War Is...

Editors Marc Aronson & Patty Campbell

Candlewick Press, Cambridge, 2008

Genres: Informative Non-Fiction, War

Reading Level: Young Adult (14-18)

Pages: 194

Summary:

This is a compilation of writings by various writers on the subject of war. It's divided into three sections: Deciding about war, experiencing war, and the aftermath of war. It goes through the experience of both soldiers and reporters who cover wars and it is real. This teaches teens the reality of war, not what is commonly known.

Reaction:

Great book, one that I think all teens should read, especially while they are in high school. It eliminates the glory of war and forces you to see it for what it really is, destruction. It's also great because it's not all one sided, but is written by many different authors with many different back grounds. I would recommend this book to anybody 14 or older, including adults. I wish this was a required reading for high school students.

Cautionary Note: Some of the writings have language, some deal with violence and are graphic, and they very realistic.

Beast

Donna Jo Napoli

Atheneum, New York, 2000

Genres: Fantasy, Journey, Mystery, Love, Adventure

Reading Level: Young Adult (14-18)

Pages: 272

Summary:

Orasmyn is a prideful Persian prince who angers a fairy and gets turned into a lion. He is forced to leave his family to avoid being killed by his own father. Then begins a quest to not only find a cure, but to survive in his new form. This story is similar to Beauty and the Beast, yet different in so many different ways.

Reaction:

I must admit that I couldn't finish this book because I didn't really find it to be all that gripping. I know some people absolutely love it and can't put it down, but it wasn't really my style writing. It does explore some interesting questions, and I think that it teaches some good lessons, but I'll have to finish it before I can fully react to it.

First Boy

Gary Schmidt
Listening Library, 2005

Genres: Adventure, Violence, Mystery
Reading Level: Young Adult (12-18)
Length: 4 Hours 45 Minutes

Summary:
Cooper's Grandparents have just died, leaving him all alone on a dairy farm. Everybody says that he should go live with somebody else, but he's determined to stay and work the farm, all by himself if necessary. Then mysterious things start happening at his far. People are prowling around and questions are being asked. Cooper is forced to question who and what he really is.

Reaction:
I liked it, though it wasn't the most exciting reader I've ever heard. I thought that some of the voices were a little corny. I think I would have preferred to read this book, but it's a perfect book for teens who are struggling with reading. The ending wasn't really surprising, but I liked the values it taught.

Cautionary Note: Violence,intimidation, and mild law breaking.

Eight Plus One

Robert Cormier

Bantam Doubleday, New York, 1965

Genres: Short Stories

Reading Level: Young Adult (14-18)

Pages: 196

Summary:

Robert Cormier, unlike himself, actually manages to write 9 short stories that aren't completely depressing. I liked the Chocolate War, but these stories are different and creative and make a specific point. He introduces each story by telling the background and inspiration for the idea, allowing the reader to get a sneak peek at the author's life.

Reaction:

They were all different from each other and different from what I expected. It's hard to describe what they're about without giving everything away, so I'll merely say that they were interesting. I won't say that this was my favorite Cormier Book, but it isn't very difficult to read.

Cautionary Note: Some of the stories have mild language, but mostly it's all clean.

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing

M. T. Anderson

Candlewick Press, Cambridge, 2006

Genres: Historical Fiction, Multicultural, Family, War

Reading Level: Young Adult (14-18)

Pages: 353

Awards: National Book Award, Printz Honor, Horn Book Award, ALA Top Ten Books

Summary:

Octavian has always know that he was different, though he hasn't really known why. Certainly he grew up under the tutelage of many scholars, and his mother was an African Princess, and they weighed and measured his feces, but he still couldn't seem to figure it out. Then he went into the forbidden room and discovered the truth about his existence.

Reaction:

Well written, though a little slow at the beginning. This is a book that really makes you think about what it means to be human and equal. It addresses slavery, patriotism, scientific ethics, and many other issues without actually lecturing the reader. There were a few parts towards the end that got me very excited about reading history and learning more about the revolutionary war. It's a good book for most ages, and it's excellent for stimulating discussion.

Cautionary Note: Violence, Slavery, Some Graphic injuries, Unethical Science Experiments

Looking For Alaska

John Green

Dutton Books, New York, 2005

Genres: Death, Sex Related, Friends and Society, Humor

Reading Level: Young Adult (Only By Special Recommendation)

Pages: 221

Awards: Printz Award

Summary:

Miles is 16 and he has decided that he wants to attend school in another state, at a boarding school, away from home. He doesn't have friends and he's really unsure about what's in store for him. Then he meets Skip and Alaska and his life changes completely. This is a story about escaping a Labyrinth of life and trying to understand why.

Reaction:

I really liked this book, but it's not for the faint of heart. I thought that they story was well organized and the characters had a lot of depth, but parts of it did bother me. I wouldn't recommend this book to most teens because they're not really mature enough for it, and it does have some questionable material. I really liked the interactions between the main characters and parts of it even reminded me of some of my high school friendships, though not as extreme. Looking For Alaska deserves the award it got, but it isn't really appropriate for most teens.

Cautionary Note: Lots of Language, Sex, Alcoholism, Smoking, and Rule Breaking

Inexcusable

Chris Lynch

Simon Pulse, New York, 2005

Genres: Sex Related, Sports, Family, Friends and Society, Violence

Reading Level: Young Adult (16-18)

Pages: 165

Awards: National Book Award

Summary:

This is the story of a teen who thinks that life is great and that he is a good boy. Too bad he's making most of it up, because he's just done the worst thing imaginable. It's so bad that he can't come to grips with it. This horrifying story is told from his point of view, something unusual in young adult literature.

Reaction:

This book scared me, and I must admit that I didn't really understand why this teen was doing what he was doing. It's full of illusions and fantasies, yet it's so real that it's scary. I'm afraid that this book isn't recommendable for younger teens because it deals with drugs, sex, and violence, but it does make a very good point. It's a book that makes you think.

Cautionary Note: Rape, Sexual References, Drugs, Alcohol, Mild Language, Violence

Impossible

Nancy Werlin

Penguin, New York, 2008

Genres: Sex Related, Family & Friends, Society, Fantasy, Violence

Reading Level: Young Adult (16-18)

Pages: 364

Summary:

Lucy's life is great except for one thing, her crazy mother. Constantly plagued by her rants and random encounters, it was hard to accept her situation. Then she got raped by her prom date and everything turned upside down. Yet there is still another crazy twist waiting to further mess her life up.

Reaction:

Weird and very scary. Not scary like ghost scary, but haunting and too emotional. I didn't like it the entire time, yet I couldn't put it down until I finished. NOT for younger teens. I can't really say much more because I don't want to give anything away.

Cautionary Note: Rape, violence, craziness, and adult emotional junk.