Title: Jellicoe Road
Author: Melina Marchetta
Publishing Information: Harper Collins. New York. 2006
Length: 419 pages
Summary: Double mystery plot – past and present – with two groups of friends. Boundary wars between students in an orphanage, military school, and townies intersect with a group of friends from the past. Romantic relationships and friendships intertwine and connect both stories.
Themes, Issues, and Perspectives: Concept of family, responsibility and self-determination. Relationship issues both adolescent and adult.
Hot Buttons: Unmarried pregnancy (but not overly emphasized), semi-violent clashes between student groups, arson.
Strengths and Weaknesses: The novel uses flashbacks and changes between first person and omniscient narrator frequently. The reader is pulled along with a great initial hook and the mystery doesn’t become fully resolved until the end. OK stylistically, simple vocabulary except for Australian terminology.
Reading Levels: 8/9/10 grade,
Potential Readers: Girls
Possible Uses: independent reading
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Title: Life As We Knew It
Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer
Publishing Information:
Length: pages
Summary: 16 year-old Amanda narrates her family’s experiences after an asteroid hits the moon and induces dramatic global climate change. The story takes place over the first year and how the family and community survive.
Themes, Issues, and Perspectives: Realistic portrayal of stresses, fears, and family relationships in crisis. Sacrifice, responsibility and communication are key issues. Survival issues/pandemic/crisis preparedness topics. Adolescent emotions and coming of ageissues.
Hot Buttons: Realism, some language,
Strengths and Weaknesses: Interesting topic and could generate good discussion on “what is essential”
Reading Levels: 8/9/10/11
Potential Readers: primarily female due to protagonist
Possible Uses: Independent reading
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Title: Unwind
Author: Neal Shusterman
Publishing Information: Simon & Schuster. New York. 2007
Length: 335 pages
Summary: There has been a civil war fought over abortion. The solution: no abortions, but at 13 your parents can chose to have you unwound and your parts donated to others. At the age of 18 you are safe from this.
Themes, Issues, and Perspectives: Technically what is life and who owns it? Human rights. Some children are raised as tithes knowing they are a sacrifice and special, the consequences of not fitting in. When is it right to go against authority.
Hot Buttons: Abortion rights. Definition of life. Parent/ government authority
Strengths and Weaknesses: Thrilling plot, good action. Could be a great discussion book on blindly following any authority against personal beliefs or common sense. Empowering to YA. Written fairly simply. Not a challenging technical read.
Reading Levels: 8/9/10
Potential Readers: Boys or girls as there are both as protagonists. Interest in futuristc fiction. Action thriller.
Possible Uses: Independent reading. Would be a good book-talk starter because of the topic.
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Title: The Carbon Diaries 2015
(Sequel just published: Carbon Diaries 2017)
Author: Saci Lloyd
Publishing Information: Holiday House. New York. 2009
Length: 325 pages
Summary: Global warming/energy dependence have forced carbon rationing on England as a trial run. Climate changes are occurring. 14 Year old Laura is a bass player in an alternative rock band trying to cope with a dysfunctional family, romantic relationships and the complete alteration of her known world.
Themes, Issues, and Perspectives: Massive climate change, contemporary energy issues, coming of age, family/marital relationships
Hot Buttons: global warming, energy consumption, green living, LGBT character,
Strengths and Weaknesses: Very topical and interesting. Set in Great Britain it contains local slang with a dictionary in back. Informative regarding carbon energy consumption, water rights and climate change. Some interesting comparisons with American viewpoint at same time. Written in first person as diary entries. Technical dictionary also at end of book.
Language/slang could be a problem. Some sexual references. Some minor language.
Reading Levels: 8/9/10
Potential Readers: Those interested in futuristic themes, environmental issues, coming of age issues
Possible Uses: Would be an interesting tie-in with a science content class due to its handling of energy/climate/water issues.
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Title : We Were Here
Author: Matt De La Pena
Publishing Information: Delacorte Press. New York. 2009
Length: 356 pages
Summary: I call it a contemporary Catcher in the Rye/Of Mice and Men. The main protagonist is an intelligent Latino male who finds himself in a group home due to an accident. The other main protagonists are an Asian male and an African American male. These three bond and escape the group home. The book follows their travels both physically and emotionally.
Themes, Issues, and Perspectives: Coming of age, responsibility, self awareness, loyalty, family issues, abuse, immigration, stereotyping. Told in first person by Hispanic character through current actions and flashbacks.
Hot Buttons: Language, physical abuse, violence, name calling, defying authority, stealing.
Strengths and Weaknesses: Main character is intelligent and well read. Positive multi- cultural portrayals. This novel references canonical works typical of HS throughout, particularly Catcher and Of Mice and Men, The Old Man and the Sea, The Color Purple, etc. Written as combination journal entry and first person narrative. Realistic protrayal of street life.
Reading Levels: 9/10/11
Potential Readers: Boys or Girls, Anyone looking for a non-mainstream protagonist
Possible Uses: I would use this as a supplementary required reading in a lit class either while mentioned novels are covered or recently after. This would be a great novel for thematic and stylistic comparisons to Catcher and Mice and Men. I love the positive portrayal of the Latino male.
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Title: The Girl Who Fell From the Sky
Author: Heidi W. Durrow
Publishing Information: Workman. New York. 2010
Length: 332 pages
Summary: Rachel is the only survivor of a family tragedy. Bi racial she must now define for herself what is black /white and where she fits in. Told from multiple perspectives the reader is forced to make some conclusions on their own.
Themes, Issues, and Perspectives: Racial and familial identity, class divisions, social responsibility, stereotyping, family loyalty, abuse, responsibility
Hot Buttons: Sexual references, infidelity, language. Domestic abuse, alcoholism, racial stereotyping
Strengths and Weaknesses: Multiple perspectives/narratives. Plot requires close reading to follow at times. Many opportunities for discussion of profiling both black and white. Multiple perpectives highlight differing interpretations and causalities.
Reading Levels: 9/10/11
Potential Readers: girls, bi-racial identification,
Possible Uses: Independent reading. Tie in to profiling, stereotyping and cultural expectations.
Title: The Nation
Author: Terry Pratchett
Publishing Information: Harper Collins. New York. 2008
Length: 367 pages
Evaluated By: Vicki Deane; 2010
Summary: A native islander boy and a European girl are faced with survival and the running of a group of survivors after a tsunami in a tropical island setting. Different language, customs, and expectations are only some of the problems they face. How they ultimately reconcile their different upbringings is a commentary on colonialism and its management.
Themes, Issues, and Perspectives: Cultural norms, gender roles, perseverance, colonialism, exploitation, adaptation.
Hot Buttons: The book raises issues of exploitation with guided reading. Some violence. Some mysticism.
Strengths and Weaknesses: Very disappointed in this book based on all the press it had received. Not clear in its message regarding colonialism and the issue isn’t even introduced until the last quarter. It introduces the idea that those we call savage may in fact be more advanced, or were, at one time.
Reading Levels: 6/7/ 8/9
Potential Readers: Adventure enthusiasts, girl or boy as both are main characters.
Possible Uses: Independent reading
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Title: Paper Towns
Author: John Green
Publishing Information: Penguin. New York. 2008
Length: 305 pages
Summary: A group of friends is led on a chase to find a classmate who has disappeared after a night of “righting wrongs”.
Themes, Issues, and Perspectives: The title reflects the paper theme. One and two dimensional existence vs three dimensional. What is and isn’t real in yourself. How you view others and your life. Multiple meanings come to light. A quest to discover a true way of seeing and defining others.
Hot Buttons: Adolescent sexual relations, drinking, breaking and entering, road tripping, defying parental rules.
Strengths and Weaknesses: Characters are well developed, the interactions are mostly believable. The mystery character does a good job of illustrating our inability to “see” others for who they really are. The questions the book raises are relevant to teens with a good discussion guide included. The main character, Quentin, develops through the course of the narrative. Issues could be defined earlier in the novel. I found the plot interesting and fast paced.
Reading Levels:9/10/11
Potential Readers: All. Relevant issues and interactions. Humor and excitement.
Possible Uses: This might be a good lit circle book for relevant teen issues and the concept of what is authentic. I would tie this to Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, I also have a great claymation version of this that would be a great visual reinforcement.
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Title: Little Brother
Author: Cory Doctorow
Publishing Information: Tom Doherty Assoc,LLC. New York. 2008
Length: 365 pages, 2 afterwards by tech experts and an outstanding annotated bibliography
Summary: Think 1984 crossed with Berkeley, out of control Homeland Security, and teens with cell phone technology. A group of teens stands up for their civil liberties using current technology to organize and fight back.
Themes, Issues, and Perspectives: Very contemporary issues : civil liberty vs public safety, state of the art technology and implications, adolescent empowerment for a cause. Mulitiple characters and backgrounds. Well developed motivations and very realitstic.
Hot Buttons: Could be frightening as it hits very close to homeland and national security topics currently at issue. Thought provoking but could cause intense discussion if not handled properly. Some sexual references, drinking references, and violence.
Strengths and Weaknesses: 12 major awards, 14 languages, so very realistic and contemporary. I couldn’t stop thinking about this book. The technology portions were way over my head but maybe not high schoolers. Very empowering and great discussions of civil liberties and tie ins with the civil liberty movement of the 60’s with good background information.
Reading Levels: 9/10/11/12
Potential Readers: I really think this appeals to most. The plot is so fast paced and topical
Possible Uses: 1984, Brave New World, censorship issues and current politics
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Title : For the Win
Author: Cory Doctorow
Publishing Information: Tom Doherty Assoc, LLC. New York. 2010
Length: 475 pages
Summary: The underground, criminally controlled world of ‘gold mining’ in the pacific rim and other countries ids the setting for a lesson on union organizing, monetary policy, market trading, and economics. Adolescent workers in the industry form a united global front against organized crime to establish fair working conditions and wages.
Themes, Issues, and Perspectives: Third world living conditions and sweat shop labor exploitations. Told from multiple perspectives with conjoining storylines. Monetary policy, labor relations and economic theory form an integral part of the plot.
Hot Buttons: Violence, organized resistance to authority, definitely a liberal slant
Strengths and Weaknesses: Tremendous amount of information and history presented within the novel. The information can become overwhelming but even a cursory read leaves you with so much more knowledge. This book may require some in-depth pre-reading info. Both male and strong female protagonists. Rarely seen cultural viewpoints and very authentic portrayal of third world living conditions.
Reading Levels: Advanced 9/10/11/12
Potential Readers: Male/Female, history, suspense, drama, or action interest
Possible Uses: Use with documentary – Second Skin (true story of this industry), world studies class, good lit circle book.
YA Book Blog - ENGL 698 