Books 9 -16
Gabi is a young girls who is trapped in a world where she doesn't quite fit in. She is currently in high school, and is having trouble conforming to the norms society has set forth for her. She is a light skinned Mexican, has a drug addict for a dad, is "gordita", never had a boyfriend, and loves school. Her senior year is turning our to be more complicated that she imagined it to be. Her best friend Sebastian has come out of the closet, and needs her support because his parents kicked him out. Cindy has suddenly gotten pregnant, and Gabi has to help her through this rough patch in her life as well. As the book progresses Cindy confides in Gabi and Sebastian, and tells them that she had been raped by German. Gabi is also the one who found her father when when he overdosed and passed away. Through all this Gabi finds true love with Martin, and learns alot about love in the process. She has a crazy aunt who is always telling her how bad she is, when all she wants to do is get into Berkley. Her Mexican heritage plays a hugh part in this story, because it impacts the choices she makes. In the end she decides to lose her virginity to Martin, stands up for her self with her aunt, defends all girls against German by beating him up, and decides to go to Berkely with Martin after she finds out she has gotten accepted (even after her mom's guilt trip about what good girls are suppose to do).
I though this was a wonderful book, and saw alot of me in this book. I myself am a light skinned Mexican who has gone against the grain with many of my cultural norms. I grew up in a poor neighborhood, and was destined to be a another statistic. I think that many YA readers will be able to relate to this book, especially in a time in their lives when they think that they are the only ones going through stuff. This book does a wonderful job at addressing many issues that might arise from one's self image. Gabi learns to accept herself for who she is, and is not worried about what others may think. I love the part where she talks herself into not caring, and ends up enjoying life. This is a wonderful perspective gudie for YA readers. One of the strengths of this book has to be its character development. We are able to follow Gabi's evolution, and can clearly see all the obstacles she had to over come through the conversations she has with herself. I would recommend this book for students in 9th grade and up, and only because their is a lot of sexuality in it.
Book Trailer For Gabi: A Girl In Pieces Link:
Marjane Satrapi was a young girl who witnessed a great deal of change as the revolution in islam began. She use to go to school with many children, and enjoyed the freedoms that we see in today's American schools. Once the revolution began, a lot of restrictions started to be imposed on Marjane and her country. She no longer could go to school with boys, and had to attend an all girls school. The girls were also forced to wear a veil over their face, which many of them thought was strange. Marjane was a pretty outspoken little girl, and stood up for what she believed in. Her parents were very encouraging and stood up for their rights during the revolution as well. Marjane couldn't wait for the day that she could join then in protest. Marjane also believed that she was the last prophet, which fueled her need to stand up for her people. As Marjane grew, she rebelled and broke many of the laws that girls had to follow. She bought nail polish and music on the black market, and even got caught once and was almost punished. Just like Marjane, her parents also broke some of the rules. Once they went on a trip and snuck back some posters that were illegal in their country. As Marjane grew up, she noticed how alot of what they had been taught was a lie, and questions. The borders in the country had been closed when the revolution began, and only the really sick could get out. Marjane's uncle suffered a heat attack, and needed to be transported, but sadly passed away the day before he was granted permission. This made Marjane angry and did not like the restrictions. After sometime the boarders were eventually open, and Marjane's parents were faced with a very tough decision. Should they send their daughter aways, to live a better life in a new country? Or have her stay and take their chances. In the end Marjane was sent to away, but her parents promised to join her. Marjane knew this was the last time she would see them, and was very sad.
I think this is an eye opening book for everyone in today's society. Many do not understand Marjane's culture, and just believe all the stereotypes that surrounding it. This book provides a window in which the YA reader can peer through, and answers many questions along the way. Marjane reminds me of Gabi from the book Gabi: A Girl In Pieces. Both characters stuggle with the cultural norms that have been places on them, and strive to overcome them. In the end both girls leave their families, but not before showing the reader how important family ties are. Gabi and Marjane overcove many obstacles and show the world who they really are. I recommend this book for students in ninth grade and up.
Link To A Book Talk On The Book Presepolis:
Crutcher, C. (2007). Deadline. New York: Greenwillow Books.
Ben Wolf is a high school students who is ready to start his senior year. He goes for a routine physical, and things take a turn for the worse. When Ben goes for his results, he decides not to take his parents with him, since he is eighteen. His doctor and family friend is hesitant to give him the results, but is bound by the law. Ben finds out that he has a blood disease, and decides that he does not want to fight it. His doctor advises against doing nothing, and has him see a therapist. Ben has always had a feeling that he wasn't going to live long, and he has accepted the card that he has been dealt. Ben decides if he only has one year to live, he is going to make the best the it. He quits the cross country team, where he was a star, and joins football with his brother. It turns our he is a pretty good football player, and the Wolf brother have an unforgettable season. Ben also decides to go after the girl that has pulled at his heart strings for as long as he can remember, Dallas Suzuki. To his surprise she is really into him, and things start to get pretty serious. Around this time Ben starts to question weather or not he is doing the right thing by keeping the truth from everyone. He has conversations with Hey-Soos, which is an extension of his own consciousness. In the end he decides to tell those who are closest to him and doesn't get the reaction he expects, and then one day in class he blurts out the truth for all to hear. In the end everyone learns a lot from Ben and he learns a lot from everyone else. He has a new perspective on life, and shares it with the student body through his graduation speech given by his brother because he passes away before he gets his chance to read it.
This book made me cry, because i so wanted Ben to some how get better by the end of the book. All his dreams had come true, and his life was quickly coming to an end. this is the perfect book for any high school student, because it addresses many of the issues that surround them during these years. Death,love, anger, rejection, and religion all in the span of a couple of chapters. I love how Ben's life is a window into the passion one has for love, and the pain that one feels when someone passes. this book is filled with raw emotion which can be therapeutic to many who read it. Most YA readers have not been confronted with the death of a friend, weather it be through natural causes or a car accident. this book reassures them that it is okay to have the emotions the have, and that understanding only comes with time. I think one of the strengths of this book is how it is able to lighten up the serious topic of death. I would have been crying through the entire book if it weren't for Ben's sarcasm and jokes.
Student Study Guide with Teacher Key for a Novel Study on the Book Deadline:
Book Trailer for Deadline:
Vera and Charlie use to be the closest of friends, and would do everything together. Charlie even build a tree house that they could share when they were growing up. Home life for Vera and Charlie was complicated but they always leaned on each other when times were tough. Charlies dad use be beat up his mom, and you could always here fighting coming from his house. Vera often asked her dad to help Charlie, but he said it would make things worse. Vera's mother left one day, which was very hard on her. As they grew up Vera and Charlie drifted apart, and there friendship was nonexistent. Vera was working and going to school, while Charlie ended up hanging around with the wrong crowd. As the book progressed Charlie told Vera that his girl friend was threatening to burn down the pet store and kill him in the process. Since Vera and Charlie were no longer friends, she dismissed his comment. When Vera went to meet Charlie at the pet store, she realized that his girl friend was indeed setting the store on fire. She did not see Charlie anywhere and left. Later Vera came to find out that Charlie had been killed, and she new exactly who had done it. Even after he was dead, Charlie would appear to Vera and lead her to clues that would help her clear his name. In the end Vera goes to the police and tells them what really happened on the night that the pet store was burned down.
I liked this book, because it shows the power that friendship has to help overcome obstacles in ones life. Although Vera and Charlie had troubled lives, they were always able to lean on each other for support regardless of what happened. This book is one that YA readers will relate to, because not everyone's home life it perfect. This book is important because it helps high school students see that they can over come certain situations, and they do not have to rely of alcohol to make the pain go away. I think one of the strengths of this book was its theme. Friendship was what tied Vera and Charlie together, and it is evident through out the novel. I would recommend this book for ages fifteen and up.
Educator Resources By A.S.King:
Ryan Dean attends a boarding school where he plays rugby. He is called winger because he is great at playing that position in rugby. Although he is great at rubgy, Ryan is younger than the kids at his boarding school because he has skipped ahead some grades. This would be okay, except that it creates some obstacles for him. Ryan likes Annie, and even though he is younger, his wish is that she saw he was just as good enough as anyother guy. Although Ryan has professed his love for Annie, he is also secretly messing around with Megan. This turns into a kind of love triangle, but Ryan is not sure about Annie's true feeling for him. To top this entire situation off, there are two bullies at Pine Mountain who are up to know good. When Joey confides in Ryan and tells him that he is gay, their friendship grows. As the book progresses Joey goes missing one night and doesn't make it to his morning classes. Ryan wakes up to sirens one morning and decides to join in the search for his friend. Later on Joeys body was found, he had been murdered by Casey and Nick, the school bullies.
Ryans character reminds me of Miles in Looking for Alaska. Both boys attend boarding school, and small but tough. Both characters also lose a friend who is dear to them, and man life lessons are learned through the process. This book is a wonderful example of why acceptance is so important, and the dangers of what can happen if tolerance is non-existent. This book does a good job of showing how Ryan evolves as a character. I think this book would be great ninth grade and up.
Reading Group Guide For The Book Winger:
http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Winger/Andrew-Smith/9781442444935/reading_group_guide
Book Trailer: Winger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux35quSH4lk
Book Trailer: Winger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux35quSH4lk
This book by Alexander is a heart warming story about two twin brothers who learn life's lessons through the game of basketball. Both brothers are basketball stars, but only one of them has a girlfriend. JB is on top of the world, while Filthy is feeling alone and neglected. To add to this turmoil, both brothers are dealing with the declining health of their father. Filthy apologizes to JB a zillion times, and towards the end of the book it seems to be making a difference. Before the brothers are able to fully patch up their differences, their father DA MAN lands in the hospital, and the entire family is concerned he won't make it out. JB and Filthy go through a roller coaster of emotions while they wait for their father to come home from the hospital. In the end the their hero Da Man passes away from a massive heart attack, and the uncertainty of what lies ahead for themselves and their family lays heavily on both their shoulders. While Filthy is shooting free throws, his brother comes and joins him to his surprise. The brothers learn to put their differences aside, come together over their dad's championship ring. In the end, they lost their hero and are now both Da Man.
The highlight of this book was how the author was able to intertwine the poems to form a story. The reader can easily forget that they are reading a collections of poems, because the story line draws them in. The poems in this book are full of voice, and the author does a wonderful job at bringing it out through the use of word art.This book is definitely a must read for any one in the middle grades and up.
Kwame Alexander Reads An Excerpt From The Crossover:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbMj6lG4shM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbMj6lG4shM
Kwame Alexander turns Sports Lovers Into Book Lovers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6JjwS1boq4
Kwame Alexander turns Sports Lovers Into Book Lovers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6JjwS1boq4
Peter goes to Greenland with his parents, because his father is conducting some research in the area. Unbeknownst to Peter, Thea lives in and underground colony called Grace hope. Thea's colony is special, because the inhabitants posses special powers that were once though of as a type of sorcery. One day Thea finds a map that leads her to the surface of Gracehope where she meets Peter. Peter comes to find out that his mother was once a member of this colony, but she was cast out by Rowan, his grandmother. Peter and Thea are very curious and embark on a mission where they are going to need each others help. Peter's mother tells Peter that global warming is real, and it is affecting the hidden colony. Since Rowan will not listen to Peter's mom, it is up to him and Thea to convince them. The colony has not seen and eye adept in many years, so Peter has this working for him. In the end the colony decides to listen to Thea instead of Rowan.
One of the strengths of this book, is the ability that it has to combine science with fantasy. It really pulls the reader in when they read about things that exist is our real world, but are elevated to another level with the addition of a hidden colony. I would recommend this book for anyone in the middle grades and up.
Miles Halter is starting his junior year at a brand new school, Culver Creek Preparatory School. He has chosen to go here because he is in search of the great perhaps. Culver Creek is also the school that his father attended, and he has heard great stories growing up. Culver Creek is a boarding school in Birmingham Alabama, which means that for the first time in his life, he will be away from his parents. Miles' room mate at Culver Creek is Chip, who nickname him "Pudge" because he is so skinny. Miles and Chip (aka Colonel) get along great from the start. Every thing is looking good for Miles, until he is kidnapped and thrown in the creek by the Weekend Warrior ( the rich kids of the school). Miles and Chip come to find out that they thew him in the creek because he is friends with Chip. Miles quickly makes friends with the rest of Chips gang, Alaska, Lara, and Takumi. They vow to get revenge on the weekend warriors and start to develop a plan of their own. Through out the book this group of friend has many experiences that bring them close together, a makeshift family. Miles ends up going out with Lara, but is in love with Alaska. She is unpredictable, and he is drawn to her beauty, even though she has a boyfriend. Alaska loves to drink, and has many secrets that she down't tell anyone about. One evening Chip, Miles, and Alaska are drinking and they decide to play truth or dare because Miles has never played it. Alaska ends up kissing Miles, but then she decides she is tired and goes to sleep. The phone rings outside, Alaska wakes to get it, and before you know it she is racing off in her car super drunk. Alaska ends up dying in a car accident, and her friends are having trouble accepting it. Miles is in shock, and doesn't believe she is gone, and both he and Chip blames themselves for her death. They decide to conduct an investigation, so to find out what really happened the night Alaska died. In the end they come up with two scenarios that they can live with, and decide to pull off a final prank in honor of Alaska.
I think this book is very powerful, and sends out a message to all YA reader. Alaska is the perfect example of the many people who are happy on the outside, but our falling apart inside. It places great emphasis on relationships that are forged, and the trust that accompanies them. Not everyone is happy, and even the people who seem to have it all together might need the most help. This book is a great example of never judging a book by its cover. Alaska reminds me of Ben in the book Deadline, he keeps secrets like Alaska, and doesn't realize he needs help until the end. Alaska and Ben both teach the people around them lessons about life and love. One of the strengths of this book is the ability that it has to illustrate the emotions of the characters. The emotions felt by the various character really helped connect the reader to the story, and make them feel as if they were there. I would recommend this book for anyone in high school, because it touch of issues that are relevant to them.
Looking For Alaska Reviews and List Of Awards:
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