Fiction
Invisible Son
by Kim Johnson
Bibliographic Information
Author Kim Johnson
ISBN 9780593482100
Publication Date 2023
Publisher Random House Children's Books
Physical Description 404 pp
Subject Term YOUNG ADULT FICTION / People & Places / United States / African American & Black
Plot Summary
High school student Andre Jackson is returning to his grandparents' house after being incarcerated in juvenile court for a crime that he didn't commit. Upon his return, gentrification is taking a hold of the Albina district where he lives, affecting his dad's small business and pushing out the predominantly Black Owned establishments. He reconnects with friends from his past, including his neighbors, the Whitakers. His longtime crush Sierra Whitakers' brother Eric has gone missing and Andre is determined to find out what happened to him, to the chagrin of their adoptive parents, oddly enough. As the mystery of Eric's disappearance continues, COVID rages through the country along with rising racial tensions ignited by the unjust killing of George Floyd. Andre takes it as his personal mission to find Eric in order to reveal the truth about his involvement (or lack thereof) in the crime and bring back a sense of normalcy to his life.
Critical Evaluation
“I used to hate the erasure. But now, well, now I don’t mind if I stay hidden” (Johnson, p. 1). This quote from Andre begins Invisible Son, a novel in which Kim Johnson outlines the struggles young African American men face every day in a society based off social injustices felt throughout the community, especially within the legal system. Andre Jackson is not literally invisible or hidden, but the metaphor above speaks to how young black men are represented and feel in the world (invisible). Andre’s quote sets the novel up for a deep dive into an exploration of personal identity, gentrification, and racial injustice.
The novel is comprised of 44 short chapters with song titles
from Andre’s playlist for each along with date entries. Kim
Johnson’s writing primarily focuses on current event issues through “fast paced
character driven stories.” The chapters are narrated from Andre’s perspective going
between his thoughts and observations to dialogue with the other characters,
thus advancing the story succinctly. Each chapter leads into the next without
bogging the reader down with long and detailed descriptive paragraphs. The author takes the reader through the process
of unraveling the mystery through dialogue and a focus on the relationships
between characters.
The point of view remains on Andre Jackson
throughout the novel. Since the book’s focus is on Andre and how he navigates
through an ever-confusing world after coming out of juvie in Portland, Oregon, the point of view from
his perspective makes sense. Through Andre’s point of view, the reader can see
things from his perspective and the struggles that he goes through and overcomes,
thus making him a fully seen character as opposed to an invisible void.
Many of the metaphors throughout the book focus on the
feeling of not being seen and understood in a society that blatantly ignores
the struggles young, black men face in their day to day lives that others
completely take for granted. The metaphors speak to not just being physically free from juvenile hall,
but the sense of Andre explaining what the concept of freedom means for himself.
Reader's Annotation
Andre Jackson's life is about to get much more complicated after leaving juvenile hall and reentering a world where the COVID pandemic is on the rise along with escalating racial tensions in his predominantly white community of Portland, Oregon. With time being of the essence, can Andre navigate this new and confusing world to find his missing friend, thus revealing the truth of his arrest?
About the Author
In Kim Johnson's teenage years leading into her time at college, she has taken on leadership roles in social justice organizations. Previous to her writing career, she has worked in higher education for over 20 years in roles ranging from administrative positions to becoming a vice provost. Presently, she is a distinguished author, public speaker, and consultant, continuing her cause to ignite and inspire meaningful change in the world. She continues to engage with the community along with mentoring and supporting Black youth. Kim focuses her writing on social thrillers with the center of attention being on her characters and how they navigate through tough issues.
Her debut book, This is America, has won many awards including the Pacific Northwest Book Award and Malka Penn Human Rights Award for Children's Literature. Her second novel, Second Son, was a 2023 LA Times Book Award Finalist for young adult literature. Kim's first two novels have been featured on NPR Best Books along with Kirkus Best Books. Kim Johnson has degrees from the University of Oregon, University of Maryland, College Park, and an MFA from Oregon State University Cascades. Her newest book is titled The Color of a Lie. Her current residence is in the Washington D.C. area. (Adapted from Kim Johnson's personal website)
Genres
Fiction thriller, coming of age, social justice, mystery
Booktalking Ideas
Play a sampling of Andre's music playlist and while the music is playing, show images of events that happened in 2020. Afterwards, engage in a discussion about 2020 and how this relates to the book regarding social justice and the COVID pandemic.
Reading Level
14+
Challenge Issues
Smoking, underage drinking, language, systemic racism, police violence, COVID 19, gentrification
Why I Chose This Book
The pandemic was a monumental and traumatic moment in all of our lives, and young adults could use a well written book by an award winning author to process the complicated feelings that arose during that time.
A Deadly Education
by Naomi Novik
Bibliographic Information
Author Naomi Novik
ISBN 9780593128480
Publication Date 2020
Publisher Del Rey
Physical Description 320 pp; 22 cm
Subject Students fiction, magic fiction, monsters fiction
Plot Summary
El is in her junior year at the Scholomance, a magical
school for wizards. With no friends and zero potential to be part of any
enclave (an exclusive wizard community for the privileged), El focuses on her
studies ranging from languages to mastering magical spells. The Scholomance can
be a dangerous place, teeming with monsters known as maleficaria that, if given
the chance, will drain a wizard of their life force, otherwise known as mana. Surprisingly,
Orion Lake, a very popular enclave wizard known for saving other students and
having the ability to drain mana from monsters, is publicly seen with El and
rumors of them dating circulate around the school, much to her chagrin. Because
Orion continues to save students who would typically be killed off by the
monsters, resources are dwindling along with hungry maleficaria emerging from
the woodwork. El and students must figure out a way to fix the broken mechanisms
in the school that continue to let in the maleficaria before mass killings
ensue.
Critical Evaluation
The beginning of A Deadly Education begins
with the quote “I decided that Orion needed to die after the second time he saved
my life” (Novik, p. 1). This opening line paints a picture of how this dystopian fantasy
novel will play out in the future. The main character Galadriel “El” Higgins
could be considered a not likeable protagonist (portrayed as snarky, abrasive,
and rude) in the cutthroat world that is the Scholomance school for wizards.
The book is comprised of only 13 chapters laid out across 320 pages, so the
extrapolation by the author is lengthy and can be interpreted as a “slow burn”.
Naomi Novik has illustrations inside the book showcasing the architecture of
the Scholomance as well as a couple of the student’s dorm rooms.
The novel’s point of view remains on El throughout
all 13 chapters. The story takes place during El’s junior year of school, thus
dropping the reader right into the thick of things. By keeping the point of
view on El, the reader can delve into her thoughts and truly see how her character
develops over time, especially her feelings towards the other students. Her
mentality during most of her time at the Scholomance can be summed up with this
quote from chapter 9 of the novel: “Dignity was what I had instead of friends” (Novik, p. 45). El had great difficulty trusting people and actively kept people at arm’s length
so that she would not be rejected or hurt. As the story progresses, El is able
to form friendships with a few of her classmates not only for the benefits of protection
from the maleficaria, but also because of true connections formed through
mutual appreciation and respect.
Reader's Annotation
Life can't be all rainbows and butterflies for students at the Scholomance school for wizards. When more and more monsters break into the school, loner El must team up with other students to stop the killing before it's too late.
Naomi Novik is the New York Times bestselling author of the Scholomance trilogy, the award-winning novels Uprooted and Spinning Silver, and the Temeraire series. She is a founder of the Organization for Transformative Works (a
non-profit focused on advancing fan-media) and the Archive of Our Own (online
archive of fan-fiction). She has won the British Fantasy, Locus, Mythopoeic and Nebula
Awards, and received nominations for the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards. Naomi is
known for writing speculative fiction (genres that move away from realism). For
her novel Uprooted, she took inspiration from her Polish background and
growing up hearing Polish folktales, to weave her own stand-alone story.
She received her bachelor’s degree
in English literature from Brown University and has a Master’s in computer
science from Columbia University. With her degree in computer science, she
participated in the designing and development process of the game Neverwinter
Nights: Shadows of Undrentide, but quickly she realized she liked writing better
than game design. Recently, Universal
Pictures purchased the rights to the Sholomance series. Her next book in the works is titled Buried Deep and Other Stories. She lives in
Manhattan with her husband and daughter. (Adapted from Naomi Novik's professional website along with her Wikipedia page).
Genres
Fantasy
Booktalking Ideas
Discussion would revolve around how the main female character could be interpreted as an "unlikeable" protagonist because of her abrasiveness and perceived rudeness. Open up questions relating to the character development throughout the novel. Close the booktalk with the participants designing their own mana crystals via 3D printer to take home.
Reading Level
13+
Challenge Issues
Death, murder, magic, language, violence
Why I Chose This Book
When searching specifically for YA books for people who don't normally read, this title came up numerous times on r/Fantasy. I was intrigued, so read it and thoroughly enjoyed the characters, setting, and plot. This is a good book for young adults who have been in a reading slump and want something fresh and new.
Like a Love Story
by Abdi Nazemian
Bibliographic Information
Author Abdi Nazemian
ISBN 9780062839374
Publication Date 2020
Publisher New York, NY : Balzer & Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Physical Description 413 pp; 21 cm
Subject AIDS activists fiction
Plot Summary
After having fled the Iranian revolution, moving to Toronto, and thus moving again to New York, Reza is trying to navigate through a new culture during his high school years. His mother recently remarried a wealthy man and Reza now has an abrasive stepbrother he shares a sprawling apartment with. He meets a girl named Judy who befriends him and shows him around high school and is also introduced to Art, an in-your-face openly gay teenager who isn't afraid of standing up for himself. Reza is immediately attracted to Art and yearns to be as unapologetic/unafraid in his sexuality as Art portrays himself to be. With the AIDS epidemic on the rise, Reza is terrified of acting out on his sexual attractions and hides who he truly is, dating Judy in the process. Reza loves and appreciates his relationship with Judy as friends and continues to date her, not wanting to hurt her feelings with telling her the truth about who he really is. Judy and Art are active in ACT OUT, an AIDS awareness group, and Reza must figure out if he wants to continue to hide who he truly is or be his true, authentic self.
Critical Evaluation
The novel breaks up each chapter with the name of one of the characters from the story and then goes into the extrapolation from their perspective. Since the point of view changes from chapter to chapter, the reader forms connections with each main character. Intermixed sporadically between chapters are uncle Stephen's notecards outlining important topics in gay culture including "#54 Garland, Judy" and "#75 Love." Each chapter in the book gives the reader a deeper look into each of the characters' psyche and how their perspective of the world shapes their motivations and development throughout the story. Like a Love Story takes place in New York during the AIDS crisis. The story begins in 1989 and then jumps ahead to 2016, which is the final chapter told from Art's perspective.
The writing is very tight, well-written, and authentic, probably due to how the author grew up and experienced similar feelings as the characters. Abdi Nazemian has a background in screenwriting, thus probably influencing the novel's "cinematic" feel. The story is comprised of the main problem (AIDS and its effect on the various characters) along with little conflicts to help give the novel a sense of well-paced suspense and concern from the reader. The singer Madonna is a prominent figure throughout the book in which she teaches the characters to live authentically, unapologetically, and is a role model who they eventually get to see in concert. Each of the characters grapple with personal difficulties (afraid of being gay and acting on it because of the AIDS crisis, being overweight and craving a romantic relationship, being gay and having difficulty finding a romantic relationship). The book does a fantastic job of balancing the scariness that was the 80’s AIDS epidemic with also creating a realistic coming-of-age story involving fully fledged characters.
Reader's Annotation
Recently transplanted from Toronto, Reza arrives in New York City during the height of the AIDS epidemic as a closeted gay teen. With his friend Judy and crush Art, Reza must either continue masking who he truly is or stand strong and live out who he's always wanted to be.
About the Author
Abdi Nazemian is an Iranian-American author, screenwriter, and producer. His first novel, The Walk-In Closet, earned him the Lambda Literary Award for LGBT Debut Fiction. He received his second Lambda Literary Award along with a Stonewall Book Award for the novel Only This Beautiful Moment. His 2019 book Like a Love Story received a Stonewall Honor Book ranking from the American Library Association. He graduated with his BA from Columbia University and earned his MBA from UCLA.
Three of the author's books are part of the Junior Library Guild selections (Like a Love Story, The Chandler Legacies, and Only This Beautiful Moment). Time placed Like a Love Story on its 100 best young adult novels of all times list. This same acclaimed novel has been widely challenged and banned throughout the United States. His newest novel, Desert Echoes, will be released September 2024. Nazemian also has and extensive history screenwriting for television and films along with serving as an executive producer/associate producer for the award-winning Call Me By Your Name. (Adapted from author's Wikipedia page).
Genres
LGBTQIA+ fiction, historical fiction, romance
Booktalking Ideas
Play a short YouTube video about the AIDS epidemic and open up discussions about how people were treated/stigmas about AIDS compared to what preventative measures and medications, etc. are happening now. Play 80's music (Madonna, Boy George, Gloria Gaynor, etc.) and have a dance party along with snacks and drinks.
Reading Level
13+
Challenge Issues
Same sex romance, sexuality, violence, homophobia, language, underage drinking
Why I Chose This Book
I found this book on Time's 100 best YA novels list and wanted to have a well-written LGBTQIA+ romance novel. After reading the book and thoroughly enjoying it, I thought this was a great representation of the community, is part of the Stonewall Honor Book list from the ALA, and I would proudly recommend this book to others.
Speak
by Laurie Halse Anderson
Bibliographic Information
Author Laurie Halse Anderson
ISBN 9780312674397
Publication Date 1999
Publisher Farrar, Straus, & Giroux
Physical Description 197 pp; 21 cm
Subject High school fiction, rape fiction
Plot Summary
Melinda Sordino is a high school freshman
starting up at Merryweather High where she is already considered an outcast and
none of her friends from middle school want anything to do with her. The summer
before starting high school, Melinda and her friends went to a party where she
ended up calling the cops, thus making her hated by said friends and everyone
there. Melinda rarely talks in school and has a plethora of teachers,
especially Mr. Neck, who torment her to no end. Her one sense of respite
is art class, where her quirky teacher, Mr. Freeman gives the students a project
of creating art based only on one concept picked at random. Through her art,
Melinda is acknowledged the horrible incident that happened at the end of the
big summer party. When confronted by someone from her past, Melinda has to find
it in herself to either flee or fight and speak up for herself.
Critical Evaluation
“It is easier not to say anything. Shut your trap, button
your lip, can it. All that crap you hear on TV about communication and
expressing feelings is a lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to say” (Anderson, p. 9). In the beginning section of the book, this quote by the main character, Melinda
Sordino, truly sums up her feelings and mentality towards life after the
traumatic incident that happened the summer before her freshman year in high
school. This novel is composed of four main sections based off the school year
periods (“First Marking Period” through “Fourth Marking Period”) and is told
from Melinda’s first-person perspective.
There are many symbolic motifs throughout Speak
including the janitor’s closet where Melinda makes herself comfortable, mirrors
in the “Hall of Mirrors” section of the book, and the tree project initiated by
art teacher Mr. Freeman. When Melinda takes refuge in the closet after escaping
from Mr. Neck, she sees how dusty and neglected the space is (reminiscent of
how she views herself) and gradually, over time, makes it homier (decorates the
space with her art). The closet becomes a reflection of the changes made in
Melinda herself. When Melinda is trying on clothes at her mother’s store, she
sees herself as someone she does not recognize; “Am I in there somewhere?” As
she pulls the flaps of the mirror closer to her, she compares herself to “a
Picasso sketch, my body slicing into dissecting cubes.” By the end of the book,
the mirror becomes a powerful tool for Melinda, both physically and
psychologically. When working on the tree art project, Melinda attempted to make
the tree as “perfect” as she could, without accomplishing her goal. After
feedback from Mr. Freeman relating to how trees can actually look (gnarled, textured,
composed of dead parts), Melinda is not only able to create her art piece, but also
is able to view herself in a different light.
Reader's Annotation
High school is a difficult transition for many students, but for Melinda Sordino, she's going into this new phase of life with EVERYBODY hating her for an incident that happened last summer. Melinda must face the reality of the situation and find her voice to speak out and advocate for herself.
About the Author
Laurie Halse Anderson is a New York Times-bestselling author. Her books Speak and Chains were National Book Award finalists. Two more books, The Impossible Knife of Memory and Shout were long-listed for the National Book Awards. Laurie has been nominated for Sweden’s Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award seven times. Laurie receieved the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the ALA for her contribution to YA literature. She has been honored for her battles for intellectual freedom by the National Coalition Against Censorship and the National Council of Teachers of English. She is a member of RAINN's National Leadership Council and frequently speaks about sexual violence.
All together, her books have sold more than 8 million copies. Her novel Speak has won the Golden Kit Award, the Edgar Allan Poe Award, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. In 2019, she released Speak as a graphic novel. She lives in Philadelphia and has an internet presence on her Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Her new book, Shout, is a memoir-in-verse about surviving sexual assault at age 13. (Adapted from Laurie Halse Anderson's professional website and her Wikipedia page).
Genres
Realistic fiction, coming of age
Booktalking Ideas
Play a short interview featuring Laurie Halse Anderson discussing Speak and book censorship. Discuss how art played a pivotal role in Melinda's life and have participants randomly draw ideas for creating an art piece, then create one out of a wide array of materials.
Reading Level
13+
Challenge Issues
Sexual assault, rape, underage drinking, self-harm
Why I Chose This Book
I never read this book when I was younger and have continuously seen it on the top YA lists of all time for a while now. This book is such an important read for teens dealing with issues that seem insurmountable and to know that there is hope and they're not alone.
She is a Haunting
by Trang Thanh Tran
Bibliographic Information
Author Trang Thanh Tran
ISBN 9781547610815
Publication Date 2023
Publisher Bloomsbury YA
Physical Description 341 pp; 22 cm
Subject Bisexual people fiction, Vietnamese Americans fiction, ghosts fiction
Plot Summary
Jade Nguyen has just finished her last year of high school
and decides to help her estranged father with building a website for his bed
and breakfast renovation project in his home country of Vietnam. With her
sister in tow, they stay at Nha Hoa, a French colonial house that has been in
her father’s family for years. While living in the house, Jade begins to have
vivid dreams involving mysterious women, one in traditional Vietnamese garb and
the other who is Caucasian and speaks French. A warning is issued from the Vietnamese
woman telling Jade to not eat the food in the house. Jade along with her new
friend and crush Florence slowly unravel the haunted history of the house. In a
race against time, Jade must find a way to save herself and her family before
the house lays waste to anybody who tries to get in its way.
Critical Evaluation
"Racists don't need reasons to be racists. My family
won't be free if I play by the rules set by others, allowing the pattern to
repeat - relentless and hungry" (Tran, 2023). She is a Haunting is not just a horror book dealing with ghosts in
the traditional sense, but multifaceted in its approach dealing with major
themes ranging from colonialism to identity. The story is told from Jade
Nguyen's first-person perspective and is laid out in 36 chapters. Spread
throughout the book are short sections told from the house's perspective with
titles focused on body parts (ex: "kidney," "mouth,"
"heart"). The author has been acknowledged for writing speculative
tales with detailed descriptions relating to Vietnamese cuisine and having a
sense of belonging in the world.
Symbolism is heavily woven throughout the novel, specifically
in regards to the house. The house itself reflects both Vietnam’s disturbing colonial
past as well as Jade’s sense of identity and fear of being outcast and spurned
by her family simply for being honest about who she is (bisexual). It also mirrors
the strained relationship between Jade’s father and herself and the guilt that
both share in how they parted ways. The house plays on Jade’s fears and creates
a monologue in her head, spouting lies like “In this world, everyone is mad at
me. The only escape is inside this house, because it knows me and doesn’t
judge” (Tran, 2023). Since the book is told from a first-person perspective, the audience can
viscerally see the internal struggles Jade navigates through. The author has
stated “I wanted a Vietnamese American final girl front
and center, and whose story is very specific. That meant working with a seed of
my own fears about belonging and coming out—because I love when horror and
emotion connects” (Tran, 2023).
Reader's Annotation
Reconnecting with one's familial roots is an important step in understanding where your ancestors came from as much as knowing who you are as a person. For Jade Nguyen, visiting her family's country of Vietnam is an eye-opening experience in her journey towards unraveling the layers of who she is as well as the horrors within the house her father has been renovating.
About the Author
Trang Thanh Tran is a Vietnamese American writer who goes by the pronouns they/she. Their novel, She is a Haunting, is a William C. Morris Debut Award finalist and an instant New York Times bestseller. They write stories with big emotions about food, belonging, and the Vietnamese diaspora. Trang grew up in Philadelphia and received their degrees in sociology and public health, but resides and writes stories in Georgia currently. When not writing, Trang enjoys watching zombie movies and over-caffeinating on iced coffee.
They are an alum of the Writing Barn's Rainbow Weekend and Tin House's YA Fiction Workshop. As a life-long horror fan, Trang did not see much representation of Vietnamese main characters in the genre. Trang enjoys working in their own interests or metaphors throughout their writing. Trang has also contributed as a writer to the YA horror anthology Night of the Living Queers and will release her newest book They Bloom at Night in 2025. (Adapted from Trang Thanh Tran's professional website, macmillan Publishers, and Geeks Out).
Genres
Gothic fiction, horror fiction
Booktalking Ideas
Show images along with short stories relating to Vietnamese ghost stories (ma, hon, vong, and bong ma). Have participants watch a short YouTube video about the French colonialism that took place in Vietnam and open up discussion afterwards.
Reading Level
13+
Challenge Issues
Language, violence, disturbing imagery, same sex romance, sexuality, colonialism
Why I Chose This Book
I wanted to include a well written YA horror novel that was multifaceted; this book came up multiple times in my online searches, so I decided to read it and am glad that I did. The book also has LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC representation.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by Stephen Chbosky
Bibliographic Information
Author Stephen Chbosky
ISBN 9781451696196
Publication Date 1999
Publisher MTV Books/Pocket Books
Physical Description 213 pp; 23 cm
Subject Epistolary fiction, coming of age juvenile fiction
Plot Summary
Charlie is a high school freshman who quietly observes the
world around him and writes out his thoughts through letters to a friend.
Recently, his friend from middle school passed away from suicide and he laments
the death of his aunt Helen, whom he remembers fondly. Charlie finds his niche
in English class, where his teacher, Bill, has him read and write essays about
pivotal novels in history (Naked Lunch to On the Road). He also befriends two eclectic seniors, Sam and
her step-brother Patrick. Through these friends, he gets out of his
comfort zone and participants in events ranging from parties to football games
to seeing The Rocky Horror Picture Show numerous times.
Charlie is a very socially awkward individual who needs guidance
from his friends on how to handle different situations. From the first time he
met Sam, Charlie falls head-over-heels in love with her and is extremely
forthcoming about it. As the school year progresses, Charlie must face tough
social situations and work through his anxieties, fears, and past trauma to
find hope amongst despair.
Critical Evaluation
"So this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be" (Chbosky, p. 1). This quote opens up the first page of The Perks of Being a Wallflower written from Charlie's perspective. The novel is told from a first person perspective and unfolds through Charlie's letters to "Dear friend" dated August 25, 1991 to August 23, 1992. Charlie's letters throughout the book change from lighthearted and silly to much more introspective and morose; this is a true testament to Chbosky's authentic writing portraying the teenage experience so truthfully and raw. The story is told cinematically, with action, dialogue, and Charlie's inner thoughts moving the plot along. Chbosky's background as a filmmaker and screenwriter most likely influenced his writing style with this novel.
The novel's main themes include being an active participant in life and acknowledging the major hurst in our pasts that have been outside our control, accepting that they have happened, and being able to look ahead instead of being tethered to the horrible memories. Throughout the book, Charlie is referred to as a "wallflower," with one quote from Patrick saying, "He's a wallflower. You see things. You keep quiet about them. And you understand" (Chbosky, p. 95). Patrick saying this to Charlie is not meant to be an insult in that Charlie is an observer of life, but feels that he can't be an active participant. After finding a community that loves and cares about him along with the revelation about Aunt Helen coming to light, Charlie is able to accept what happened and finally begin to participate in life: "So, if this does end up being my last letter, please believe that things are good with me, and even when they're not, they will be soon enough" (Chbosky, p. 213).
Reader's Annotation
Charlie is a gifted observer and listener, thus being labeled as a "wallflower." With his freshman year of high school underway, he opens up like never before and faces tough situations and past traumas with a little help from his friends.
About the Author
Stephen Chbosky is an American film director, screenwriter, and author. In 1992, he graduated from the University of Southern California's screenwriting program. He wrote, directed, and acted in The Four Corners of Nowhere (1995) and became one of the first movies to be shown on Sundance Channel. He began writing The Perks of Being a Wallflower in 1994 and was published in 1999. The book has appeared on the American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults and Best Book for Reluctant Readers list (2000). The novel is also on the ALA's list of the 10 most frequently challenged books.
The film version of The Perks of Being a Wallflower was written and directed by Stephen Chbosky in 2012 and was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for the 2013 Writer's Guild Awards. The film won the 2013 Spirit Awards for Best Feature Film along with the 2013 People's Choice Award for Best Dramatic Movie. Chbosky has also directed the 2017 film Wonder based on the novel by R.J. Palacio. Following Wonder, he directed Dear Evan Hanson based off of the Tony Award-winning musical. His second novel, Imaginary Friend, debuted as a Top 10 New York Times Best Seller in 2019. (Adapted from author's Wikipedia page).
Genres
Coming of age, epistolary novel, realistic fiction
Booktalking Ideas
Play a trailer of the film The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Play music that was mentioned throughout the novel (ex: "Asleep" by The Smiths and "Dear Prudence" by The Beatles), have participants make a list of songs that they would put on their own mixtape, then, finally, they can create their mixtapes via AudioSauna and share with others in the group.
Reading Level
14+
Challenge Issues
Sexual assault, teenage drug use, abortion, domestic violence, homophobia, depression, suicide, molestation
Why I Chose This Book
I never got to read this book in high school and after reading it for this class, I immediately thought it would be a good fit for this mini-collection blog. The author handles the difficult and complex subject manner in a respectful and non-gratuitous way, making this novel an important read for all YA readers.
Long Way Down
by Jason Reynolds
Bibliographic Information
Author Jason Reynolds
ISBN 9781481438254
Publication Date 2017
Publisher Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
Description 320 pp
Subject Novels in verse, social themes/violence fiction
Plot Summary
Will grows up in a neighborhood where people abide by certain rules: no crying, no snitching, and get revenge on whoever wronged you or your family. When his brother Shawn gets shot and killed in the streets, Will takes it upon himself to follow those rules to a T. In his quest for revenge, Will pinpoints who he thinks killed his brother and mulls over life while looking for Shawn's gun. After he retrieves the gun, he gets on the elevator and goes down from the eighth floor. Upon descending to each floor, a new visitor whom Will is acquainted with arrives each time. While inside the elevator, it appears to Will that time slows down; each person he encounters in the elevator engages with him longer than it would normally take the elevator to descend. Once he's all the way to the ground floor, will Will go through with revenge or alter his path?
Critical Evaluation
Long Way Down is written in verse with poems told from Will's perspective. In them, the character of Will discusses his thoughts on sadness, violence, and the pain of loss. Poems are shown on each page with large, blank spaces mostly taking up the area and appears to mimic the elevator descending; words are shown in narrow columns going down the page. Jason Reynolds draws readers into the build-up to the elevator ride; once inside the elevator, the action really picks up with engrossing dialogue and deep discussions relating to gun violence and the idea of retribution. Reynolds is no stranger to gun violence himself; when he learned of a friend who had been killed, he said that he felt "an anger, a pain, like a cancer metastasizing by the second, spreading around us and through us. We knew his death had changed us chemically, and that we could do, perhaps, what we never knew we could do before. Kill" (ALA, 2018).
Throughout the book, the point of view remains on Will as he navigates the complex emotions he has regarding his brother's murder. The elevator is symbolic throughout the novel regarding the middle ground between life and death; in the elevator, everything Will has been taught and ingrained to understand gets altered. Time slows down and Will is confronted with people from his past who open his eyes to a different way of thinking, one that doesn't revolve around the rules he's grown up with. Will is presented with the chance to actually live life instead of being indebted to death and violence, finally breaking the cycle if he so chooses to see fit.
Reader's Annotation
Will's life is governed by three rules: no crying, no snitching, and getting revenge for wrongs done. When his brother, Shawn, dies by gun violence, Will must either continue to live by the rules or break free from the cycle.
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About the Author
Jason Reynolds is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of award-winning books, including Long Way Down and Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You (with Ibram X. Kendi). He has been awarded a Newbury honor, a Printz Honor, an NAACP Image Award, and Coretta Scott King honors. Along with these awards, Reynolds also is the 2020-2022 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. He is part of the Lesley University faculty for the Writing for Young People MFA program. He has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Late Night with Seth Meyers, CBS Sunday Morning, and Good Morning America.
Reynolds found inspiration in rap growing up and had an early love for poetry, publishing several collections before his first novel in 2014. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a BA in English. During his time in college, he discovered spoken word and began to perform ; in 2001, his first book came out called Let Me Speak. When Reynolds writes, he does not have a certain age in mind but more so focuses on trying to write the characters' voices authentically. In 2022, he wrote and hosted the podcast My Mother Made Me in collaboration with Radiotopia. Reynolds currently lives in Washington, D.C. (Adapted from author's professional website and his Wikipedia page).
Genres
Realistic fiction, poetry, urban fiction
Booktalking Ideas
Play a video of Jason Reynolds reading from Long Way Down and discuss the topic of gun violence in America. Delve into how the cycle of violence plays out in this novel and questions to consider regarding breaking that cycle.
Reading Level
12+
Challenge Issues
Language, gun violence, drugs, supernatural motif
Why I Chose This Book
I wanted a book told in verse that focused on, sadly, a prominent issue in the world: gun violence.
Salt to the Sea
by Ruta Supetys
Bibliographic Information
Author Ruta Supetys
ISBN 9780399160301
Publication Date 2016
Publisher Philomel Books
Physical Description 391 pp; illustrations; 22 cm
Subject World War, 1939-1945 juvenile fiction, refugees fiction
Plot Summary
Salt to the Sea follows the lives of four young people during WWII in East Prussia. Emilia is a fifteen-year old pregnant Polish girl who latches onto Florian, a young man who saved her from Russian soldiers. Florian doesn't disclose too much information about himself, including his name, and never leaves his travel bag far away from him. Emilia and Florian run into the very pretty Lithuanian nurse, Joana, who travels with other refugees trying to make it to ports in West Germany to flee on ship. In contrast to this group, a young man named Alfred is a sailor stationed at the port of Gotenhafen and vehemently believes in Hitler's "grand design." He writes letters to a girl named Hannelore; in these letters, he puffs up his menial job and has a sense of narcissism and a major case of an inflated ego. The group finally makes it to Gotenhafen where Joana is able to solicit herself for nursing assistance and disguises Emilia as a pregnant Latvian woman so that the Nazis won't know she's Polish and kill her. Florian discloses personal information to Joana about his past; he is a restoration artist who stole Hitler's favorite art piece once he found out that the Nazis stole art from the Jews. On the boat, events don't go as planned and the fates of all characters lie in their ability to be a light in very dark times.
Critical Evaluation
The book is told from four different perspectives (Emilia, Florian, Joana, and Alfred). There are no number chapters present in the novel, but at the start of each section, the name of the narrator is atop the page so that the reader knows whose perspective it will be told from. Each section has three pages or less before moving onto the next narrator; personally, this way of writing helped me read for longer periods of time. The writing and action is very fast paced and keeps the reader motivated to find out what happens to each character. I enjoyed the change of narrators as well because it helped me, as the reader, see inside each character's psyche and understand their motivations. Also, by following four characters from different places and perspectives, I was able to see some interesting character development, both good and bad (morally).
There are many themes present in this book, including what constitutes heroism, family, trauma, secrets, and the importance of remembering history. In the author's note at the end of the book, I really liked the quote from the author discussing the importance of communities coming together to preserve history: "Books join us together as a global reading community, but more important, a global human community striving to learn from the past" (Sepetys, 2016, p. 383). As someone who never heard of the Wilhelm Gustloff boat disaster, I found this book to be poignant in telling their story; in school I learned about the Titanic, but never anything about the deadliest maritime event in history, strangely enough. Sepetys brings to light a truly forgotten, tragic event that affected the lives of thousands of refugees.
Reader's Annotation
To survive the devastation that was WWII, four young people from different backgrounds struggle to escape on the Wilhelm Gustloff ship for freedom and safety.
About the Author
Ruta Supetys is a Lithuanian-American writer of historical fiction. She is a New York Times and international bestseller along with being a winner of the Carnegie Medal and the Josette Frank Award for Fiction. She is a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Fellow and the first American writer of young adult literature to speak at the European Parliament and NATO. Her work has been published in over sixty countries and forty languages. Supetys's books are also currently in development for film and television.
Supetys's notable works include Between Shades of Gray, Out of the Easy, Salt to the Sea, and Fountains of Silence. She was featured in Rolling Stone magazine's "Women in Rock" special issue as a woman driven to make a difference. She has been recognized multiple times by the Children's Book Committee of Bank Street College of Education. In 2013, she was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order for Merits to Lithuania. She currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee. (Adapted from author's Wikipedia page).
Genres
Historical fiction
Booktalking Ideas
Show a short video about the Wilhelm Gustloff. Briefly discuss WWII and pass out maps depicting Germany, Prussia, Lithuania, etc. from 1945 and present day, noting the differences.
Reading Level
14+
Challenge Issues
Rape, antisemitism, drowning, death from childbirth, gun violence, the Holocaust, war, blood and gore, child deaths
Why I Chose This Book
I wanted to include a historical fiction book on a topic that many people are aware of (WWII), but are not knowledgeable on relating to the Wilhelm Gustloff and the thousands of refugees that were killed.
The Luis Ortega Survival Club
by Sonora Reyes
Bibliographic Information
Author Sonora Reyes
ISBN 9780063060302
Publication Date 2023
Publisher Balzer + Bray
Description 305 pp; 22 cm
Subject Autistic fiction, social themes/religion and faith
Plot Summary
Ariana Ruiz (Ari) is a 16 year old girl who is diagnosed with autism and selective mutism. After a life-changing incident at a party she attends with one of the most popular boys in school, Luis Ortega, Ari becomes even more closed off from peers as well as her parents. Rumors begin to swirl around school about Ari who doesn't know how to process and deal with the gossip. One time friend Shawna, the ex-girlfriend of Luis Ortega, seems the most likely person to have spread the rumors. After finding a note in her locker and receiving messages on tumblr, Ari joins a group of girls who have also been ostracized in some way by Luis Ortega, thus forming the Luis Ortega Survival Club.
Through this club, Ari is able to form meaningful relationships and work together to try to expose Luis
Ortega for who he truly is. In the process, Ari begins to form feelings for Shawna, the b-girl ex-girlfriend of Luis Ortega. To take Luis down, Ari has to come to terms with what actually happened and speak up for herself instead of being "the girl who can't say no."
Ortega for who he truly is. In the process, Ari begins to form feelings for Shawna, the b-girl ex-girlfriend of Luis Ortega. To take Luis down, Ari has to come to terms with what actually happened and speak up for herself instead of being "the girl who can't say no."
Critical Evaluation
The Luis Ortega Survival Club opens with a note from the author giving trigger warnings relating to the content of the book including issues of "bullying, slut shaming, sexual harassment, rape culture, and the aftermath of an off-page rape." The book is composed of 38 chapters with an epilogue that follows the story four months after the event. The setting takes place in Arizona and incorporates queer and Latinx characters. The novel is told by Ari in first person perspective. As a survival themselves, Sonora Reyes has written "I found that by telling Ari's story, I was healing myself. I hope this story provides healing for other readers out there as well."
Through Ariana's narration, the audience is able to understand her thought processes relating to social situations and how she views the world. Being labeled by Luis as "the girl who can't say no," the reader is able to root for Ariana as she is able to tell her truth through words, even with her selective mutism diagnosis. The power dynamics at play in the novel between Luis Ortega (popular, attractive golden boy) and the social outcasts (The Luis Ortega Survival Club) comes to a head when more and more girls from the high school come forward with their own stories of how they've been silenced through shame. Throughout the book, Reyes focuses on the physical and metaphorical idea of mutism; Ari has selective mutism but is able to speak when in a safe space with people she's comfortable with. Instead of staying quiet and being powerless which is what Luis wants, Ari along with the amplified voices of other survivors is able to take their power back and not stay silent anymore.
Reader's Annotation
After a life-altering event at a high school party, sixteen-year old Ari feels powerless and silenced when rumors begin swirling at school about her. Being autistic and dealing with selective mutism, Ari finds a group of other shunned students and discovers power of speaking her truth, even when the odds are stacked against you.
About the Author
Sonora Reyes was born and raised in Arizona. Their first novel The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School was published in 2022 and is the winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Young Adult Literature. The book also was nominated for Goodread's Choice Award for Young Adult Fiction, finalists in the National Book Award for Young People's Literature and William C. Morris Award, and received honors in the Pura Belpre Award and Walter Dean Meyers Award. Their second novel, The Luis Ortega Club is a Junior Library Guild book that Reyes considered a personal revenge fantasy. They went to Catholic school growing up which inspired their novels in terms of writing what they experienced.
Sonora Ryes is autistic and uses they/them pronouns. Their upcoming adult romance novel is titled The Broposal. They have also contributed short stories to the anthologies Transmogrify! and For the Rest of Us. They write fiction focusing on queer and Mexican stories in both kidlit and adult categories. Currently, Reyes lives in Arizona. (Adapted from author's professional website and their Wikipedia page).
Genres
Realistic fiction, romance, LGBTQIA+
Booktalking Ideas
Play a video of Sonora Reyes discussing the novel. Discuss the important theme of mutism throughout the book, both physical as well as metaphorical, and the struggles Ariana faces navigating the world.
Reading Level
13+
Challenge Issues
Rape, bullying, sexual harassment, ableism, language, same-sex romance, slut shaming
Why I Chose This Book
Having realistic neurodiverse characters is important for building empathy and understanding along with representing a community who mostly remains silenced in literature.
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things
by Carolyn Mackler
Bibliographic Information
Author Carolyn Mackler
ISBN 9781681197999
Publication Date 2018
Publisher Bloomsbury
Physical Description 251 pp; 22 cm
Subject Weight control, family problems, self-perception, high school
Plot Summary
Virginia Shreves lives a very privileged life in New York City with a seemingly perfect family. Her best friend Shannon recently moved to Washington and she is now friendless, overweight, and unpopular. Her weekly routine includes Monday make-out sessions with high schooler Froggy Welsh the Fourth who she has a few classes with. Virginia creates a code she calls the "Fat Girls Code of Conduct" to help monitor and regulate her lonely life. When a surprising and horrifying incident happens with Virginia's brother, Byron, at Columbia, her world along with her family's unravels. Through this traumatic experience, Virginia opens her eyes to long standing issues within her family life as well as unhealthy attitudes projected onto her. With these new revelations and a last minute Thanksgiving trip visiting her friend Shannon, Virginia navigates the world of being a teenager, finding her own voice, and being comfortable in her own skin.
Critical Evaluation
"Froggy Welsh the Fourth is trying to get up my shirt" (Mackler, p. 1). The quote from Virginia Shreves starts this page-turning and authentically real novel. Told from first person perspective, the book follows Virginia navigating through family life, high school, friendship, self-image, sex, and trauma (how to process and deal with it). The book spans thirty-two chapters and Mackler's writing is easy to read in the sense that the audience does not want to put the book down; the author creates fully developed characters that we the reader, are invested in. Along with smaller conflicts that take place including Virginia and Froggy's relationship, she also deals with very difficult issues including self-image and the aftermath of her brother raping a woman at college.
Previous to writing novels, Mackler had experience working for magazines, which probably inspired her writing style; short, succinct sentences that draw the reader in. Self-image is a major theme throughout the story, revolving around how Virginia copes with stress, especially from her family and the need to fit in to the perfect mold that they are trying to portray. Food is Virginia's answer to how to deal with her "perfect" family. When her brother, Byron, whom she's looked up to her whole life, does an unthinkable act, Virginia finally begins to see fake image her family has openly portrayed. Virginia's struggle dealing with what her brother has done leads her on a journey of self-acceptance and not being afraid of who she wants to be, not what her family dictates she should be. In the beginning of the novel, Virginia and Froggy secretly meet up for Monday afternoon make out sessions, and by the end of the book, Virginia unapologetically kisses him in front of her blog group, coming full circle to not being afraid of what other people think: "So I lean forward, close my eyes, and kiss Froggy Welsh the Fourth. Right on the lips. Right in front of everybody" (Mackler, p. 246).
Reader's Annotation
About the Author
Carolyn Mackler has written ten novels for young adults, including The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things (honorable mention from the Michael L. Printz award), Guyaholic, and Tangled. Her first adult novel, The Wife App, received praise from acclaimed authors Judy Blume and Gabrielle Zevin. At an early age, Mackler became interested in writing; beginning at 4, she recorded stories on a tape recorder and had her mother write them down for her. From 1991 to 1995 she attended Vassar College, earning a degree in Art History. After graduating, Mackler took an internship with Ms. Magazine where she began writing articles and learned about the writing world.
After leaving Ms. Magazine, she took a course at NYU entitled Beginning Your Novel. During this time, she began work on her first novel Love and Other Four-Letter Words, which was then released in 2000. Her second novel, The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things was one of the top 10 most challenged books in 2009. Her novel Infinite in Between received starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly, Kirkus, School Library Journal, and VOYA. She was a judge for the National Book Awards in 2008 and currently lives in Manhattan with her husband and two sons. (Adapted from author's Wikipedia page).
Genres
Realistic fiction, humor, romance, coming of age
Booktalking Ideas
Read a short excerpt from the book relating to the "Fat Girl Code of Conduct." After reading, open up discussion with questions such as, "Why do you think Froggy kept the make-out sessions a secret?" and "have you ever overheard someone talking about you behind your back like what happened to Virginia in the bathroom?"
Reading Level
14+
Challenge Issues
Rape, language, sexual content, dysfunctional family, self-harm, eating disorders
Why I Chose This Book
I wanted to include a book that dealt with self-image issues because so many young adults, in particular girls, are inundated with unrealistic beauty standards that leave them feeling "unworthy." This book deftly deals with complex issues in a respectful as well as entertaining way.
Find the Moon
by Beth Fehlbaum
Bibliographic Information
Author Beth Fehlbaum
ISBN 9781958640296
Publication Date 2023
Publisher Progressive Rising Phoenix Press
Physical Description 298 pp
Subject Term Teen and young adult fiction on sexual abuse, coming of age fiction
Plot Summary
Kylie Briscoe and her younger sister Aliza live in a trailer park with their drug addict, negligent mother with sometimes only a can of SpaghettiOs for sustenance. When their mother returns home one afternoon with a frightening and aggressive man on a motorcycle who is demanding money, Melinda (the mother) tries to make a deal with him that would endanger and retrigger traumatic memories for Kylie. With the help of a nosy neighbor and Kylie protecting her sister and screaming for help, the cops arrive, make arrests, and bring the two sisters to the hospital for evaluation. Untrusting of people in authority, Kylie proceeds with caution when social workers and cops interrogate her about the situation, fearful that Aliza and her will be sent into the foster system. Through the social worker, Kylie finds out that she has living grandparents who have been looking for her for years, but they can only take her to live in Patience, Texas with them; Aliza's birth father wants to "do right" and raise her, but wouldn't be able to take Kylie since she's not his kin. Kylie must learn, through the separation, how to love herself and know that she's worthy of love, hope that her parent stays in jail, and that she will be able to one day reunite with her beloved sister, Aliza.
Critical Evaluation
"Anytime you miss me, just look for the moon" (Fehlbaum, 2023). The moon is prevalent throughout this novel symbolizing hope, unconditional love, and faith. Beth Fehlbaum, in her own words, deals with themes such as authenticity, "calling out hypocrisy, and finding one's voice" throughout her novels. As someone who has firsthand experienced some of the traumas Kylie has gone through, Fehlbaum brings that sense of authenticity in her writing. The book contains nineteen chapters with the moon symbol prevalent throughout (both on the start of chapter pages and interspersed between paragraph breaks).
As a high school English teacher, Fehlbaum keeps the reader, whether teenager or adult, engaged with realistic character dialogue and short, descriptive sentences. Told in first person from Kylie's perspective, the audience is able to empathize and cheer on her character through the many changes taking place in her life. Many large conflicts occur in this novel including Kylie and Aliza's separation, Kylie adjusting to her new home life, and her character also navigating through a new school while dealing with self-doubt and trauma. Through these conflicts, by the end of the novel, Kylie is able to read her poem "Find the Moon," which has heavy symbolism relating to the moon being love, fortitude, and the idea that it is a constant presence that doesn't disappear/go away. The idea of the moon being a constant force is in juxtaposition to Melinda, the mother, giving up and leaving her family to take care of themselves. The setting is also important in the novel; Kylie and Aliza begin the story in their mother's trailer and eventually both go their separate ways (Aliza with her father, stepmother, and stepbrother and Kylie moving to the small town of Patience, Texas with her grandparents).
Reader's Annotation
Patience, Texas is a test of patience for Kylie Briscoe, who, after being separated from her sister because of her mother's horrible life decisions, must keep hope alive and remember the mantra "Just one thing" in order to make it through tough times. Through learning self-love and clinging to hope for a reunion with her sister, Kylie must face her biggest fears and, confidently, come out on top. 
About the Author
Beth is the author of the YA novels Find the Moon, My Big Fat Disaster, The Patience Trilogy, and co-author of the non-fiction book Trauma Recovery: Sessions with Dr. Matt. She is a high school English teacher in Texas. She has a B.A. in English, Minor in Secondary Education, and a M.Ed. in Reading. Beth has presented/appeared at the Texas Library Association Annual Conference, the American Library Association's Annual Conference, YALSA, N.C.T.E./ALAN, and various other YA book festivals. She's a member of The Author's Guild, SCBWI, the Editorial Freelancers' Association, and the Texas Federation of Teachers.
Beth lives in the woods of East Texas in a house on a slice of family acreage. Along with teaching and writing, she is a fierce advocate for children and abuse victims. She began writing The Patience Trilogy when in therapy to recover from Childhood Sexual Abuse. Beth also drew on her own experience with Binge Eating Disorder to write Colby's story in Big Fat Disaster. She has relayed that Find the Moon has been the most challenging book she's ever written. (Adapted from Beth Fehlbaum's professional website).
Genres
Coming of age, realistic fiction, child abuse fiction
Booktalking Ideas
Read Kylie's poem "Find the Moon." Discuss the significance of what the moon means to Kylie, then play "Harvest Moon" by Neil Young and engage in simple moon art activity.
Reading Level
\
14+
Challenge Issues
Rape, sexual abuse, domestic violence, language, drug use
Why I Chose This Book
The book is authentic in its storytelling and young adults going through similar situations as Kylie can know they're not alone, to continue to have hope, and that help is available.
The Marrow Thieves
by Cherie Dimaline
Biographical Information
Author Cherie Dimaline
ISBN 9781770864863
Publication Date 2017
Publisher Cormorant Books Incorporated
Physical Description 234 pp; 21 cm
Subject Term Global warming fiction, Indians of North America fiction, bone marrow fiction
Plot Summary
In a dystopian future where climate change has ravaged the world, Frenchie gets separated from his family and finds a new group of Indigenous survivors in the woods. Since half the population has died from climate change and most people lost the ability to dream, Indigenous people are hunted by the government for their bone marrow which harbors dreams. Native people get taken to boarding schools where their bone marrow is extracted and the bodies then get dumped. Frenchie and the group decide to travel up north because of rumors that the situation is better for Natives. The group is taught to survive by hunting and tracking while also learning about their language and culture from Minerva, the Elder in the group. During their journey northward, a girl named Rose joins them and Frenchie develops strong romantic feelings towards her which are reciprocated. The path forward contains dangers including Native traitors working for the government and rebel Indigenous groups, but their mission is still focused on surviving and ultimately making it to their destination: the North.
Critical Evaluation
Cherie's writing throughout the novel is reflective of the dystopian world the characters find themselves in. The tone of the writing can be described as dark, moody, and apocalyptic. The book contains chapter titles excluding numbers and is told from Frenchie's first-person perspective. Some of the titles discuss the concept of coming-to stories relating to how the characters left everything they've known and survived, finding a new "family" groups along the way. Discussing the importance of authentically writing from an Indigenous as opposed to colonial perspective, Cherie has said "I would love to be recognized as a writer of Indigenous stories. I'm not a Canadian writer. This is what is now known as Canada; it means something different to and for me" (Talbot, 2018).
Mig, the leader of the group, is quoted as saying "A man without dreams is just a meaty machine with a broken gauge." This metaphor describes how people who can't dream anymore become a shell of what they once were, physically there but mentally and spiritually bereft. The only goal for people who lost the ability to dream is to steal the power from Indigenous people, which has happened throughout history (colonialism, sending Natives to reservations, Natives being treated as second class citizens). People labeled as "New Agers" initially appear to respect and idolize the Native culture, but in the end attempt to exploit and take dreams for themselves. Betrayal is a prevalent theme throughout the novel, specifically revolving around the two Native traitors working for the government. In order to save themselves, they betray their own culture.
Reader's Annotation
In a world where all hope seems lost and people have forgotten how to dream, Frenchie and his found Indigenous family group attempt to make the trek northward, where Natives are supposedly protected. The path forward is full of unknown dangers including Recruiters hired by the government to harvest Natives' bone marrow which is where the ability to dream is housed.
About the Author
Cherie Dimaline is an internationally bestselling author who is a member of the Georgian Bay Metis Council of the Metis Nation of Ontario. Her first novel Red Rooms won the award for Fiction Book of the Year at the Anskohk Aboriginal Literature Festival. The 2017 novel The Marrow Thieves was named by TIME magazine as one of the Best YA Books of All Time. The book also won the Governor General's Award and the Kirkus Prize. Her novel Empire of Wild was named Indigo's 2019 Best Book and is currently being adapted into an opera.
Hunting by Stars was a 2022 American Indian Library Association Honor Book. VENCO, Cherie's newest novel, debuted at #1 on Canadian bestseller lists. Cherie lives in the Georgian Bay Metis Community and continues to write and produce for both screen and stage. She is an active participant in numerous literary festivals including the Toronto International Festival of Authors and Vancouver's Writers Fest. Into the Bright Open: A Secret Garden Remix was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award for English-language children's literature at the 2024 Governor General's Awards. (Adapted from the author's professional website and her Wikipedia page).
Genres
Dystopian fiction, science fiction, indigenous fiction, LGBTQIA+
Booktalking Ideas
Read a Metis origin story and discuss their Native history. Show pictures throughout history depicting the colonialization of Native people, including the boarding schools, reservations, and missions.
Reading Level
14+
Challenge Issues
Language, colonialism, sexual assault, rape, violence, child death, same-sex romance
Why I Chose This Book
I wanted to have an indigenous author represented in the book selection and this book continually came up on multiple lists describing how well-written it was; the unique and original plot also grabbed my attention.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
by Jesse Andrews
Bibliographic Information
Author Jesse Andrews
ISBN 9781419705328
Publication Date 2012
Publisher Amulet Books
Physical Description 295 pp; 22 cm
Subject Term Friendship fiction, Leukemia fiction, high school fiction
Plot Summary
Greg Gaines maneuvers through his senior year of high school by being friendly to everybody but forming no meaningful relationships in the process. His secret friend Earl and himself make really bad films together after being inspired watching Aguirre, the Wrath of God by Werner Herzog. When an old "girlfriend" of Greg gets diagnosed with Leukemia, his mother essentially forces Greg to hang out with her. As the two begin to spend more time together, Earl joins them for for ice cream and asks Rachel if she would want to see their films, to Greg's chagrin. After word gets out that Greg and Earl make movies, Greg's crush asks the two of them to make a movie for Rachel before she dies. They agree and create many different short films that are mediocre; they combine all the ideas into one movie and, to their dismay, it is shown at a high school assembly. With Rachel's health in decline, she petitions Greg and Earl to pursue film school.
Critical Evaluation
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl has 40 chapters followed by an epilogue. In a note before the chapters, the character of Greg Gaines warns the reader not to continue reading since he has "no idea what I'm doing with this book" (Andrews, p. 1). The tone that Andrews conveys throughout the book mixes humor and sadness to create a unique reading experience. By keeping Greg's point of view throughout the novel, the reader is able to understand his sense of humor and motivations. Andrews is able to deftly write a comedic book while dealing with complex issues relating to life and death.
The character of Greg depends on his sense of humor and noncommittal relationships with peers to get him through high school. He hopes to skate through life without meeting any challenges or risks. When Greg spends more and more time with Rachel, he learns firsthand what it's like to lose a friend (even though his narration makes it seems like he really doesn't care, but indeed does) and actually interact meaningfully with people. When Greg and Earl attempt to create the film for Rachel, they both realize that even though they've spent so much time with her, they really don't know her. Like Stephen Chbosky, Jesse Andrews has background in screenwriting which plays into how Me and Earl and the Dying Girl can read almost like a movie. The dialogue between characters is fast paced and accurate to how teens can talk with each other, inappropriate language and all. As someone who is Jewish, Andrews created characters from the same background (Greg and Rachel) who identify with the culture but not necessarily the religion.
Reader's Annotation
Greg skates through his high school life by living under the radar and staying sarcastic no matter what life throws at him. His entire life changes when he's coerced by his mother to hang out with a girl dying from cancer.
About the Author
Jesse Andrews is a New York Times best-selling novelist and award-winning screenwriter. His first produced screenplay was the movie adaptation of his novel Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. The film premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and won the Audience Award (U.S. Dramatic) and the Grand Jury Prize (U.S. Dramatic). He co-wrote the Pixar movie Luca with Mike Jones and is cowriting Hoppers which is set to release in 2026. His first novel Me and Earl and the Dying Girl was published in 2012 and won that year's Cybils Award for Young Adult Fiction.
His second book Haters was published in 2016 and was listed among 52 banned novels by the Alpine School District in Utah. Andrews has said that the book was inspired by personal experience travelling with bands. His most recent book, Munmun, was released in 2018 and his first fore into dystopian science fiction. Andrews has also had screenwriting work on the 2018 film Everyday. He currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts. (Adapted from author's professional website and his Wikipedia page).
Genres
Coming of age, realistic fiction, humor
Booktalking Ideas
Watch a trailer for the movie, then talk about the importance that movies played in Greg and Earl's lives and how the book's format alters at times to match the theme. Also, discuss the interplaying themes of humor, death, and acceptance throughout the book.
Reading Level
14+
Challenge Issues
Language, underage drinking and drug use, sexual content
Why I Chose This Book
I wanted to include a well-written humorous book that also had very real and dark themes prominent throughout. There are many great lessons to be gleaned from this book including acceptance, dealing with death, and friendships.
Elsewhere
by Gabrielle Zevin
Bibliographic Information
Author Gabrielle Zevin
ISBN 9780374320911
Publication Date 2005
Publisher Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Physical Description 275 pp; 22 cm
Subject Term Future life fiction, death fiction
Plot Summary
After being killed in a hit-and-run accident, fifteen-year-old Lizzie thinks she is dreaming when she wakes up on a boat full of people. Lizzie has a difficult time accepting that she is dead, but still exits the boat with everyone else to land in the town of Elsewhere. Met by her grandmother whom she never knew when alive, Lizzie learns that Elsewhere is the place where people end up after they die. Similar to earth, people work, eat, have entertainment, relationships, etc. The only major difference is that people age backward until they are babies, then get sent out on the river to be reborn again. Lizzie feels overcome with sadness upon learning that she will never go through major adult milestones (getting married, getting her driver's license, going to college) and has a difficult time adjusting to the changes. Giving up the life she had on Earth and embracing the new life she has in Elsewhere is a challenge for Lizzie that gets more complicated when someone named Owen comes into the picture.
Critical Evaluation
Elsewhere is broken up into three chunks (Part 1: The Nile, Part 2: The Book of the Dead, and Part 3: Antique Lands) not including the prologue and epilogue. The prologue is titled In the End and begins from Lucy, the family dog's perspective after Lizzie is killed in the hit-and-run accident. The epilogue is titled "At the Beginning" and outlines the rebirth of Lizzie after she becomes a baby again. The titles play with the idea of time not being a linear concept, per death and rebirth being part of the same cycle. Prominent themes throughout the novel include embracing loss, regret, familial ties, and accepting change.
The physical watch Lizzie received as a gift from her father symbolizes her want to hold onto her past life along with time being a constant on both Earth and Elsewhere. Another reminder of Lizzie's Earth life is the appearance of her favorite rock star, Curtis Jest, who learns has also died (drug overdose). In looking at addiction, Lizzie, at one point in the novel, becomes obsessed with going to the Observation Decks to see her family and friends. She realizes that it's okay to mourn and miss her family so that she can actually live life again before becoming someone else. Gabrielle Zevin is able to weave meaningful themes and dialogue into the story to create a well-thought and moving novel. Another theme present in the book is the idea of forgiveness; Lizzie fixates on finding the taxi driver who killed her and in so doing, gains unwanted empathy into his situation, coming to realize "It won't make me alive again if he goes to prison...Nothing can ever do that" (Zevin, p. 124).
Reader's Annotation
For fifteen-year old Lizzie, she craves what other people her age want: love, college, getting a driver's license, etc. But when her life is cut short due to an accident and she ends up in the mysterious town called Elsewhere, Lizzie has to pick up the pieces and begin to live again.
About the Author
Gabrielle Zevin is a New York Times best-selling author whose books have been translated into forty languages. She is a 2000 graduate of Harvard University where she studied English. Her debut novel Margarettown was a selection of the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Program and longlisted for the James Tiptree Jr. Award. Her young adult novel Elsewhere was released three months after Margarettown and was chosen as an American Library Association Notable Children's Book. Other accolades for Elsewhere include winning the Borders Original Voices Award, 2006 Quill Award nomination, and making it on the Carnegie long list.
In addition, Zevin also is a screenwriter who was nominated in 2007 for an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay for Conversations with Other Women. She has also written book reviews for the New York Times Book Review and NPR's All Things Considered. Her adult novel The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry debuted on the New York Times Best Seller List and has been in the process since 2021 of becoming a movie adaptation; Zevin wrote the screenplay. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California with her partner Hans Canosa. (Adapted from author's professional website and her Wikipedia page).
Genres
Fantasy, magical realism, psychological fiction
Booktalking Ideas
Talk about different culture's ideas of what they believe happens after death. Discuss themes prevalent throughout the book (death, grief, acceptance) and how these could be applicable to our lives in the present moment.
Reading Level
12+
Challenge Issues
Child death, drug abuse, self-harm, gun violence, religious themes
Why I Chose This Book
Elsewhere deals with important themes for teenagers to understand (grief, depression, friendships, and love) and how being present/living with purpose is an important concept for life.
The Gilded Onesby Namina Forna
Bibliographic Information
Author Namina Forna
ISBN 9781984848697
Publication Date 2020
Publisher Delacorte Press
Physical Description 418 pp : illustration ; 22 cm
Subject Term Women soldiers, acceptance juvenile fiction
Plot Summary
Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in a society dominated by a creed called the Infinite Wisdoms and a Ritual of Purity that all females in the village undergo. Individuals pass the ritual by bleeding red blood; failure entails bleeding gold blood, which means the girl is "impure" and killed. Deka bleeds gold during the ritual and is killed brutally by her own father, but ends up coming back to life and taken by a mysterious woman named White Hands. Deka along with other "impure" girls are called upon to join an army fighting against entities known as Deathshrieks. The alaki ("impure" girls) are trained to fight and use their gifts (speed, endurance, and strength) to defeat the Deathshrieks; Alaki can also die numerous times, which makes them unstoppable killing machines. When Deka realizes she can use her voice to command Deathshrieks, the army destroys entire nests full of the creatures. Learning that she can communicate with the creatures as well, Deka discerns that the army she is actively fighting for might have deeper secrets than she ever could have imagined relating to the alaki as well as Deathshrieks.
Critical Evaluation
The Gilded Ones is told from sixteen-year old Deka's first-person perspective. The novel contains thirty-seven untitled chapters which are dialogue heavy between characters. The book opens with a two-page visual map of Otera along with the different regions and cities that comprise the world. Comprising 415 pages, the novel is long, but keeps the reader engaged with character development and action throughout. Forna's career as a screenwriter guided her writing style; the book reads cinematically and is able to create suspense through dialogue and pacing. Forna's background in escaping the Sierra Leonne Civil War influenced her storytelling as well: "For the longest time, I was stuck in cycles of fear and rage, which is why I wrote The Gilded Ones" (Forna, 2021).
Per the author, the book examines themes focused on patriarchy and women's place within the concept; "The entire book is an examination of patriarchy: the insidious and the overt ways in which it operates, the systems and people that uphold it, the consequences it enacts upon the people who don't fall into the norm" (Forna, 2021). The story is told from a feminist perspective with strong female characters prevalent throughout the novel. Discriminating others based on their differences is a prominent theme; Deka grows up in the northern region of Otera where darker skin is looked down upon, thus she is cast down and discriminated against for looking different than others. The golden blood of the alaki is symbolic of the females' value as objects as opposed to being seen as human beings. Forna created the fantasy world of Otera to have black representation in a genre inundated with waify white people riding unicorns.
Reader's Annotation
In the world of Otera, females are judged as being pure based off of the color of their blood. When sixteen-year-old Deka bleeds gold, she is labeled a demon, cast out of her village, and forced to fight in an army against the formidable Deathshrieks; will she and her alaki comrades survive the fray?
About the Author
Namina Forna was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone and moved with her family to the United States in the 1990's to flee the Civil War. She attended the private historically black women's liberal arts college, Spelman College, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. She later received an MFA in film and TV production from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Forna became the first Sierra Leonean American to land a book deal with a major publisher for YA fantasy. A week after the release of The Gilded Ones, Forna signed on with independent film production company Makready to write the script for a film adaptation.
Forna's books have been translated into over 25 languages. Following the success of her New York Times bestselling novel The Gilded Ones, she released two other books in the series (The Merciless Ones and The Eternal Ones). Namina is an accomplished public speaker, with specific focus on feminism, storytelling, and challenging dominant narratives. She has contributed to the book You Too, which is a collection of essays from 25 authors sharing their #MeToo stories. She is currently working on new fantasy projects. (Adapted from author's professional website and Wikipedia page).
Genres
Fantasy
Booktalking Ideas
Play a short video of Namina Forna discussing the inspiration behind the book and the prominent feminist theme throughout. Discuss the history of the Sierra Leonne Civil War and how that mirrors themes found within The Gilded Ones.
Reading Level
12+
Challenge Issues
Self-harm, racism, rape, torture, violence, murder, pedophilia, sexism, misogyny
Why I Chose This Book
I wanted to choose a novel with strong, female led characters, similar to The Hunger Games, but from the perspective of a BIPOC woman.
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