The Fault in Our Stars

Bibliographic Information: Green, J. (2012). The fault in our stars. New York: Penguin. ISBN: 9780525478812

Plot Summary: Hazel Grace, 16-year old cancer fighter, is forced to attend a church support group by her parents who are concerned about her depression—just another “side effect of dying.” She meets the gorgeous Augustus Waters there, an amputee in remission from osteosarcoma, who can’t stop staring at her. A relationship develops when Hazel has “Gus” read her favorite book, An Imperial Affliction. He wants to treat her by using his “make a wish” gift from a charity to pay for a trip to Amsterdam, home to the reclusive author of the book. But by this time, Hazel is unsure about pursuing love, because she feels like her condition could take a turn for the worse at any moment, and she doesn’t want to inflict any more pain on anybody—watching her parents suffer over her illness is already too much to handle. But her condition does worsen, and when she is admitted with pneumonia for weeks, Gus visits her repeatedly, ensuring her that he cares about her too much, and isn’t scared of any pain she might cause him.                                                 

So the fly to Amsterdam as soon as she is healthier, where their encounter with the author doesn’t go so smoothly. Van Houten is rude to the teens and they leave disappointed, with none of their questions answered. When they return to America, Gus’s cancer returns, and he dies. Hazel gives a speech at his funeral, and Van Houten shows up to reveal why he was so unwelcoming in Amsterdam: he lost his daughter to cancer and based the book on her.

            Hazel then learns that Augustus asked Van Houten to write a eulogy for her, giving him notes on what to say about her. The author decides to leaves Gus’s words as is, and Hazel reads them. Both facing death, the lovers agree that it is better to feel the loss of having loved someone who dies, than not loving at all.

Critical Evaluation: John Green writes about heavy topics with grace and lightheartedness. Love, loss and death come spiraling together as each character must face first love in the shadow of pain and disease. This is not the first novel that seeks to find hope in the hopelessness of cancer, but the voice, depth of character, and poetic call to the universe, is uniquely John Green. The author has already proven his ability to write a compelling and moving YA novel, and he does the same thing here. Fans of Green will recognize his usual smart, insightful characters and classic journey via road trip/flight to Amsterdam, but only in The Fault in Our Stars will they find a place to explore the intricacies of young love complicated by the darkness that comes with facing a terminal illness.

Reader’s Annotation: Hazel and Gus have cancer. Despite knowing the risks of falling in love, they take a chance, and learn that there is a good kind of hurt.

Author Information: Wikipedia states, “Green grew up in Orlando, Florida, before attending Indian Springs School, a boarding and day school outside of Birmingham, Alabama. He graduated from Kenyon College in 2000 with a double major in English and Religious Studies.

After leaving college, Green spent five months working as a student chaplain in a children's hospital, and was enrolled at the University of Chicago Divinity School at the time, although he never actually attended. His experiences of working with children with life-threatening illnesses inspired him to later write The Fault in Our Stars.

Green lived for several years in Chicago, where he worked for the book review journal Booklist as a publishing assistant and production editor while writing Looking for Alaska. While there, he reviewed hundreds of books, particularly literary fiction and books about Islam or conjoined twins. He has also critiqued books for The New York Times Book Review and written for National Public Radio's All Things Considered and WBEZ, Chicago's public radio station. Green lived in New York City for two years while his wife attended graduate school.”

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Subjects: love, terminal illness, death

Curriculum Ties: N/A

Booktalking Ideas: Start with the Shakespearian quote:

"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings."

And segue into the plot.

Reading Level/Interest Age: 16+

Challenge Issues/Defense: Due to dealing with serious topics like cancer, death, and sexuality, this book may be challenged. If so, refer to:

1.     The San Francisco Public Library Collection Development Policy, Selection Criteria, and Teen Collection documents.

2.     The California Department of Education District Selection Policies, Reading Lists, and Resources for Recommended Literature: Pre-K-12.

3.     A hard copy of the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights.

4.     Mixed book reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Publisher’s Weekly.

5.     Book selection rationale.

6.     If necessary, The San Francisco Public Library’s Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Form.

Reason for Selection: John Green has established himself as the prominent YA voice of today, and his award-winning reputation has kept this book at the top of all the best sellers lists since it came out.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Bibliographic Information: Haddon, M. (2003). The curious incident of the dog in the night-time. New York: Vintage. ISBN: 978-1400032716

Plot Summary: 15-year old Christopher possesses a brilliant mathematical mind (all of the chapters are prime numbers), but struggles with social situations. He is unable to predict what others might be thinking or feeling, and deducts from his experiences only the through didactic logic and reason. After discovering his neighbor’s dog, Wellington, killed by a gardening fork, his neighbor calls the police.  When Christopher is touched by the police officer (something he does not like at all), he punches the man, and is immediately arrested and spends one night in jail. When he is released the next day, he decides to write a murder mystery novel in the vein of Sherlock Holmes, and sets out to collect clues from neighbors, against the pleas of his father to “stay out of other people business.” But Christopher never really understood what “staying out of other peoples business” really meant, or what any metaphor meant for that matter—he only understands the literal meaning of words, not the symbolic power of them.

            So when he comes across some clues about his recently deceased mother (a little tidbit he glosses over quickly; she died of a heart attack in the hospital), he doesn’t know how to react. For the past two years he has believed his mother to be dead because that’s what his father told him. But during his investigation of Wellington, an elderly woman in the neighborhood told Christopher his mother was having an affair. Soon, Christopher’s father discovers his murder mystery novel and disposes of it. Desperate to find his book, Christopher searches high and low though his house until he comes up on a box of letters addressed to him. The letters were all from his mother, dating from the past two years, which means she was never dead, and his father was a liar.

            Overwhelmed with fear of his dad, Christopher sets off on a quest to find his mom, adventuring through unfamiliar places and terrifying subway trains—all to find out that the pressure of raising him was too much for his mom, so she left. Christopher eventually solves the mystery behind Wellington’s death, and simultaneously gains a little understanding of the real world.

Critical Evaluation: Instead of blatantly labeling Christopher as a child with autism or Asperger’s syndrome, the author leaves hints to help readers conclude that Christopher is an outsider in some way. He thinks differently than most people, but narrates the book with poignant reasoning, often unaware of his ironic humor and wit. The story is strong: it’s a coming-of-age tale about dealing with a broken family, facing your fears, and never giving up. Haddon gives insight into what it must be like to be brilliantly smart in some ways, and yet constantly trying to understand the actions and reasoning behind other people actions. The relationship between Christopher and his father is tense, as Christopher is objective and straightforward, but his father is passive-aggressive and too careful. We learn that Christopher is capable of knowing the truth about his mother, as his determination gets him through a vast chaotic city to where she lives. His father has been so caught up in protecting him (out of love) that he has forgotten how sharp Christopher is—that he can solve the mystery of Wellington, as well as the mystery of his mother.

Reader’s Annotation: Christopher uses deductive reasoning to solve the mystery of the black-poodle, Wellington’s, murder and during his investigation, learns a clue behind his own mother’s recent death that will change his family life forever.

Author Information: Gale’s Contemporary Authors Online states, “A talented and versatile writer, Mark Haddon is best known for his Whitbread Award-winning novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, a quirky novel about an autistic boy who investigates the murder of his neighbor's dog. In addition, the acclaimed British author has enjoyed a successful career as a writer and illustrator of children's books, a screenwriter for popular British children's television programs, and a poet and playwright. ‘I'm really lucky in that I can do lots of different things,’ Haddon remarked to London Guardian interviewer Hadley Freeman, adding: ‘I really like the idea of being a bit unpredictable. I'm known for being a nice, easy-going person with a straightforward exterior. So I think a bit of me wants to be sort of sly and devious.’

Born in England in 1962, Haddon began his writing career in the mid-1980s, after working a variety of part-time jobs and earning an advanced degree from Edinburgh University.”

Genre: Fiction

Subjects: coming-of-age, mystery, family, autism, Asperger’s

Curriculum Ties: N/A

Booktalking Ideas: Read aloud the first two chapters to introduce the plot and character, Christopher, and make flash cards with facial expressions to pair with his explanation of not being able to understand them.

Reading Level/Interest Age: 14+

Challenge Issues/Defense: Due to mild profanity, this book may be challenged. If so, refer to:

1.     The San Francisco Public Library Collection Development Policy, Selection Criteria, and Teen Collection documents.

2.     The California Department of Education District Selection Policies, Reading Lists, and Resources for Recommended Literature: Pre-K-12.

3.     A hard copy of the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights.

4.     Mixed book reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Publisher’s Weekly.

5.     Book selection rationale.

6.     If necessary, The San Francisco Public Library’s Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Form.

Reason for Selection: It's not often that we get a chance to see through the eyes of someone with autism or Asperger's syndrome, and while the author doesn't claim to do this by any means, we do get to peer into the mind of a very logical and socially distant type of character, wrapped up in coming-of-age story.

Monster

Bibliographic Information: Myers, W.D. (1999). Monster. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN: 0-06-440731-4

Plot Summary: Steve Harmon loves film, so it comes as no surprise that he writes his diary in a screenplay format as he awaits his trial for murder. From his cell in the Manhattan Detention Center, he writes down the introduction for the film about his life, told as it happens. He gives us the setting, cast of characters, and story as it plays out in the courtroom. Interspersed between his movie scenes, he writes in a diary format that gives more insight into his family life, background, and involvement with the crime, though nothing is ever explicitly revealed.

            Instead, we hear the witness accounts, from which we learn that Steve was questionably given the role as look out. He was supposed to check if any police or citizens were in the store, then give a signal to James King (responsible for the death of store owner, Mr. Nesbitt) and Richard “Bobo” Evans (he planned the robbery). We never know whether this is true, or if Steve was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But when the prosecutor calls him a “monster,” he is unsure if this is an accurate name for him or not, which suggests that he was part of the robbery in some way. After a few other key witnesses come to the stand, the jury confirms that James King is guilty and Steve is not guilty.

Critical Evaluation: Steve writes his movie scenes in a very objective and detached voice, giving directorial cues such as “fade in” and “cut to” in order to tell his story from different angles, settings, and intensities. Some of the scenes include: a sun setting over the detention facility with a cut to Steve covering his head with blankets in his cell, to wide angle shots of the court room, and close-up shots of witness and jury. This format of writing helps readers see beyond the crime, and see deep into the personality of Steve: he is artistic, smart, and at the same time, just a teenage boy struggling to identify with the label of “monster.” By keeping the tone very objective throughout, the author is placing judgment in the reader’s hands, making them part of the jury. But what readers get to see that everyone else doesn’t, is Steve’s journal entries, which reveal that he gave into peer pressure without thinking of consequences—something a lot of adolescents mistakenly do.

The prosecutor says Steve made a “moral decision”—but he wonders exactly what decisions he made: to wake up, walk down that street and run into King? Then he wonders about the decisions he didn’t make, and starts editing his movie scenes, as if to avoid this question.

When his verdict is made, and he turns to hug his defense attorney, she turns away and looks very tense. This reaction makes Steve question his identity even more, and he goes on to film himself a dozen different ways, looking for his true identity. By ending on the question, “What did she see?” we understand that identity is directly related to how other people perceive us, and any scratch you make on that image, will haunt you forever.

Reader’s Annotation: This book is a movie about Steve Harmon’s life…and trial for murder. But at what point did he become a “monster,” if he didn’t kill anyone?

Author Information: Gale’s Contemporary Authors Online states, “Walter Dean Myers is considered among the premier authors of fiction for young adults, and his books have won dozens of awards, including the prestigious Coretta Scott King Award for multiple books. ‘Whether he is writing about the ghettos of New York, the remote countries of Africa, or social institutions,’ noted Carmen Subryan in the Dictionary of Literary Biography, ‘Myers captures the essence of the developing experiences of youth.’

While Myers is perhaps best known for his novels that explore the lives of young Harlem African Americans, he is equally adept at producing modern fairy tales, ghost stories, and adventure sagas. Subryan found a common theme throughout Myers's far-ranging works. ‘He is concerned with the development of youths,’  she wrote, ‘and his message is always the same: young people must face the reality of growing up and must persevere, knowing that they can succeed despite any odds they face. ... This positive message enables youths to discover what is important in life and to reject influences which could destroy them.’”

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Crime, Murder Mystery

Subjects: crime, jail, murder, screenplays, film,

Curriculum Ties: Race, Culture

Booktalking Ideas: How does the screenplay and diary formats affect our perception of Steve Harmon?

Can a person create their own identity, or is their identity a product of other’s perceptions?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 13+

Challenge Issues/Defense: Due to depictions of violent crime and prison life, this book may be challenged. If so, refer to:

1.     The San Francisco Public Library Collection Development Policy, Selection Criteria, and Teen Collection documents.

2.     The California Department of Education District Selection Policies, Reading Lists, and Resources for Recommended Literature: Pre-K-12.

3.     A hard copy of the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights.

4.     Mixed book reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Publisher’s Weekly.

5.     Book selection rationale.

6.     If necessary, The San Francisco Public Library’s Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Form.

Reason for Selection: I chose this book because it is a multiple award winner, uses a creative format that will draw in reluctant readers, and tackles issues of peer pressure. 

Divergent

Bibliographic Information: Roth, V. (2011). Divergent. New York: Katherine Tegan Books. ISBN: 0-06-202402-7

Plot Summary: In a future dystopian Chicago, Beatrice Prior is born into one of the five factions. Abnegation, Beatrice’s faction, doesn’t allow mirrors, or birthdays, because they value selflessness above all else. The other factions are different: Candor values honesty, Dauntless values courage, Amity values peace, and Erudite values intelligence. Tension is rising between the factions.

The book begins on the day of the aptitude test, which will determine what faction Beatrice should choose for herself, though she still has free will over her decision. Her brother Caleb, is also taking the test. Her test results are inconclusive, marking her as Divergent, and she is sworn to never tell anyone this. At the choosing ceremony, Beatrice decides her fate, defying her family and everything she has ever been taught, by choosing Dauntless. As part of her transformation, she changes her name to Tris, and eventually gets tattoos to honor her family and multiple identities.

In Dauntless training, Tris is faced with grueling physical training, and meets many of her new companions and enemies in the process. She must fight her way up the list of names to prove that she can be Dauntless, which she is surprisingly good at, much to the dismay of her enemies. If she fails this initiation, she will become factionless, which is the worst fate for anybody. So she fights, and is given numerous psychological tests known as “fear landscapes” that depict her biggest fears. A romance buds between Tris and her initiation instructor, “Four,” who gets his nickname for only having four fears in his landscape.

Jeanine Matthews, leader of the Erudite and creator of the aptitude tests and fear landscapes, has also developed a serum that mind-controls the Dauntless into becoming brain dead soldiers. She conspires to destroy the Abnegation faction with her army, and when Tris learns about this from her mother, who also reveals herself to be Divergent, she is faced with avoiding certain death.

Critical Evaluation: Veronica Roth is venturing into the popular dystopian genre with her own bleak glimpse of a futuristic society that has been divided into factions that loosely reflect how disparate our contemporary society is. By exploring the possibility of a faction-controlled world, the author is making commentary on how divided the United States is right now, and how the tension that rises between factions can lead to war. Placing this premise into the coming-of-age story of a 16-year-old girl makes for a gripping and immersive read. Tris represents any teen that might feel like they don’t fit into any of the cookie cutter molds that society has shaped for them. Being Divergent is essentially just being unique—an attribute that has been snuffed by the emergence of factions. At one point, Tris happens upon a factionless man in the streets, and though he is homeless and hungry, he seems happy and wise. The author may be hinting at social revolution in this first book in this series, but readers will have to continue with the second book, Insurgent, to find out what happens to Tris after she leaves the Dauntless.

Reader’s Annotation: Beatrice is sixteen, which means this is the year she must choose which faction she will belong to for the rest of her life. Will she leave her family and beliefs behind for a taste of something new?

Author Information: Wikipedia states, “Veronica Roth (b. August 19, 1988) is an American author known for her debut New York Times Bestselling Divergent trilogy and also the recipient of the Goodreads 2011 Choice Awards. Roth was raised in Barrington, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and wrote her first book, Divergent, while she was supposed to be doing her homework for Northwestern University.

In 2011 she married photographer, Nelson Fitch.

Roth has sold the film rights to Summit Entertainment. Roth has a degree in creative writing from Northwestern University and currently resides in the Chicago area.”

Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian

Subjects: dystopian society, Chicago, identity, love, friendship, family

Curriculum Ties: N/A

Booktalking Ideas: Ask teens which faction they would choose and why.

Reading Level/Interest Age: 14+

Challenge Issues/Defense: Due to depictions of violence and sexual themes, this book may be challenged. If so, refer to:

1.      

2.     The San Francisco Public Library Collection Development Policy, Selection Criteria, and Teen Collection documents.

3.     The California Department of Education District Selection Policies, Reading Lists, and Resources for Recommended Literature: Pre-K-12.

4.     A hard copy of the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights.

5.     Mixed book reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Publisher’s Weekly.

6.     Book selection rationale.

7.     If necessary, The San Francisco Public Library’s Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Form.

Reasons for Selection: With the dystopian theme in YA lit being so popular right now, it only seems natural to include every derivative of the Hunger Games trilogy into a YA library collection, But beyond that, Divergent provides an interesting premise and action packed story that teens will love. And with the film rights already sold, and book three set to release later this year, I can only see this trilogy growing in popularity over the next year or so. 

Life of Pi

Bibliographic Information: Martel, Y. (2002). Life of pi. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 978-0151008117

Plot Summary: Piscine Molitor Patel is a boy from Pondicherry, India (the French part of the country), who was named after a swimming pool, and, to his chagrin, nicknamed “pissing” by his peers. In a small, but grand endeavor to change his name, and therefore, his destiny in life, he starts his first day of the new school year by announcing to his classmates and teachers that his name is “Pi.” Pi grows up in zoo, owned and run by his business-minded father. Pi is very religious at an early age, venturing from his native Hinduism, into the realm of Catholicism and Islam. Growing up along side magnificent beasts and observing them his whole life, has given Pi the unique experience of understanding their behaviors.

            When financial woes strike his family, they are forced to relocate to Canada with animals in-tow. A disastrous shipwreck kills his family and the crew, leaving Pi at odds with God, nature, and himself, in the maddening isolation of a rescue boat, with a few animal friends. The first animal Pi notices is a Zebra, who has broken his leg in the chaos, and just lays there suffering. Soon, a hyena appears, and then an orangutan, and eventually Richard Parker, the magnificent Bengal tiger who has been hiding underneath a tarp. Pi learns not only how to survive out in the sea, but also how to make a wild tiger cooperate and respect him. By claiming his territory, and providing Richard Parker with food and water, they learn to coexist, though not always harmoniously.

            When he is rescued, he shares his story with men from the company that own the sunken ship. Unconvinced by his magnificent tale, Pi offers them an alternative one, starring people as his companions, instead of animals. Years later, Pi shares his story again, this time with a writer, claiming that it is a story “that will make you believe in God,” and whichever story you choose to believe, it is the one with the animals that is the better story.

Critical Evaluation: Life of Pi offers readers a spiritual survival story in the form of an allegory. The framed narrative creates a story within a story within a story—obviously emphasizing the importance of storytelling. The final narrative suggests that Pi wasn’t accompanied by animals, but other people, and that he witnessed all of them perish. If the last story is true, then Richard Parker was really Pi, and he resorted to cannibalism in order to survive. But whichever story is true, this much is certain: “Life will defend itself no matter how small it is.”

Reader’s Annotation: Pi Patel’s family has to sell their zoo and move to Canada. When Pi becomes the only survivor of a shipwreck, save for a few animal companions, his faith is tested, and he learns the power of storytelling.

Author Information: Gale Contemporary Authors Online states, “Yann Martel, Canadian author of fiction, ‘is being hailed as a remarkable voice,’ wrote Rosemary Goring in the Glasgow Herald, ‘the harbinger of a fresh wave of literary invention from a nation already famous for its fiction.’ Following in the footsteps of Margaret Atwood, Robertson Davies, and Alice Munro, Martel has earned international repute for his fiction, in particular the award-winning 2001 title, Life of Pi. Born in Spain to Canadian parents, Martel has lived all over the world, including Alaska, Costa Rica, France, Mexico, Iran, Turkey, India, and Canada. His father was a diplomat and poet from the province of Quebec, one-time winner of the Governor General's Award for poetry. Martel, who began to write after studying philosophy at college, once told CA: ‘I write because it's the only way I know how to create, and to create is to live.’”

Genre: Fiction, Adventure

Subjects: survival, shipwreck, spirituality, religion, zoos

Curriculum Ties: N/A

Booktalking Ideas: Potential questions would be:

What could be the significance of a name like Pi?

Mr. Patel teaches his sons a life lesson when he makes them witness the tiger devour a goat. How could this experience have prepared Pi for the hardest battle of his life?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 15+

Challenge Issues/Defense: Due to the concept of having multiple faiths, and descriptions of cannibalism, this book may be challenged. If so, refer to:

1.     The San Francisco Public Library Collection Development Policy, Selection Criteria, and Teen Collection documents.

2.     The California Department of Education District Selection Policies, Reading Lists, and Resources for Recommended Literature: Pre-K-12.

3.     A hard copy of the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights.

4.     Mixed book reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Publisher’s Weekly.

5.     Book selection rationale.

6.     If necessary, The San Francisco Public Library’s Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Form.

Reason for Selection: I wanted to include a title that would appeal to more spiritual teens, and the combination of religious exploration and self identity in Life of Pi make it the perfect teen "chicken soup for the soul" type of reading.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Bibliographic Information: Alexie, S. (Author & Narrator). (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. [Audiobook]. Recorded Books. ASIN:B0016NBXZG

Plot Summary: Arnold Spirit Jr., or Junior, was born with “water on the brain”, a medical condition that left him with bad vision, a lisp, and an oversized head that earned him the nickname “Globe.” On the Spokane Indian reservation, or the “rez”, Junior has spent 14 years being bullied and living in poverty with his ex-alcoholic mother and alcoholic father. Luckily, his best friend, Rowdy, is tough and offers protection to Junior.

On his first day of high school, Junior notices that his textbook has his mother’s maiden name written in it, meaning the book was over 30 years old. Disappointed and enraged that his reservation couldn’t even afford new books for its school, Junior throws the book across the room, and it lands on his teachers face breaking his nose. During his suspension from school, Junior goes to apologize to his teacher, who warns him that he needs to get off of the rez, if he wants a real shot at his education and future. Much to his best friends dismay, and despite his parents being poor, Junior decides to transfer to Reardan High—the all-white school across town.

This decision sparks hostility from people on the rez, which climaxes during the moments of two basketball games he plays against his old team, and against Rowdy. But soon, Arnold is crushing on the beautiful Penelope, and befriending the smart be-speckled Gordy. Threatening his friendship with Rowdy and the acceptance from his tribe, Arnold struggles to find himself.

Critical Evaluation: This story offers hope in the form Junior, a Native American boy set on breaking an endless cycle of poverty and alcoholism that permeates his family’s lives and his reservation. Junior’s decision to attend the all-white school sparks an identity crisis in him that is only exacerbated by the response from his friends and family back on the rez.  On the one hand, he doesn’t want to sell-out to white people, but on the other hand, he doesn’t want to end up like his mother, father or sister—all brilliant people who didn’t get to fulfill their dreams. But through honesty and humor, author Sherman Alexie invokes a hopeful story of what it means to fight despite the circumstances you are given in life. The humorous tone, quirky doodles and conversational journal style of the writing offer a truly up-close look at family, poverty, race, and growing up that is sure to move readers on many levels. Sad and funny all at once, this book gives a realistic depiction of adolescent struggles and hopes.

Reader’s Annotation: Arnold Spirit Jr. has spent his entire 14 years on the Spokane Indian reservation, and finally decides to attend the white high-school in hopes of having a better shot at his education. He loses his best friend Rowdy in the process, and the rest of the people on the reservation shun him.

Author Information: Gale’s Contemporary Authors Online states, “Alexie is recognized for his examination of the Native American experience in contemporary American society. His writing frequently employs themes of identity and the Other. He began his literary career writing poetry and short stories, and his first published collection, The Business of Fancydancing (1992), earned him a New York Times Book Review Notable Book of the Year award. His first novel, Reservation Blues (1994), garnered significant critical acclaim as well and earned Alexie a number of prizes, including the Before Columbus Foundation's American Book Award, a Granta Best of Young American Novelists citation, and a Murray Morgan Prize. Alexie collaborated with Colville Indian and musician Jim Boyd on the album Reservation Blues, which contains songs from the book. Expanding his repertoire to another medium, Alexie wrote his first screenplay, Smoke Signals (1998), based on the story "This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona," from the collection The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven (1993). The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won two awards. Alexie made his directorial debut by adapting for film a screenplay loosely based on the stories and poems in The Business of Fancydancing, which also won several awards. Alexie continues to work in letters and in film and is widely acknowledged as an important voice of the Native American perspective.”

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Subjects: Native Americans, coming-of-age, friendship, alcoholism, family, basketball

Curriculum Ties: social issues, stereotypes, racism

Booktalking Ideas: Introduce Junior’s character as the usual nerdy type who gets bullied. Then elaborate on the more complex intricacies of identity that come with living on an Indian reservation and longing to leave it.

Reading Level/Interest Age: 12+

Challenge Issues/Defense: Due to profanity, portrayals of poverty and alcoholism, as well as mention of sexual arousal and masturbation, this book may be challenged. If so, refer to:

1.     The San Francisco Public Library Collection Development Policy, Selection Criteria, and Teen Collection documents.

2.     The California Department of Education District Selection Policies, Reading Lists, and Resources for Recommended Literature: Pre-K-12.

3.     A hard copy of the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights.

4.     Mixed book reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Publisher’s Weekly.

5.     Book selection rationale.

6.     If necessary, The San Francisco Public Library’s Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Form.

Reason for Selection: Hearing this great story from the man who experienced a lot of what happened, is the only natural way to hear it. Sherman's voice adds depth and humor to Junior's narration.

Paper Towns

Bibliographic Information: Green, J. (2008). Paper towns. New York: Dutton. ISBN: 978-0-525-47818-8

Plot Summary: Quentin “Q” Jacobsen has been in love with the unattainable Margo Spiegelman since they were kids. Though they hardly speak in high school, they share an experience from when they were nine: they discovered a dead man in a park. Since then, Q has been intrigued and infatuated with the Margo he thinks he knows. One night, she shows up at his bedroom window, dressed in all black and wearing black face paint. She asks him to be her partner-in-crime for the evening, and Q barely puts up a fight. Together they adventure through Margo’s revenge plot set against her ex-boyfriend and former friends. After numerous breaking-and-entering encounters, including one into SeaWorld, the couple find themselves bonding closer than ever before. But a mysterious aura surrounds Margo that evening, and Q can’t put his finger on it.

            Then Margo mysteriously vanishes without a trace, and Q feels like she has left him a series of clues to her location. Piece by piece, Q gathers evidence in an intellectual, literary, and musical scavenger hunt that leads to a summer road trip with his best pals after high school graduation. In his pursuit of understanding and finding Margo, Q journeys on a quest of his own, one that transforms him and sets the stage for his adult life.

Critical Evaluation: This is a high school romance story and mystery novel all in one. But most importantly, it’s a coming-of-age story about a boy who is searching for meaning in a “paper town” full of “paper people”. The story is littered with tangible characters: Q’s trio of best friends has a quirky and fun dynamic that reveals the familiar process of getting to know others through shared experiences. Though many people become involved with the search for Margo, it is Q who spearheads the search, thanks to his infatuation with this unattainable girl. Rather than being a story of love-that-could-have-been, Paper Towns is more about accepting the love-that-never-was-going-to-be. Not a lot of YA novels cover this kind of story, where the pursuit of a fantasy results in a pursuit for self-identity. All of the qualities that Q sees in Margo are qualities he admires in her: courage, impulse, adventure, freedom, and truth. They are qualities that he doesn’t see in himself, until Margo’s disappearance triggers his desire to solve the mystery of her. The trail of clues is at once, far-fetched, but also revealing of Q’s intellect and desire for growth. His constant analyzing of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, symbolizes his internal search for truth.

            The ending of the book reveals the danger of facades and assumptions. Q finds out that he has been gravely mistaken about Margo from the get-go. His idea of her was just part of the mark she left on her old life before she ran away. Margo’s strong will displays to teens what it takes to really grow up, and that growing up is also a very personal and unique experience.

Reader’s Annotation: Quentin is in love with the adventurous, spunky, and spontaneous Margo, who, after a night of revenge and suspense, disappears. Faced with the challenge of finding Margo, and himself, Quentin is intent on discovering the truth.

Author Information: Wikipedia states, “Green grew up in Orlando, Florida, before attending Indian Springs School, a boarding and day school outside of Birmingham, Alabama. He graduated from Kenyon College in 2000 with a double major in English and Religious Studies.

After leaving college, Green spent five months working as a student chaplain in a children's hospital, and was enrolled at the University of Chicago Divinity School at the time, although he never actually attended. His experiences of working with children with life-threatening illnesses inspired him to later write The Fault in Our Stars.

Green lived for several years in Chicago, where he worked for the book review journal Booklist as a publishing assistant and production editor while writing Looking for Alaska. While there, he reviewed hundreds of books, particularly literary fiction and books about Islam orconjoined twins. He has also critiqued books for The New York Times Book Review and written for National Public Radio's All Things Considered and WBEZ, Chicago's public radio station. Green lived in New York City for two years while his wife attended graduate school.”

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Mystery

Subjects: love, growing up, missing persons, road trip, run aways

Curriculum Ties: N/A

Booktalking Ideas: Set up a scavenger hunt to find the book, and discuss the search for self.

Reading Level/Interest Age: 14+

Challenge Issues/Defense: N/A

Reason for Selection: John Green does an excellent job of getting into the mind young adult reasoning (when it comes to matters of the heart especially.) The characters were vivid and the mysterious plot is engaging.

Americus

Bibliographic Information: Reed, M.K. (2011). Americus. New York: First Second. ISBN: 978-1-59643-768-5

Plot Summary: When the latest installment of the widely popular fantasy book series, The Chronicles of Apathea Ravenchilde, is released, Neil and Danny can’t wait to get their hands on it at their small town Americus library. Danny gets it first, but when his conservative mother catches him reading it, she tears it up in front of the librarian and demands that such filth be removed from the library. Danny defends himself and decides to announce that he is gay, to which his enraged mother sends him to military school.

            Now faced with entering high school alone, Neil escapes through reading the Ravenchilde book, and gets a job as a library page. Though he’s a quiet boy who keeps to himself, he is the only one that the youth librarian, Charlotte, believes can help her defend the book series from the angry mob of conservative parents. Snippets from the story of Apathea are interwoven into Neil’s struggles with high school and censorship, and symbolize what he’s going through. As he makes connections with Apathea’s own struggles, Neil is able to help reveal the value of the book to young readers like him, and ultimately fights the good fight towards intellectual freedom.

Critical Evaluation: Overall, this story reaffirms the values of many avid readers, teachers, and librarians: everyone has the right to read what they want, and no one has the right to deny that a book be unavailable to somebody else. Unfortunately, to center a story on this kind of conflict, the author had to rely on one-dimensional stereotypes of conservative Christians, and even to some extent, the more liberal characters as well. The dichotomy of views is exaggerated, diminishing the depth of characters. However, I can’t say the author was completely focused on demonizing her antagonist: there are small and subtle clues to Danny’s mother’s frustrations. In one scene, she looks longingly at a family portrait and sighs. You can tell that her real anger is probably a product of her son being gay, which she has harnessed and used to fight something she might gain control over: a book a series. Not all of the right-wing characters are deemed as evil either; Danny’s father emits the strong silent type of resentment towards his wife, and Danny’s younger sister shows signs of open-mindedness.  

            One can’t help but admire the relationship Neil has with his own divorced mother, who is very smart, loving and accepting of anything Neil wants to read. The relationship between the librarian and Neil is great, too, showing that adults and teens can fight together for a greater good.

            The illustrations are very expressive and charged with passion in some scenes, and the cuts to the Ravenchilde book are fluid and effective in tying together the two narratives. While I feel adults may enjoy this book a bit more than teens, there is still an underlying coming-of-age story here, and Neil is a dynamic and interesting character to follow. I especially related to Neil’s discovery of punk rock music—an aspect many teens will love.

Reader’s Annotation: Neil, an avid reader, helps fight the conservatives in his small town who want to ban his favorite book series from the local library.

Author Information: Gale’s Contemporary Authors Online states, “M.K. Reed is a freelance writer, editor, and cartoonist, whose first graphic novel is Americus, illustrated by Jonathan Hill. "The book," explained Tim O'Shea on the Comic Book Resources Web site, "is about 'Neil Barton, a teenager growing up in Oklahoma, and his fight to keep his favorite fantasy series, The Chronicles of Apathea Ravenchilde, in his public library.'"

Critics praised Reed's accomplishment in Americus. "Not only does Reed have a knack for the teenage vernacular and an easygoing sense of humor, but more importantly, she gives an empowering message about freedom of speech, the importance of escapism and imagination," wrote Gavin Lees on the Graphic Eye Web site. "She practically grips them by the collar and says the words we could all have done with hearing at that age: You are not alone." "The heart of this tale is that stories have the power to illuminate lives," declared Barbara M. Moon in School Library Journal. "Reciprocally, stories are enriched by the reader's experiences."

Genre: Graphic Novel, Fiction

Subjects: censorship, libraries, reading, high school

Curriculum Ties: Bill of Rights, Intellectual freedom, censorship

Booktalking Ideas: Ask teens what their favorite books are. Tell them that the old book you are holding in your hands is their favorite book. Tear the book up in front of them. Open a discussion about censorship and describe how Americus, can help them explore this issue in a comical and upbeat way.

Reading Level/Interest Age: 12+

Challenge Issues/Defense: Due to strong negative stereotypes of Christians and conservatives, and discussions of censorship, this book may be challenged. If so, refer to:

1.     The San Francisco Public Library Collection Development Policy, Selection Criteria, and Teen Collection documents.

2.     The California Department of Education District Selection Policies, Reading Lists, and Resources for Recommended Literature: Pre-K-12.

3.     A hard copy of the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights.

4.     Mixed book reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Publisher’s Weekly.

5.     Book selection rationale.

6.     If necessary, The San Francisco Public Library’s Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Form.

Reason for Selection: As a librarian, this story of intellectual freedom hits close to home, and I think its important to teach teens about the topic early on. 

The Maze Runner

Bibliographic Information: Dashner, J. (2009). The maze runner. New York: Delacorte. ISBN: 978-0385737951

Plot Summary: Thomas wakes up on an elevator, in pitch darkness, ascending to an unknown place, memories wiped clean. All he knows is his first name. Disoriented and frightened, Thomas happens upon a diverse community of teenage boys who pull him out of the lift. He sees his new home, a large yard, bigger than several football fields and surrounded by concrete walls several hundred feet high. It’s called the Glade and its residents call themselves the Gladers—who are just as clueless about their purpose here as Thomas is. Every 30 days another boy appears in the lift. To sustain themselves in the enclosed environment, the Gladers grow crops, keep livestock, and organize labor tasks. There is only one goal: survival.

            When Thomas hears about some of the boys who have died, he learns about the dangers that lurk outside the Glade’s walls: an expansive shifting maze full of mechanical monsters called Grievers. For two years the boys have survived and tried to navigate the maze, but they are all growing weary. Trained maze runners enter the maze daily to map it out and search for any patterns or an exit. But one day—the day after Thomas shows up, a girl is delivered to them in the lift. She is unconscious, but Thomas feels a familiar connection to her, that will inevitably lead to their understanding of this hostile world.

Critical Evaluation: For yet another dystopian YA fiction series, The Maze Runner trilogy offers an action packed experience packed in a lengthy, but quick and easy read. The premise is interesting enough to keep readers holding on for answers, though the characters can become tiresome (Thomas keeps screaming out questions to boys who have no answers for him). Dashner’s writing relies heavily on rationing out explanations very slowly, pacing the action steadily in between, to keep readers immersed in the story. The minor characters are very well developed, each with their own accents and style of talking. The clever invention of a language used by the boys, particularly slang and made-up curse words, added depth to the world and lightened up their plight (I giggled every time they called each other “shuckface” or “slinthead”). Thomas is rather boring throughout the beginning of the book, since he is surrounded by so many more interesting characters, but his moment comes towards the end, when his courage and leadership skills surface. Reluctant readers will cling to the action and suspense of the engaging plot. Avid readers may be bored by the main characters.

Reader’s Annotation: Thomas wakes up with no memories and no idea why he arrives in this place called the Glade, surrounded by a shifting maze full of terrifying mechanical monsters.

Author Information: James Dashner’s official website, http://www.jamesdashner.com/about/, states, “James was born and raised in Georgia but now lives in the Rocky Mountains with his family. He has four kids, which some might think is too many but he thinks is just right. Once upon a time, James studied accounting and worked in the field of finance, but has been writing full time for several years. (He doesn’t miss numbers. At all.)

In his free time, James loves to read, watch movies and (good) TV shows, snow ski, and read. (Reading was mentioned twice on purpose.) Most of all, he’s thankful that he gets to make a living writing stories and considers himself pretty much the luckiest guy on the planet.”

Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, Action, Adventure

Subjects: maze, labyrinth, survival, friendship

Curriculum Ties: N/A

Booktalking Ideas: Game: maze, divide group into runners/monsters

Reading Level/Interest Age: 12+

Challenge Issues/Defense: Due to violence an mild language, this book may be challenged. If so, refer to:

1.     The San Francisco Public Library Collection Development Policy, Selection Criteria, and Teen Collection documents.

2.     The California Department of Education District Selection Policies, Reading Lists, and Resources for Recommended Literature: Pre-K-12.

3.     A hard copy of the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights.

4.     Mixed book reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Publisher’s Weekly.

5.     Book selection rationale.

6.     If necessary, The San Francisco Public Library’s Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Form.

Reason for Selection: With a film in the making, and this book still on many best seller lists, its popularity will only grow over the next few years. It offers a unique premise and a ton of action. It would work as a tool to get reluctant readers interested in reading.