Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist
This is an unforgettable and magical tale that will change the lives of all who come across it. The book's strength is its ability to charm a reader of any age. We follow a young Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago through Spain into the deserts of Egypt in search of worldly treasure. As readers, we are left stronger after completing this novel and confident to listen to our hearts and follow our dreams.

Pierce, Tamora. Alanna. 1983, Random House
Alanna of Trebond is not an ordinary girl. She is not into ribbons and bows like all the other girls her dream is to become a knight. So Alanna devises a plan to disguise herself as a boy and begin training in the palace. This book is the first of Alannaís many adventures to follow.

Marion Dane Bauer, ed. Am I Blue? Coming Out from the Silence. Harper Trophy, 1994.
An anthology of short stories that deal with themes such as coming out, living with homosexual parents, dealing with social stigma and prejudice, and identity. The anthology is entitled for the first story of the compilation, "Am I Blue?" by Bruce Coville, that explores a teen-age boy's questioning of his sexuality. After being spurned by a school bully, a genie appears to grant him three wishes; his final wish is that everyone who identifies themselves as bisexual, lesbian, or gay would turn a various shade of blue for one day so that everyone could see that homosexuality is all around them and nothing to be afraid of. All the stories included are original, written by a noted author for young adults, and deal with the subject of sexuality, identity, and love and loving.

Christie, Agatha. And Then There Were None. Berkeley Publishing Group, New York, 1939. (Also titled Ten Little Indians).
Ten strangers are invited to an isolated house on an abandoned island. But where—and who—are their hosts? And why are they there? Their only clue is a poem in each guest’s room. “Ten little Indian boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine…” and so on. Then the guests begin to share their darkest, most wicked secrets. And one by one, they begin dying—just like the poem predicts. Who’s behind it? And who—if any—survive? Or will the poem come true…until there are none?

Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson by Louise Rennison. Harper Collins, April 2001.
Georgia brings the reader into her chaotic life through her diary entries. Her life is never ordinary; the cast includes quirky parents, a bed-wetting three year-old sister, and an insane cat. Georgia and her hilariously shallow friends are obsessed with boys and kissing (a.k.a. snogging). Paying for kissing lessons and flirting with her crush (a.k.a. Sex God) are just a few incidents that provide for a good laugh. Georgia has included a glossary at the back of the book to help American readers understand the British slang used in the book.

Orwell, George. Animal Farm.
Orwell’s classic novel tells the story of a collection of eccentric farm animals who, tired with the neglect and abuse of their owner, revolt and take over the farm and recreate it as a collective farm. Although the plans of the farm animals are well-meaning, the nature of the participants soon leads to discord, injustice, and inequity. Written as a commentary on Stalinist Russia, Orwell uses farm animals to critique Communist rule. Animal Farmis perhaps best suited for multi-disciplinary or social studies classrooms, Orwell’s tale is interesting, humorous, and smartly written.

Montgomery, L.M. Anne of Green Gables. New York: Bantam Books, 1987
The high-spirited, independent, redhead young girl, Anne Shirley is an orphan passed from foster home to foster home until she comes to Prince Edward Island and the elderly brother and sister, Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. This is Anne who does dare to disturb the universe and eventually finds love and acceptance with the Cuthberts, but there are many funny stories in between. In one of my favorite scenes, Anne, playing “The Lady of Shallot” from Tennyson’s poem sinks the boat and almost drowns which really annoys her!

Kingsolver, Barbara. Another America. 1998, Seal Press
Kingsolver’s first and only collection of poetry. Some of her poetry is politically charged, addressing her liberal opinions on war and violence and immigrants, among other topics. Other poems are more personal, confronting a wide range of topics, from her love of nature to her experience with rape.

Marquis, Don. ArchyandMehitabel.[Poetry]
This collection of poetry is written from the perspective of a cockroach, Archy, who inhabits the office of a newspaper. Archy dutifully types poetry to the journalists during the night, and relates his experiences, and the experiences of his roommate, Mehitabel, the office cat. Archy is the reincarnation of a free-verse bard, and Mehitabel believes she is the reincarnation of Cleopatra. The entire text is a collection of their experiences, which might seem mundane, but remember, Archy has the mind of a poet and the perspective of a cockroach – it’s a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Gaines, Ernest J. The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. [Audio Book]
This text is the story of one woman, Jane Pittman, and her life that spanned from slavery to civil rights movement. Written as a series of interviews with Jane Pittman, her autobiography tells one woman’s story of slavery, discrimination, poverty, humility, and life in a segregated South. Ernest Gaines, better known for A Lesson Before Dying, is a brilliant writer, and he captures Jane Pittman’s character so completely it is easy to think that Jane Pittman was a real person. Although some material may be offensive to less-mature readers, the brilliant prose and humanity of Gaines’ language is more than enough to overcome anyone’s reservations.

Snicket, Lemony. The Bad Beginning. New York: Harper Collins, 1999
This is the first book in A Series of Unfortunate Events. It has the feeling of a Dickens novel—a big dirty, smelly city, tragic orphans, treacherous villains, and unfortunately, somewhat inept heroes. But unlike Dickens, there is no happy ending for the Baudelaire orphans. We are lead through plot twists that keep making the story more, well, unfortunate. And also unlike Dickens, when read aloud with the high melodramatic air to which it lends itself, it can be uproariously funny. Come follow the Baudelaire orphans and the nefarious Count Olaf.

Soto, Gary. Baseball in April. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich publishers; Orlando, Florida.
There are short stories, each of which show people showing hope and determination. “Broken Chain” was my favorite because it focused on a boy and what he wanted to be and how he actually was. In this short story Alfonso finds that he is good just the way he is and does not really need to change anything. These stories all have meaning and a lesson to be learned, to keep trying. It is mainly about people growing up being Latino and dealing with hardships.

Carroll, Jim. The Basketball Diaries. New York, New York: Penguin Books, 1987.
Jim Carroll writes about his life on the streets of New York City: the drugs, sex, stealing and basketball. Although he was only thirteen to fifteen years old while writing this book, Jim writes with wisdom beyond his years. This book gives a glimpse into the harsh reality of the modern teenager.

Before We Were Free By Julia Alvarez
This book follows Anita, a twelve-year-old girls growing up in the Dominican Republic in the 60ís under the dictatorship of Trujillo. In the beginning she is innocent to the fact that Trujillo is a ruthless ruler, and that they have no freedom. But she quickly catches on to the distressing situation of her homeland. She learns that Trujillo has the power to do as he pleases, and can even make people disappear. While many friends and family flee the country, Anita and her family stay. This is a great novel, and would give students a good look at what it is like to li! ve without all the rights we take for granted everyday. I would recommend this book for Middle School students. (If you want a book like this for high school students, I would recommend The Time of the Butterflies, also by Julia Alvarez).

Big Mouth, Ugly Girl By Joyce Carol Oates
This book follows two high school students, Matt Donaghy and Ursula Riggs. Matt and Ursula have gone to school together for years, but have barely ever spoken. They are brought together when Matt is accused of threatening to blow up his high school. The rest of the book revolves around this accusation. Matt and Ursula, who is a non-cowardly girl who distances herself from her classmates, form a strong friendship through this situation. This book wasn’t a hard read, and I feel as though it would be good for 8th or 9th graders.

Brashler, William. The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings. Champaign, Illinois: University of Illinois Press, 1993.
This novel is about a fictional African-American baseball barnstorming team in the 1930s. Racism is not at the forefront of the novel, but it is incorporated well in terms of how black baseball players were treated prior to the Civil Rights Movement. The book has a lot of accurate historical information even though it technically is a piece of fiction.

Anaya, Rudolfo. Bless Me, Ultima. New York: Warner Books, 1972.
Antonio lives on a llano (prairie/valley) in New Mexico with his parents and his brothers and sisters. His aunt, Ultima, comes to live with them: she is a curandera, or healer, and forms one part of the dichotomy that Antonio lives with: Catholicism, and the religion of his mother’s family, and Ultima’s connection to the earth and an older religion that listens to the earth, the animals, the plants and the air. Antonio must deal with death, conflicted emotions about different truths and different traditions, and must make a decision about his own calling in life. This is an extremely poignant coming-of-age story generally considered to be the first major Chicano work of literature that came to prominence in the United States.

Cooper, Susan. The Boggart. New York, NY; Aladdin Paperbacks, 1993.
After visiting the castle in Scotland which her family inherited and returning home to Canada, twelve year old Emily and her younger brother, Jessup, discover that they have accidentally brought back with them a beggary, an ancient invisible and mischievous spirit with a fondness for practical jokes. When Emily and Jessup begin to be blamed for the Boggart’s mischief, it is up to them to convince their parents of the Boggarts existence and get him safely back to Scotland.

Clifton, Lucille. The Book of Light.1993. Copper Canyon Press.
Clifton’s poems are inspirational and harsh at the same time, and give a full portrayal of the realities of life. Her work is infused with strength and thoughtfulness as she strives to give an accurate picture of the human condition.

Warner, Gertrude Chandler. The Boxcar Children. New York: Scholastic Press, 1942. (BOOKS FOR RELUCTANT READERS)
-In a classic story of four orphans who are forced to make it on their own, readers are easily able to understand and enjoy this book. Fighting many odds, the four children work together to survive and learn how important they each are to one another.

Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn. HarperCollins, May 2001.
This book handles the subject of violence in teenage relationships. After Nick slaps his girlfriend Caitlin, he is slapped with a restraining order and sentenced to attend family violence counseling. Nick doesn’t believe that he deserves this punishment over an innocent slap. The judge orders Nick to keep a journal where he replays his relationship with Caitlin. Through the journal and physical encounters with his father, Nick begins to realize the severity of his crime.

Paterson, Catherine. Bridge to Terabithia. New York: HarperCollins, 1977.
-The rural life of a ten-year old boy named Jesse is turned around by a new neighbor, Leslie, when she moves next door. She teaches him about literature, love, and standing up for himself - but most of all, she allows him to let go of reality and believe in a mystical world where he is king. Jesse and Leslie grow together to form a great friendship he will never forget.

Howe, Deborah & Howe, James. Bunnicula.[Series]
Family dog and cat Harold andChester lead the perfect lives. They live with a loving, educated family who love their pets. Harold and Chester are dismayed when their doting family returns one night from the movies with a new pet rabbit – Bunnicula, named because it was found at the movie “Dracula”. When vegetables sucked dry begin appearing in the house, Chester becomes suspicious of their new friend. Chester, with Harold in tow, is determined to rid the house of their Transylvanian friend. Chester tries every trick in the book on Bunnicula in one zany scheme after another. Note: This book is written for a younger audience and contains some fantastic illustrations of humorous scenes.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye
This novel exposes us to the journey of Holden Caulfield as he travels from innocence to experience. He leaves his stifling prep school for New York City. After numerous disasters though, our main character is forced to move back home. It is there, through his younger sister Phoebe, that he is able to accept living in an imperfect world.

Cushman, Karen. Catherine, Called Birdy. Harper Trophy Publishing, New York, 1994.
Corpus Bones! Catherine utterly loathes her life! To prepare her for becoming a lady of the manor, Catherine’s mother FORCES her to keep a diary, and so in the year of 1290, Catherine records her struggles: her pig of a father is determined to marry her off to the richest suitor available while her brother ruins all the fun she could be having in the mud hole or hanging out with gypsies. But when the oldest, ugliest, dumbest (and wealthiest) suitor comes to call, will her greedy father get his way? God’s thumbs! Not if Catherine has anything to do with it!

Wright, Laura. Charming the Prince. Silhouette Books, New York, 2003.
It started off as strictly business when Francesca Charming arrived in Llandaron. An American veterinarian, she visits the royal home on this island country to help in the delivery of the royal puppies. Immediately, she falls for handsome Prince Maxim who has something that her fiance back home just doesn’t have. Max falls just as hard, but he cannot marry a commoner. Will the romance endure these obstacles, or will it just be a brief affair?

Cormier, Robert. The Chocolate War. New York, NY: Dell Laurel-Leaf, 1974.
Trinity School, a Catholic boys' boarding school, is ruled by a secret and cruel society called the Vigils, which is headed by a bully named Archie Costello. When the school holds it's annual fund-raiser selling chocolates, new student Jerry Renault is ordered by the Vigils to not participate. This action incurs the wrath of Brother Leon, the school's acting headmaster. Later, when the Vigils order Jerry to take part in the sale, he still refuses to do so. Will Jerry's independent spirit put him in danger?

Cormier, Robert. The Chocolate War. New York: Random House, 2000.
Jerry Renault is a freshman at Trinity High, an all-boys’ prep school taught a religious order of Brothers. The cruelty of Brother Leon reminds me of the beginning of James Joyce’s novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Jerry’s mother has died and he sees his father drying up into a colorless, empty shell. The question he asks himself is from the poster in his locker: “Do I dare disturb the universe?” At the school there is a lot of pressure to support the school in the annual chocolate sale drive. He is pressured by Brother Leon to sell and by the secret school society, the Vigils, (the unwritten law and power of the school) not to sell. Jerry manages to defy both and to disturb the universe. What are the consequences?

Shan, Darren. Cirque Du Freak. London: Harper Collins, 2001
Cirque du Freak has an exotic population which you would expect in a horror novel. There is a snake boy, a highly poisonous tarantula, a contortionist, a bearded lady, a werewolf and (my favorite and why I bought this book) a vampire. Two boys, Darren and Steve, sneak out one night to go and see cirque du freak. One becomes a vampire and one a fearless vampire killer. But are the vampires really evil or are the killers?

Gunn, Robin Jones. Clouds. 1999, Multnomah Publishers (ROMANCE)
When Shelly decides to take a trip to Germany, she runs into the former boyfriend who continues to occupy her thoughts. Learning that Jonathan is engaged, Shelly hides her feelings for him. When Shelly moves home to Glenbrooke, she is flooded with memories of Jonathan, her high school sweetheart. She is forced to face these feelings, especially after her path crosses Jonathan's yet again.

Cut by Patricia McCormick. Front Street Press, October 2000.
Welcome to Sea Pines, a psychiatric hospital, where Callie has been admitted for cutting herself. Callie remains silent, refusing to participate in therapy or face the fact that she has a problem. As Callie opens up, beginning to speak to her therapist and the other girls in her group, she comes to realizations about herself, the other “guests” and her slightly dysfunctional family. Cut discusses many of the psychiatric disorders plaguing this group of teenage girls from eating disorders to suicide. Callie has many obstacles to overcome on her way out of Sea Pines.

Wrede, Patricia C. Dealing With Dragons. 1990. Orlando, Florida: First Magic Carpet Books, 2002.
Cimorene is a princess who is bored with acting proper and learning embroidery. She runs away to become the dragon Kazul’s princess and her life becomes anything but ordinary. A clever twist on traditional fairy tales, each chapter is packed with new adventures and interesting characters.

Heaney, Seamus. Death of a Naturalist.
This is a small volume of poems that are not primarily intended for young adult readers; however, Heaney is a skilled craftsman, so the poems are worth the extra effort. Heaney describes family, life, coming of age, death, and God with these poems that illustrate primarily through people’s interactions with nature and the world’s way of dealing with humans. The poems have themes like potato digging, berry picking and the churning of cream into butter. However, they often speak to a much larger issue or phenomenon; one example is the recurrence of the potato digging metaphor; in one poem, called “At a Pota! to Digging,” Heaney describes the physical act of digging through dirt to retrieve pale potatoes and likens them to the white corpses of people starved to death in the Irish Potato Famine.

AUDIO. Hamilton, Jane. Disobedience. 2001. Anchor.
Seventeen-year-old Henry Shaw mistakenly discovers his mother is having an affair when he helps her with her email. The story details his struggle within himself as he continues to snoop through her email, and chronicles the Shawís family life as each member works to define himself or herself as an individual against the values the world has imposed on them.

Cooney,Caroline. The Face On the Milk Carton. Bantam Doubleday Dell publishing group, New York,1990.
This is a story about a teenage girl who after seeing her face on the back of a milk carton where missing people are placed, tries to find out her real life. She goes through many nightmares about who her real parents are and who she actually is.

The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney (Audio Book)
Janie Jones sees her own face on the back of a milk carton. The little girl on the milk carton stirs Janie to question everything. Her happy home seems to be collapsing as she considers who she could be and if her parents kidnapped her. Janie becomes obsessed with the milk carton, but is not willing to admit to her parents or to herself that she may belong to another family. She debates whether to contact the number on the milk carton. She doesn’t want to be removed from her parents, and knows that they may be guilty of kidnapping which means they would go to jail. This internal struggle is intriguing and keeps the listener interested as Janie weighs her options.

Wakatsuki Houston, Jeanne and James D. Houston. Farewell to Manazanar. New York: Dell Laurel-Leaf, 1973.
Jeanne was a young girl whose family was forced to leave their home and join thousands of other Japanese Americans at Manzanar internment camp. Inside the internment camp, the Japanese Americans tried to reconstruct their lives by attending school, growing gardens, and even having baton twirling lessons. This is a touching story about a young girl who struggles with how to be both Japanese and American at the same time while being true to herself.

Feeling Sorry for Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty. St. Martin’s Press, March 2001.
Elizabeth Clarry, an Australian private school student, suffers from the typical teenage problems in this epistolary novel. Elizabeth’s quirky best friend, Celia, who frequently comes up missing runs off to join the circus, leaving her to brave school alone. The reader becomes part of Elizabeth’s life through correspondence with a pen pal from a neighboring school, quick notes from her working mother, and postcards from the missing Celia. Her previously absentee father moves back to Australia from Canada and wants to spend quality time with Elizabeth. From family problems, new friendships, first love and learning to let go, this book provides a poignant look at the life of a teenager and the problems she must cope with.

Chin, Michael. Free Throw. PublishAmerica Inc., 2001.
Mike Weaver has always had a thing for Alicia Harris—until Alicia’s cousin Pepper moves to town. It's then that the high school junior learns what love is really all about. Life is good for Mike, who's a starter on the school’s varsity basketball team. And this year, the team is headed for the championships. Then, Pepper surprises Mike with the news that she’s moving. Suddenly, the big game isn’t so important anymore.

Anonymous. Go Ask Alice. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1971.
A heartbreaking true diary of an upper middle-class girl living in the picturesque American family of the 1970's who becomes entangled in the world of drugs and the destruction that such world leads to. Her experimentation with drugs starts innocently enough at a party, but soon she is addicted and each of her painful thoughts and terrible events is detailed in her diary. Brutal in its realism and honesty, this books packs just as big of a punch and significance today as it did thirty years ago.

Anonymous. Go Ask Alice. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1971.
This is a girl's life story as she moves through different periods of her life trying to find out who she really is. drugs become the focus of this girls life after she goes to a party and tries her first drug. Moving from place to place trying to find out who she is consumes most of her childhood until she finally realizes that the life she was living is not what she wants. Therapy and ignoring friends is what she had to go through to stay straight. This girl is just one of the many who lives her whole life with the addiction of drugs.

Roth, Philip. Goodbye, Columbus. Vintage Books, New York, 1959.
Neil is a young man from Newark who meets and falls for a rich, suburban girl Brenda one summer. Neil is overwhelmed with Brenda’s family’s wealth which Brenda shrugs off nonchalantly. Although he is constantly nagged at the fact that he does not meet her family’s standards and is snubbed as a summer fling, Neil’s love for Brenda is too strong to let social class break it up. For awhile. Brenda is soon faced with the responsibility for choosing where her values and loyalties lie. Goodbye, Columbus approaches the issue of social class and its role on relationships in a sobering and real way.

Power, Susan. The Grass Dancer. Grand Haven, MI, Brilliance Corporation, 1994.
This is a Nova Audio book read by the author. Susan Power is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. I had read the book itself first, or else, I might have had difficulty following this story because in the audio the story is abridged. It is a story of how the past is present in the ensuing generations. It is the story of the death of the woman, Red Dress, who is killed in the 1860s and is loved by Ghost Horse, who mourns her. That is one level of the narrative and the story of their descendents is the other narrative. I would recommend reading the book and possibly using parts of the audio book in class. It is read by the author.

Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. AUDIO
The book begins in the unbearable home of the Durselys where young Harry is stuck with his horrible aunt, uncle and cousin. Everything changes though when Harry receives a litter that invites him to a school of witchcraft. Everything that before had only confused him suddenly makes sense when he realizes his place in the world. This tale is imaginative, unforgettable, and unique, a must for reluctant young readers.

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Hobbit. New York: Ballantine Books, 1937.
Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit, and as a hobbit, he opts to spend his time leisurely in the Shire rather than go on any adventures. When Gandalf the wizard raps on Bilbo’s hobbit hole door one day, though, things suddenly change—whether he likes it or not. Bilbo joins of a group of dwarves and Gandalf on a journey to the mountains to recover old dwarf treasures from a dragon named Smaug. Much to Bilbo’s dismay, the group often has dangerous encounters with flesh-hungry trolls, devilish goblins and more, leaving him wondering why he didn’t just remain safe at home in his hobbit hole.

Carey, Michael. Honest Effort. 1991. Mid-Prairie Books.
Careyís collection of poems detail the struggle and joy of living with and off of the land. He portrays critical rural issues with accuracy and depth, and is not afraid to tell the truth about the hardness, and sometimes cruelty, life on the farm has to offer. Carey is an Iowa poet who writes about the things he knows best.

Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. 1984. Vintage Contemporaries
Esperanza Cordero tells the story of her life in a tough neighborhood through a series of vignettes. Her stories of friendship and fear detail the harsh realities of crime, rape and hardship that are a part of her everyday existence. Esperanzaís stories are told through her own eyes and in her own voice as she prepares herself to become the woman she longs to be and leave the world in which she has grown up.

Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. Vintage Publishing, 1984.
In a both humorous and poignant coming-of-age story told through vignettes, we are introduced to Esperanza Cordero who lives in a harsh Latino section of Chicago. Esperanza struggles to reconcile her realities of Mango Street and two very different cultures with her desire of finding something greater the world has to offer. Through it all, Esperanza promises herself that she will one day have a real house—not the run-down one on Mango Street, but a real home.

Hornby, Nick. How to Be Good. 2001, Riverhead Books
Katie Carr is a doctor whose marriage is falling apart. Her husband David, writes a column named “The Angriest Man in Holloway,” and does everything he can to live up to this title. However, David undergoes a drastic spiritual conversion, becoming everything Katie always said she wanted from her husband. This forces Katie to reconsider everything she has ever wanted in marriage.

Woodson, Jacqueline. If You Come Softly
This book is a beautiful story about first love. The only catch though, is that the two main characters, Jeremiah and Ellie, come from two very different worlds. Not only are their neighborhoods entirely opposite, so is the color of their skin. This puts an interesting spin on a rather typical subject. What is most shocking though, is what prevents them from ever getting to experience young love.

Bryson, Bill. In A Sunburned Country. 2000, Random House Audio books
Chronicling Bryson’s experiences in Australia, this book is both entertaining and informative. Bryson goes into detail about the history of Australia, along with the multitudes of species that are dangerous, explaining that Australia has more life-threatening creatures than any other continent.

Crutcher, Chris. Ironman. 1995, Recorded Books, LLC AUDIO BOOK
Bo Brewster is a high school athlete with the inner drive and determination to compete in an upcoming triathlon. But many of the adults in his life understand little about his ambition and even take steps to see that Bo does not succeed. Despite a series of confrontations with his father and football coach, Bo is able to find strength from the most unlikely crowd his new friends in Mr. Nakís Anger Management Group at school.

Paterson, Katherine. Jacob Have I Loved. HarperTrophy Publishing, NY, 1980.
Sara Louise Bradshaw has always felt overshadowed by her beautiful, talented twin sister Caroline. Caroline has always received the attention of their parents and neighbors on their small island of Rass, off the coast of Maryland. Set in WWII, this novel chronicles the challenges and frustrations of feeling overlooked and growing up a girl on an island that values and rewards boys. It continues through Louise’s final conquer of her childhood frustrations.

George, Jean Craighead. Julie of the Wolves. New York: Harper Collins, 1974
This is a coming-of-age story in many ways. It is a survival story of a young girl lost in the Alaskan tundra. Unlike some boy survival stories, Miyax does not conquer nature to survive, but observes and becomes a member of a wolf pack. What, you thought this was Julie. Well, that is another struggle in this book, one of identity. Is she Miyax, a traditional Inuit girl or the more modern Julie?

Beagle, Peter S. The Last Unicorn. New York: ROC Books, 1991.
This is a book that I can honestly say has changed me; I don’t see the world in the same way anymore. This is the story of the last unicorn, as she understands it. There are moments of unbearable, indescribable beauty in this book; the unicorn, Schmendrick the magician, and Molly Grue find each other and venture together to the castle of King Haggard and the kingdom of Hagsgate, to discover if there really is only one unicorn left in all the world. There they encounter Price Lir and the reason why all the unicorns seem to have vanished. What makes this book so ! indescribable is the writing and its ability to get under your skin, allow you to feel it, and make you believe in unicorns again. When you read it, you’ll understand what I’m trying to tell you.

Silverstein, Shel. A Light in the Attic. New York: Harper & Row, 1981. (POETRY)
- This collection of incredibly creative and witty poems will never become outdated. From a variety of characters in a variety of situations, ranging from God's Wheel to Backward Bill to Picture Puzzle Piece, A Light in the Attic has the staying power and ability to keep an audience on its toes for an entire reading at a time.

Esquivel, Laura. Like Water for Chocolate. 1992. Doubleday.
Like Water for Chocolate is a Mexican tale told in monthly installments that incorporates recipes, food, family, love and sex. Tita pines for her true love, who ends up living under her own roof. She is forced to follow her dictator-mother’s command. Tita is not marry, but take care of her mother as she grows old. Eventually, Tita overcomes her situation and love triumphs.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S Lewis
This book follows four brothers and sisters, who go to stay in the country with an old professor during WWII. The children, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy are quite bored at the house until Lucy discovers the unusual wardrobe. She finds that it leads to the world of Narnia. Narnia turns out to be a world of witches, elves, and magic, where time stands still. At first the other children don’t believe Lucy, but eventually they all enter Narnia. Narnia is a cold world where it is always winter, but never Christmas, because it is ruled by the evil witch. This book tells of beginning of the children’s adventures in this world. This is a great book to teach to just about any age. Elementary school kids can enjoy it as a fairy tale, and older kids can absorb the strong symbolism.

Rapp, Adam. Little Chicago. Asheville, North Carolina: Front Street, 2002.
-This recently published novel focuses on the harsh world of Blacky Brown, a young boy who has dealt with many more problems than adults in his short life thus far. Primarily dealing with the reality of abuse and neglect that many children suffer from recently, Little Chicago proves that you can get by no matter what the circumstances.

Janeczko, Paul B. Looking for Your Name: A Collection of Contemporary Poems. NY: Orchard Books, 1993.
This book was comprised of 132 poems, all dealing with contemporary issues such as war, sexuality, and death. About one-third of the book was devoted to patriotic poems and another third dealt with family issues.

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. The Berkley Publishing Group, New York, 1954.
On a deserted island where only pigs and the fears of the imagination run wild, a group of boys are stranded and learning how to survive. The elected leader, Ralph, established rules, concentrating on being discovered by a passing ship. As time goes on, the boys slowly turn on him and their survival instincts and natural desire for power take over. This is a powerful portrayal of basic human nature and the uncivilized struggle for power.

Creech, Sharon. Love That Dog. Harper Trophy Publishing, 2001.
A novel told through, Love That Dog gives us the story of a young boy learning to write—and love—poetry. When Miss Stretchberry assigns each student to write a poem, Jack is horrified because “Boys don’t write poetry, Girls do.” But when Miss Stretchberry introduces a poem by Walter Dean Myers called “Love That Boy,” that is all it takes to jumpstart Jack’s creativity and we are able to see Jack’s progress from poem to poem.

Sebold, Alice. The Lovely Bones
A devastating story of a young girl, Susie Salmon, who is brutally raped and murdered. The audience is given the incredible perspective of Susie observing her family from heaven after the murder. We learn the power death has on a family and the influence this unfortuante murder has on the relationships between the people she loves. The story leaves the reader with a shockingly real idea of how to live your life to the fullest as we read about a young girl who is robbed of the most simple and beautiful things in life.

Spinelli, Jerry. Maniac Magee. 1990, Little Brown and Company
Jeffery’s parents died when he was eight. He was then sent to live with his awful aunt and uncle who hate each other but refuse to divorce. In a fit of outrage Jeffery screams at them from the middle of a school concert, “Talk to each other!” and then runs away. Jeffery runs all the way to the town of Two Mills, a town racially divided into Black and White. There he becomes Maniac Magee and his legend is a part of the town to this day.

Wood, Nancy. Many Winters: Prose and Poetry of thePueblos.
Edited by Nancy Wood, this is a collection of poetry from the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico. Like traditional Native American legends and religion, many of the poems deal with the subjects of nature and the human experience. The poems are beautifully written, but the prose and language is simple enough to be accessible to students junior high age or above. This is a great choice for teachers looking to expand the diversity of poetry in the classroom.

Harjo, Joyh. A Map to the Next World
Joy Harjo, one of the most talented masterminds of poetry, takes us on a journey of human heartache, despair, eternal happiness and loss through her powerful and gripping poetry. Her perspective is unique because it is that of a young woman and of a Native American. Her story is one that will live in the hearts of it's readers.

Sedaris, David. Me Talk Pretty One Day. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2000.
Sedaris describes numerous stories of his life, from childhood to adulthood, in this collection of hilarious short stories. He talks about the multiple jobs he held, from a drug-addicted artist to a college-level writing workshop teacher who uses soap operas for his lessons. Sedaris also touches a little bit upon his family, including his nutty brother Paul who calls himself “Rooster” when he’s feeling threatened. The second part of the book focuses on his trip to France with his boyfriend, Hugh, his attempt to learn French, and several of his most outrageous experiences.

Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice
I believe that although this piece falls under the controversial group of canonical literature written many years ago, it is still an excellent commentary on the nature of racial and religious interactions. This comic masterpiece confronts the best and worst of human qualities....tolerance and bigotry, charity and greed, in a very heated argument between Shylock and Antonio.

Cushman, Karen. The Midwife's Apprentice. Clarion Books, New York, 1995.
This is about a girl who is fond on the street by a midwife, who eventually takes her in to be her apprentice. In the book, Alyce (the apprentice), is mocked and teased for being dumb and dirty. She grows into be a great apprentice and runs away on her own. Throughout the book she learns many new things about life and how to be a midwife.

Cushman, Karen. The Mid-wife’s Apprentice. HarperTrophy Publishing, NY. Recorded by Record Books and narrated by Jenny Streid. 1995.
In Medieval England, our heroine Alyce does not know who she is or how old she is or even where she came from. Poor and nameless, Alyce shows up on the doorstep one morning of the sharp mid-wife Jane hoping for work that day in return for a bit of food. Alyce finds work that day and for many more as she learns the trades of being a midwife’s apprentice. However, when Alyce meets with failure, she is forced to look her fate straight in the face and make a decision of her own accord.

My Life as A Girl. Elizabeth Mosier. Random House, 1999.
Jamie has just finished her first semester at Bryn Mawr, a college for women on the East Coast. Her classmates know she is from Phoenix but they have no idea about the life she left in the desert. That is until a reminder from the previous summer comes in the form of a former love, Buddy. Jamie is then forced to recount her past and choices she made, both good and bad.

My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok
This book follows Asher Lev, an observant Hasid Jew who has an amazing gift for drawing. His family, especially his father, do not care for this gift, which they feel, is evil, and does not mix with what they believe in. Throughout the book Asher struggles with his mother’s illness, his father’s long absences, and the reaction his gift receives from his community. I would recommend this book for high school juniors or seniors due to its depth and length (400 pages). This is a really good book that you could read again and again.

George, Jean Craighead. My Side of the Mountain.
Unsatisfied with life in New York City, Sam Gribley runs away from home to the Catskill Mountains. With only a knife and a ball of string Sam must learn to survive, which is much more difficult and perilous than Sam imagined. Sam must elude the perils of cold, hunters, and loneliness if he is to be successful. Written as a journal of Sam’s experiences, My Side of the Mountainis strikingly similar to Hatchet, but different and informative enough to make it strikingly different as well. It’s a great read (with illustrations of many of Sam’s tricks included) that will likely appeal to discriminating male readers.

Sedaris, David. Naked. 1997, Back Bay Books
This memoir of the life of David Sedaris examines the odd occurrences of his life. While all being hilarious, their topics range in seriousness, going from his father’s obsession with golf to coming to grips with the fact that he was a homosexual.

Keene, Carolyn. Nancy Drew: The Haunted Carousel. Minstrel Books, 1994.
For once, Nancy thinks she’s taking on a mystery that will be pure entertainment; unlike all of her other mysteries, helping people has nothing to do with it. A reporter challenges her to figure out why a carousel at a local amusement park runs in the middle of the night on its own. The assignment is a fun one for Nancy in the beginning—until it starts involving big-time criminals and life-threatening dangers.

Wright, Richard. Native Son
A very compelling story about an African American man, Bigger Thomas that is trapped by poverty and racism. In a moment of panic, he murders a young Caucasian woman. This novel illustrates the painful truth about social and class relations in the United States. This story leaves the audience with a harsh understanding of the true repercussions of racism, segregation and oppression on an individual psyche.

Johnston, Tim. Never So Green. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2002.
Tex Donleavy, a serious bookworm who usually keeps his deformed right hand out of sight, is in for the summer of his life. He is looking forward to spending time with his dad’s beautiful girlfriend, Linda Volesky, but instead winds up at his mother’s house with her new husband, Farley Dickerson, and his kids. Things look up when Tex winds up as the star pitcher on Farley’s Little League baseball team. But, this book is more about serious family issues, friendship, and tough choices as Tex uncovers a terrible secret and faces tough decisions.

Johnston, Tim. Never So Green. 2002, Farrar Straus Giroux
Tex Donleavy is a 6th grader born with a deformed right hand. He had always been a bookworm, but while spending time with his mother and step-father Farley Dickerson, he also develops a love for baseball. Tex develops a friendship with Farley’s child named Jack (a female) and along the way discovers that Farley sexually abuses Jack.

Orwell, George. 1984. New York: Plume/Harcourt Brace and Company, 1949.
Winston Smith is trapped in a world he hates, where language is destroyed, history is forgotten, and living conditions are poor—though the ruling Party says otherwise. Smith, however, conforms to the ways of Oceania to avoid being vaporized. He is careful not to display any hidden emotions on his face, and he makes sure to take part in community activities every so often, as Party members are expected to do. But Winston's strength fades more every day, and he begins having a tougher time staying loyal—or at least pretending to.

Friedman, Carl. nightfather. New York: Persea Books, 1991.
Taking place after World War II, this novel explores the difficulty of being in a Nazi concentration camp, surviving, and moving on in life. Unlike so many survivors who were silent, this is an account from the children of a survivor who is not. Any ordinary daily activity brings a horrible story out of their father, helping his children to never forget the atrocities committed to him and millions of others, yet not letting them grow up like most young kids at the same time.

Jacques Semelin. Nonviolence Explained to My Children. Marlowe & Company, 2000.
Semelin addresses questions raised by his two daughters, such as "How do I deal with bullies at school? What if someone attacks me? If you get angry at someone, is that violence?" He breaks down "nonviolence" in concrete terms, explaining that nonviolence is a way of behaving in conflict situations in a way that respects the other person, in addition to acting against violence and using intelligent means. He touches on the U.S. civil rights movement, Solidarity in Poland and at Tiananmen Square in China, and the lives of Martin Luther King, Jr., Mohandas Gandhi, and others.

Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars. Yearling Books Dell Publishing, New York, 1989.
It’s 1943 in the middle of WWII. Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen tries to carry on a normal life despite this in Nazi-occupied Copenhagen, Denmark. But when the Jews begin to be “relocated” by the Nazis, Annemarie must face the war to save the life of her Jewish best friend Ellen Rosen and her family. Will Annemarie be able to complete the dangerous mission or will she get caught and up with a worse fate … like her sister Lise?

Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars.
Set in Copenhagen in 1943, Lowry’s book tells the story of two ten-year-old girls, Annemarie Johansen and Ellen Rosen. As the Nazi’s campaign against the Jews progresses, Ellen’s family is threatened with relocation or death. Faced with this bleak future, Annemarie risks her own life to in an attempt to smuggle her best friend’s family out of Denmark.

Rennison, Louise. On The Bright Side, I'm Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God. NY, NY: HarperCollins, 2001.
Preceded by Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging, this book is the diary of a high school girl in England. She is quite excited that she is “dating” who she considers the Sex God because of his handsomely good looks, but she then finds out disastrous news: her family is moving to New Zealand. The main character has a good sense of humor and the reader can easily see things through the narrator’s eyes.

Rennison, Louise. On the Bright Side, I’m Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God: Further Confessions of Georgia Nicolson. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2001.
Georgia is in love with Robbie, a Sex God who recently split with the loathsome Lindsay. And despite her huge ugly nose, Georgia even made it up to level six of the “snog” (kissing) scale with the nearing 18-year-old dreamboat. But now, he’s telling her she’s too young for him. With the help of her friends, she’s devised a plan to win him back.

Fox, Paula. One-Eyed Cat.
Set in Depression era New York, Paula Fox’s novel is about a young boy, Ned, and one fateful decision that haunted him. For his birthday Ned receives a rifle from his Uncle. Ned’s father, a pastor, is troubled by the gift and takes Ned’s rifle away. Against his father’s wishes Ned takes the rifle with him late at night and shoots a glowing pair of eyes. Soon a one-eyed cat begins patrolling the neighbor’s house, and Ned is wracked with guilt, wondering if he was the cause of the harm to the cat. As Ned befriends the cat he must deal with his own guilt, and reconcile his relationships with those around him.

One Fat Summer by Robert Lipsyte. Harper & Row, 1977.
Bobby Marks is an overweight teenager. He has become accustomed to the hurtful comments that are directed at him; kids pick on him and call him names. He hates summer because it is the only time of year that it is impossible for him to hide is overweight body. Bobby takes on a summer job mowing a large yard to avoid being sent to camp. The job is grueling and his employer degrades Bobby about his shoddy work. Through the job and the encouragement of his best friend, Bobby loses weight and finds the courage to stand up for himself.

Pockell, Leslie. The 100 Best Poems of All Time. New York, New York: Warner Books, Inc., 2001.
Leslie Pockell has chosen a wide variety of popular and influential poems. Each poem has a brief description of the author and the time it was written. There is a large variety of topics and literary styles, including some well known poems such as “The Raven.”

Rexroth, Kenneth. One Hundred Poems From the Chinese.
Rexroth, a distinguished poet himself, has gathered together 100 great poems from centuries of Chinese poetry. All the poems are written free-verse, which is notable because Whitman’s Leaves of Grass is often credited with inventing free verse poetry; the Chinese achieved the feat centuries before him. Much like the poems from the Pueblos, these Chinese poems are beautifully written, yet accessible to even young students. If you enjoy this collection check out the second volume, One Hundred More Poems From the Chinese.

Guest, Judith. Ordinary People. New York: Ballantine Books, 1976. (AUDIO)
-This novel allows readers to follow the Jarretts, a seemingly perfect, wealthy, happy family - until a tragic event occurs that changes them forever. Focused on main character Conrad, Ordinary People catches readers in its heavy reliance on his thoughts and honest reactions to his family, who are no longer ordinary.

Hesse, Karen. Out of the Dust. [Audiobook]
This is the immensely touching story of Billie Jo, a fourteen year-old girl growing up in the dust bowl storms of Oklahoma during the Great Depression. Her piano playing serves as a respite from the necessities of everyday life, including eating meals with dust in her mouth and facing the daily hardship of nature and a government indifferent to the plights of her and her neighbors. She and her mother are then badly burned in a kerosene fire, and her mother dies in childbirth. Billie Jo’s hands are also badly burned, and for a time she is forced to live alone with and support her distant and depressed fath! er without the joys of playing her mother’s piano. The language in Hesse’s prose poetry is incredibly vivid and descriptive, and is certainly worth listening to/reading for the history insight and the narrative power.

Hinton, S.E. The Outsiders. New York: The Viking Press, 1967.
Written by a seventeen year-old Susan E. Hinton, The Outsiders deals with the life of “Ponyboy,” a fourteen year old member of a New York gang of working class adolescent boys and young men who go by the name of the “Greasers.” They are the enemies of the middle class “Socs” (pronounced like the first syllable of “socialites”). The characters in this book are all very distinct and very real: I especially liked the tension between the natures of Two Bit and Dally, and the incredible descriptions and lines of Johnny. There is a lot of exploration of class conflict and tension in this book, and it affects all the relationships in the novel from the situation of Ponyboy’s orphaned family of brothers, Darry and Soda, to the invisible barrier between the greasers and the socs. This is mostly a novel about the perils of growing up too fast by being exposed to the streets and to hostilities of gang relations that include bullying, social prejudice, violent fighting and murder. The narrator, Ponyboy, used a voice that reminded me a lot of Holden Caufield from Catcher in the Rye, and this book could easily be ! taught along with many other books with similar themes, including West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet. A very convincing book with tragic undertones.

Landvik, Lorna. Patty Jane’s House of Curl. New York: Ballantine Books, 1995.
This is the story of Patty Jane and Harriet Dobbin, two sisters who grow up and live in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the 1950s. Things get interesting quickly after Patty Jane marries the handsome Thor Rolvaag, who disappears just before the birth of their daughter nine months into their marriage. Funny, sad, poignant—this book is about Patty Jane and the women around her who struggle to get through life. Think of Steel Magnolias set in the upper Midwest.

Coulter, Catherine. The Penwyth Curse. New York: Penguin Putnam, 2003
This is a romance selection. It is not only a love story, but also a fantasy set in medieval England in 1274. At least, that is one time frame of the narrative, the other time is ancient Briton .There are two sets of star-crossed lovers who seem to be having flashbacks connecting them with each other; as if, they are the same people indifferent times. There is, of course, a powerful curse to unravel. And there is magic, wizards, and druids involved in reconciling these lovers across time.

Chbosky, Stephen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Pocket Books, New York, 1999.
Charlie tells his story in a series of letters to a person the reader never comes to discover, a way that gives us insight into his mind and a character voice that no other style could achieve. We follow Charlie through his first year of high school, through friendships and relationships, sex, drugs, unrequited love, sexual orientation, family issues, and the struggle to find an identity as, and the perks of being, a wallflower.

Chbosky, Stephen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
Written as a series of letters to from Charlie to an unknown audience, Perks tells the story of one high school-aged boy’s struggle with living on the periphery of high school society. Charlie is a confused boy in confusing times, and the suicide of a friend, coupled with poor social skills (Charlie is an intelligent, introverted boy), experiments in drug use and sexual practices, Charlie grows increasingly depressed and distanced from his classmates. Eventually a teacher and a few friends help Charlie deal with life’s larger issues and assist him in dealing with the trials and tribulations of adolescent life.

Thiong-o, Nguigi Wa. Petals of Blood. 1977, Penguin Books
Set in the backdrop of decolonized Kenya, three African directors of a foreign-owned brewery are killed. The story follows the circumstances leading up to this murder, following the rapid expansion of the town of Ilmorog.

Kingsolver, Barbara. Pigs In Heaven. 1993, Harper Collins
In this sequel to The Bean Trees, six-year-old Turtle (a Cherokee Indian) and her stepmother Taylor receive national attention for saving a man’s life. Because of this national attention, the Cherokee Nation is made aware of Turtle’s presence outside of the Nation. The Nation considers legal proceedings and the reader is forced to consider the needs of community versus the needs of individuals.

McKinney, Meagan. Plain Jane & the Hotshot. 2003, Silhouette Books
Music teacher Joanna Lofton decides that escaping to the Montana wilderness with an all-female mountain group would be the perfect way to forget about a recent break-up. However, she didn’t expect to run into Nick Kramer, a forest fire-fighter whose romantic past is strikingly similar to hers.

Vail, Rachel. Please, Please, Please. New York: Scholastic Press, 1998. (SERIES NOVEL, from the Friendship Ring Series)
-This series is sure to grab the attention of any young girl as we learn about the humorous life of seventh grade CJ and her friends. Yet this particular book focuses on a more serious subject - the fact that CJ no longer wants to follow her life dream of ballet because she realizes the dream was never really her own to begin with.

Brewbaker, J., & Hyland, D. J. (Eds.). Poems by Adolescents and Adults: A Thematic Collection for Middle School and High School. 2002. NCTE.
This is an outstanding collection of poems for and by adolescents and adults. This collection integrates the work of known and unknown poets many of whom are junior high and high school students. Poems are grouped thematically and there are some excellent commentaries by poets about their poems. A MUST READ for secondary teachers.

Poems, Poets, Poetry: An Introduction and Anthology by Helen Vedler
This book is a collection of many famous poems from some of the most talented writers of all time. It contains poems from William Shakespeare, John Donne, John Milton, William Blake, William Wordsworth, Samuel Coleridge, John Keats, Ralph Emerson, Emily Dickinson, and the list goes on. The poems are grouped into themes, and most are explained extensively. I would recommend it, just because it’s nice to be able to have all these poems all together.

The Poetry of Our World. Jeffery Paine, ed. New York, NY : 2000.
This poetry anthology covers contemporary poetry from poets of every continent of the world. I chose three poems from each continent, starting with a poem by Robert Lowell of the Unites States. The topics found within the selections range from love to fighting between parents and children to growing old and many other universal issues that people of all ages and ethnicities can relate to. The vast array of poetry exposes the reader to new styles and lesser-known poets. A fun collection to explore, the anthology is complete and well structured.

Rubin, Robert Alden, ed. Poetry (to Read) Out Loud. New York: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 1993.
With an introduction written by actor James Earl Jones, who overcame stuttering as a child by reading poetry aloud, this collection of poetry keys in on the beauty of the sounds of poetry, not only the language. This anthology contains all kinds of works from childhood rhymes to excerpts from literary classics written by all kinds of writers from Lewis Carroll to Langston Hughes—sonnets, limericks, elegies, raps, and ballads about love, vision, animals and more.

Soto, Gary. The Pool Party. New York, NY: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing group. 1993.
This is a short book that is about a boy named Rudy who has been invited to a pool party. He is from a Hispanic background and helps his father cut lawns during the day. When he gets the invitation to the party he tries to find something to bring. He finally decides to bring an inner tube. The process of getting the inner tube is what the story revolves around.

Lewis, Catherine. Postcards to Father Abraham. New York: Simon&Schuster, 2000.
-Set up in many chapters only 1-2 pages long, this novel is a perfect look back at America in 1972 through the eyes of young Meghan. Set in Springfield, Illinois, Meghan is a runner who has just lost her leg and her "real" brother to Vietnam - after such tragedies, she turns to one person - Abraham Lincoln.

Roberts, Nora. Private Scandals. NY: Putnam, 1993.
Roberts' tale of the glamor and glitz of talk show anchors Deanna Reynolds and Angela Perkins details Deanna's romance with journalist Finn Riley. In a world of competition and sometimes dangerous stakes, their lives are not always as carefree as one might think. Private Scandals is a romance with an accompanying suspense story. This is also a rather long book (384 pages).

Snicket, Lemony. The Reptile Room. HarperCollins Publishers. New York, 1999.
In this second book of Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events, the Baudelaire orphans find themselves at the grand home of their Uncle Monty. They encounter an enchanting reptile room and prepare for an excursion to Peru, but their hopes are shattered when Count Olaf appears at their door. How will they get out of this unfortunate event?

Snicket, Lemony. The Reptile Room. HarperCollins Publishers. New York, 1999.
The Reptile Room is the second in a series concerning the three Baudelaire orphans. The story tells of their trials and tribulations when their beloved Uncle Monty, who has agreed to care for them, is murdered by the evil Stephano, a man who will stop at nothing to gain access to the orphans' considerable inheritance. The story is told with charming Victorian language by an author who is on the run herself.

Clarke, Breena. River Cross My Heart. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1999
This is the first novel by this author and was Selection #27 in Oprah’s Book Club. It is a coming-of-age novel of an African-American adolescent girl, Johnnie Mae, growing up in the African-American neighborhood of Georgetown in Washington, D.C. during the 1920s. Her mother, Alice Bynum, has moved her family here in hopes for better schools and more opportunity for her children. The book opens with the tragic drowning of the younger sister, Clara, in the Potomac River. The book explores the affect of this tragedy on Johnnie Mae, her family and her community. It also deals with racism and poverty as reflected in Alice Bynum’s job and Johnnie Mae’s ardent desire to swim in the whites-only swimming pool. I find it interesting that there are a few instances of “magical realism” similar to those found in Toni Morrison’s writing which could make for interesting discussions on what is “real”.

Romiette and Julio. Sharon Draper. Simon Pulse, 2001.
As one can tell from the title, this is a modern multicultural retelling of the famous play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. This version takes place in Cincinnati, OH and between to star crossed lovers of very proud and rich ethnic backgrounds. Julio’s family moves to escape the gang violence of TX and when he comes to Cincinnati, he begins a relationship with Romiette, an African American, whose prominent family have a long history of success and respect. The two young lovers must deal with pressure from their family as well as the community.

Rosenberg, Liz. (Ed.) Roots & Flowers: Poets and Poems on Family. 2001. Henry Holt & Company.
A great collections of poems about family. Rosenberg has provided space for the poets to write about their families and poems. This collection offers some great reading for adolescents and adults.

Van Draanen, Wendelin. Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief. Random HousePublishing, NY, 1998.
Sammy Keyes is a feisty, resourceful but impulsive, too-curious seventh grade detective. Sammy lives with her grams into a senior citizen low-rent apartment, but there are NO KIDS ALLOWED in the building, so Sammy has to be on the lookout for nosy neighbors trying to catch her. But one day when she’s trapped inside, she uses her binoculars to spy on the hotel across the street, which leads to her witness a burglary, which startles her so much she loses control of her senses and waves at the burglar. Now he’s out to get her, but Sammy has a plan of her own. She’ll get him first! *Not for the unadventurous!!

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1962.
A canonical novel with much symbolism found within it. Hester Prynne has a child out of wedlock and is condemned an adulteress by society. She is forced to wear a scarlet letter A on her dress as punishment, but as the novel progresses, the letter can be found to stand for much more than “adulteress.”

Koertge, Ron. Shakespeare Bats Cleanup. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 2003.
Kevin Boland, a 14-year-old hot-shot baseball player, turns to writing verse as a way of filling his time at home when he is diagnosed with mono. He uses poetry—reluctantly at first—to get out his feelings about school, romance, his mother’s death, baseball dreams and more. Sometimes funny other times poignant, Shakespeare Bats Cleanup is a great story about life and verse told in verse.

Kinsella, W.P. Shoeless Joe. NY, NY: Houghton Mifflin, 1982.
A book about an Iowa farmer who hears a voice that says, “If you build it, he will come.” The novel does an excellent job portraying real versus imaginary, with nine deceased baseball players “coming alive” and playing on the Iowa field. Themes include family, the American dream, and utopia.

AUDIO. Hamilton, Jane. The Short History of a Prince. 1999. Anchor.
Walter McCloud searches for adventure and love as a dancer, only to end up exiling himself from his hometown and family. His story takes place during the summer before his older brotherís death from Hodgekinís disease. As he and his friends grow and discover who they are, the reader gets a rich picture in his/her mind of Walterís struggle as he tries to define himself and follow his dreams.

Paulsen, Gary. Soldiers Heart (audio book). New York” Bantam Audio Publishing, 1999.
This is a story about a boy who is sent to the war. In this story, the listener is taken through many different scenes of different battles. In some parts of the tape the scenes get specific and detailed. It tells about the wounds people have received and the hardships that all the soldiers have to go through.

Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon. Penguin Books USA Inc. New York, 1977.
Born on a snowy day when a man tried to fly off of the roof of the hospital in which he was born, Macon “Milkman” Dead, III grows up spoiled for an African-American child by a father whose only desire is money and possessions and a mother who, hated by her own husband, is obsessed with the memory of her dead father. While Milkman tries to escape his family, he is searching for family roots and inheritance and makes discoveries that would change the lives of everyone he knows. Morrison weaves her words into a magic tapestry where ghosts speak to the living and bones beg to be buried.

Split Image by Mel Glenn. William Morrow & Company, April 2000.
The story of Laura Li is told through a series of poems. Everyone has an opinion on Laura Li; she is seen as perfect in every way. Laura comes in contact with students through her job at the library. Laura is a dutiful daughter and student, but at night she sneaks out to dance clubs to escape the pressures of life. This book of poetry provides a wide array of voices and ideas that are all tied together concerning the main character. Some characters use poetry to get closer to Laura, others use it to express their unfavorable opinions of the “perfect” girl, and Laura vents her frustrations with school and her family obligations.

Crutcher, Chris: Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. NY, NY: Greenwillow Books, 1993.
This novel deals with the friendship of Eric “Moby” Calhoune and Sarah Byrnes. Moby had been overweight until he started swimming and Sarah had been burned on her hands and face when she was a toddler, and their “ugliness” is what initially brings them together. Throughout the novel, Crutcher does an excellent job expanding Sarah’s story and how Eric and others try to help her.

Lipstyle, Robert. The Summer Boy. Harper and Row publishing; New York.
Bobby Marks is eighteen and want to impress girls whenever he can. He is looking for a job and finds one at the Lenape Laundry. He thinks that girls will like him in the truck that he thinks he will drive. Bobby finds out that it is a lot harder than he thought it would be, but shows everybody there that he is not just a “summer boy”. This book is about perseverance and determination throughout Bobby’s summer working.

Gunn, Robin Jones. Summer Promise. 1988, Bethany House (Series Fiction)
Everything is changing. From a Wisconsin farm to a California beach...From a small allowance to limitless shopping sprees...From a simple teenage life to a highly sophisticated one...These are the sudden changes that lead to Christy Miller's unforgettable summer promise. When Christy moves to Newport Beach to live with her well-off aunt and uncle, she realizes this could quite possibly be the best summer of her life.

William, Kate. Sweet Valley High - Jessica Quits the Squad. NY, NY: Bantam, 1994. SERIES NOVEL
Cheerleading has always been a huge part of Jessicaís life, but when a new girl comes to Sweet Valley and becomes co-captain of the squad, Jessica quits. Jessica finally met the guy of her dreams, Ken Matthews, and this new girl tries to get in the middle of the relationship. Little does Jessica know, her twin sister Elizabeth may be a bigger threat to Jessica and Kenís relationship than the new girl will be.

Hinton, S.E. That was Then, This is Now. NY: Recorded Books Production. AUDIO BOOK
This novel is centered around Bryon and Mark’s friendship. Now 16, they started living with each other when they were nine due to Mark’s parents sudden death. As they think about their past, they realize things are much different now then they used to be. The friendship starts to diminish when Bryon gets a girlfriend and Mark starts selling drugs.

Draper, Sharon M. Tears of a Tiger. 1994, Simon Pulse
Andy Jackson is a high school boy who finds himself responsible for the death of his best friend, Rob, the captain of the Hazelwood High Tigers basketball team. The novel follows Andy as he tries to cope with sudden the loss of his best friend, and at the same time deal with the guilt. This is the first book in the powerful Hazelwood High trilogy.

O’Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried. New York, NY; HarperCollins Audio Books, 1991.
War. What can anyone who has never lived through the experience firsthand know and understand about it? Through a series of random but interlocking chapters, O’Brien tells the story of a group of soldiers drafted to fight in the Vietnam war. Their experiences are horrendous and told factually by O’Brien as if they truly happened, and as vivid and emotional as it is, one wonders if they did. Regardless, this is a powerful novel about war and the state of mind of those individuals who battle it both when they are in the battlefield and the years after.

Rapp, Adam. 33 snowfish. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 2003.
Custis, Curl and Boobie are three kids living on the run from the law, from the adults who too often have used and abused them, and from their lives. They trust no one but each other as they travel through the Midwest with a baby they’ve kidnapped. This book, which is narrated in the words and artwork by the three main characters, is vivid and raw but compelling. This is a powerful story that takes the reader through both the bleakness and resilience of the human experience.

Brown, Sandra. Thursday’s Child. New York, New York: Bantam Books, 1985.
When Allison Leamon reluctantly agrees to switch places with her twin sister Annie, she is unprepared for what happens. Not only does Allison have to convince Annie’s fiancé, Davis, that she is Annie, Allison also finds herself strongly attracted to his friend Spencer. Has Allison found love at last? Or will she ignore her growing emotions?

Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. New York: Warner Books, 1960.
Scout Finch, her brother Jem, and their summer time buddy Dill Harris are determined to learn the mystery behind Boo Radley, the Finch’s neighbor in Maycomb, Alabama. Why doesn’t he ever come out of his beat-up house? But amidst their summer vacation games and attempts to sneak a peek at Radley, the children are tossed into a controversy in town through their father Atticus, who’s defending a black man accused of raping a white woman.

Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird.
Harper Lee’s classic American novel tells the story of 8-year-old Scout, her older brother Jem, and the neighbor boy Dill, and their experiences growing up in small town Alabama during the Great Depression. The trio are fascinated with a neighbor, Boo Radley, who is surrounded by fantastic rumors, and who never leaves the house. While Scout, Jem, and Dill lead a seemingly idyllic, innocent life, things change rapidly when Scout’s father, Atticus, takes a case defending a black man who is accused of raping a white woman. Scout, Jem and Dill quickly experience the ugliness of racism and the beauty of one’s convictions.

Johnson, Angela. Toning the Sweep. New York, New York: Scholastic Inc., 1993.
Emily’s grandmother, Ola, is moving in with Emily and her parents. In the beginning of the novel, Emily and her mother travel to the desert to help Ola with the move. While in the desert, Emily decides to make a video about Ola with interviews of Ola’s friends and neighbors. In the process of making the video, Emily learns more about her mother and grandmother, and more importantly about herself.

Tuesdays With Morrie By Mitch Albom
This book is about an older man dying of ALS, and a former student, Mitch, that he reconnects with. In the months before Morrie dies, he and Mitch hold discussions about life issues. It’s a short book, but here is a lot compacted into it. Morrie’s outlook on life is inspiring. Even as he is wasting away as this disease cripples his body, he is thankful for everything, especially life. He sees the good in absolutely everything. Instead of lingering on the fact that he is dieing a long painful death, he looks at it as a blessing because he has the time to say good-bye to his loved ones, and teach others about death, something everyone will go through but nobody talk! s about. Morrie doesn’t just talk about death, but also branches out into other issues as well. This book is powerful because it isn’t fictional; Morrie was a real man who struggled with this terrible disease while still maintaining a better out look on life than most of us in perfect health have. This one of my favorite books, and I would recommend it to everyone.

Street, Kelly. The Virgin and the Unicorn. Ontario: Harlequin, 1993. (ROMANCE)
- I am embarrassed that I picked this book to begin with, but it does have an interesting title. The main vixen, Persephone, moves into an ancient adandoned mansion to hide her prized unicorn, only to find a rich, gorgeous man re-doing the entire place. This is a love story like no other, probably because there is a unicorn involved.

The Virgin Bride By Miranda Lee
This is a romance novel about Dr. Jason Steel and his love interest Emma Churchill. Jason was a big shot form Sydney, who gave up his city life, and city girlfriend to retreat to a small town in Australia. Of course he is handsome, so the whole community is always trying to set him up with the single women of the tow. But Jason is only interested in Emma. The rest of the book follows their relationship. I would not recommend this book to anyone.

Sparks, Nicholas. A Walk to Remember. New York, NY: Warner Books, 2000.
Shy, Bible carrying Jamie Sullivan is not the most popular girl in Beaufort, North Carolina and her only friend is her father, who is the town’s minister. That is until desperation brings handsome, carefree Landon Carter into her life. Though they are very different, they develop a relationship which becomes a learning experience for them both and leads to a walk that is truly one to remember.

Creech, Sharon. Walk Two Moons. New York: Harper Collins, 1994.
Sal is a girl who is dealing with some very real situations, including moving and leaving behind one’s childhood home, living without one parent, and the incredulities of adolescent first love. Creech knows how to construct convincing characters and a plot line that doesn’t succumb to conventions, easy traps of accessibility or cheap twists. Somehow, Creech is able to accomplish the proper goal of any good story: she manages to both surprise and make the reader feel that the ending is inevitable. She leaves one with an indelible impression of “Sal”, Phoebe, Gram, Gramps, and the rest of the almost unbearably real characters in this story – unbearable only because you want to meet them afterward.

Curtis, Christopher Paul. The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963. Bantam Doubleday Dell, New York, 1995. (audio published 1996)
Ten-year-old Kenny loves his quirky family he fondly calls the “Weird Watsons ”consisting of and older brother Byron, a little sister Joetta, Momma, and Dad. The story begins in Flint, Michigan where this African-American family live a safe distance from the dark times in the south where Momma’s mother lives. The kids are carefree and often get themselves in predicaments; Byron’s lips freeze to the car mirror, Kenny learns to share his mittens. Byron gets in more and more trouble until his parents decide to take a family trip to Birmingham to visit Grandma and let Byron stay away from Flint for awhile and grow up. But Byron isn’t the only one who does some growing up as he Watsons drive into a part of the country completely different from their own.

Sachar, Louis. Wayside School is Falling Down. 1989, Avon Camelot
This sequel to Wayside Stories From Wayside School contains even more vignettes about the thirty story school, confronting the non-existent 19th floor, tattoos, lunch food, and more. The book ends with a tornado that fills the school with some unexpected visitors.

Clements, Andrew. A Week in the Woods. Simon and Schuster Publishing; New York, NY.
When Mark moves to a new town in New Hampshire, he realizes that doesn’t want to make friends and decides to just stay to himself. He soon finds out that it is a tradition at his new school that all the fifth graders go on a trip called “A week in the woods”. Mark is not too excited about this but decides to go anyway. When he gets to the woods Mark has a different plan than all the other kids and decides to go off on his own. This story is about survival and courage. Mark seeing what it actually takes to be in the woods.

Nye Shihab, Naomi. What Have You Lost? New York, NY: Greenwillow Books, 1999.
A collection poems from over 140 various authors, some being published for the very first time in this books. As the name of the collection suggests, each of the poems are tied together by the theme of loss; there are poems about the clumsiness of loving a glove, to a heartbreaking poem of losing a friend to suicide. Thoughtfully put together, any reader should find several poems in this collection that they can relate to.

Sonya Jones. What My Mother Doesn't Know. New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2001.
Written entirely in her own poetry, the narrator, Sophie, takes the reader through all elements of being a 16-year-old girl. She composes poems about school life, studying, going to movies, and hanging out with her two best friends. Sophie also ruminates on the toils and tribulations of her first love, the initial excitement and the sinking feeling of fading emotions. She explores her problematic relationship with mother, first with the rebellious teen angst, then with caring intent to rebuild what she'd broken. Her poetic voice is funny, charming, wistful, and touching.

Rawls, Wilson. Where the Red Fern Grows.
Billy, a young boy growing up in the Oklahoma Ozarks, spends most of his time exploring the forests around his home with his two coonhounds. Determined to train his dogs to be the best coonhounds around, Billy tracks raccoon after raccoon and teaches his hounds to work as a team by himself. After a disastrous encounter with a mountain lion Billy’s training becomes far more serious than he ever imagined. More than just a story about a boy and his dogs, Wilson’s book is a compelling and emotional read that addresses larger issues of integrity and morality.

Silverstein, Shel. Where the Sidewalk Ends. New York: Harper and Row. 1974.
This is an excellent collection of poems wrtten all by Shel Silverstein. It contains over fifty poems ranging from a razor-tailed wren to a lazy girl who waits for it to rain. The poems are funny and some are somewhat sad.

Whirligig by Paul Fleischman. Henry Holt & Company, May 1998.
A teenage boy, Brent, attends a party in his quest to become popular at his new school. On the way home, Brent decides to take his own life after the disastrous party. He is unsuccessful in his suicide attempt, but kills another teenager in the car accident. The victim’s mother asks Brent to build a whirligig in honor of her daughter at each of the four corners of the U.S. Ultimately, this book is about how each person’s actions affect other people. The story is told through many points of view as people come in contact with the whirligigs. The whirligigs serve as inspiration for people all over the country and leads Brent down the road to redemption.

Conford, Ellen. Why Me?. Conford Enterprises, 1985.
Hobie is a thirteen year old boy who is desperately trying to attract a girl. He gets up enough courage to send a poem to a girl named Darlene. She loved the poem so much that she asked him to write her one everyday. Hobie thinks that Darlene really likes him until he finds out the she is just using him. He doesn’t know why Darlene won’t let them be seen together in public or why he is not allowed to tell any of his friends about the two of them until he finds out what she is really doing with all the poems he is giving her. This is a book for younger people.

Khalifeh, Sahar. Wild Thorns. 2003, Interlink Books
After spending four years away from Israeli-occupied Palestine, Usama decides to return home. He returns not to be with his family but to support the Palestinian resistance movement and blow up the buses that transport Palestinian workers to Israel. However, upon his return, Usama is confronted with the painful fact that the Palestinians have adjusted to life under military rule.

Who is Jesse Flood? By Malachy Doyle
The main character of this book Jesse, it is a fourteen-year-old teenagers living in a small British town. Jesse has a lot to deal with in his life such as that he is an outcast, and his mother has left him and his father. This story tells of Jesse, who has no one to turn to, deals with the multitude of problems presented to him. This book was an easy read, and I would recommend it for middle school students. I think most students would enjoy it.

Fisher, Antwone. Who Will Cry for the Little Boy? 2003, William Morrow (POETRY)
This small book is a collection of poetry by Antwone Fisher. Many of the poems are autobiographical and reveal the story of where he has come from to where he is today. The poetry ranges from Fisher’s tough life growing up to the loving family he is a member of as an adult.

Cisneros, Sandra. Woman Hollering Creek. New York: Vintage Contemporaries, 1991.
A collection of short stories, prose poems, and vignettes, this is a mature collection appropriate for both high school students and adults. The first section, especially, is geared toward young readers with “Eleven,” and “My Lucy Friend Who Smells Like Corn.” Other stories in the collection speak to adapting to life in America, Mexican Catholicism, and the roles of women. Cisneros deals very well with the latter subject especially in “One Holy Night,” “Woman Hollering Creek,” and “Bien Pretty,” which all tell stories of young Mexican-American women in different sorts of relationships with men. Finally, “Anguiano Religious Articles” is a sort f recounting of the prayer log of a Catholic church where people come to pray to the Virgen de Guadalupe.

Harjo, Joy. The Woman Who Fell From the Sky. NY: W.W. Norton and Company, 1994
THis is a book of poems from Native American poet, Joy Harjo of the Muscogee Tribe, who received her MFA from the University of Iowa. I think the instructor and student would be helped by some knowledge of stories from the oral tradition(as in the poem: “The Woman Who Fell from the Sky” and also some background of Indian history). Many of the poems are followed by prose pieces which help in understanding the poems, a technique that Harjo frequently uses to make her work more accessible. I think Harjo’s poetry gives the reader a sense of the dimension of the sacred in the land, the stories and hardships of Native Peoples, and also a sense of mystery and awe. There is an audio version read by the author and she is a powerful reader.

Wringer. Jerry Spinelli. Harper Trophy, 1998.
Young Palmer would wish for anything rather than turning ten-years-old. In his small town, when boys become ten they are trained to becomes “wringers,” someone who strangles the neck of a wounded pigeon. All of this is to occur at the town’s annual Pigeon Day Shoot. Not only must Palmer lie about being against “wringing,” but things get even more complicated when his friends find a pet pigeon he’s been hiding. Palmer must deal with peer pressure and decide if he will go with the convention of the town or stick up for what he believes.

Steiber, Ellen. The X Files: Haunted. New York, NY: Harper Collins, 1998.
The popular television series takes to form of a young adult fiction series. In this book, the fifteenth in the series, Someone, or something, is shadowing Lauren Kyte--an unseen force that swiftly and brutally murders anyone who dares to cross path. Could it be an overprotective poltergeist, or is Lauren herself a murderous mastermind? FBI Agents Mulder and Scully need to uncover the secret if they hope stop the killing spree in Lauren's wake.

Lardner, Ring W. You Know Me Al. Champaign, Illinois: University of Illinois Press, 1992.
This is an epistolary novel, involving letters written from one man to another. The novel deals with how a very unintelligent man who is playing major league baseball. His unintelligence is portrayed through the poor English he uses, and through his naive views on women, fellow teammates, friends, coaches, and money.

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