This book was not a requirement to read for this course. I was given the author's name and I chose a book that I felt would be a great read for YA readers. Smile was on New York times best selling list, and won the Eisner Award.
Raina is a sixth grader in middle school and wants to fit in and be normal. She has an overbite and needs braces to fix the problem. While racing to her porch she falls and Raina knocks out her 2 front teeth. Being in middle school just got a little bit harder for Raina and the heckling from her sibling and friends makes it that much worse. Raina has several disastrous trips to the dentist and she just wants to escape into her world of art and her crush, Sean. The people Raina thought were her friends show their true colors and Raina starts to realize the importance of family, true friends, close enough to perfect teeth, and the love in her life.
I was excited to find out that this book takes me through the life of Raina Telgemeier. It's interesting to see that many girls go through hardships at some point in their life. People who you thought were your best friends turn out to be horrible people. I find love that this book was an easy read and I love the fact that is was a graphic novel. YA readers will be thrilled to read such an interesting story and many girls will be able to relate to the hardships that Raina goes through during her sixth grade year in middle school. I can remember just like yesterday all the gossip and backstabbing that occurred during my middle school year. I am glad that Raina used her bad experience to show that you can go through anything and still find the importance of family and true friends.
Raina Telgemeier Website
Raina Telgemeier discusses her book Smile
Smile Book trailer
Some other Titles by Raina Telgemeier:
*2019 Best Fiction for Young Adults*
This book was not a requirement to read for this course. I was told to choose a book from the 2016-2019 Best Fiction for Young Adults list and I chose this book. This book has won awards such as The National Book award for Young People's Literature, Carnegie Medal, and Golden Kite Award for young adult fiction.
Xiomara feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Her body is changing and she is going through many different obstacles at home, school, and her community. She has plenty to say, so she lets out how she is feeling in her leather notebook. There are many different obstacles keeping her quiet but she will not be silence for much longer.
I loved the approach the author took by not storytelling it really makes the character come to life in your mind. I was able to feel the way Xiomara was feeling through the way that Elizabeth Acevedo was writing. She brought the character out and it was like I could see and feel what she was going through. Many of the situations Xiomara was going through could be relatable to many teen girls. This was a great read and I would recommend this book to high school students.
Elizabeth Acevedo webpage
Elizabeth Acevedo The Poet X live performance
The Poet X book trailer
Some other Titles by Elizabeth Acevedo:
* 2019 Best Fiction for Young Adults*
This book was not a requirement to read for this course. I was told to choose a book from the 2016-2019 Best Fiction for Young Adults list and I chose this book.
Ivy Aberdeen's life is turned upside down when a tornado destroys her home leaving her and her family members homeless and with no belongings. Ivy feels like she has lost everything, but she realizes she was able to save her notebook that was filled with personal drawings. Ivy realizes that she has misplaced the notebook somewhere at her school; which is being used as a shelter for families that have been misplaced by the tornado. She doesn't know where it is, and she gets even more scared when she receives a single page from her notebook every day in her locker along with notes about how she should talk to someone about her feelings and the messages her drawings depict. Ivy starts to wonder if this is the work of June, a unique girl who she befriended after the tornado. Ivy gets close to June, and starts to develop a crush on her. Ivy goes on a true journey with finding and accepting herself and she continues to tell her story through her art work.
I really enjoyed reading this novel. Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World represents change and acceptance. When Ivy's family lost their home in the tornado, their minds were all over the place. With Ivy being only twelve years old and the middle child, she felt like she didn't have a place within her family and felt like she was in the way. She soon realized that that was not true. Her family was just trying to figure things out all while trying to stay positive and on top of everything else that was going on during that difficult time. My house was flooded twice, so I know the frustration that Ivy was going through, but the difference is I am an adult and she is a child. If I feel lost and helpless as an adult I can only imagine how a child feels, because their emotions are all over the place. I am glad that Ivy over came her obstacles and found her balance within herself, friends, and family.
Ashley Herring Blake's webpage.
Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World book trailer.
Some other Titles by Ashley Herring Blake:
*2019 Best Fiction for Young Adults*
This book was not a requirement to read for this course. I was told to choose a book from the 2016-2019 Best Fiction for Young Adults list and I chose this book.
Mara and Owen are twins , and they are close. They attend Pebblebrook High School. One night they both go to a party, and Mara sees her ex-girlfriend Charlie there with a new girl, she decides to leave the party. Her brother Owen's best friend, Alex, offers to take her home, and they both wanted to tell Owen they were leaving, but they couldn't find him. Both of them just know that Owen was completely wasted and was last seen with his girlfriend, Hannah. As the weekend passes and the kids get back to school, it is found out that Owen rapped Hannah while they were at the party. Mara does not believe this because how could her twin brother do such a thing, but Hannah is one of her best friends, and Mara also knows that this isn't something she would lie about. Mara feels torn between who to believe, but during this time she is also having flashbacks of her own sexual assault that happened and it continues to haunt her.
This novel was an interesting read for me. It contained events about sexual assault situations and how they are dealt with. In this novel you are able to see how some sexual assault victims speak out and how others do not. The victims that do choose to speak up are often ashamed and the person who does assault them usually walks away free, and the person that does not speak out just feels lonely. I could never imagine having to be in the situation Mara was in. Where her twin brother is accused of sexual assaulting her best friend. She was put in a weird predicament and didn't know who's side to take. While this was happening she was also dealing with her own sexual assault that still continues to haunt her. If I have anything to say to sexual assault victims is there is life after abuse and do not let anyone take your happiness away from you. I am glad that Hannah had two best friends on her side that were able to help her during a tough situation.
Ashley Herring Blake's webpage.
Girl Made of Stars book review
This book is similar to Girl Made of Stars:
Some other Titles by Ashley Herring Blake:
*2019 Quick Picks For Reluctant Young Adult Readers*
This book was not a requirement to read for this course. I was told to choose a book from the 2016-2019 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young adult readers and I chose this book.
Marvin and Tyler Johnson are twins who live in Alabama. Marvin is a good student and wants to attend MIT, but his brother Tyler is the exact opposite and likes to party and live the street life. Tyler and Marvin used to be really close and hang out together but now they have been spending time apart. Tyler is now starting to hang out with a well- known drug dealer at their high school. One day, Marvin and his friends go to a party thrown by Johntae to keep an eye on his brother Tyler. At the party Marvin looses sight of Tyler and a shooting occurs. Marvin and his friends escape the shooting, but Tyler is missing and no one knows where he is. Tyler ends up really being missing and everyone begins to pray that he is safe. It eventually comes up that Tyler was murdered by a police officer, and the whole ordeal was recorded by video. Marvin and his mother are devastated by the situation and are trying to understand why Tyler was shot in the first place. Marvin is tired of all of the police brutality and racism that happens in his environment, so he decides that it's time to take action and seek justice for his twin brother.
This novel reminds me of the book " The Hate you Give", that I read for one of my other blogs. Both of these books truly represent the many occurrence of police brutality in today's society. I think that since the story was written in Marvin's point of view, readers are able to feel the emotions he was feeling and get a sense of what he went through during the aftermath of this horrible tragedy. In today's world people of color are afraid to simply go for a walk outside because a cop can assume they are up to no good and stop them. This is the reality that many people go through on a daily basis and the whole world needs to be aware of this horrible injustice. This book is a great read for high school kids, because this is the time that they might start to encounter some of these situations just by going to school. This book is a great read to encourage its readers to find their voice and fight for what is right.
Information about Author Jay Coles.
Jay Coles' Tyler Johnson was here book trailer
Tyler Johnson Was Here book talk.
Some other Titles by Jay Coles:
McCoy, M. (2018). I, Claudia. MN: Carolrhoda Lab.
*2019 Michael L. Printz Honor Book*
This book was not a requirement to read for this course. I was told to choose a book from the 2016-2019 Michael L. Printz award or honor book award and I chose this book.
Have you ever felt like you are unusual and not pretty. Well, Claudia McCarthy feels like this all the time. She has low self-esteem and keeps to herself. Claudia begins her freshman year at a school named Imperial Day Academy. At this school, it's all about power. The students are able to be elected for the Honor Council and be on the Senate. When she first started at this school, she got involved and feels that she only survived because she had her older sister, Maisie with her. Things have now changed, and eventually Claudia is dragged into these higher positions. She wants to work hard and make real changes, but various obstacles and other corrupted leaders make it difficult for her to make the necessary changes. Claudia is viewed as a entirely different person than at the beginning of her high school year, and she tries to tell her story to convince others that she is still the same person.
" I, Claudia", is a great read and I would recommend it to high school students. It has a fascinating protagonist named Claudia that at the beginning of the story is a nobody and works her way up in the student government. I felt this novel showed the indifference from adults to step forward to teach their children morals and the culture of silence among students to protect each other's privilege. You hear a lot about high school privilege in the news and I though that this novel had some resemblance to some of those stories that were shown. It is tough being in High School and having to deal with all the pressure that comes along with trying to fit in and be cool with everyone does come with a cost. While, I was reading this novel I noticed that the pages were written in Roman numerals and that some of the characters' names sounded familiar. I did a little research and I, Claudia is a reference to the Roman Empire. This novel is actually based on I, Claudius by Robert Graves. I found that the way the book was detailed was amazing to me, and I find this book would be a great resource to read as a lesson and brush up on some History.
Mary McCoy's webpage
Books Similar to I, Claudia
Some other Titles by Mary McCoy:
(Original work published in 1960)
*2019 Great Graphic Novel for Teens*
This book was not a requirement to read for this course. I was told to choose a book from the 2016-2019 Great Graphic Novel for Teens and I chose this book.
To Kill A Mockingbird "A Graphic Novel, " is adapted from the classic story first written in 1960. This graphic novel is told through the view of Jean Louise, also known as " Scout." Scout and her brother Jem are growing up in the South and spend most of their time playing outside. Their father, Atticus Finch, is a lawyer who teaches and encourages his children to read. Their dad is also the lawyer of Tom Robinson, a black man who is accused of assaulting and raping a white woman in the town. Scout and Jem notice the racism and injustice in the case as they learn the truth about what really happened and they stick by their father through it all.
I have read To Kill a Mockingbird during high school, and I loved how this graphic novel helped bring the story to life. I loved the plot of the story and the way that Fred Fordham brought the illustrations to life I was able to see the characters' emotions firsthand and made me fall in love with the book even more. I would suggest that readers read the original book first so that they are able to compare it to the illustrations represented in the graphic novel. I believe this graphic novel is perfect for young readers because they have the opportunity to cherish this story just as I did the original.
Harper Lee's webpage.
To Kill A Mocking Bird book trailer.
To Kill A Mocking Bird book review.
Fred Fordham discussing To Kill A Mockingbird
Some Other Titles by Harper Lee:
*2019 Great Graphic Novel for Teens*
This book was not a requirement to read for this course. I was told to choose a book from the 2016-2019 Great Graphic Novel for Teens and I chose this book.
Russell and his father Mike move to California and attempt to start a new life when his mom leaves them for a former high school football star. Russell and Mike planned on moving in with his Aunt June, but ended up moving in with a Chinese couple who own a restaurant until his father could find a job and afford a place of their own. Russell and his father move out, but many changes start to happen within Russell's life. His father becomes an alcoholic and then just disappears, leaving his son to fend for himself for a while. At this time, Russell is going through puberty and his adolescence years. He becomes friends with two boys and they are constantly making fun of him for being weird. Russell also becomes friends with a boy named Warren, but he decides to back away when he realizes that Warren likes boys and once put him in an uncomfortable position. Russell eventually stopped talking to him because he was getting made fun of. One of his jerk friends decides to frame Warren for a crime he didn't commit and even beat him up. Those boys left him feeling hopeless and with the rest of the community hating him. Warren commits suicide by hanging himself, and Russell feels horrible about this whole situation. Russell takes off with money that he had stolen from the restaurant and wants to find Warren's grandma in another town, in hopes he can apologize to her and apologize about Warren's death.
"Home After Dark", is a novel about homosexuality, bullying, loneliness, sex and abandonment. I think this novel would be good for a high school students because of the content that the book contains. A lot of high school students are going through similar situations and will find content in this book to relate to some of the situations they are going through or see during their high school days. Russell has many forms of adversity going on in his life and wants to be accepted and not be lonely. As I was reading I noticed that the author/illustrator didn't include color to the pictures because I feel he wanted to demonstrate how Russell felt trapped into his world. There was no happy ending in this story Russell is left alone in the dark with many struggles left to come in his teenage years. I would recommend this book to high school students because of the content discussed in this book.
David Small's webpage.
Interview with Author David Small
Home After Dark book trailer.
Some other Titles by David Small:
*NYT Bestseller- List date 12-22-2018*
This book was not a requirement to read for this course. I was told to choose a book from the June 2018- December 2018 New York Times Bestseller list and I chose this book.
Stella is a kind, rule-following seventeen year old teenage girl who has cystic fibrosis. She is in the hospital for a "tune up" when she meets seventeen year old Will who is a rule breaker and also has cystic fibrosis. It is a rule that patients that have cystic fibrosis stay six feet apart from one another to avoid contagious infections that could worsen their conditions. Stella is waiting for a lung transplant and Will has tested positive for a dangerous bacteria called B. cepacia. The two begin a friendship that leads to romance. Stella helps Will be more disciplined with his treatments, and Will helps Stella learn to live each day likes it's your last. Now that they have a romance the two feel that having cystic fibrosis is a punishment, because the two just want to be with one another. The question is will these two break the rules are will they stay six feet apart?
I love Rachael Lippincott's Five Feet Apart. I could not put this novel down. I had to stop a few times to compose myself to continue reading this novel. I am a huge softy when it comes to romance and health issues. The setting of the story takes place in a hospital and I was thinking that in reality a hospital would have more security than this book had. I have a new respect for people dealing with cystic Fibrosis and all of the challenges that comes with having this condition. It truly opened my eyes to not having any physical contact with anyone. This book reminds me of another book that I read called, " The Fault in our Stars." I would defiantly recommend this book to YA readers, because it draws you in and it teaches you to live each day like it is your last.
Rachael Lippincott's webpage.
Interview with Author Rachael Lippincott
Five Feet Apart book trailer
Five Feet Apart movie trailer
Some other Titles by Rachael Lippincott:
