Wolff, Viginia Euwer. (1993). Make Lemonade. New York: Scholastic.
Annotation: Fourteen-year-old LaVaughn answers an ad for a babysitting job because she has a desire to save some money so she can be the first in her family to go to college. She is surprised to find Jolly, the mom of the two children needing a sitter, to be only three years older than her. LaVaughn takes the position and finds in her so much love for Jolly and her two small children.
Justification for Nomination: This was a powerful and moving story. You can see how LaVaughn is totally transformed by love for these two kids.
Any teenager who has volunteered or gone on mission trips (which I did a lot of during my adolescence) will totally connect with this book. On those trips, just like the experience LaVaughn had, your eyes get opened to people who experience a different kind of life, and you feel a deep connection and love for the children in these scenarios.
Those experiences in my adolescence really changed me and made me into who I am today. I think this is why I have such a love for little kids now and seeing them become all that they can. I think this book has the potential to spur on an adolescent reader towards pursuing opportunities to help out those less fortunate.
I really liked the verse novel aspect of this book also. I think how the lines were broken up symbolized the brokenness Jolly felt and what LaVaughn was witnessing. The language was very fitting. This book was also a quick read which will appeal to teen readers.
Great book.
Genre: Verse Novel
Monday, July 28, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
The Floor of the Sky
Joern, Pamela Carter. (2006). The Floor of the Sky. Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press.
Annotation: Toby’s sixteen year old granddaughter, Lila, comes to live with her in Nebraska the summer Lila is pregnant. Throughout the summer Lila finds out a lot about the history of her family and friends. She also does a lot of soul searching about what to do with the baby on the way – and finds interesting people to help her through it.
Justification for Rejection: I was so bored reading this book. It is an adult fiction book – and it showed. I do not really see it appealing to teenagers. Yes, one of the main characters is a teenager, but at least at the beginning the story is not mainly about her.
Once I got a little past halfway through this book it was not so bad, but I think most teen readers would not press on to that point.
I did like the close family ties that come through in this book. They are all quite closed off and cold-hearted at the beginning. But by the end their hearts have been softened and they find a new love and appreciation for each other. It was a very real transition and you can find an emotional connection with them through this.
Because I found myself bored reading this book, I feel like it took forever to read. It was not a quick read and I do not think teens would stick it out without being forced to read it to the end. Which is a bummer – because the end was pretty good.
This book was told from four people’s perspective. You heard from Toby, Lila, Gertie (Toby’s sister), and George (one of the hired hands). This was an interesting way to read a book and I actually found it confusing and hard to follow.
Genre: Alex Award Winner (2007)
Annotation: Toby’s sixteen year old granddaughter, Lila, comes to live with her in Nebraska the summer Lila is pregnant. Throughout the summer Lila finds out a lot about the history of her family and friends. She also does a lot of soul searching about what to do with the baby on the way – and finds interesting people to help her through it.
Justification for Rejection: I was so bored reading this book. It is an adult fiction book – and it showed. I do not really see it appealing to teenagers. Yes, one of the main characters is a teenager, but at least at the beginning the story is not mainly about her.
Once I got a little past halfway through this book it was not so bad, but I think most teen readers would not press on to that point.
I did like the close family ties that come through in this book. They are all quite closed off and cold-hearted at the beginning. But by the end their hearts have been softened and they find a new love and appreciation for each other. It was a very real transition and you can find an emotional connection with them through this.
Because I found myself bored reading this book, I feel like it took forever to read. It was not a quick read and I do not think teens would stick it out without being forced to read it to the end. Which is a bummer – because the end was pretty good.
This book was told from four people’s perspective. You heard from Toby, Lila, Gertie (Toby’s sister), and George (one of the hired hands). This was an interesting way to read a book and I actually found it confusing and hard to follow.
Genre: Alex Award Winner (2007)
Saturday, July 26, 2008
The Lovely Bones
Sebold, Alice. (2002). The Lovely Bones. New York: Little, Brown, and Company.
Annotation: Fourteen-year-old Susie has been murdered in her neighborhood. She now watches from heaven in the days and years following her murder as her friends and family struggle between missing her and moving on, and she herself comes to terms with her own unexpected death.
Justification for Nomination: This book was quite captivating. I was sucked in right away. It has enough mystery in that you cant explain or understand the different pieces of everything going on, but gives you enough information that you’re not too frustrated.
You really watch Susie’s family pull together and struggle so much with her death, and eventually fall apart only to come back together again. The pain and struggles for her siblings, parents, and friends were so real.
I think this book would connect well with teens. It’s another “what if” book. What would it be like to die and watch everyone grieve the loss of me? What would everyone say and do?
Susie is able to watch the daily lives of her friends, family, and neighbors – as well as rewind into the past to remember old times. This leaves her wishing for her old life and wanting to try to change the lives of those still on earth.
I could see controversy with this book in Susie’s description of “heaven”. From a Christian perspective this is not a God-filled heaven at all… it is perfectly customized for Susie, but not the “heaven” a Christian would think of. It is even explained as a transition type of heaven, and she will move on later – but this even was a little confusing.
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Annotation: Fourteen-year-old Susie has been murdered in her neighborhood. She now watches from heaven in the days and years following her murder as her friends and family struggle between missing her and moving on, and she herself comes to terms with her own unexpected death.
Justification for Nomination: This book was quite captivating. I was sucked in right away. It has enough mystery in that you cant explain or understand the different pieces of everything going on, but gives you enough information that you’re not too frustrated.
You really watch Susie’s family pull together and struggle so much with her death, and eventually fall apart only to come back together again. The pain and struggles for her siblings, parents, and friends were so real.
I think this book would connect well with teens. It’s another “what if” book. What would it be like to die and watch everyone grieve the loss of me? What would everyone say and do?
Susie is able to watch the daily lives of her friends, family, and neighbors – as well as rewind into the past to remember old times. This leaves her wishing for her old life and wanting to try to change the lives of those still on earth.
I could see controversy with this book in Susie’s description of “heaven”. From a Christian perspective this is not a God-filled heaven at all… it is perfectly customized for Susie, but not the “heaven” a Christian would think of. It is even explained as a transition type of heaven, and she will move on later – but this even was a little confusing.
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging
Rennison, Louise. (1999). Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging. New York: HarperTempest.
Annotation: Fourteen-year-old Georgia lets the reader in on her life through her diary. She has a large cat named Angus, which is a large pain. And this boy – the “sex god” – whom she adores. But things just never seem to go the way she wants them to.
Justification for Rejection: This book was very hard to follow. I think part of it was in English, but not American English that I understand! I was left confused the whole time. There was a “glossary” at the back, but I was frustrated by having to flip back and forth the whole time.
Georgia does share her experiences of things typical for adolescents, but I don’t feel they were conveyed in a way that the reader can connect with. It was a quick read, which could appeal to a teen reader.
I think this book had the potential to be a funny, good read… but I was just left frustrated and annoyed by the lack of cohesion and readability.
Genre: Humor
Annotation: Fourteen-year-old Georgia lets the reader in on her life through her diary. She has a large cat named Angus, which is a large pain. And this boy – the “sex god” – whom she adores. But things just never seem to go the way she wants them to.
Justification for Rejection: This book was very hard to follow. I think part of it was in English, but not American English that I understand! I was left confused the whole time. There was a “glossary” at the back, but I was frustrated by having to flip back and forth the whole time.
Georgia does share her experiences of things typical for adolescents, but I don’t feel they were conveyed in a way that the reader can connect with. It was a quick read, which could appeal to a teen reader.
I think this book had the potential to be a funny, good read… but I was just left frustrated and annoyed by the lack of cohesion and readability.
Genre: Humor
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
the perks of being a wallflower
Chbosky, Stephen. (1999). the perks of being a wallflower. New York: Pocket Books.
Annotation: Charlie is a freshman in high school and uneasy about the transition. He meets many new friends and has new experiences which he shares with “Friend” whom he anonymously writes letters to all year.
Justification for Nomination: I feel that I am a bad person to be reviewing this book. I really don’t know how much a teen reader would connect with it. I am only twenty, so have been reviewing books based on what I would have read and enjoyed and connected with a few years ago. With the issues I this book, my experience was a unique one, so I can’t really connect with the masses here. I’m going to nominate it, though, because I think it has potential to connect with adolescents.
Personally, I was home schooled so did not ever deal with most of the things Charlie went through! Not to mention I’m a girl…
This book is very real and raw though. It is basically a diary for Charlie, as he writes letters anonymously to his anonymous “friend.” It deals with many typical issues of high school – fitting in, being introverted, drugs and alcohol, sex and hormones, and past and current abuse. This is the age where a lot of these things are coming to a head in an adolescents life. For this reason, I think almost everyone (except apparently me!) could find something to connect with in Charlie’s life.
This book was also a quick read and written in first person which makes it easier for the teen reader to connect and walk away with something.
I also was impressed at how many books and songs and movies from popular culture were referenced in this book. It left me wanting to read them! I thought that was a cool outcome of the book.
Genre: Censored or Challenged Title
Annotation: Charlie is a freshman in high school and uneasy about the transition. He meets many new friends and has new experiences which he shares with “Friend” whom he anonymously writes letters to all year.
Justification for Nomination: I feel that I am a bad person to be reviewing this book. I really don’t know how much a teen reader would connect with it. I am only twenty, so have been reviewing books based on what I would have read and enjoyed and connected with a few years ago. With the issues I this book, my experience was a unique one, so I can’t really connect with the masses here. I’m going to nominate it, though, because I think it has potential to connect with adolescents.
Personally, I was home schooled so did not ever deal with most of the things Charlie went through! Not to mention I’m a girl…
This book is very real and raw though. It is basically a diary for Charlie, as he writes letters anonymously to his anonymous “friend.” It deals with many typical issues of high school – fitting in, being introverted, drugs and alcohol, sex and hormones, and past and current abuse. This is the age where a lot of these things are coming to a head in an adolescents life. For this reason, I think almost everyone (except apparently me!) could find something to connect with in Charlie’s life.
This book was also a quick read and written in first person which makes it easier for the teen reader to connect and walk away with something.
I also was impressed at how many books and songs and movies from popular culture were referenced in this book. It left me wanting to read them! I thought that was a cool outcome of the book.
Genre: Censored or Challenged Title
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Pier Pressure
Lantz, Francess. (2003). Pier Pressure. New York: Scholastic, Inc.
Annotation: Luna meets David at a surf camp her parents are running, but he is not into surfing. Will she be able to calm his fears and help him learn how to surf, and will she be able to live up to her mother’s reputation and win the big surf contest… or will both dreams come crashing down?
Justification for Rejection: This book has many good points, however, I think would have a small audience. Throughout the book you can see the strong ties of friendship between Luna and her four friends. Even though they fight and go through some hard times, they always show a resolution and are friends in the end.
Luna has some tough decisions to make about what is most important to her. She has to choose between a boy, her friends, and what her parents think of her. She handles them all pretty well, trying to find a balance. She comes to the realization that living up to her mom’s reputation is not the most important thing to her. Her friends and her surfing for fun are more important. Her parents support her in this, which I think is a good and positive point to have in a book.
Throughout all of this Luna is going through a lot of inner turmoil. Being able to read this in a book gives you a good look inside of her and you can connect with the emotions she is feeling.
However, this book probably doesn’t have a big audience. It may appeal to teens as it is in a series and that may draw them in. I think the biggest following would be teens (probably not in Minnesota! ☺) who are in to surfing. There was a lot of surfing lingo in this book that I didn’t understand.
Genre: Romance, Sports, or Adventure
Annotation: Luna meets David at a surf camp her parents are running, but he is not into surfing. Will she be able to calm his fears and help him learn how to surf, and will she be able to live up to her mother’s reputation and win the big surf contest… or will both dreams come crashing down?
Justification for Rejection: This book has many good points, however, I think would have a small audience. Throughout the book you can see the strong ties of friendship between Luna and her four friends. Even though they fight and go through some hard times, they always show a resolution and are friends in the end.
Luna has some tough decisions to make about what is most important to her. She has to choose between a boy, her friends, and what her parents think of her. She handles them all pretty well, trying to find a balance. She comes to the realization that living up to her mom’s reputation is not the most important thing to her. Her friends and her surfing for fun are more important. Her parents support her in this, which I think is a good and positive point to have in a book.
Throughout all of this Luna is going through a lot of inner turmoil. Being able to read this in a book gives you a good look inside of her and you can connect with the emotions she is feeling.
However, this book probably doesn’t have a big audience. It may appeal to teens as it is in a series and that may draw them in. I think the biggest following would be teens (probably not in Minnesota! ☺) who are in to surfing. There was a lot of surfing lingo in this book that I didn’t understand.
Genre: Romance, Sports, or Adventure
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