Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Year Published: 2007
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN:0-7434-9673-6
Pages: 455
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Drama
Interest Level: 9+
Reading Level: 6
Personal Rating: 5 Stars
Subjects: Bullies, New Hampshire, School shootings, Lawyers, High School Students, Women Judge
Reader's Annotation: Years and years of humiliation and pain. Is it right to retaliate for all the pain that the popular crowd has done to Peter Houghton?

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Peter Houghton decides to retaliate from verbal and physical abuse in his school by opening fire, killing students and teachers. Peter survives and lives through the investigation and emotional court scenes. The truth is revealed about the Peter’s reason for the act of violence in his school through the characters' narratives and flashbacks.

Evaluation: This book is highly recommended for high students to teach them about the extreme effects of bullying. Some scenes maybe too violent and graphic to younger readers. The author used obscenity and vulgarity to describe events and paint a more authentic characters in her story.

"Every bit as gripping and moving as Picoult's previous novels, Nineteen Minutes will no doubt garner considerable attention for its controversial subject and twist ending." - Booklist

Reviews and Awards: Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Wilson's Fiction Catalog, Wilson's High School Catalog

Author Information: www.jodipicoult.com

Spider's Voice by Gloria Skurzynski

Year Published: 1999
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780689821493
Pages: 200
Price: $ 13.25 (Library Bound)
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Romance, Adventure
Interest Level: 8-12
Reading Level: 6
Subjects: Abelard, Peter, Heloise, France history Medieval period, Mute persons, People with disabilities

Reader's Annotation: What if you witnessed a forbidden love of Eloise and Abelard, France's most famous lovers but you are mute? What if for some miracle you can speak, will you tell about their story?

Summary: The twelfth-century love story of Abelard and Heloise (here called Eloise) is the centerpiece of this young adult novel. Virgin lovers Abelard, a teacher and philosopher, and Eloise, the most educated woman in France, fall madly in love. Eloise becomes pregnant, and her uncle, in a fit of fury, castrates Abelard.Spider, a young mute, who is saved by Abelard after being mutilated by a man who sells human grotesques. Spider witnesses the love affair and the couple's struggle. Details of Spider's adventures as he roams the French countryside serving Abelard and trying to quell his own demons.

Evaluation: This historical fiction takes you to a journey behind the Medieval French romance that you will never forget. This story helps me to understand the Abelard-Eloise love story that French people value so much. Graphic description about the Abelard's castration as well as Spider's tongue accident.


Reviews and Awards: Wilson's Senior High School (10/01/00), School Library Journal starred (3/1/99). Publishers Weekly starred (1/18/99), Wilson's Junior High School (9/1/01), Books for the Teens NYPL (4/1/01), Kirkus Review starred (1/15/99), Voice of Youth Advocates VOYA (4/1/99)

Author Information: Gloria Skurzynski was born in Duquesne, Pennsylvania on July 6, 1930. She has five grown children, Jan and Lauren are engineers, Joni is a fashion designer, Serena is a doctor and Alane is a writer. The author is also known as Gloria Joan Flister Skurzynski.
Skurzynski is known for nonfiction on science and nature topics and for fiction, particularly the Mysteries in Our National Parks series. "Robots," "Get the Message" and "Zero Gravity" were Outstanding Trade Science Books. "Goodbye, Billy Radish" and "Tempering" were SLJ Best Books. "Manwolf" was a Notable Social Studies Trade Book. "Bionic Parts for People" was a Golden Kite Honor Book in 1979. "Tempering" was a Golden Kite Winner in 1982.

Author website: www.gloriabooks.com

How to Ruin My Teenage Life by Simone Elkeles

Year Published:2001
Publisher: Flux
ISBN: 0738710199
Pages: 281
Classification: Fiction
Personal Rating: 4 Stars
Interest Level: 7-12
Subjects: School stories, Father-daughter relationship, Interpersonal relations, Chicago (Ill.), Jews. United States, Identity (Psychology), Israelis. United States. Fiction

Reader's Annotation: After Amy returns from Israel with her father, she has a lot of things to deal with in her life - a workaholic and dateless father, no communication with her "non-boyfriend" in the Israeli army, a pregnant and excited mother with her new stepfather, an annoying but cute next door neighbor and her horny dog mutt. How is she going to manage her own teenage life?

Summary: Amy has been enjoying a new religious education and exploration of her heritage, which got a running start during her trip to Israel, but the list of annoyances potentially ruining her life is almost too much for her. Dad needs a date and a life, so she signs him up for a Jewish online dating service using his credit card without mentioning it. Her mom and step dad are expecting a baby, which freaks Amy out. The biggest insult is from Nathan, a geeky-looking but intriguing new guy who completely rubs her the wrong way, but she kisses him anyway. A retaliation kiss from him in the cafeteria is hard to explain when Avi shows up for a surprise visit.

Evaluation: An entertaining book about adolescent angst however, the author uses profanity and vulgarity for her character's voice.

Reviews and Awards: School Library Journal, Voice of Youth Advocates

Author Website: www.simoneelkeles.net

Hanging on to Max by Margaret Bechard

Year Published: 2002
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
ISBN: 9780761315797
Pages: 142
Personal Rating:3
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Drama
Interest Level: 9-12
Reading Level: 5
Rating: 3
Subjects: Teenage parents, Teenage fathers, Father-son relationship

Reader's Annotation: What if your girlfriend decides to give your baby away, will you raise the baby alone?

Summary: At 17, Sam Pettigrew has an unusual responsibility - his baby son, Max. Sam and Max live with Sam's father. Sam attends a high school with on-site childcare and watches Max in his school hours. Sam's father will support Sam and Max until Sam finishes high school. After that, Sam must work for a construction company owned by family friend. Although Sam is a good student, the idea of college angers his father, who sees it as an abrogation of Sam's responsibility. When Sam meets old friend, Claire, also a teen parent, he begins to emerge from the social exile he's felt since taking on Max, and he discovers a home situation more supportive than his own. Eventually, Sam makes some important decisions about the future, which angers Claire but allow others to move beyond the past.


Evaluation: This book is unusual because you will find a boy in the teen single-parent role. This story is both realistic and perceptive. The characters are well-thought out and speaks truthfully about what teens go through. There are explicit and graphic sex scenes that may not be suitable for some teenagers.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Author: Meyer, Stephenie
Year Published: 2005
Publisher: Little Brown
ISBN: 9780316160179
Pages: 498
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Adventure, Action
Interest Level: 9-12
Reading Level: 5
Rating: 5
Subjects: Vampires, High schools, School stories, Washington (State), Fiction

Reader's Annotation: Will you befriend vampires knowing that your blood is a sweet-smelling aroma? Will you risk your life to love someone who might not be human?

Summary: Twilight has a Romeo and Juliet love-story plot. Isabella Swan moves to Forks, Washington and meets a handsome and smart guy, Edward Cullen. Bella finds out about Edward's real identity but still pursue their relationship. They struggle to keep their relationship as they face the challenges of being accepted by both sides - vampires and human and even the werewolves.


Reviews and Awards: Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal,Booklist, The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books


Author Information: Stephenie Meyer was born in Connecticut in 1973. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor's degree in English. Ms. Meyer cannot write without music. She writes young adult novels. She lives with her husband and three sons in Phoenix Arizona.

Website: stepheniemeyer.com

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Year Published: 2006
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
ISBN: 0316024961
Pages: 563
Classification: Fiction
Media Type: Book
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance, Action, Adventure
Interest Level: 9-12
Reading Level: 4
Personal Rating: 4 Stars

Subjects: Vampires, Werewolves, Interpersonal relationship, High school life

Reader's Annotation: October, November, December ... just three months but seems like eternity. These were short pages that filed three empty pages but painted the longing and sadness that Bella felt when Edward left Forks for good. Will she able to move on? Will Bella stop loving Edward?

Summary: Bella celebrates her birthday at the Cullen’s house with Edward and his family. Bella gets accidentally cut in the arm and Jasper gets tempted to drink her blood. Edward finds it dangerous for Bella to have their family around Forks. The family decides to leave for the safety of Bella.

Bella got depressed after Edward and his family left but she befriends Jacob from La Push. Jacob influences Bella to do daring activities such as riding motorcycle and jumping off the cliff. Bella discovers the real identity of Jacob.

Edward gets mistaken that Bella died after her cliff diving so he decided to end his life as well by heading to Italy to see the Volturi clan. Bella saves Edward with the help of Alice and they return to Forks, Washington.

Personal Evaluation: The main character's depression and suicidal acts maybe something that readers may idolize and maybe admire.

Awards: ALA Booklist, ALA/YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, Horn Book, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

Author Information: www.stepheniemeyer.com

How to Ruin My Summer Vacation by Simone Elkeles

Year Published: 2006
Publisher: Flux
ISBN: 0738709611
Pages: 234
Price: $15.95 (Library Bound)
Classification: Fiction
Interest Level: 7-12
Personal Rating: 4 Stars
Reading Level: 4
Subjects: Family, Father-daughter relationship, Jews, Israel

Reader's Annotation: Your estranged father calls you out of the blue to tell you that you have to leave with him to go to Israel to see your sick grandmother. What will you say?
a. Israel - I can buy nice dresses there
b. Israel - the country that always gets bombed as shown in CNN
c. Israel - no thanks. I want to stay in America and spend my summer at the tennis camp

Summary: Amy Nelson is a stereotypical spoiled American teen who has stereotypical plans for her summer vacation: shopping, friends, boyfriend. Suddenly,her long-absent father calls to inform her that the grandmother whom she has never met is ill and that Amy needs to go to Israel to meet her.They travel to Israel and goes through a culture shock. She shares a room with a cousin who hates her for being a spoiled American, lusting after a brooding older boy on the verge of his mandatory military service, and learning more than she ever thought possible about her faith, her family, their history, and their present. Amy gets a new perspective of her father, her culture, life and boys.

Evaluation: An easy read with a lot of humor about a typical American teenager. The author used a lot of profanity and vulgarity in her character's language to depict the modern teenage expressions.

Author Website: www.simoneelkeles.net

Darkness Before Dawn by Sharon Draper

Year Published: 2001
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN:0689851340
Pages: 276
Price: $11.26
Classification:Fiction
Genre: Suspense, Drama, Romance
Interest Level: 7-12
Reading Level: 4
Rating: 4 Stars
Subjects: Rape, High Schools, African American

Reader's Annotation: Handsome, mature, smart, fit and he is attracted to me. He seems like a sincere guy. Perhaps one date will not hurt.


Summary: This is the third book of trilogy. Keisha Montgomery has a lot of things going on in her senior year while coping with her ex-boyfriend’s death. She is the class president and a track athelete of Hazelwood High. She gets really close to the new tract coach, Jonathan. She develops a serious relationship with him even if he is older and the principal’s son. She soon discovers herself entrapped in this handsome man’s dark motives.

Evaluation: This is a fast-paced romantic book that teens will enjoy reading and can also learn valuable lessons about date rape. The attempted rape scene can be graphic and disturbing for some teen readers.

"The graduation scene, in which class president Keisha gives the closing speech, is moving and triumphant, showing Draper and her vibrant characters at their best." Booklist (January 1, 2001 (Vol. 97, No. 9))

Awards: ALA Booklist, ALA/YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, IRA Young Adults' Award, School Library Journal, Voice of Youth Advocates

Forever in Blue by Anne Brashares

Forever in Blue by Ann Brashares
Year Published: 2007
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ISBN: 9780385729369
Pages: 380
Price: $13.66
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Romance, Adventure
Interest Level: 9-12
Reading Level: 4
Personal Rating: 3
Subjects: Best friends, Friendship, Jeans (clothing), Conduct of life

Reader's Annotation: Four friends have their final summer adventure apart and the magical traveling pants bring their friendship even closer. But what if the pants get lost? Will their friendship fall apart?

Summary: Lena, Tibby, Carmen and Bridget, four friends are farther apart on the final summer adventure with magical traveling pants. The pants bring their friendship even closer. This is an interesting conclusion of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. This book entertains teens and teaches about friendship, relationships, family and life.

Evaluation: In this fourth book, the characters face more adult issues such as pregnancy, attraction to a married man, loss of virginity, posing and painting in nude. All the characters go through adult transition as they try to handle the challenges in the adult world. Parental guidance or adult supervision is highly encouraged. Teens should be able to discuss unclear issues mentioned in the book.

Reviews and Awards: Kirkus Reviews (11/15/06), School Library Journal (2/07), Booklist (12/15/06), The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (5/07)

Author Information: Ann Brashares grew up in Chevy Chase, Maryland. She and her siblings attended Quaker school in the Washington, D.C. area. Ann studied Philosophy at Barnard College in New York City. Ms. Brashares worked as an editor for many years before making the transition to writer. She is best-known for Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants. The author lives in New York City with her artist husband, Jacob Collins, and three children.

Website: www.annbrashares.nt

Saving Zoe by Alyson Noel

Year Published: 2007
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN: 978031235516
Pages: 230
Genre: Drama, Mystery
Personal Rating: 3 Stars
Interest Level: 9-12
Subjects: Grief, Death, Sisters, Interpersonal relations, High schools, schools

Reader's Annotation: How will you deal with the pressures of life? Your sister just died but you are forced to move on in the new school where she was once popular. What if you discover things about your sister that you never knew, will you still love her the same way?

Summary: Fifteen-year-old Echo is coping with the death of her sister, Zoe. Echo also begins her freshman year in a high school, where her sister is well –known. She meets her sister’s former boyfriend, Marc and he gives her Zoe’s diary. Echo learns more about her sister,which helps her to rebuild her life over and learns to love her even more even when she is long gone.

Evaluation: This book have graphic sexual scenes especially the rape scene. It gives a scary but realistic picture about how sexual predators. This book can be a good tool for discussions on how to protect teenagers from the dangers of rape and murder.

Author Website: www.alysonnoel.com

Forged by Fire by Sharon Draper

Year Published: 1997
Publisher: Antheneum Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 978069806995
Pages: 151
Price: $17.26 (Library Bound)
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Drama
Interest Level: 9-12
Reading Level: 5
Subjects: Child abuse, stepfamilies, siblings, African Americans

Reader's Annotation: Should you turn-in your parents to save yourself from the abuse? How will you protect your little sister from sexual abuse from your step-father? Will you risk your life for it?

Summary: This is the second book of the trilogy opens on a terrifying scene of child’s physical abuse in a grocery store, which sets the mood and stage of book. Sixteen-year-old Gerald Nickelby learns that her younger half sister, Angel, is being sexually abused by his step-father, Jordan. He learns to fight through physical abuse and finds courage to save his sister and himself. This book takes you to an emotional experience but triumphant ending. This touches many different tough issues that teens deal with. Some of these issues include abuse, suicide, and drugs. This book can be a great tool to open some discussions for teen issues that they face today.

Awards: ALA Best Book For Young Adults, ALA Booklist, ALA/YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Coretta Scott King Award, Voice of Youth Advocates, Wilson's Junior High Catalog

Author Information: Sharon M. Draper was born in Ohio August 21, 1948. She earned a B.A. from Pepperdine University and a M.A. from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
Ms. Draper taught junior high and high school students for more than thirty years. She is a public speaker who addresses educational and literary groups of all ages, both nationally and internationally.
Ms. Draper was awarded the Coretta Scott King Award in 1998 for Forged By Fire and in 2007 for Copper Sun. She received the Coretta Scott King Author Honor in 2004 for Battle Of Jericho and in 2008 for November Blues.
The author and her husband reside in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Website: sharondraper.com

The Witches by Roald Dahl

Illustrator: Blake, Quentin
Year Published:1983
ISBN:05990032496
Pages: 208
Genre: Suspense, Humorous
Interest Level: 3-6 Grade
Reading Level: 4
Personal Rating: 4 Stars
Subjects: Witches, Grandmother

Reader's Annotation: How do you spot a real witch? Look hard if they are wearing a wig, wide shoes and gloves. If you see a bald lady, flat-footed and has long distorted fingers, run! Run as fast and far away as you can for they may be after you!

Summary: A young English boy moves in with her grandmother and learns about witches. His grandmother teaches him how to tell real witches and talked about their leader, The Grand High Witch. When they go on vacation in a fancy hotel, they discover that the witches they device a plan on how to defeat The Grand High Witch and her followers.

Reviews and Awards: Notable/Best Books (ALA), Booklist
"An orphan boy...discovers the true nature of witches and then has the misfortune to be transformed into a mouse by The Grand High Witch of All the World...A curious but honest tale which deals with matters of crucial importance to children: smallness, the existence of evil in the world, mourning, separation, death." --The New York Times Book

Author Information:
Author Website: www.roalddahl.com

Personal Evaluation: This book is an easy read. It is entertaining however, readers might not like reading about witches. Although the characters and events are fictional, children may actually believe the information about the witches to be true.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Year Published: 2002
Publisher:
ISBN: 0061139378
Pages: 162
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy
Interest Level:5-9
Reading Level: 5
Personal Rating: 4 Stars
Subjects: Family, ghost

Reader's Annotation: You see yourself in a reflection of a perfect life in your house. Will you be interested of entering it? What if there's no way out?

Summary: Coraline moves with her family to rainy Portland. She kept herself busy by having an adventure in her new house. She discovers a "mirror" life as she walks through a secret door. She finds similar mom and dad and enjoyed the change for a little bit. When she tried to leave, her "new" mom gets really possessive and threatens Coraline and the people that she loves. Coraline saves her family by playing a dangerous game with her "new mom" and eventually sets everyone free, including herself and her family.

Reviews and Awards: ALA Best Book For Young Adults, ALA Booklist, ALA Notable Book For Children, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, IRA Children's Choice Award, School Library Journal Starred Review, Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review for Publishers Weekly, Voice of Youth Advocates, Wilson's Children's Catalog, Wilson's Junior High Catalog

8 Seconds by Jean Ferris

Year Published: 2000
Publisher:Harcourt Inc.
ISBN: 0152023674
Pages: 186
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Drama
Interest Level: 9-12
Reading Level: 5
Subjects: Homosexuality, Prejudice, Rodeo,

Reader's Annotation: What if you find yourself strangely attracted to an older boy who is smart, tough, complicated, gorgeous, and gay? What will you do?

Summary: John Ritchie spends a week at rodeo school where he meets Kit, a handsome and graceful rodeo. After returning from the rodeo school, John finds out that Kit is gay. They meet often during summer and they become close. John realizes that he is develops deeper feelings for Kit and discovers that he is gay. John struggles about his sexuality. He beats up Kit to prove to his friends that he was not gay. John looses his friendship with Kit but accepts sexuality.

Author Information: Jean Ferris was born in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas on January 24, 1939. She received a Bachelor's Degree and Master's Degree from Stanford University in speech pathology and audiology. She worked as a secretary and as a clinical audiologist. She and her husband have two grown daughters. She enjoys travel, long walks and author visits.She is best known for her young adult novels.

Awards: Nominee 2000 YALSA Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Award Nominee 2000,ALA Michael Prinz Award,ALA Best Book For Young Adults 2002,New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age 2001 Winner, San Diego Book Award for Juvenile Fiction
Author Website: www.jeanferris.com

Giver by Lois Lowry

Year Published: 1993
Publisher: Dell Yearling
ISBN:0440237688
Pages: 179
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction
Reading Level: 5
Personal Rating: 3 Stars
Interest Level: 5-9
Subject: Utopian society

Reader's Annotation: Do you want to be chosen as the beholder of all the knowledge? What is you learn about everything including events, people and even feelings that pleasant and unpleasant? How will you live your life after learning everything?

Summary: Twelve-year old Jonas receives his assignment as the next Giver. Jonas lives in a perfect society where there is no war, poverty, or family turmoil. In their perfect society, there is no and fear, no hardship, no everyday discontent, no long-term terror. It is protected from all the possible harm and everything is in order.
As Jonas trains from the Giver, he learns of many things that do not exist in their society. The Giver gives him all the memories, both good and bad, and Jonas feels the weight and responsibility of holding all the information and the truth. Jonas also learns about Elsewhere and the Release of the baby in his family. Jonas and the baby escape the perfect society in search for Elsewhere. They face many struggles and difficulties in their journey – starvation, hypothermia and near death experiences. The story ends without really telling whether they survived but they have reached Elsewhere.

Evaluation: An interesting science fiction book about Utopian society where the hero is a typical teenage boy. The book touches on controversial topics such as euthanasia and suicide. Jonas' quest for the world outside his known,perfect society brings a tragic ending.

Awards: ALA Best Book For Young Adults, ALA Notable Book For Children, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, IRA Teacher's Choice Award, National Council For Social Studies Notable Children's Trade, Newbery Medal, NCTE Adventuring With Books, NCTE High Interest-Easy Reading, NCTE Your Reading, Voice of Youth Advocates, Wilson's Children's Catalog, Wilson's High School Catalog, Wilson's Junior High Catalog

Author website: www.loislowry.com

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Year Published: 2007
Publisher: Scholastic Book Service
ISBN: 0545010225
Pages: 759
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
Interest Level: 5-9
Reading Level: 6
Personal Rating: 5 Stars
Subjects: School stories, Magic, Wizards,
Reader's Annotation: Where are the Horcruxes? Will Voldemort be defeated? What life awaits Harry Potter as he leaves Hogwarts?

Summary: This is the final book for the Harry Potter series. Harry finds out the truth about Dumbledore’s death and searches for the three objects from the legend of the Deathly Hallows. Voldemort gains more strength as more faithful followers join him to defeat the good wizards including Harry. Meanwhile Harry finds out more about his family and other characters mentioned on the other Harry Potter books. The final battle happens in Hogwarts where all the truth is revealed. Harry’s friends and professors join him to fight the evil Voldermort and his allies.

Evaluation: An interesting conclusion of the popular Harry Potter series. The battle of good and evil finally comes to an end. Reference to spells, wizardry and magic. Some may interpret that the characters and events in the story are promoting Wica and other cult practices.

Reviews and Awards:School Library Journal, Starred Review for Publishers Weekly, Starred Review ALA Booklist, Voice of Youth Advocates, Wilson's Children's Catalog, Wilson's Junior High Catalog

Author Information: J. K. Rowling was born on July 31, 1965 in Chipping Sodbury, England. She was educated at Exeter University and has worked as a teacher. The author's full name is Joanne Kathleen Rowling. She is married to Dr. Neil Murray and has two children, a girl named Jessica and a boy named David. Rowling is best known for writing the Harry Potter series. She received an American Book Award in 1999. The first five books in the Harry Potter series have all been ALA Notable Children's Books.

Author website: www.jkrowling.com

Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

Year Published: 1989
Viking Penguin
ISBN:0-14-303809-5
Pages: 288
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Drama
Interest Level: 9-12
Reading Level: 6
Personal Rating: 4 Stars
Subjects: Mother-daughter relationship, mothers, death, female friendship, Chinese American Women

Reader's Annotation: Reminiscing your life both the sweet and bitter parts of it. Will you share your story?

Summary: Four Chinese American immigrant families start a club known as “the Joy Luck Club.” They get together and have a feast, tell stories and play a Chinese game called Mahjong. Each of the character shares about their struggles in their lives in separate chapters with lessons to teach. Some of the stories include mother and daughter stories.

Evaluation: Great book about the life journey of Chinese American women. The book cleverly draws interesting characters that tells about the struggles of the Chinese women. Some topics such as rape, abortion, multiple partners and some other Chinese traditions may not be suitable to young readers.
Reviews and Awards: ALA Best Book For Young Adults, New York Times Book Review, Voice of Youth Advocates, Wilson's Fiction Catalog, Wilson's High School Catalog

Author Website: www.amytan.net

Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Year Published: 2002
Publisher: Little, Brown & Co.
ISBN: 0316168815
Pages: 328
Price: $18.66 (Library Bound)
Classification: Fiction
Media Format : Book
Genre: Mystery, Romance, Adventure
Interest Level: 9-12
Reading Level: 6
Personal Rating: 5 Stars
Subjects: Murder victims families, Teenage girls, Crimes against, Rape

Reader's Annotation: Will you just watch and wait from heaven if you see your killer get away and your family fall apart because of your death?

Summary: Susie Salmon takes a shortcut home from school. She takes the cornfield route and meets George Harvey. He tricked her to go to the underground den, traps her, rapes her, kills her, dismembers her body and drops them in a sinkhole. Only Susie’s hat and elbow is found. Investigators did not find suspects for the death of Susie so they drop the case. Susie’s family falls apart. Her father goes through depression, her mother having an affair with one of the detectives and her sister feeling abandoned and confused with her sister’s disappearance. As years go by loved ones and friends find clues, sometimes with the help of Susie, from her personal heaven. It took years for them to figure out who killed Susie and by then Harvey is free to harm other girls. His final attempt to rape another lady in a bus depot lead to a freak accident. Harvey got knocked out by a fallen icicle and tumbled down on a ravine to his death.

Evaluation: A chilling book about a teenager's unsolved murder. The author gave some grotesque description of Susie's body being dismembered. A little rape scene was also described in the book.

Reviews and Awards: Library Journal, New York Times Book Review, Publishers Weekly, Wilson's High School Catalog

Romiette and Julio by Sharon Draper

Year Published: 1999
Publisher: Antheneum Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780689821806
Pages: 236
Price: $11.26 (Library Bound)
Genre: Romance, Suspense
Interest Level: 9-12
Reading Level: 6
Personal Rating: 3 Stars
Subjects: Internet, School stories, Hispanic Americans, African Americans, Fiction

Reader's Annotation: Romiette, an African-American girl, and Julio, a Hispanic boy, discover that they attend the same high school after falling in love on the Internet.

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Julio Montague's parents have moved their family to Cincinnati, OH, in order to get their son out of his gang-ridden high school in Corpus Christi, TX. Romiette Cappelle, also 16, is the daughter of successful African-American parents and the granddaughter of college professors. When these two young people, both from proud heritages, begin a romance, they must deal not only with their parents' prejudices but also with the threats of a local gang called The Family. At times, Romiette and Julio effectively parallels and contemporizes the original story. The young couple meet, not at the Capulets' feast, but in an Internet chat room. Julio's friend, Ben Olsen (read Benvolio), who looks like a punk rocker, has an optimistic and irreverent attitude that balances Julio's passion and volatility. At other times, the allusions to the play are obvious and heavy-handed. Nonetheless, this novel is more than simply a carefully plotted teenage romance.

Review: School Library Journal - 09/01/1999
"A contemporary retelling of the Romeo and Juliet story with a happy, upbeat ending. Draper gives a realistic portrayal of the interactions among high school students as well as their relationships with their parents. The book also examines how gangs can gain power and take control. All of the characters have unique voices and the writing style shifts according to the action. Romiette and Julio would be a wonderful curriculum tie-in book, but it also stands alone as a first-rate novel about contemporary teens."

Evaluation: Interesting fiction book about teenage life. It contains how peer-pressure greatly affects how teens interact. There are sexual innuendo in the online conversations between Romiette and Julio.

Reviews and Awards: Kirkus Reviews (07/15/99), School Library Journal (09/99), Booklist (09/15/99)

Author Information: Sharon M. Draper was born in Ohio August 21, 1948. She earned a B.A. from Pepperdine University and a M.A. from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Ms. Draper taught junior high and high school students for more than thirty years. She is a public speaker who addresses educational and literary groups of all ages, both nationally and internationally. Ms. Draper was awarded the Coretta Scott King Award in 1998 for Forged By Fire and in 2007 for Copper Sun. She received the Coretta Scott King Author Honor in 2004 for Battle Of Jericho and in 2008 for November Blues.The author and her husband reside in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Website: sharondraper.com

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Publisher:Viking Penguin
Year Published: 2001
ISBN: 0142407321
Pages: 197
Price: $14.26
Genre: Drama
Interest Level: 7-12
Reading Level: 5
Personal Rating: 4 Stars
Subjects: High school, School stories, Rape

Reader's Annotation: A vow-of-silence as way to tell people about a tragic event that happened in your life. Will people finally listen to you when you tell them you've been raped? How will you tell your story?

Summary: Melinda Sordino becomes a selective mute as she enters high school. She has been ostracized by her friends for calling the police on one of the summer parties. She finds support and comfort in her art teacher and friend, David Petrakis. Melinda finds her voice to speak about her traumatic summer experience. She learns to cope after being raped.

Evaluation: A powerful book about rape and paints a realistic truth about how some teens deal with life after being raped.
Reviews and Awards: ALA Best Book For Young Adults, ALA Booklist, ALA/YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, Michael Printz Honor, Publishers Weekly, Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Wilson's High School Catalog, Wilson's Junior High Catalog

Author Information: www.laurieanderson.com