The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Alexie Sherman

Pages: 230

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Real Life

Notes for Parents: Contains coarse and offensive language, some violence, death, and other mature themes.

The Back Cover

Junior is a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian reservation. Born with a variety of medical problems, he is picked on by everyone but his best friend. Determined to receive a good education, Junior leaves the rez to attend an all-white school in the neighboring farm town where the only other Indian is the school mascot. Despite being condemned as a traitor to his people and enduring great tragedies, Junior attacks life with wit and humor and discovers a strength inside of himself that he never knew existed.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

It won the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.

What’s good?

This heartbreaking story never demands pity, using humor instead to trudge through the reality of life on an American Indian Reservation. The author is a master storyteller who has created an authentic character who attacks his lonely and difficult existence with wit-filled determination and brutal honesty. This story is both bleak and beautiful, touching on issues of poverty, friendship, bullying, racism, addiction, grief, and so much more.

Best Part: The wonderful drawings added valuable insight into Junior’s experience.

What isn’t good?

This book does nothing to allay the negative stereotypes of Native Americans. There’s a sense of complacency regarding many of the issues that may mislead readers into thinking the issues are being treated lightly. 

Worst part: None.

Recommendation þþþþo

Both funny and tragic, this was an entertaining, poignant, and inspired tale. Highly recommended.

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian. New York: Little, Brown & Co., 2007.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Pages: 335

Intended Audience: Teens and Mature Tweens

Genre: Science Fiction / Dystopia

Notes for Parents: There are some disturbing scenes

The Back Cover

The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child “unwound,” whereby all of the child’s organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn’t technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state, is not talented enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape—and to survive.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in a series.

What’s good?

This is a fast-paced, action-packed story of survival as three teens attempt to escape their fate. The main characters are well-drawn and very relatable, and there is a good supporting cast. This is a highly original, thought provoking story that, at times, is down-right disturbing. The plot twists and turns with several heart-stopping and heart-wrenching moments.  

Best Part: The unwinding scene.

What isn’t good?

The premise is ridiculous. The thought that our society would degenerate to a place where unwinding teenagers is an answer to the abortion question, is absurd. Unwinding a teen for typical teen behavior, or as a solution to a custody battle, or to make more room at the orphanage…ridiculous! Don’t even getting me started about storking.

Worst part: Storking.

Recommendation þþþoo

If you can accept the premise, which I did with great effort, it’s an excellent story. I only wish it had a little more – a little more history, a little more politics, a little more resistance by the people. Perhaps it will in subsequent books. I enjoyed it, and I do recommend it.

Shusterman, Neal. Unwind. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2007.

Not the End of the World by Geraldine McCaughrean

Pages: 244

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Fantasy / Biblical

Notes for Parents: Explores religious issues and contains some graphic scenes.

The Inside Cover

Everyone knows the story of the Flood: The man called on by God to build an ark. The animals that came on board two by two. The rain that fell for forty days and forty nights.

But what about the rest of the story? What about Noah’s wife and daughters-in-law? And what if there was a daughter as well? How would it feel to head into the unknown with only each other and all those animals? What would it be like to turn away friends and neighbors struggling in the water? Could all of it really be part of God’s Plan—the hunger and pain and fear?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is a retelling of the Great Flood story from the view of the women on the Ark.

What’s good?

This is NOT the Bible’s version of Noah’s Ark! This is a brutal portrayal of the pandemonium that would have been found on Noah’s Ark. The beautifully detailed, and sometimes harshly graphic, writing depicts the sights, sounds and smells of the ship, as well as the tense emotions of the people and animals aboard it. Noah’s unrelenting faith in God’s plan blindly leads them into chaos and misery. The characters are well drawn, the pace is steady, and the premise is captivating and thought-provoking.

Best Part: The quexolan.

What isn’t good?

Some will dislike the deviation from the original Bible story. Some will dislike the many points of view from which this story is told. Some will dislike the many religious references or the unusual way of talking or the animals’ points of view… Many will find something to dislike about this book, but I enjoyed it.

Worst part: None.

Recommendation þþþþþ

I loved the premise, the characters, and the author’s writing style. Most of all, I loved how the author addressed what life would really be like if you consider everything the Bible tells us about Noah’s Ark. There would be frightened animals, drowning people begging to be saved, the constant, incessant sound of rain for forty days…such a clever book!

McCaughrean, Geraldine. Not the end of the world. New York: HarperTempest, 2005.

Firegirl by Tony Abbott

Pages: 145

Intended Audience: Tweens and Teens

Genre: Real Life / Social Issues

Notes for Parents: None.

The Back Cover

From this moment on, life is never quite the same for Tom and his seventh-grade classmates. Despite Jessica’s shocking appearance and the fear she evokes in him and most of the class, Tom slowly develops a tentative friendship with Jessica that changes his life. Firegirl is a powerful book that shows readers that even the smallest of gestures can have a profound impact on someone’s life.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This book was the winner of the 2007 Golden Kite Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature.

What’s good?

This is a beautiful, sensitive narrative about a boy’s first experience with a person who is different – unbearably different. While his time with Jessica, a burn victim, is brief, the experience changes the way he sees things, including the relationship with his unsympathetic best friend, Jeff. It’s a thoughtful story with a good message.

Best Part: Tom’s ideas about what would make good superpowers: e.g. an unbreakable finger.

What isn’t good?

The story lacks any real action, physical or otherwise. There are moments, like the mystery of how Jessica was burned, and waiting for Jeff to show up in the Cobra, that create some suspense, but it’s never really sustained.

Worst part: It’s written a bit young.

Recommendation þþþoo

One reviewer described it perfectly as “a quiet book.” It’s a short, easy, introspective look at a heartfelt moment in a boy’s life. Recommended.

Abbott, Tony. Firegirl. New York: Scholastic, 2006.

The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Pages: 165

Intended Audience: Tweens and up

Genre: Historical

Notes for Parents: Some mature scenes

The Back Cover

Day 264

It’s morning. Soft gray light slips over the tall redbrick wall. It stretches across the exercise yard and reaches though the high, barred windows. In a cell on the ground floor, the light shifts dark shapes into a small stool, a scrawny table, and a bed made of wooden boards with no mattress or blanket. On that bed, a thin, huddled figure, Helmuth, a boy of seventeen, lies awake. Shivering, Trembling.

It’s a Tuesday.

The executioner works on Tuesday.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is a novel based on the true story of Helmuth Hubener, a German teenager during World War II who listened to enemy news broadcasts on the radio, something strictly forbidden. Helmuth spread the news he heard (which contradicted German broadcasts) using pamphlets that he distributed through town. He was arrested and became one of the youngest opponents of the Third Reich to be found guilty of treason.

What’s good?

This is a well-written, compelling novelization of a true story. With heartbreaking drama we follow a teenager’s courageous attempt to spread the truth about the Nazis to his fellow Germans. The easy language, simple descriptions and gripping narrative make this a fast and effortless read.

Best Part: The pictures and supplementary material at the end of the book made a great story even better.

What isn’t good?

The story might be too juvenile for some, but I only say that for lack of anything else negative to say about this book.

Worst part: None.

Recommendation þþþþþ

I was riveted when I read this little known true story and highly recommend it.

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. The Boy Who Dared. New York: Scholastic, 2008.

Matched by Ally Condie

Pages: 366

Intended Audience: Teens and Mature Tweens

Genre: Dystopian

Notes for Parents: Some mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s hardly any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one…until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first in the Matched trilogy.

What’s good?

The writing is fluid and the pace is even in this colorful dystopian love story. The premise is solid, the characters are likeable, and the society is interesting—even a little disturbing.

Best Part: Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night by Dylan Thomas

What isn’t good?

The romance was tepid. I’m not a fan of teen romance, especially love triangles, to begin with, but this was…lackluster. While the dystopian society was intriguing, it sounded a lot like the world created in Lois Lowry’s The Giver. A deeper understanding of how the society was created and the philosophy behind some of the rules could have set it apart, but alas, there was no explanation and most of what we learned was circumstantial.

Worst part: The perspective is in the present tense. This tends to stunt character growth and plot development.

Recommendation þþþoo

This book came to me with a lot of hype. If I had found it on my own, perhaps I would have enjoyed it more, but my high expectations made this lukewarm. It was good, but not as good as I expected.

Condie, Ally. Matched. New York: Scholastic, 2010.

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

Pages: 275

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Afterlife Science Fiction

Notes for Parents: Some mature content

The Back Cover

Dear Dr. Fujiyama,

   By now, you have probably heard that I’m dead. This means I won’t be attending this year’s regional science fair, which is a great disappointment to me as I’m sure it also is for you. At the time I died, I felt I was starting to make real progress with those earthworms.

   I really enjoyed your class and continue to follow along from the place where I’m now living I now find myself. Dissecting the pig looked pretty interesting, and I thought I might try it. Unfortunately, there aren’t any dead pigs here for me to dissect.

   I was disappointed not to see you at the funeral as you were my favorite teacher, even including middle and elementary school. Not to give you a hard time or anything, Dr. F J

   Yours,

Elizabeth Marie Hall, 5^th Period Biology

How can fifteen-year-old Liz let go of the only life she has ever known and embrace a new one? Is it possible that a life lived in reverse is no different from a life lived forward?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

Liz dies and goes to an afterlife place called Elsewhere where she has to come to terms with her death and her new life.

What’s good?

This is a light-hearted, fantastical look at a girl’s trip to the afterlife. The writing is beautiful and the characters are well-drawn and likeable, though Liz can sometimes be a little whiny. The whimsical setting is imaginative and unique and the plot develops at a good pace, revealing the heartbreak and the hope of Liz’s situation.

Best Part: The dogs, of course.

What isn’t good?

Some might find this story a little too sappy, and occasionally the author’s writing is a bit awkward. Those looking for a heavy-handed story about death and rebirth will be disappointed.

Worst part: The perspective is in the present tense. I hate that.

Recommendation þþþþo

I loved it! It was beautiful, funny, thought-provoking and very entertaining so long as it’s not taken too seriously.

Zevin, Gabrielle. Elsewhere. New York: Square Fish, 2005.

Smile by Raina Telgemeier

Pages:  214

Intended Audience: Teens and Tweens

Genre: Graphic Novel / Real Life

Notes for parents: None

The Back Cover

Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night, after Girl Scouts, she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth. What follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached! And on top of all that, there’s still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly. Raina’s story takes us from middle school to high school, where she discovers her artistic voice, finds out what true friendship really means, and where she can finally…smile.

What the Back Cover doesn’t tell you:

This is a graphic novel portraying the author’s real life story.

What’s good?

Raina is goofy and awkward and very relatable. The social and personal horror that follows her bumbling accident is heartfelt – I cheered for her the entire way. The colour drawings are excellent. This engaging story moves quickly and covers aspects of growing up that will be familiar to readers of all ages – boys, trouble with friends, self-esteem, etc.

Best part: When she stands up to her friends!

What’s not so good?

The story is set in the eighties so some readers may be confused by the pop culture references.

Worst part: None

Recommendations þþþþo

This is not a complex story, but it’s quick, easy, and a lot of fun. Highly recommended!

Telgemeier, Raina. Smile. New York: Scholastic, 2010.

The School for Dangerous Girls by Eliot Schrefer

Pages: 341

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Real Life / Thriller

Notes for parents: Contains violence, coarse language and mature themes.

The Back Cover

Who knows what goes on behind the doors of The School for Dangerous Girls?

The school’s mission is clear: To take girls who’ve caused trouble and to reform them into model citizens.

Its methods?

No freedom. No medication. No leniency.

No escape.

Some girls are meant to get better. And, as Angela is about to learn, some girls are meant to stay forever.

What the Back Cover doesn’t tell you:

The School for Dangerous Girls is actually called Hidden Oak, a desolate former boys’ school that gets cut off from society when it snows.

What’s good?

This story has a strong beginning, solid characters, and an interesting setting.

Best part: The history of the school.

What’s not so good?

Any hope there was of me liking Angela disappeared when she let the hamster die. In fact, I didn’t like any of the characters, except for, maybe, Carmen. The premise was unoriginal, plot development was very weak, and the story goes completely downhill after Angela is sent to the basement. I would have liked to know more about the girls’ background and about the school’s history, and less about all of the crazy evil that somehow continues. Did every girl who’s ever passed through the school have ridiculously stupid, naïve parents?

Worst part: The hair dye at the end. What was that about?

Recommendations þoooo

I read this book because there were great reviews listed on the back. Kirkus called it “Gripping, violent and terrifying.” Booklist said it was a “page-turner.” Most surprising of all, Newsweek said it was an “acutely observed, smoothly written confection.” Sorry, I don’t agree. I don’t recommend this book.

Schrefer, Eliot. The School for Dangerous Girls. New York: Point, 2009.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Pages: 479

Intended Audience: Teens and Mature Tweens

Genre: Dystopian / Science Fiction

Notes for Parents: Contains coarse language and violence

The Back Cover

Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee—whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not—stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden—a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives. But how do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in a trilogy.

What’s good?

This is a creative, fast-paced adventure with interesting characters, simple storytelling, and lots of action. There’s an excellent dynamic between the two main characters that is interesting to watch unfold. I like how the noise had its own chaotic font, and how animal noise is comically primitive.

Best Part: Manchee! J

What isn’t good?

While I like the fast pace, there is way too much thrown at the characters. There was never time for the characters (or reader) to rest as the one-dimensional bad guys kept coming and coming and coming. I eventually found myself rolling my eyes as yet another chase began…

Worst part: Manchee! L

Recommendation þþþoo

This is an entertaining, fast-paced (have I said that enough?) adventure with a unique premise and lots of promise. There were many unanswered questions and a giant cliffhanger at the end that will hopefully be satisfied in subsequent books in the series. I enjoyed it, and I recommend it.

Ness, Patrick. The Knife of Never Letting Go. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2009.

The Bystander by James Preller

Pages: 223

Intended Audience: Tweens and up

Genre: real life / social issues

Notes for Parents: Scenes of bullying.

The Back Cover

Eric is the new kid in seventh grade, and he needs new friends. Griffin is cool and popular and wants to be his friend. But Griffin always seems to be in the middle of bad things. And if he doesn’t like someone, they’re in big trouble. The more Eric hangs out with Griffin, the more he ends up in the middle of bad things, too. But he’s just there, just watching while it happens; none of it is his fault. He’d like to do the right thing and stop being friends with a liar and a bully like Griffin. But how can he stop being a bystander without becoming a victim?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

It’s a fairly simple story about a boy who gets mixed up with a bully.

What’s good?

This is a thought-provoking and realistic portrait of one boy’s middle school experience. The author respects that bullying is a complex issue with no easy solutions. The writing is simple and straight-forward, making it a fast and easy read.

Best Part: Eric’s sneakers and $27.

What isn’t good?

The story ends not with a bang, but with a whimper. Perhaps this is apropos since the bleak reality is that justice for bullies is often fleeting. There are rarely concrete resolutions in the complicated world of teen drama.

Worst part: I didn’t like Mary.

Recommendation þþþoo

This was a good, solid story that brushed the surface of a growing issue. It doesn’t offer any solutions, but it recognizes the problem with a convincing example.

Preller, James. The Bystander. New York: Square Fish, 2009.

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork

Pages: 312

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Real life / social issues

Notes for Parents: Contains coarse language and sexual references

The Back Cover

Marcelo Sandoval hears music that nobody else can hear—part of an autism-like condition that no doctor has been able to identify. But his father has never fully believed in the music or Marcelo’s unique perception of reality, and he challenges Marcelo to work in the mailroom of his law firm for the summer…to join “the real world.” There Marcelo meets Jasmine, his beautiful and surprising coworker, and Wendell, the son of another partner in the firm. He learns about competition and jealousy, anger and desire. But it’s a picture he finds in a file – a picture of a girl with half a face – that truly connects him with the real world: its suffering, its injustice, and what he can do to fight.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The cover sums up the story well.

What’s good?

Marcelo is a beautiful and endearing character whose disconnect with the real world forces us to question what normalcy really is. This is a simple but emotional story with a strong plot, good supporting characters, and many poignant moments. Marcelo’s voice carries a subtle sadness as he navigates a world outside his comfort zone. It's almost painful to witness his vulnerability.

Best Part: Marcelo’s dog, Namu Amida Butsu.

What isn’t good?

Avoiding a concrete diagnosis of Marcelo’s condition was a cop out. The lack of commitment gave the author a licence to ignore the inconsistencies of Marcelo’s behavior (as compared to, say, a child with Asperger's Syndrome) which conveniently enables Marcelo to understand situations that the average autistic child would not. 

Worst part: The pace is a bit slow.

Recommendation þþþoo

This was a good story with a great protagonist, excellent language, and creative plotting. However, it was too simple for me. I couldn’t help but compare it to The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, a novel that is much more complex and entertaining.

Stork, Francisco X. Marcelo in the Real World. New York: Scholastic, 2009.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Pages: 308

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Dystopian / Science Fiction

Notes for Parents:  Contains scenes of violence and death

The Back Cover

In Mary’s world, there are simple truths.

The Sisterhood always knows best.

The Unconsecrated will never relent.

And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village. The fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

But slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness.

Now she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there life outside a world surrounded by so much death?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in a trilogy.

What’s good?

This story is set in a post-apocalyptic society built around protecting its population against the Unconsecrated…aka zombies! While the premise is not unique, it feels fresh and inspired, and the writing is both visual and emotive.

Best Part: Great fight scenes!

What isn’t good?

The characters are weak, the love triangle is dull, and the use of first-person, present tense strangles the story. While the main thread of the plot was pretty consistent, many of the subplots were messy and some storylines even seemed to drop away, never to be heard from again.

Worst part: The mystery of the Roman numerals.

Recommendation þþooo

I love a good zombie story, but this didn’t do it for me. I loved the idea and the beginning was strong with good potential, but a lack of character development and sloppy subplots bogged down the story so much that I had no interest in reading the next book.

Ryan, Carrie. The Forest of Hands and Teeth. New York: Delcorte, 2009.

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

Pages: 323

Intended Audience: Teens and Mature Tweens

Genre: Dystopia

Notes for Parents: Scenes of violence.

The Back Cover

In America's Gulf Coast region, grounded oil tankers are being broken down for parts by crews of young people. Nailer, a teenage boy, works the light crew, scavenging for copper wiring just to make quota-and hopefully live to see another day. But when, by luck or by chance, he discovers an exquisite clipper ship beached during a recent hurricane, Nailer faces the most important decision of his life: Strip the ship for all it's worth or rescue its lone survivor, a beautiful and wealthy girl who could lead him to a better life....

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

It gives just enough information.

What’s good?

This is a well-paced, gritty adventure set in a desolate future where ecological disaster has left the world struggling to survive. The tone is wrought with sweat and desperation as Nailer ekes out a living scavenging old ships. There are tense moments when Nailer must choose between what’s advantageous and what’s ethical. Loyalty and integrity are themes that run throughout the novel.

Best Part: Tool, the half-man.

What isn’t good?

A lot of little things annoyed me right from the start. I loved the name Nailer, but then we met Sloth, Bapi, Moon Girl, Pearly, Jackson Boy, Tick-tock…and Richard Lopez. It came to feel a little contrived. A lot of his word choices seemed awkward, which is unfortunate because the world he created was very believable in its bleakness. Also, the villains were a little harsh, secreting cruelty without remorse. I prefer my bad guys to have at least a little humanity in them.

Worst part: The author’s corny word choices.

Recommendation þþþoo

This was not a bad book. It’s a fascinating look at one of our possible futures. It has tons of action and adventure, interesting characters, and unique settings. Unfortunately, the language feels juvenile, while the content itself calls for something more mature. The story felt…off balance.

Bacigalupi, Paolo. Ship Breaker. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2010.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Pages: 196

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre:  Real life / Afterlife

Notes for Parents: Some mature themes

The Inside Cover

Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones. Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?

Then, one February morning, Mia goes for a drive with her family and, in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it’s the only one that matters.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is a story about a teenage girl stuck between life and death. As her memories of what has happened unfold in front of her, she has to decide if she wants to die or live.

What’s good?

This bittersweet, emotional story has a powerful premise, strong, relatable characters, and some beautiful, even inspiring, moments. The theme of music is woven evenly throughout the story, strengthening and balancing the straight-forward but disturbing plot.

Best Part: The end.

What isn’t good?

I cringed a few times at some of the cheesy metaphors, and I found myself drifting off occasionally because of the slow pace.

Worst part: When she played him like a cello.

Recommendation þþþoo
The thought-provoking questions, strong characters, and the fact that it’s under 200 pages makes this a solid, fast, and easy read.

Forman, Gayle. If I Stay. New York: Dutton, 2009. (hardcover)