into another world/dimension/time/place and allow you to feel that its a real, viable place, even when its only existing on the page. This book definetly accomplishes that while giving a lot to think on in terms of cloning, immigration reform, and drug production.

I can't think of any others that I've read that I want to blog on now, but I'll let everyone know that my Shelfari has almost doubed in size with the books that I pla on reading, so if you need ideas, its a virtual Who's Who of library and book store displays (yes, I still wander around B&N with a notebook and pen, :D) Till next time!

YALSA 2008 Top Ten

2008-10-27T19:21:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a while since I posted on here and, while I would LOVE to catch everyone up on what I've been reading, I think that'll have to wait a couple days till I catch up on everythin. In the meantime, I found this press release with the YALSA 2008 Top Ten books for teens: http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2008/october2008/YALSAteenstopten.cfm
Eclipse by Meyer tops the list, of course, followed by the last Harry Potter book. Diary of a Whimpy Kid by Kinney is next (a funny book for younger adolescents that chronicles a boy's trip through middle school, accompanied by illustrations in the style of Alexie's "Part Time Indian"), followed by Vampire Academy by Mead and the nonfiction Maximum Ride by Patterson. #6 is City of Bones by Clarke, then Sweet Far Thing by Bray (the 3rd installment in the Great and Terrible Beauty series), and Westerfeld's Extras at #8 (the 4th book in the Uglies saga). Before I Die by Downham (a girl's list of things to accomplish before she dies) and Twisted by Anderson round out the list. I think we've covered the majority of these on the blog, at least 6 that I can think of. Anyway, like I said, more comprehensive blog to come soon. Till then!

"Identical" by Ellen Hopkins

2008-09-13T21:13:00.000-07:00

I just finished "Identical" and I have to say it was a fantastic book. It was funny. It made me cringe and it gave me chills. This is Hopkins' most controversial book so far. She does not pull any punches in dealing with many taboo subjects, including sexual abuse, drug abuse, cutting, etc.

This is one book that I may include in a classroom library, but be very careful who I lend it to. It is important but some of the scenes are detailed.

My Summer on Earth... gag - tear

2008-09-04T18:53:00.000-07:00

So while browsing at B&N about a month ago, I scanned the YA shelves for interesting titles and such. I picked up a book (among about 8 others) called "My Summer on Earth" by Tom Lombardi... would NOT recommend it for teachers to keep in their classroom. Cussing is at an extreme ('Fuck' is on the first page and at least once every page following of the approx 200 pg book) and the plot revolves around this hormonal alien in a "human suit" trying to have earthling sex and giving money away to bums on the beach.
Although I wanted to stop reading after the first page, I kept going thinking it might get better. All I can say is that it may have a good message vaguely represented in the last few pages about trying to understand one another and not getting caught up in the material things. Also says something about using your thoughts to change the world, because in reality that's all that makes you exist.
I must say I was really disappointed in this book and wouldn't have bought it. I am not going to put it in my library because I feel it was a bit trashy... tear.
Moving on to Sold by Patricia McCormick which i'm confident will be a better read.
~emilyp

Love, Football and Other Contact Sports

2008-09-04T11:22:00.001-07:00

Well, with high school football in full swing, and the fall season getting underway, i felt it appropriate to read a football book! so uncharacteristic of me i know! "Love, Football and Other contact Sports" is much more than a book about high school football players. The author, Alden Carter, does a tremendous job of showing high school life, outside of football through a multitude of perspectives and narrators. The culmination of which ties everyone together. Anyone who has experienced the unabashed hierarchies of high school life has a relatable place in this book. In fact, i think some of the female perspectives are more interesting than the male's talk of football. There is very little to do with football really; it's more about growing up and making lasting friendships.

Now i can only hope to keep up with the rapid blog-pacing of a certain someone who just got back from the west coast. It's a team effort though, and even though i might not be picking up any Gossip Girl books, we do share a mean British accent whilst reading "The Luxe" out loud. (d'you lock some tay?). Yay for this blog! Lets keep it alive!

Hello Blog!

2008-09-04T08:23:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness! The blog! I have terribly neglected the blog this summer, which is simply inexcusable. Basically, I have had a fabulous summer of little responsibility and a massive amount of reading! I just got back from a California vacation, where I read 8 books in about 11 days! As you can see, that’s dedication! Between frequenting libraries this summer, I have made a little list of the notable reads I have discovered. If you are not fond of terribly girly YA books then you might want to skip this entire post, just a forewarning.

I read most of E. Lockhart’s book this summer, but particularly found myself enjoying the companions The Boyfriend List and The Boy Book, both of which chronicle the wonderful narrator Ruby Oliver. I love Ruby’s voice, as she is hilarious. It kind of reminded me of a younger Bridget Jones.

I also enjoyed a book called Fact of Life #31 by Denise Vega. It was definitely different from a lot of YA books in that it is about a girl’s strained relationship with her mother who is a midwife. Kat, the main character, experiences a huge trial with her mother when the most popular girl in school seeks her assistance with her (surprise!) pregnancy.

I know Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin has been completely talked up, but I am just here to reiterate the positives about the book. I was definitely apprehensive because it is not exactly the typical YA read, but I really loved the innovative concept. I also read Zevin’s Diary of a Teenage Amnesiac, which was good as well. I think I read that over spring break, so the details are a bit fuzzier, but I know I would highly recommend Zevin for YA lit with substance.

After our class, I read Dana Reinhardt’s Harmless and was kind of disappointed. I am happy to say this summer I read her other two books, How to Build a House and A Brief Chapter in my Impossible Life, which were both great. Much like Zevin, I would classify Reinhardt as a YA author with essence. I always shy away from revealing too many plot details because ultimately, I would give it all away, so all I will say is pick these books up!

As far as the cute and girly romance YA books, there is nothing better than When it Happens by Susane Colasnti and Two Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt. Both of these books use the dual narration technique, alternating between the male and female points of view. I could totally relate to the female protagonists in both books and could even hear my own voice during their narrations.

My latest favorite is a series called The Luxe by Anna Godbersen. The Luxe is essentially Gossip Girl told in the year 1899. It’s a totally addictive series filled with scandal and of course drama!

My summer has not been strictly filled with YA, as I have actually read some adult books! Most of these reads are probably frivolous but definitely fun. I love any book by the Red Dress Ink company, as well as Meg Cabot’s Queen of Babble series and anything by Jane Green. Recently I read a book called Austenland by Shannon Hale, which tells the story of a modern day Jane Austen/Mr. Darcy addict.

Sadly, the summer is coming to a rapid end, and I know my reading for pleasure will take a serious hit with fall quarter. However, it’s good to know the blog is alive and well! Hope everyone has had a great summer, and I am sure I will see many of you soon!

Breaking Dawn and into Impulse

2008-09-01T18:06:00.000-07:00

So before Twilight, I was already a love of the sci-fi and vampire worlds... but was intrigued by these characters more than I could have imagined. I never wanted to stop being a part of Bella and Edward's world. You get to the point where you are so intertwined with the characters that you are enraged at their decisions sometimes, feeling pain when Bella's hurting during Edward's time away, feeling flying joy when their love is at its best. Getting lost in this world was something of great joy and I love how Breaking Dawn resolved the conflicts.

I would definitely recommend this series to young adults, especially females(in fact I already hooked my 16-year old cousin on the series). This book brought out my inner 13-year-old hopeless romantic self!

Now I've moved on from my happy lovey-vampire story to a more depressing Ellen Hopkins piece: Impulse. So far I've been greatly impressed by her novels (having read Crank and Burned). I'm about halfway through Impulse and like the pace so far... it's shifting between three different chracters and their suicide attempts that have landed them in basically a psychiatric halfway house... One thing that I found a little confusing in the beginning was keeping the characters' stories apart. Because we're switching back and forth between narrators in short poetic forms, I've found it a bit difficult to remember everyone's back stories -- like how they ended up in the home. So far I'm liking it but am not looking forward to the depressing ending I am sure Hopkins will leave the story in --- I know it's more realistic but I like it when stories are tied with a happy bow sometimes -- or at least a thread of hope! Ha.
Kay bye All!!
~emilyp

ps... this is totally not me bragging but I just had to say that I'm happy to report I passed the Praxis on my first try!!! 192 out of 200. WEEE!! That means I'll be able to get into the winter cohort after I fill out the mound of paperwork... arg. Looking forward to seeing some of you there hopefully!

Harry Potter

2008-09-01T07:23:00.001-07:00

Well, I just finished the 7th book in the series. I have to say I thought the finale was a bit anticlimactic. I liked a lot of things about the series (great creative characters, good creation of creatures and places) but the last book reminded me of the movie Armageddon--A lot of tragedy, a lot of confusion and then a lackluster ending that was expected.

Maybe, I am just getting cynical with old age.

For those who care, I think it is an excellent and well-written series. Rowling has a wonderful imagination, but in the end Harry tempts fate and nearly escapes a too many times for this reader.

The series is well worth reading (or audiobook, which is what I did) and dives into the mind of an adolescent on the hero's journey.

The Running Man

2008-08-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I just finished my book for the ALAN Review and I believe it is the best one I have reviewed so far. It is "The Running Man" by Michael Gerard Bauer. Yes, I realize the title is a bit lame. But, this is not a futuristic story about capital punishment or about an Olympic track star trying to cope with the pressure of the world stage. No, this book follow a teenage boy named Joseph who is coming of age while jockeying with his childhood fears and the haunts of the unknown world surrounding him.

It is beautifully written with great metaphor and wonderful symbolism that does not beat you over the head. It deals with real issues of loss, depression, fear and the division of family.

I would recommend this book to everyone of you!!!! It is a must-have for the classroom library.

Check it out!

'The Outcasts' can 'Be More Chill'

2008-08-22T12:12:00.000-07:00

I've been reading quite a bit over the summer to keep up with my love for YA and i've often checked the blog for suggestions. i figured it's time for me to reciprocate:

The Outcasts by L.S. Mathews is a story about five proverbial socially-challenged high schoolers who are, unexpectantly chosen to go on a school trip. Having never been allowed to attend such trips due to behavioral problems, the students are more than surprused when they hear the news. What ensues is an exciting, albeit short, adventure that allows the "outcasts" to see the potential they hold inside themselves...chalk another one up for the "coming of age" story.

Be More Chill by Ned Vizzini was pretty entertaining. Another akward protagonist who takes joining the popular crowd into his own hands: he buys an illegal drug (the squip) that grafts a micro-computer into his body telling him how to "be more chill." Full of controversial issues, alcohol, sex, drugs, it's a good story that is reminiscent of Looking for Alaska in terms of character development sans tragedy. "The Squip - Google It."

Burned

2008-08-21T10:42:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

I just finished reading "Burned" by Ellen Hopkins in anticipation of her new book coming out next week named "Identical." "Burned" was good and had an interesting twist in the end. I could have done without the overindulgence in the young girl's romance with the cowboy, but I'd give it a 7/10 for those who care about my opinion.

Well, just thought I'd share some knowledge. Hope everybody is having a good summer and, now that Summer classes have come to an end, it is time to get out of the library with a few pleasure reads from that Someday list. I am currently reading "The Running Man" by Michael Gerard Bauer from ALAN, "See Through" by Nelly Reifler (a book of short stories) and "An Abundance of Katherines. I write again in a few weeks.

Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse & Breaking Dawn

2008-08-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

OK, it's been a long time since I've posted and I've read a ton of books this summer. Many YA- many non-YA. The Twilight Series has taken me into JR Wards Blackdagger Brotherhood Series and I am 3 books into another series similar. Who would have thought that I could like those vampire books???

During this class, I read Blood & Chocolate as my out of comfort BECAUSE of the Sci-Fi nature. I read more real life teen troubles books in class.

BUT- once I dove into Twilight, I was committed through to Eclipse literally drawn so much that not much else was getting done and then, like many of you, I sat back and occupied myself with other readings (including Stephenie Meyers "Host" <~ Adult book but AWESOME TOO!-- A must read for the super natural fans!). Just before the release of Breaking Dawn, I Re-read the first three books in the Twilight Series and then went right into Breaking Dawn. My daughter is currently reading Breaking Dawn. I can't wait for her to finish so that I can read it again. I read through it so FAST beginning the second that I got it that I already can't wait to read it again.

Sally- thank you so much for suggesting this series. I love it. My daughter loves it and if my other daughter wasn't intimidated by the size of the books- I know she would love it too.

Actually, Sally- thanks for the class. Without it, I wouldn't the the avid reader that I have become. I ALWAYS have something in my hand or sitting beside me while I go through life that I am reading now. I have you to thank for that. :)

Please don't laugh at me...

2008-07-31T08:27:00.001-07:00

This book was so awesomely amazing because it's truly touching. It's quite heartbreaking as well... it is one woman's recollections of the horrible bullying she went through in high school simply because she wasn't willing to form to the masses and make fun of others for being different. The ups and downs of her emotions as well as the stress her parents go through on her behalf was relayed in such a way to truly draw on the readers' emotions. She embodies strength through her trials though, showing a great example for those who have to endure the horrible nature of some social societies and cliques.
I myself remember getting picked on a lot toward the end of my elementary years and into junior high because I "developed" early lol. But despite that I still had friends that stood by me. This book could be a great source of inspiration to those who suffer from being the underdog as well as those who do the dogging. Some kids may not realize what they say to be seen as "cool" is affecting another so deeply that he or she may want to commit suicide or self-mutilation (a huge problem in the US today)
I strongly recommend this to anyone to read and definitely to any future teachers to keep on their class shelves!!

BYE
~emilyp

Caught between the Pages

2008-07-29T08:59:00.001-07:00

Also, I just finished a YA novel that will be released later this year called Caught Betweeen the Pages. It is about a high school slacker who is given his English teacher's private journal by accident. He spends the story flipping through the pages of the journal and uncovering mysteries about his parents, teachers, friends and foes.

It is quite good and I would recommend putting it on a someday list.

Columbus in the Americas

2008-07-29T08:54:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, I am a fan of travel/historical fiction. I am currently reading William Least Heat Moon's Columbus in the Americas where he recounts the voyages of Christopher Columbus to the Americas. I think it would be a great book to pair with a history lesson, because it has an indepth look of Columbus's thinking and actions in venturing to the New World.

Heat Moon is a fantastic writer. Everyone should check out Blue Highways, which is one of my favorite books of all time. It gives a great view of small town America and the ways of living in little places.

til' next time....

Go Neal Shusterman! haha

2008-07-24T18:30:00.001-07:00

So I feel slightly sad that I'm posting again with no one in between my last post. But I reread Unwind recently and then went on to Full Tilt (loaned ever so generously by Cassandra lol) and then moved on to Everlost(also loaned by Cassie haha)! So Unwind was still awesome the second time through and I got my mom interested as well so we'll see how she likes it. Full Tilt was pretty cool too, transferring you into an evil amusement park transforming for everyone's fears and thrills. Everlost was great! It offers another view of the afterlife and could be looked at along with Elsewhere or Lovely Bones to see the similarities... Next on my list to read is Please Stop Laughing at Me... (also a loan from Cassie lol) I still have tons of books waiting on my shelves, a few of which include the Uglies trilogy, Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy, and Interworld, but I figure I'll borrow and read while I can. Hope everyone is having an awesometastic summer break!!
~emily

BURNED!!!

2008-07-07T08:40:00.001-07:00

Just finished Ellen Hopkins Burned... it is so absolutely amazing. I was so taken by this character and her struggle. This plot captured me and I couldn't stop reading. Not all books are fairy tales, but this book has a great message. Of course as a reader you want everything to work out... you want everything to be right and justice to be serves, but real life doesn't work that way so why should fiction? This is definitely a book I would have in my classroom library. I am just so pleased by this book... I recently read Crank by Hopkins, but found Burned more to my liking. Both books were quick reads and pulled you into the main character's mind. WEE!! Thanks for the loan Cass!!
~emily

Being

2008-06-26T13:43:00.001-07:00

I finished Being and it was really good. It had an ending that made me angry, and I find that that makes me remember a book more than anything else, lol! I'm in Reading Workshop right now and read What is the What for that class. I liked it a lot, but had some trouble flying through it like I've been able to do with the books I pick out myself. For my "independent reading" book, I finally broke down and read Blood and Chocolate. It was actually really good, although the story was ruined for me with the booktalks in the winter. I'm now reading Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Meyers because Emily (Hi, EmZ!!!) was cool enough to loan me a copy. Its been a YA day, though. I didn't have anything to do this afternoon, so, instead of studying german, I went to B&N and doubled my someday list. Now I'm at the library reserving a bunch of books that I've been wanting to read since Winter, lol. It never stops!!!! :D

The Hunt for the Seventh

2008-06-25T07:43:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to let everybody know about a book I got an advanced copy of. I started reviewing books for ALAN and they sent me a copy of The Hunt for the Seventh by Christine Morton-Shaw. It is a mystery for kids (ages 10-12) and is set in a dark town in England called Minerva. It is part detective story, suspense, ghost story.

I thought it was a very good read and I would recommend it. It is a bit slow in the beginning, but once the story starts to take shape it will grab ahold of you.

I am currently reading Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman and a lot of Shakespeare.

Later,

Ray

P.S. The Hunt for the Seventh is slated for a September 2008 release.

Into the Mist... then onto Holly Black

2008-06-20T21:17:00.001-07:00

So the first week of reading workshop has flown by... so much reading and so little time. Two awesome classmates loaned me books, thanks Cassie *I know you still read this lol*. Into the Mist by Patrick Carman looks a little junior high on the cover. It's very cartoony. I was pleasantly surprised at the fast pace of the book and realize this would be great for someone who isn't necessarily a strong reader. It keeps you running with the story and doesn't really throw big words or anything at you. I must say it was a little reminiscent of Tolkien's The Hobbit, though a little more upbeat and minus the dragon. It revolves around an old man telling the story of his adventures as a youth with his brother.
Onto Holly Black's Tithe and Valiant. Cassie has been telling me how amazing they are and I'm excited to jump in to another story. I'm still coming out of the last one! yay for reading... I love being an English dork. =)
Elsewhere, The Uglies Trilogy, and Guyaholic are waiting anxiously in the book shelf for me haha.
K bye!
~emily

Blue Bloods

2008-06-12T18:53:00.000-07:00

Born To Rock by Gordon Korman rounded out well with a nice little twist at the end. A pretty good boy book, especially for those kids that are really into the music scene. After that one I did a real 180 and read Boy From Ireland by Marie Raphael. Its was a good historical novel that did a decent job of showing the animosity between England and Ireland in 1901. Liam is half English, half Irish, having been raised on a Lord's estate in Englands. After his mother dies, he is sent to live with his Irish uncle where he is despised and tormented for his half-English heritage. His uncle takes him to America to work and raise money to buy land back in Ireland. A good senstive- boy book, but probably more appealing to girls. Also good for anyone with an interest in horses as there are a lot of them in the book.
Now, Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz. I really wasn't expecting much from this one, but seeing as how its one of the many Vampire-based series flooding the bookstores right now, I figured I'd give it a shot. I actually REALLY liked this one! It had the Vampires-as-good-guys view of Twilight mixed with the in depth alter-explainations of Peeps, topped off with the social eliteism and unlikely situations for teenagers of Gossip Girl! (Ultra-private Prep schools, elaborate balls, money flowing from unnamed sources, modeling, 17-year-olds not getting carded at bars, etc.) But yeah, I really liked this one, so I'm gonna pick up the next one, Masquerade, real soon. For now, I'm on to Being by Brooks. Next time!

Crank

2008-06-01T17:57:00.001-07:00

So, I just finished Crank. It's completely written in verse which adds to the overall feeling and tone of the story. It deals with a young teen's addiction to "the monster", or meth. It was written by Ellen Hopkins who admits it is loosely based on her own struggle to raise a daughter who was addicted to meth. It was really a sad book, but also at the same time, very inspiring. I really enjoyed it and can't wait to read the sequel, Glass!

Abundance of Katherines

2008-05-30T10:58:00.000-07:00

Hey there! So I finished An Abundance of Katherines a few weeks back. It was really good and I personally got a real kick out of all the language references (being a TESOL/ Linguistics/ Philology nerd). Anyway, I really liked that one. I took a YA break after that one to read The Host (amazing!!!!), but I'm back now reading Born To Rock by Gordan Korman. Its about a Harvard-bound kid that finds out his biological father is a rock star. Its pretty cute so far, but is, SO FAR, lacking in depth. We'll see how it pans out. Sally, I'm taking you RW class this summer! Yay! See ya'll later!

Harry Potter

2008-05-30T10:16:00.000-07:00

So, at the nudging of Heidi and Sally, I started listening to the Harry Potter books on tape. I just started the forth book and I like them. Jim Dale is a great speaker and has made the book more interesting to me than just reading on my own. The only dislike I have is that Rowling tends to repeat the prior events a lot. I understand she is setting up the story for those who have not read the earlier books, but by the forth book it seems logical that she has established a follower.

I wish I would have read these before seeing the films. It really made the third book lose its edge because I knew what was going to happen. Also, my wife has read all the books, so I know a lot of the high points in each novel. Regardless, I am enjoying the imaginative writing and great set-ups.

Good Luck everyone!

Unwind!

2008-05-29T12:33:00.000-07:00

So I had been wanting to read this book for quite some time... finally got around to it!! The ideas about abortion are so amazing... it really forces you to think. It has some emotional stuff in there too for my girly side! haha wee!

I'm also crazy excited about taking reading workshop with Sally this summer... I have some great ideas for books to read and I'm super excited! YAY~ hope everyone is having a great spring quarter
~emilyp

...Really?

2008-05-23T13:59:00.001-07:00

So um, no idea this thing was still alive.

YA Lit...HOLLA

2008-05-22T05:55:00.000-07:00

Well, since everyone else is posting, i figure why not do it too?

So, I've been reading so much YA lit, it's insane! I read the entire Twilight series (which by the way, i'm completely obsessed with...thanks Sally!), I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder, The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin, Speak, and Lost it by Kristen Tracy.

I Heart You, You Haunt Me deals with a girl named Ava and her boyfriend Jackson. Jackson died in an accident during the summer and Ava thinks it's her fault. The only problem is that Jackson's spirit or ghost is still hanging around, making it hard for Ava to move on. The book is written entirely in verse and took me about 45 minutes to read, even though it was 200 some pages. It was excellent! I saw it on amazon and liked the cover so I bought it. I have to admit, it made me teary eyed reading it. Anways, it was really good.

The Rules of Survival was also really amazing. It deals with a boy named Matthew and his two sisters Callie and Emmy and how they survive living with an abusive mother who is hooked on drugs. She absuses them mentally, physically, and emotionally. Even though it is YA, this is definitely heart wrenching to read. The end will shock you! It was probably my favorite next to Twilight.

Lost It is about a girl who meets her first real boyfriend and that's when she decides she's going to "lose it" to him. As serious as an issue as sex is with teens, this book was really light hearted and made me laugh. It was totally my friends when I was in high school. The main character is so naive but thinks she knows everything about everything. She's very matter of fact in what she says and I think a lot of guys would even like this book. It was really cute.

I'm getting ready to start A Great and Terribe Beauty (i'm just waiting for it to get here in the mail). I'll let you know how it is! I also read The Host by Stephenie Meyer (the author of Twilight) and it was pretty good. Don't read it thinking it's going to be similar to Twilight. It's VERY different and the language used is really grown up. I have to say, I'm guilty of reading it and looking for Edward Cullen to pop up! I know, I have a Twilight problem. Anyways, I would give it a 7-8 out of 10. Liked it, but loved Twilight better. Still, it's worth reading :)

YO!

2008-05-16T19:19:00.000-07:00

Hey Team,

It's so great to see that so many of you are still posting. I'm using your suggestions to create my RW booklist for summer A. I think I'll have them post too so that we can grow our summer list. So, I wanted to tell you about this great YA book I'm reading: Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah. OOOH! You have to read it. It's funny, lighthearted, and deals with an issue we didn't even talk about in YA Lit.- religion! It's also got all the great teenage stuff too. I'm excited to hear what you guys think!

S