The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Alexie, S. (2007).  The absolutely true diary of a part-time diary.  New York: Little, Brown.

Genre: Modern Realistic Fiction (humorous, sports)

Subjects: Young Adult Fiction - high school, self-perception, racism & prejudice, Indian reservations, Native Americans, social issues

Audience: ages 12 & up

Junior is a 14 year old Native American boy growing up on a reservation.  He faces adversity in the form of racism, poverty, alcoholism, and depression with humor and perseverance. He is skinny, encephalitic, has seizures, wears glasses, and gets beaten up pretty often.  The last straw was when he saw that his mother's name was written in the Algebra book at school.  Nothing had changed on the reservation in 30 years.  Junior throws the textbook at the teacher and is suspended.  The teacher encourages him to be more than a poor kid on a reservation and to go to another school.  Arnold enrolls at Rearden High School, 22 miles away.  His best friend Rowdy becomes his enemy, the people on the reservation see him as a traitor and he doesn't quite fit in at Rearden either as the only Native American besides the mascot.  Despite his struggles, he follows his desire to better himself and inspires others with his actions.  He makes friends with Gordy and Penelope and they accept him as Arnold.  Essentially he becomes a "part-time Indian" as Junior the outcast at the reservation and Arnold at Rearden High School.  He decides to play basketball and as the rivals of the reservation, he is booed, has things thrown at him, and is yelled at.  He is knocked unconscious by Rowdy.  The teams eventually rematch and Rearden wins. Junior faces alcohol related losses of his grandmother, his sister, and his dad's best friend which reinforces the idea that he needs to leave the reservation to have a better life for himself.  In the end, Rowdy and Junior become friends again with Rowdy understanding why Junior had to leave and being inspired to make changes for himself.  Alexie has created a humorous book which is based on his own experiences.  Junior's cartoon drawings illustrate his resilience and keep the story flowing.

Awards:
National Book Award for Young People's Literature (2007)
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year (2007)
Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production Honor (2009)
American Indian Library Association Award,
South Carolina Book Award Nominee for Young Adult Book Award (2010)
Michigan Library Association Thumbs Up! Award Nominee (2008)

Florida Teens Read Nominee (2009)

American Indian Youth Literature Award for Best Young Adult Book (2008)

Boston Globe-Horn Book Award (2007)

The Inky Awards Nominee for Silver Inky (2009)

Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee (2011)

James Cook Book Award Nominee (2009)

Teaching Resources:
Author's Website
Interview with Author
Educator's Guide
Vocabulary words
Book Trailer

Speak

Anderson, L.H. (1999). Speak. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.

Genre: Dark Modern Realistic Fiction (rape, sexual abuse, bullying)

Subjects: Young Adult Fiction - high school, emotional problems, internal struggle, rape, sexual abuse, social issues, violence

Audience: ages 14 & up

Melinda is a high school student who is struggling to deal with a horrible thing that has happened to her.  She has lost her friends and is trying to be invisible. The students make fun of her, throw food at her, and say mean things to her.  Her grades are suffering and the only class she does well in is art where she works on a tree all year.  She is befriended by a girl named Heather but eventually Heather doesn't want to be around her because she is too depressed.  She finds a janitor's closet at school where she can be alone and not have to deal with the other students.  She refers to a senior boy as IT and she desperately tries to stay away from him.  IT is Andy Evans, a popular and handsome senior.  Eventually Melinda shares with the reader that at an end of the summer party, Andy rapes her after she'd been drinking.  She called the police but left before they arrived.  The other students at the party knew that she was the one that called the police to break up the party but they didn't know why she made the call.  Melinda finds out that her former best friend, Rachel is dating Andy and Melinda struggles with the choice of staying silent or telling Rachel what Andy did to her. Melinda writes on the bathroom wall about what kind of person Andy is and her writing is soon joined by stories from other girls.  Melinda makes the choice to tell Rachel about Andy, but Rachel doesn't listen.  Melinda discovers that only when she faces what has happened can she move forward with her life.  One day in the janitor's closet, Andy forces his way in and attacks Melinda.  She breaks the mirror and screams and she is heard by others and rescued.  Andy is caught and Melinda can finally tell her story.  Anderson has created a powerful novel that inspires teens to find their voice and create their future.

Awards:
Golden Kite Award for Fiction (1999)
Edgar Award Nominee for Best Young Adult (2000)
Michael L. Printz Award Nominee (2000)
South Carolina Book Award for Young Adult Book Award (2002)
Evergreen Teen Book Award (2002)
Boston Globe-Horn Book Award (2000)

Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee (2005)

National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature (1999)

Oklahoma Sequoyah Award for YA (2002)

Teaching Resources:
Author's Webpage
Interview with Author
Educator's Guide to Laurie Halse Anderson
Vocabulary List for Speak
Book Trailer

Feed

Anderson, M. (2002). Feed. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

Genre: Science Fiction (futuristic, dystopian society, futuristic technology)

Subjects: Young Adult Fiction - computers, brainwashing, adolescence, friendship, love & romance

Audience: ages 14 & up

Titus is a futuristic teenager who enjoys traveling to the moon with his friends. Humans have implants that allow them to connect to the Internet with their brains and keeps a scrolling interface running at all times that gives them news updates and allows them to shop at will.  During one of his trips to the moon, Titus and his friends' interfaces are hacked and they all end up in the hospital for several days.  Because they have always had the feed, they do not know how to think for themselves.  Violet his a shy, smart girl whose feed has also been hacked, and Titus and Violet begin dating.  Violet's feed still has issues and her family can't afford to fix it.  One night at a party, Violet's feed goes crazy and she begins shouting horrible accusations at Titus's friends.  She is quickly taken to the hospital where they learn that there is no way to fix her feed.  Titus takes her to a mountain cabin but instead of becoming closer to Violet, he breaks up with her.  After a couple of weeks, Titus visits Violet at her house where she is brain dead. He sits and talks with her about what's going on in the world, tells her stories about herself, and what he's been doing and he realized that he loves Violet.  Anderson has written a moving satire about the commercialism of the United States and the way that people rely on technology in our society.  He raises compelling issues about the overuse of technology that may encourage teens to think about its effect on society.

Awards:
Golden Duck Award for Hal Clement Award for Young Adult (2003)

Los Angeles Times Book Prize (2002)

National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature (2002)
Teaching Resources:
Author's Website
Interview with Author
Lesson Plan
Vocabulary List
Book Trailer

My Friend Dahmer

Backderf, D. (2012). My friend Dahmer: A graphic novel. New York: Abrams.

Genre: Biography

Subjects: Young Adult narrative nonfiction -  Jeffrey Dahmer, serial murderers, high school, social issues, friendship, true crime, murder, mental illness, behavior disorders in adolescence

Audience: ages 14 & up

Derf Backderf grew up in Ohio in the 1970's.  Jeffrey Dahmer was one of his classmates.  When Dahmer was arrested in 1991, Backderf began to write his memories of the kid named Jeff and how he transformed over time into a serial killer.  Backderf met Dahmer in middle school where he was practically invisible.  He was a shy kid, but when he reached high school, he began to fake disabilities, seizures,  and slur his speech to be noticed.  He actually had a "fan club" of high school students that enjoyed his jokes but were not really his friends.  He had a rough home life and his parents eventually split, leaving Dahmer alone in his home.  Dahmer was struggling to keep his sanity, murdering small animals, and trying to come to terms with his sexuality.  He began drinking all day to try to control his tendencies.  After high school graduation in 1978, he killed his first victim, a hitchhiker he picked up on the road.  He would kill 16 more victims before he was caught in 1991.  Backderf tells the Dahmer's story in a graphic novel format reminiscent of the comic strips of the 1970's.  He shows the sad and tragic side of Dahmer's life but does not excuse the choices that Dahmer made.

Awards:
2013 ALA/YALSA Alex Award
2014 Revelation Award at Angoulême

Harvey Awards Nominee for Best Graphic Album - Original (2013)

Teaching Resources:
Author's Website
Interview with Author
Teacher's Guide
Book Trailer

Six of Crows

Bardugo, L. (2015) Six of crows. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company.

Genre: High Fantasy (fictional world, magic)

Subjects: Young Adult Fiction - fantasy & magic, action & adventure, law & crime, revenge

In the world of Grishaverse, the leader of the Dregs gang is Kaz.  He seeks revenge against his rival, Pekka Rollins for the death of his brother.  He doesn't like to touch others so he wears black gloves, uses a cane due to an injury and has a reputation for being ruthless.  Inej is a former brothel slave who was rescued by Kaz.  He paid off her debts and trained her to be a spy for the Dregs.  She is known as Wraith due to her stealthiness, can pick locks and is skilled with knives.  Jesper is a sharpshooter and has a gambling problem but is well liked among the gang.  Nina is a Grisha known as a Heartrender (healer) who helped other Grisha to hide their powers.  She was captured by witch hunters but managed to escape.  Matthias is a Fjerdan soldier who had previously captured Nina.  They both escaped off of a sinking ship, but Nina turned him in as a slaver to save his live and he was put in prison.  Wylan van Eck is the son of Jan van Eck, one of Kaz's rivals.  He is part of the team because he is a demolitions expert and as a hostage if Kaz needs him.  These six teenage misfits are hired by the council led by Jan van Eck to break into the Ice Court - the most heavily armed fortress in the world and free the creator of a powerful drug that enhances the paranormal powers of the Grisha people.  As they get to the dock to begin their voyage, their ship is blown up and they discover that Pekka Rollins' gang is also after the creator.  Luckily, Kaz is always one step ahead and they have another ship ready.  The Dregs reach the Ice Court are taken hostage, allowing themselves to be taken into the prison where they promptly escape.  They find where the creator has been kept and go to free him but find that he has died but his son is there trying to recreate his father's drug. The Dregs take the boy and escape.  After multiple battles, the Dregs finally manage to make it back to Ketterdam to trade the boy for money.  Inej is taken hostage by van Eck who also takes the money.  Kaz begins to plan and vows to find Inej and get revenge.  Bardugo has created a High Fantasy that quickly enthralls readers with the richly detailed characters and the twists and turns of the unpredictable plot. Readers will eagerly await the sequel.

Awards:
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction 2015
YALSA's Best Books for Young Adults (2016)

Teaching Resources:
Author's Website
Author Interview
Book Trailer

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

Black, H. (2013). The coldest girl on Coldtown.  New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Genre: Science Fiction (vampires, post-apocalyptic)

Subjects: Young Adult Fiction - paranormal, vampires, love & romance, family relationships, guilt, revenge

Audience: ages 14 & up

Tana wakes up at a party here everyone has been killed by vampires except her and her ex-boyfriend Aiden who has been bitten.  A vampire named Gavriel is also there and Tana sets out to save them all by going to Coldtown.  Coldtown is a walled city where vampires and their followers live to keep humans safe.  On the way, they pick up a set of twins, Midnight and Winter who want to be vampires and are recording their adventure in an internet blog. Upon arrival to Coldtown, Tana receives a pass to leave if she is not infected.  Gavriel leaves to exact his revenge on the head vampire Lucien and Midnight and Winter turn on Aiden and Tana.  Aiden turns into a vampire and kills one of Midnight's accomplices and Tana escapes.  With the help of two humans she meets, Tana is taken to Lucien's party to get back her pass that Aiden stole.  Midnight becomes a vampire, kills Winter, and attacks Tana, officially turning her cold.  If she drinks vampire blood, she will turn into a vampire.  Tana helps Gavriel to kill Lucien and begins to look for her little sister Pearl who has come to find her.  Aiden finds Pearl, gives her Tana's pass, and sends her home. Tana finds a place to wait out the infection so she will not turn and Gavriel stays with her.  Black has written a dark, post-apocalyptic thriller that leaves readers with hope for Tana and humanity.

Awards:
Locus Award Nominee for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy (2013)
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award Nominee (2015)
Andre Norton Award Nominee for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy (2013)
Green Mountain Book Award Nominee (2015)
An Amazon Best Teen Book of the Year
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults
YALSA Top Ten Amazing Audio Books
Kirkus Best YA Books
Texas’s Tayshas Reading List Top Ten
Teaching Resources:
Author's Website
Interview with Author
Book Trailer

Andre the Giant

Brown, B. (2014). Andre the giant: Life and Legend. New York: FirstSecond.

Genre: Biography

Subjects: Nonfiction Graphic Novel - Andre Roussimoff 1946-1993, wrestling

Audience: ages 16 & up

Andre Roussimoff was born in France in 1946.  He suffered from acromegaly, a rare syndrome where his body made too much growth hormone.  As a child, Andre was very large and ridiculed at school.  This gentle giant went on to became an actor and professional wrestler called Andre the Giant.  This biography follows his career from the beginning, through his parts in the movie The Princess Bride, and to his death in 1993. Despite his fame, Andre had a difficult life.  He was over 7 feet 4 inches tall and weighed over 500 pounds, was in constant pain, didn't feel accepted, was an alcoholic, and was involved in multiple conflicts.  The story is based on interviews with fellow wrestlers and movie co-stars. The simplistic illustrations in this graphic novel keep the story flowing and interesting. Due to the language and content, it is best for older teens.

Teaching Resources:
Author's Website
Interview with Author
Book Trailer

The Chocolate War

Cormier, R. (1974). The chocolate war: a novel. New York, NY: Delacorte.

Genre: Dark Modern Realistic Fiction (bullying, violence, corruption, cruelty)

Subjects: Young Adult Fiction - high school, social issues, peer pressure, coming of age

Audience: ages 14 & up

Jerry is a freshman at Trinity - a private all boys High school.  He wants to be a football player and endures pain at the hands of fellow football players but he doesn't give up.  He catches the attention of the Vigils - a clique that controls the student body at Trinity.  The school is having a fundraiser to sell chocolates and the Vigils leader Archie tells Jerry to refuse to sell them.  After ten days, Jerry is supposed to begin selling chocolates, but he decides not to sell them against the wishes of the Vigils and the Priests who run the school.   The priests are in trouble because they spent unauthorized monies to buy the chocolate and they must sell them all.  The other students begin to side with Jerry and not sell chocolate.  The priests tell Archie that they need him to fix the problem.  Archie and the Vigils begin selling all of the chocolate and giving students who are not selling credit.  They do not give Jerry any credit because they want him to be held responsible.  The Vigils begin to harass him, beating him up, framing him for their actions, and calling his house at all hours of the night.  The Vigils sell tickets to a boxing match between Jerry and the school thug Janza.  During the match, Janza stops following directions and Jerry is beaten severely.  One of the priests stops the fight by turning off the stadium lights and an ambulance is called for Jerry.  Archie is not punished for his actions and Jerry tells his friend Goober not to "disturb the universe" because it's not worth it.  Cormier has written a coming of age novel that is often banned due to the violence, sexuality, and language.

Awards:
ALA Notable Children's Books, 1995
Margaret A. Edwards Award, 1991


Teaching Resources:
Interview with Author
Lesson Plan
Vocabulary List
Book Trailer

Annie on My Mind

Garden, N. (1982) Annie on my mind. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.

Genre: Modern Realistic Fiction (sexual orientation, love)

Subjects: Young Adult Fiction - love and romance, LGBTQ, teenage girls, homosexuality, dating and sex, social issues

Audience: age 14 & up

Summary: Liza is a senior in high school, President of the Student Council at Foster Academy, and aspires to become an architect.  She meets Annie at a museum while working on a project and is instantly drawn to her charismatic ways. Their friendship grows into something more and Liza begins to wonder if she could be in love with Annie.  It is a confusing time for Liza and the more time she spends with Annie, the more she wants to be with her.  At Spring Break, Liza takes care of her teachers' cats and house while they are away.  Annie holds her and they pretend that it is their house and become intimate. They are discovered by a fellow student and Liza is taken before the school council for what is seen as immoral behavior. What is even worse is that the school discovers that the teachers whose home they were in are homosexual and they are also brought up on disciplinary charges.  Liza doesn't know how to continue her relationship with Annie as they go their separate ways to summer camp and college. Liza is cleared of guilt by the council, but the teachers are fired. She is pressured by the expectations of her family, friends, and society.  Throughout the book, Liza struggles to deal with what has happened and write a letter to Annie who has been writing to her for months.  After she writes down her feeling, she makes the decision to continue to love Annie and calls her.  Garden has created a love story that encourages teens to be true to themselves in a positive way.

Awards:
Margaret A. Edwards Award 2003

Teaching Resources:
Author's Website
Interview with Nancy Garden
Book Trailer

Invisible

Hartman, P. (2005). Invisible. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Genre: Dark Modern Realistic Fiction (mental illness, death, mystery)

Subjects: Young Adult Fiction - emotions & feelings, mental illness, social issues, friendship, adolescence, model railroads,

Audience: ages 12 & up

Doug Hansen is a shy, awkward seventeen year old boy.  His best friend Andy Morrow is a popular jock that lives next door, is in the drama club, and has a lot of friends.  His hobby is building a model railroad complete with a town called Madham and a bridge built out of matches and he is obsessed with fire.  Everyone around him sees that he is troubled, but Doug doesn't think he is.  He thinks that others are abnormal, not him.  Doug's parents think he he is disturbed and he sees a psychiatrist that prescribes medication, but Doug doesn't think he needs it and doesn't take it.  He has issues at school and even calls in a bomb threat that causes the school to be evacuated.  The boys beat him up and the girls think he is creepy because he stares at them.  Doug stalks a girl on which he has a crush and gets caught.  He manages to talk his way out of it but everyone knows it was him.  Throughout the story, Doug refers to his best friend Andy who accepts him as he is, but we do not meet Andy.  He refers to an incident at the Tuttle place but does not explain what he is talking about.  When Doug's parents realize that he is not taking his medication, they take him back to the psychiatrist.  The psychiatrist forces Doug to remember what happened at the Tuttle place and the reader discovers that Doug and Andy burned down the Tuttle house and Andy died.  Doug accepts that Andy has died but believes that his ghost is still with him.
When he returns home, Doug sets fire to his model train and the town of Madham and is badly burned.  Doug claims to be in the Madham burn unit, but the reader is unsure if he survived and is in the hospital or a psychiatric ward.  Hautman has created a first person narrative that is perfect for teaching students about unreliable narrators, foreshadowing, and reading between the lines to follow the author's clues.
Awards:
Elizabeth Burr / Worzalla Award (2006)

Missouri Gateway Readers Award Nominee (2008)
Teaching Resources:
Author's Website
Interview with Author
Lesson Plan

Glory O'Brien's History of the Future

King, A.S. (2014). Glory O'Brien's history of the future: a novel. New York, NY: Little, Brown, and Company.

Genre: Science Fiction (paranormal, dystopian future)

Subjects: Young Adult Fiction - family life, suicide, friendship, photography, clairvoyance, eccentrics, mental illness

Audience: ages 16 & up

Glory O'Brien is graduating high school but she isn't headed to college and doesn't know who she is or what she wants to do with her life.  She has never dealt with her mother's suicide when she was four and begins to question her purpose in life.  After Glory and her friend Elle drink the remains of a bat, they begin to see the ancestry and future of other people when they look in their eyes.  Glory sees a dystopian future in which women do not have any rights. Her vision begins with a war and political unrest in which she is leading a rebellion in her old age.  She begins questioning her father about her mother and what happened and looks through her mother's darkroom and her photo albums.  She discovers that there was a bad history between her parents and Elle's mom who have created a commune on O'Brien land.  Glory decides that she wants a future for herself and her father and encourages her father to move on.  They have legal papers drawn up to make Elle's family leave.  Glory is ready to move on with her life.

Awards:
Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award, 2009-2015 (Winner, 2015)
2015 Andre Norton Award Nominee
Kirkus Best YA Book of 2014
Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2014
School Library Journal Best Book of 2014
2015 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Book
Boston Globe Best YA Book of 2014
2014 New York Public Library Best Book for Teens
Bookpage Best YA Book of 2014
Bustle.com Best YA Book of 2014
Mashable Top 10 YA Book of 2014
Winter 2014-2015 Kids' Indie Next List Book
CCBC Choices 2015 List Book

Teaching Resources:
Author's Website

Interview with Author
Educator's Guide
Book Review

Scowler

Krause, D. (2013). Scowler. New York: Delacorte.

Genre: Dark Modern Realistic Fiction (violence, domestic abuse, horror)

Subjects: Young Adult fiction - domestic abuse, mental illness, family life, farm life,

Audience: ages 16 & up

Ry Burke is a nineteen year old survivor of domestic abuse at the hands of his father.  After his father is imprisoned, Ry, his little sister Sarah, and his mother barely manage to make a living on the dilapidated family farm.  A meteorite hits the prison and another one lands in the farm's field.  Ry's father manages to escape during the chaos and makes his way to the farm where he begins to take his revenge on the family.  He decides to use Ry to gather the meteorite so they can sell it for a fortune.  Ry fights to survive and save his mother and sister with the help of three imaginary friends who have returned from his troubled childhood to help. His three childhood toys--his teddy bear Mr. Furrington, a bendy figure of Jesus Christ, and a monster with metal teeth Scowler give him the courage to fight his father and ultimately beat him. Throughout the story readers sense that Ry is teetering between reality and madness.  Kraus uses vivid and gory details throughout making this a book for older teens and adults who enjoy horror.

Awards:
Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production Winner (2014)

Milwaukee County Teen Book Award Nominee (2014)

Teaching Resources:
Author's Website
Interview with Author
Audiobook Excerpt

We Were Liars

Lockhart, E. (2014). We were liars. New York: Delacorte.

Genre: Dark Modern Realistic Fiction (mystery, revenge, death)

Subjects: Young Adult fiction - greed, revenge, amnesia, family life, friendship, love, wealth

Audience: 12 and up

Cadence is a seventeen year old amnesia victim telling the story of her family and their summers on the family island.  She begins the story be explaining that she has suffered an accident that has left her in pain and unable to remember what happened the summer she was fifteen when the accident happened.  During summer fourteen, she and her two cousins Johnny and Mirren and Aunt Carrie's boyfriend's son Gat become very close and are called the "liars".  Gat is of Indian descent and not accepted by their wealthy grandfather and Cadence falls in love with him.  When she returns to the island for summer fifteen, she sees Gat putting dried rose petals into an envelope to send to his girlfriend and she is heartbroken. It was also the summer that her parents divorced and the first summer that the family had been on the island since her grandmother had died.  The only thing Cadence remembers about summer fifteen is waking up on the beach with her injury and not seeing the other "liars".  She hasn't heard from them since.  Cadence spent summer sixteen traveling Europe with her father and is happy to return to the island for summer seventeen. She begins writing fairy tales representing her grandfather and his three daughters and the "fairy tale" life that they lead.  She also begins giving away all of her things to people who need them.  As summer seventeen progresses, Cadence begins to remember what happened with the help of the "liars".  Her mother and aunts were fighting over her grandmother's possessions.  When they left the island for the evening, the "liars" burned the house down so they would stop fighting.  Cadence was the only one who survived the fire.  The "liars" are happy that she has finally remembered so they can go where spirits belong and they walk into the water and disappear.  Lockheart weaves a story of a dysfunctional family who believe they are better than others and live an ideal life with the heartbreaking tragedy of teenagers who recognize their family flaws and are hopeful that the family will change for the better.

Awards:
Georgia Peach Book Award (2015)
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award Nominee (2015)
The Inky Awards Nominee for Silver Inky (2015)
Bookworm Best Award for Best Fiction (2014)
Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fiction (2014)
The Magnolia Award for 9-12 (2016)

Teaching Resources:
Author's Website
Interview with Author
Reader's Group Guide
Book Trailer

I Hunt Killers

Lyga, B. (2012). I hunt killers. New York: Little, Brown.

Genre: Dark Modern Realistic Fiction (mystery, murders, violence, incarceration)

Subjects: Young Adult fiction - nature vs. nurture, serial murderers, teenagers, psychopaths, espionage, family, law & crime, mysteries & detectives

Audience: ages 16 & up

Jazz is the seventeen year old son of an imprisoned serial killer who lives with his mentally ill grandmother.  He is determined to not follow his father's example, but he's worried that it's in his nature.  When someone begins copying his father's crimes, Jazz, his best friend Howie, and his girlfriend Connie set out to catch the killer before anyone starts to blame him.  Howie keeps the story from feeling too dark with his constant jokes and Connie acts as Jazz's conscience to keep him on the right path.  Jazz studies his father's crimes as a way to see where the killer will be going next and even visits his dad in prison.  Seeing his dad was not exactly what he expected as his dad seemed to think that Jazz was becoming more like him.  Jazz breaks into the morgue and steals things from the police station, but always manages to talk his way out of trouble. Jazz believes that the killer's next victim will be his teacher and he and Howie go to the her apartment to save her.  When they arrive, Jazz breaks in and interrupts the killer while Howie waits outside. Howie end up getting hurt, made worse by the fact that he is a hemophiliac.  Jazz lets the killer go in an effort to save his teacher and Howie.  The teacher dies, but Howie manages to hang on and make it to the hospital where he receives blood and has surgery but will survive.  The killer's next move it to break into Jazz's house and take his grandmother hostage.  He captures Jazz as well, but Howie and Connie save them.  The police take the killer into custody and give Jazz more bad news - his dad has escaped from prison and is killing again.  Jazz vows to hunt his father down and in the epilogue, gets a tattoo that reads "I hunt killers".  Lyga has created a dark and suspenseful mystery thriller that is infused with humor and believable characters.  This is the first book in the "I Hunt Killers" trilogy.
 
Awards:

Bram Stoker Award Nominee for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel (2012)
Georgia Peach Book Award Nominee for Honor book (2013)
Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee (2014)
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Young Adult Fiction (2012)

Teaching Resources:
Author's Website
Interview with the Author
Book Trailer

Inexcusable

Lynch, C. (2005) Inexcusable. New York, NY: Atheneum.

Genre: Dark Modern Realistic Fiction (rape, bullying, substance abuse)

Subjects: Young Adult fiction - high school, family life, social issues, alcohol, drugs, date rape

Audience: 16 & up

Keir is a good guy.  He has a good father so he must be a good guy.  He's a good friend, brother, and he's trustworthy and loyal so he's a good guy.  He can't be a monster and he could not have raped his childhood friend Gigi because he's a good guy.  As Keir begins to tell his side of the story, the reader becomes aware that he has a major character flaw - he truly thinks he's a good guy and nothing is his fault.  He is is not as innocent as he would have you believe.  He drinks, uses drugs, vandalizes public property, and does not have a realistic view of his family problems.  The reader comes to the conclusion that Keir is the monster that Gigi says he is, although perhaps not intentionally and he is capable of redeeming himself.  Gigi however is forever scarred.  Lynch brings to the light the activities in which "popular students" are often engaged and encourages the reader to think about if being popular excuses bad behavior and substance abuse.

Awards:
Booklist Editors' Choice - Books for Youth (Older Readers Category), 2005
National Book Awards Finalist for Young Peoples Literature, 2005
School Library Journal's Best Books, 2005
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2006

Teaching Resources: 

Author's Website

Book Trailer

Discussion Guide from Rhode Island Teen Book Award

Monster

Myers, W.D. (1999) Monster.  New York, NY: Harper Collins Children's.

Genre: Dark Modern Realistic Fiction (violence, murder, incarceration)

Subjects: Young Adult fiction - violence, trials, self-perception, prejudice & racism, prisons, African Americans

Audience: Ages 16 & up

Steve Harmon is a sixteen year old African American aspiring film maker. He is currently in jail and being tried as an accomplice for robbery and murder.  The other defendants are incriminating him as the lookout for a store robbery that ended with the murder of an innocent store clerk.  He claims he is innocent but throughout the story, one is never sure if he is telling the truth.  Steve's personal thoughts are written journal style in cursive while trial proceedings are written as a movie script.  Through his journal writings, Steve tells the events that led to the trial and we see how truly scared he is.  At the conclusion of the trial, Steve is found not guilty.  Months after the trial he is still trying to find out who he really is and questioning - "Am I truly a monster?" leaving the reader to wonder if the verdict was a mistake.  Myers has created a unique format by alternating the film format complete with stage directions and Steve's journal writing that show his struggle with his conscience and what he has done.  This book will provide opportunities for discussions about humanity, morality, and how seemingly small choices can lead to bigger mistakes.    

Awards
Coretta Scott King Honor 2000
Boston Globe-Horn Books Award 1999
Michael L. Printz Award 2000
National Book Award Finalist 1999

Teaching Resources
Author's Website
Walter Dean Myers Discusses Monster
Lesson Plans

The Knife of Never Lettng Go

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

Genre: Science Fiction (telepathy, space colonies, dystopia)

Subjects: Young Adult fiction - social issues, telepathy, human-animal communication, space colonies

Audience: ages 16 & up

Todd is an orphaned teenage boy that lives in Prentisstown.  It is a town without women and the men can hear each other's "noise" or thoughts which makes it impossible to keep your thoughts a secret.  Just shy of fourteen when he will become a man, Todd and his dog Manchee are in the woods picking apples when they stumble upon a disturbing silence and discover that things may not be as Todd was led to believe.  Todd returns to his foster fathers and when they hear his noise, they know about the silence and tell him that he needs to leave. They give him his mother's journal, but it is useless to him because the town does not educate the boys.  Todd and Manchee run back to the woods and find that the silence is a girl named Viola who has crash landed her ship on the New World.  Together they run from the Prentisstown men that are trying to kill them.  They hide in a town where there are men and women that know the secrets of Prentisstown, but the Prentisstown men burn it down and Todd and Viola continue on to Haven. During their journey, the find a creature and Todd kills it.  While they are distracted, Todd is stabbed by the Preacher from Prentisstown, Aaron who also takes Viola.  Todd and Manchee find Aaron and trick him to get Viola back and Manchee is killed in the process.  Todd and Viola float down the river and are rescued by Dr. Snow who tends to Todd's wounds.  They are there for several days and discover that the Prentisstown men are outcast because they killed their women and the creatures.  As the men approach Dr. Snow's village, Todd and Viola continue on to Haven but just when they are almost there, they run into Aaron again.  He chases them into a church under a waterfall and Viola kills him.  Just when they think they are safe,  the Prentisstown Mayor appears and introduces himself as President Prentiss.  The story continues in the next novel in the series.  Ness narrates the story from Todd's point of view, emphasizing his lack of education and knowledge in his improper speech and misspelled words.  He creates excitement and interest with his memorable characters and fast paced suspenseful story.

Awards:
Guardian Children's Fiction Prize (2008)
Manchester Book Award Nominee for Longlist (2009)
Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production Honor (2011)
James Tiptree Jr. Award (2008)
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award Nominee (2010)

Carnegie Medal Nominee (2009)

Green Mountain Book Award (2012)

Teaching Resources:
Author's Website
Interview with Author
Lesson Plan from Candlewick Press
Book Trailer

Gabi: A Girl in Pieces

Quintero, I. (2014). Gabi: A girl in pieces. TX: Cinco Puntos

Genre: Modern Realistic Fiction (story could really happen, chick lit)

Subjects: Young Adult Fiction - high school, family problems, alcohol & drug abuse, teen pregnancy, social issues, self-perception, LGBTQ, Mexican Americans, coming of age, dating & sex, love & romance, poetry

Audience: Ages 14 & up

Gabi Hernandez is a Mexican American high school senior writing her story in her diary.  Her best friend Cindy is pregnant, her friend Sabi tells his parents he is gay and is kicked out of his house, her father is a meth addict, and Gabi struggles with her identity.  She is overweight, loves food, and even hides food in her room.  But Gabi wants more than what others expect of her.  She wants to go to college and discovers her love and gift of writing poetry and uses it to get through the struggles of her family problems and not feeling accepted by her peers.  Gabi applies to several colleges, but struggles with the decision to go to college and pursue her dreams or to stay with her family  because it is the cultural norm.  Gabi discovers that Cindy has been hiding a secret - the baby's father raped her.  It is more than Gabi can handle and one day at school, Gabi attacks him and is suspended from school.  Gabi is accepted to the college to which she wanted to go and she realizes that she has the power to make a difference and the her body does not define who she is.  Quintero has created a main character that reflects upon her daily life in an honest and sometimes humorous way and uses Spanish expressions for a realistic infusion of the Mexican American culture. Readers can relate to Gabi as she endures situations to which many teens can relate and gives hope that they will also overcome them.

Awards:
California Book Award Gold Medal for Young Adult (2014)
William C. Morris YA Debut Award (2015)
Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award (2015)
Américas Award, 1993-2015 (Commended, 2015)
Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award, 2009-2015 (Finalist, 2015)

Teaching Resources:
Author's Website
Interview with Author
Teacher's Guide
Book Trailer

The Notorious Benedict Arnold

Sheinkin, S. (2010). The notorious Bendict Arnold: a true story of adventure, heroism, & treachery. New York, NY: Roaring Book Press.

Genre: Biography (life history of Benedict Arnold)

Subject: Young Adult non-fiction - General Benedict Arnold, U.S. Revolution, American loyalists, Continental Army 

Audience: Ages 12 & up

Benedict Arnold is known as a traitor, but most people know little else about the man and his accomplishments.  This biography follows Arnold's life as a mischievous and active youth until his death in 1801.  Arnold was instrumental in winning battles of the American Revolution and appointed a general by George Washington but he never received the credit that he deserved due to his unpredictable recklessness and driven nature.  The author describes the military decisions that he made in each of the skirmishes in which he was involved.  It details his invasion of Canada, how he created the first American Naval Fleet, and his actions in the Battle of Valcour Island and the Battle of Saratoga.  Readers come to understand why Arnold did not get along with his peers and eventually why he betrayed the colonies by plotting with British officer Major Andre to give West Point to the British.  To draw readers in, Sheinkin begins the story with the execution of Major Andre and then flashes back to Arnold's childhood and tells the story in sequential order.  It reads like a novel, using first hand accounts and quotes from the various sources that are included in the source notes at the back of the book.  

Awards:

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction (2012)

Beacon of Freedom Award (2013)

Teaching Resources:

Author's Website

Interview with Author

Lesson Plan from the Classroom Bookshelf

Steve Sheinkin: "The Notorious Benedict Arnold"

Grasshopper Jungle

Smith, A. (2014). Grasshopper jungle. New York: Dutton.

Genre: Science Fiction (apocalyptic, dystopian, giant man-eating grasshoppers)

Subjects: Young Adult fiction - humor, social issues, adventure, insect, survival, friendship, gender identity, LGBTQ, coming of age

Audience: 14 & up

Austin Szerba is a 16 year old hormonal and confused teenager in a small Iowa town.  He is telling the story of his history which just happens to also be the end of the world.  Austin and his best friend Robby are skateboarding behind the mall when they are attacked by the school bullies led by Grant.  Robby wipes his bloody nose on the cement.  Grant throws their shoes and skateboards on the roof.  Later that night, the boys go back to the mall to retrieve their things and discover a trap door into the store where Austin works part time.  They go into the store and into the boss' office to see what the boss is hiding and find several items in glass jars such as a two-headed baby, hands, and a glowing green globe.  Grant and his friends return and Austin and Robby hide.  Grant takes the glowing globe and when they leave, he accidentally drops it into the blood releasing a plague that immediately begins to infect the townsfolk turning them into giant man-eating preying mantises that only want to eat and have sex.  Austin and Robby go to Austin's girlfriend Shann's house where they find a machine typing a message that tells them the virus is in the air and they need to go to the silo.  At the silo, they discover a shelter that explains the origin of the plague, and contains everything they need to survive.  Using the information from the silo, they work together with Shann's parents, and Robby's mom and boyfriend to kill the creatures and are eventually successful even though they are to late to save the town.  During the disaster, Austin is a hormonal teenager that acts like the creatures - thinking about sex all of the time.  He can't decide if he wants Shann or Robby and eventually has both.  As the story flashes into the future, we see that Austin and Shann have a child and are raising it together but Robby and Austin are a couple.  Smith has written a humorous story reminiscent of old science fiction B movies that is full of normal adolescent questions about social issues, acceptance, and sexual identity while displaying plenty of teenage angst.  This book is better suited for older teens as it contains profanity, alcohol & drug use, and sexual situations.

Awards:
Michael L. Printz Award Honor (2015)

Milwaukee County Teen Book Award Nominee (2015)

Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction (2014)

The Inky Awards Nominee for Silver Inky (2015)

The Kitschies for Red Tentacle (Novel) (2014)

Teaching Resources:
Author's Website
Interview with the Author 
Book Trailer

Freak Show

St. James, J. (2007). Freak show.  New York, NY: Penguin.

Genre: Modern Realistic Fiction (Humorous story that could really happen, LGBTQ, bullying)

Subjects: Young Adult fiction, humor, high school, LGBTQ, female impersonators, prejudices, bullying, social issues, self-perception

Audience: Ages 14 & up

Seventeen year old Billy Bloom is a new student at a private school in Florida. He is determined to fit in and decides to start the year of right by wearing a fabulous outfit to school.  The only problem is that Billy is over the top and loves to dress in outrageous styles that are eye-catching and female.  He heads to school in a pirate outfit (the most manly thing he owns) and immediately discovers that this private school doesn't like people that are different.  Billy tries to find someone to accept him, but things get worse when he dresses in drag and falls in love with the hunky football player that is the school hero - Flip Kelly.  Eventually things get so bad that Billy is beaten by his classmates and is in a coma in the hospital.  Flip begins to check on him everyday while he recovers and they form a relationship.  Billy decides that the only way to change things is to become the homecoming queen.  He starts a campaign and becomes national news.  He wears outrageous outfits, creates a shoe-shaped float, and begins to make progress with his classmates.  It is not enough though and he does not win the contest.  The school is just not ready for change.  In this book, St. James has created a humorous and heart-breaking story of an anxious teenage "gender obscurest" that just wants to be accepted by his community.  It is an upbeat story with a positive message that you can overcome adversity.

Awards:
Michigan Library Association Thumbs Up! Award Nominee (2008)
Peggy Miller Award (2008)

Code Name Verity

Weins, E. (2012). Code name Verity.  New York, NY: Hyperion.

Genre: Historical Fiction (set in World War II, but the story's focus is the story)

Subjects: YA Historical Fiction, friendship, WWII, espionage, women air pilots, insurgency, England, France, Germany, Nazis, holocaust, social issues

Audience: Ages 14 & up

During World War II, girls and women held unlikely jobs during the war effort.  Code Name Verity tells of two such young ladies.  Maddie (Code name Kittyhawk) is a bike mechanic who starts by operating radio equipment and eventually becomes a pilot transferring planes to bases and taking special agents to undisclosed locations. Julie (Code name Verity) is a Scottish aristocrat who is fluent in German and begins as a translator and eventually becomes a special agent helping to bring down Hitler's regime.  The two girls become friends and "make a spectacular team".  It is during one of these secret missions that things go awry.  Their plane takes a hit from enemy fire and Julie must parachute to the ground.  Maddie manages to bring the broken plane down but she is in enemy territory.  Julie is captured by the Nazis and after she is tortured, she agrees to write down everything she knows about the British War effort.  She tells the truth, but she writes it her way in the story of her friendship with Maddie knowing that the Germans will kill her when she is finished.  Maddie has been rescued by a French resistance group and is hidden in the secret loft of a barn waiting for a chance to be flown back to England.  She is relieved when they finally hear that Julie is still alive and takes a part in trying to rescue her.  During the attempted rescue, the Germans get the upper hand and Julie yells out to Maddie in code asking her to shoot her.  Maddie does as she us asked because she knows that Julie is suffering and does not want to tell the Germans what she knows.  This a heart-wrenching story of friendship, love, bravery, and loyalty that you won't want to put down.

Awards:
UK Literary Association Award Winner
Edgar Award Winner
Printz Honor Book
Boston Globe/Horn Book Award Honor Book
Shortlisted for the 2013 CILIP Carnegie Award
Golden Kite Award Honor Book
Shortlisted for the Scottish Children's Book Award
Catalyst Book Award Winner (East Lanarkshire County Council, Scotland)

Teaching Resources:
Book Trailer
Author's Website
Lesson Plans

The Book Thief

Zusak, M. (2005). The book thief. New York, NY: Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Genre: Historical Fiction (based on WWII/holocaust events, emphasis on the story, not history)

Subjects:  Young Adult Fiction - World War II, holocaust, overcoming adversity, Jews, Death & Dying, Germany 1933-1945

Audience: Ages 12 & up

Death narrates the story of Liesel, a nine year old German girl who is taken from her mother and placed in foster care with Hans and Rosa in a Suburb of Munich, Germany prior to World War II.  As her mother was taking her Hans and Rosa, Liesel's brother dies on the train. When they bury him, Liesel steals a book from the gravedigger.  When Hans learns that Liesel cannot read, he teaches her and they read the stolen book together. Hans is a Jewish sympathizer and hides a Jewish man named Max in the basement.  Max and Liesel become friends and she shares stories about her life and friends.  Liesel's best friend is a boy named Rudy who dreams of being the next Jesse Owens and winning an Olympic medal.  Rosa sends Liesel to deliver laundry to the Mayor's wife, she sees all the books that they own.  When the mayor's wife cancels the laundry services, Rudy and Liesel start stealing the books.  The Mayor's wife soon figures out what is going on and begins to leave notes and books for Liesel, including a book to write her own story in.  As the political unrest intensifies, the Nazi's began to frequent the city more often. Hans fears for Max's safety and sends him away but he is eventually caught.  The Nazi's try to draft Rudy, but his father refuses and Rudy's father and Hans are sent instead.  One night there is an air raid and everyone hides in Hans and Rosa's basement. The town is bombed and many people are killed.  When they finally venture out of the basement, Liesel finds Rudy's body and gives him a kiss. The workers take her away and she leaves behind the book she has been writing and Death takes it.  Liesel lives a long life.  When she dies, Death comes for her and shows her the book she had written so many years before because he is fascinated by human nature and the human capacity for compassion and survival.  Zusak has created strong, resilient characters in a tumultuous era where human cruelty is at it's worst.  He has created a vivid picture of Nazi Germany, friendship, loss, and survival in an unforgettable tale.

Awards:
National Jewish Book Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature (2006)
Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Children's Literature (2007)
Buxtehuder Bulle (2008)
Sydney Taylor Book Award for Teen Readers (2007)
Michael L. Printz Award Honor (2007)

Exclusive Books Boeke Prize (2007)

The Quill Award Nominee for Young Adult/Teen (2006)

Teen Read Award Nominee for Best All-Time-Fave (2010), 

Association of Jewish Libraries for Teen Book Award (2006)

Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee (2010)

Kathleen Mitchell Award

Teaching Resources:
Author's Webpage
Vocabulary Words
Educator's Guide
Movie Adaptation Website
Book Trailer

An Abundance of Katherines

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

Genre:  Modern Realistic Fiction (coming of age, humorous, guy humor, adventure, love)

Subjects:  Young adult fiction - humor, travel, dating & sex, self-perception, social issues, interpersonal relations

Audience: ages 14 & up

Colin is a recent high school graduate who is only interested in dating girls named Katherine spelled with a K.  After being dumped by the 19th Katherine, Colin sets out to try to discover a mathematical theorem to predict the success of any relationship. His best friend Hassan talks him into going on a road trip to get him out of his depression and find a new direction in life. The two set off from Chicago and end up in Gutshot, Tennessee where they meet a girl named Lyndsey.  Lyndsey's mom hires Colin and Hassan to interview the townspeople and write down their stories, but Colin's main concern is completing "The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability" to determine the probability of a successful relationship.  Lyndsey helps Colin to finish his Theorem, learn to tell a story properly, and they develop a relationship.  Colin is insecure and his self-perception of himself as a former child prodigy and loser lend humor to the story as does Hassan's stand-up comedy routine.  Green includes an appendix to explain how the theory of relationships can be created and graphed.  The language and discussion of sex makes this book more appropriate for older teens.

Awards:
Michael L. Printz Award Honor (2007)
Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee (2010)
Alabama Author Award - Young Adult (2007)

Teaching Resources:
Author's Website
Interview with John Green
Educator's Guide
Book Trailer

Red Queen

Aveyard, V. (2015). Red queen. New York: Harper Collins Children's Books.

Genre: Fantasy (magic, supernatural, completely created world)

Subjects: young adult fiction, dystopian society, royalty, teenage girls, fantasy & magic, romance, war, ethnic inequality, political corruption

Audience: Ages 14 and up

In a world where the color of your blood (red or silver) determines your worth, Mare, a red-blood, seeks truth and equality. Those with silver blood are elite, powerful, and have superpowers, and those with red are soldiers and servants living in poverty in the Stilts. Mare surprises everyone when she has power to resist the power of the silver born. The king brings her to the palace and claims her as a long lost silver princess and she becomes engaged to Prince Maven. Secretly Mare works to lead the red born in a Scarlet Guard rebellion and begins to fall in love with Prince Cal, thus creating an interesting love triangle. The King is killed by the Queen, but she frames Prince Cal for his murder. It is the Queen that is truly in charge in this world and Prince Maven follows her wishes. Mare escapes only to find out that there are other red bloods that have powers who have disappeared. She joins them and discovers that her brother who supposedly died in battle is still alive and has powers as well. The end of the book leaves you with a lot of questions - one of them being "How long until the sequel?". 

Awards:

Goodreads Choice Award for Debut Goodreads Author

Nominee for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2015)

Teaching Resources
Author's Website
Interview with the Author
Book Trailer

Period 8

Crutcher, C. (2013). Period.8. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Genre: Realistic Fiction (Dark Modern Realistic Fiction - mystery, murder, prostitution, bullying, sexual abuse, suspense/thriller)

Subjects: YA fiction - high school, social issues, adolescence, friendships, social groups, kidnapping, sexual abuse

Audience: ages 14 and up

Period 8 is a class in high school where students can talk about the issues that they are experiencing - socially, in their families, and even morally.  Paulie Baum is nothing if not honest.  He finds himself in a situation where he "unintentionally" cheats on his girlfriend Hannah, tells her what he did, and she breaks up with him. He understands why and accepts responsibility for his actions.  He made a poor choice, but he soon finds himself in the middle of a mystery when Mary (the girl he slept with) disappears.  He begins to become suspicious of Arney, the class president who has spread too many lies and Paulie catches on that he is using everyone for his own hidden agenda. Paulie can't leave it alone and continues to ask questions.  Mary reappears but her stay is only temporary as she soon disappears again.  It is discovered that she is being held against her will in a prostitution ring that is led by Arney.  Arney sets out to kill Paulie and Hannah and nearly succeeds.
Arney is caught, found guilty, and jailed but Mary is never found.
     Crutcher has written this young adult novel in a believable voice with an alternating point of view to develop each character.  The story flows quickly due to the large amount of dialogue, foreshadowing, and building of suspense.  It is better for older teens as it contains sexual situations and quite a bit of profanity.


Teaching Resources:
Word from the Author
Author's Website
Teaching Resource

Shiver

Stiefvater, M. (2009). Shiver. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

Genre: Fantasy (Supernatural Romance)

Subjects: YA Fiction, Love & Romance, Supernatural, Metamorphosis, Wolves, Human Animal Relationships

Audience: ages 14 and up

At age 9, Grace was saved from a pack of wolves by a lone wolf with yellow eyes.  Now at age 17, she waits for her wolf every winter in the peaceful woods behind her house.  when a local teenage boy is killed by wolves, the townspeople hunt down the wolves.  Grace runs to the woods to save the wold with the yellow eyes and finds an injured boy that she knows instantly is her wolf in human form.  Sam confides his story to Grace and she helps him to get warm and tries to keep him human.  Her parents are not very involved in her life and are not even aware that there is a teenage boy living in their daughter's bedroom.  As their loves grows, they both know that it is only a matter of time before he returns to wolf form.  The teenage boy that is said to have died has returns as a wolf and begins to attack people.  Grace, Sam and the teenage boy's sister desperately look for a cure.  The group comes up with a plan and executes it but the readers are left hanging to find out whether or not Sam is cured.  It is wrapped up with a happy ending where Sam is cured and Sam and Grace are back together.  It is reminiscent of a Romeo and Juliet tale - two lovers who are doomed to be never be together but it all works out in the end.  This story is told with alternating points of view from Grace and Sam.  It builds on what is known about werewolves with a bit of Stiefvater's own twist which makes the story line intriguing and builds strong characters.

Awards;
Georgia Peach Book Award (2011)
Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award Nominee (2011)
Children's Choice Book Award Nominee for Teen Choice Book of the Year (2010)
Florida Teens Read Nominee (2010)
Teen Read Award Nominee for Best Read (2010)
VOYA Perfect Ten (2009) 

The Inky Awards for Silver Inky (2010)

Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee (2012)

The Inky Awards Shortlist for Silver Inky (2010)

Missouri Gateway Readers Award Nominee (2012)

Teaching Resources:
Author's Website
Lesson Plan from Scholastic 
Book Trailer

We Were Here

de la Pena, M. (2009)  We were here. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.

Genre: Dark Realistic Fiction (violence, murder, drug abuse, incarceration, suicide)

Subjects: YA Fiction - brothers, friendship, group homes, guilt, juvenile delinquents, runaways, suicide

Audience: ages 14 and up

Miguel has committed an unspeakable crime and is sentenced to a year in a group home.  The judge orders him to write in a journal every day about his thoughts and feelings .  While he is the group home, he meets Mong and Rondell and they decide to run away to Mexico for a fresh start.  Miguel chronicles their journey in his journal in which he references classic books that he has read.  The three runaways come to depend on each other for survival as they hide, steal money and food, stand up for each other, and forge a bond with each other.  Mong commits suicide along a beachfront and Miguel and Rondell have to come to terms with the loss of his friendship.  The two boys travel to Miguel's grandparents house near the Mexico border.  It is here that they find themselves, face the truth of what they have done,  and build confidence in themselves as they work for Miguel's grandfather to earn money to finish their journey.  As we near the end of the book, we find out that Miguel's crime was murder - he accidentally killed his brother.  The boys decide that they should return to the group home and face the consequences for what they have done and try to make things right.
De la Pena has created a fast paced story with true to life language (some obscenities) that develops the personalities of his realistic and flawed characters.  Many readers will identify with Miguel as a mixed race teen who is looking for his cultural identity and a place to belong.  Reluctant readers will continue to read to find out what Miguel's unspoken crime is and why his mother will not look at him.

Awards:
Américas Award, 1993-2015 (2010)

Missouri Gateway Readers Award Nominee (2012)

Teaching Resources:
Author's website
VOYA Author Interview
Discussion Questions

The Schwa Was Here

Shusterman, N. (2004). The Schwa was here. New York, NY: Dutton Children's Books.

Genre: Modern Realistic Fiction (guy humor, action, true to life)

Subjects:  friendship, family relationships, family problems, self-perception

Audience: ages 12-15

Anthony Bonano (nicknamed Antsy) is an eighth grade boy who lives in Brooklyn with his parents and siblings.  He befriends Calvin Schwa, a fellow student that seems to be invisible.  Together they experiment to see how invisible he really is and accept crazy dares to make money.  As a result of a dare gone awry, they must do community service for an elderly and wealthy man who has shut himself off from the world. Part of their job is to walk his 14 dogs and the other is to be friends with his blind granddaughter.  All the Schwa really wants is be visible to everyone around him and to find out what happened to his mother who disappeared.  Antsy sets out to help his new friend with humorous plots and eventually succeeds. The Schwa disappears and Antsy sets out to find out what happened to him and ultimately discovers that he has moved away to live with his mother.
     Neal Shusterman has created humorous characters with whom tweens and young teens will be able to relate.  The story is told in first person as Antsy Botano complete with Italian heritage, accent, and slang that makes the character come to life.  He tackles the issue of wanting to belong and be included in social activities that young adults will understand.  The story is told is a humorous tone that makes it a quick read that will draw readers into the story.  This is the first book in the Antsy Bonano series.

Awards:
ALA Notable Children's Books, 2005

Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards 1967-2015 (Winner 2005)

YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2005

Teaching Resources:
Author's website
Author's Blog 
Resource Guide
Book Trailer