The Giver

The Giver

Lowry, L. (2002). The Giver. Laurel Leaf.

Jonas lives in a perfect world. A world with no differences, no pain and no memories. But Jonas sees what is different. He feels. He knows there is more. He wants others to see it too. Follow Jonas's journey out of the perfect world.



                         

Mockingjay

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

Collins, S. (2014). The Hunger Games: Mockinjay. Scholastic Press.
Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games for the second time now. She has put to shame the Capitol and their ruthless leader, President Snow. Katniss knows President Snow is out to get her for the uproar of the districts. She must do all she can to protect her family, her friends and the people of District 12. 

                                             

Thirsty

Anderson, M. (1997). Thirsty. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press.

Christopher is just a regular kid who wants to live a regular life. Unfortunately Christopher’s life is about to become more abnormal than he could imagine in his worst nightmare. More than experiencing a crush, staying up late and worrying about puberty, Christopher is now dealing with transforming into a vampire. In the town of Bradley, Massachusetts, vampires are hunted down and lynched. Christopher can’t trust anyone with his secret until he meets a mysterious man dressed in black that introduces himself as Chet the Celestial Being. He also claims he can help Christopher cure his vampirism. Ultimately he is temporarily cured from his vampirism, but his mother has suspicions about him. In the end the book ends with Christopher realizing he needs to feed and the words, “Oh God I am So Thirsty.” Thirsty will engage readers who love fantasy fiction. Although teenagers cannot relate to his transformation into a vampire, they can certainly relate to Chris’s desperate desire to be a “normal” kid. During the teenage years, many teens face the emotions of low self-esteem and insecurities. Perhaps this book can engage reluctant readers and spark up a love for reading. Teens who enjoy horror can also be intrigued with some of the events that occur where vampires attack people. Overall, this book will serve as a nice read for any student who wishes to open it up.

The House of Forgetting

Saenz, B. (1997). The House of Forgetting. Harper Collins Publishers.

Seven year old Gloria Santos was kidnapped by Thomas Blacker a stranger she accepted a ride with one day and relocated her out from a small El Paso community to Chicago. Gloria is raised by Blacker for twenty years and her captor redefines all she knew as a child. She learns to appreciate literature, music and cooking. She is not allowed out of the house, only occasionally when Blanker decides it is safe. Gloria enters womanhood believing she must serve in life, and to love means to obsess and control with fear. As she grows older, she becomes aware of her situation and struggles to distinguish between what she has been taught is love and what she believes could be obsession. She gathers up all her courage to confront the man who has taken her captive and fights to free herself. She then experiences becoming readjusted to the outside world, a world she barely knew as a child. Gloria’s character is one that readers particularly students might find themselves not understanding at first. Despite her captor’s actions, she manages to still become a kind and caring toward him. This is a wonderful opportunity for character analysis in the classroom. To cause students to ask why and how Gloria’s circumstances still made room for positive moral development. I recommend this book to be used for upper grades 11 and higher. Students operating in the post-conventional stage of moral development will understand the issues in this book the best.

Poop Fountain: The Quickpick Papers

Angleberger, T. (2014). Poop Fountain: The Quickpick Papers. Harry N. Abrams.

Lyle Hertzog and his friends Marilla and Dave expected to have another regular day loitering at the local Quickpick convenience store. While reading an article in their hometown newspaper, they decide their Christmas holiday will involve a mission to visit “poop fountain,” the sludge fountain at the town’s sewage plant before it is retired. The book is an account of their wild missions told using journal entries and hand drawn comics. The book Poop Fountain: The Quickpick Papers is appealing to both young middle school students and high schoolers who enjoy a good laugh. I recommend the rest of the series to readers, which continue the adventures of the Quickpick Adventure Society. This book serves as an easy read and hilarious for readers of all ages. Teachers can use this book to help encourage unwilling readers to find something to capture their attention. The title itself will definitely spark up interest in reluctant readers and may even cause them to continue the series independently. The author does a great job at using kid friendly humor, which won’t cause many censors’ red flags to be raised.

No More Dead Dogs

Korman, G. (2000). No more dead dogs. New York: Hyperion Books for Children.

No More Dead Dogs is about a school football hero, Wallace Wallace. He became popular after scoring the winning touchdown in the championship. Besides being a hero, he likes to think of himself as an honest person and when his English teacher, Mr. Fogelman asks him to write a book report about the book Old Shep, My Pal, he refuses to give a positive report. Mr. Fogelman places Wallace in detention for giving such a negative review on the book and requires him to attend the drama club, who is collaborating to produce an adaptation of the book written by Mr. Fogelman. Wallace is not sorry for giving the book a negative review; after all he is tired of stories that end with a dead dog. Embracing his punishment Wallace decides to join the drama club and add some changes to the play. His decision to leave football to join the club leaves fans upset and feeling vengeful. Suddenly, an unknown culprit vandalizes the play set. In the end they find out that it was Dylan a resentful fan who wanted revenge because the play had ruined his famous football hero, Wallace. This book will spark up the interest in students who enjoy a humorous story and who can relate to Wallace in despising stories with dead-dog-endings. I believe this story is original in that it focuses on the viewpoint of one person’s act of disliking a book. The author is able to create a decent plot surrounding the protagonist who desires to remain honest with himself and stands up for what he believes in.

Echo

Block, F. (2001). Echo. New York: Joanna Cotler Books/HarperCollins.

This fantasy novel is about a girl name Echo caught between two worlds. One in which her reality is a disappointment and the other where she can fall in love with a boy she meets by the sea with angel wings on his back. She is about to start college in the fall after her father is diagnosed with cancer. Echo’s mother is somewhat despised by Echo as she feels overshadowed by her. Echo’s relationship with her father has always lacked connection. After his death she still feels he never loved her leaving her to long for a man’s attention throughout the story. As she goes off to school she meets Thorn, a poet who she moves in with. Echo experiences a an eating disorder, deals with a distressed mother and confused relationships. In the end she reunites with Storm, the boy she met years ago by the sea. I’ve got to admit this book was somewhat confusing to me as the author shifts point of views linking stories together to narrate the full story. I would recommend this book to avid reader who can take on a challenge. As an educator, I would not bring it up to a reluctant reader because I feel that to have them risk being confused through out the story would actually hinder their reading lifestyle even more. Although I can’t say I’m a fan of the book, the themes of depression and feeling disconnected to parents are topics of interest that might appeal to high school readers developing emotionally.