Literature for Young Adults: Books 1-8
- Richelle Saavedra
- Mar 7, 2020
- 10 min read
Updated: Mar 21, 2020
1) The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. NY: Little Brown.
Summary:
Arnold, also called Junior by his friends and family, is a 14-year-old boy who lives in poverty on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Junior is a nerdy, short, artistic boy that draws cartoons, but because of his personality and appearance, he gets bullied by kids and adults. Juniors best friend Rowdy is the complete opposite of him. Rowdy is athletic and aggressive. Junior was excited to begin high school, but suddenly things change. Junior gets upset to find out that he is using the same book as his mom. He flings the book at his teacher, which in the end he gets kicked out of the reservation. Junior decides to attend a high school, achieving school in a wealthy white neighborhood. His parents are supportive, but he is devastated by the rejection of the community and especially his best friend rowdy. The first few days at the new school are hard because his classmates ignore him and make racist jokes. He usually settles his problems with violence, but that method doesn't work in his new school. Time passes by, and school becomes easier. Junior makes friends with Penelope, Roger, and Gordy. He tries out for the basketball team, and to his surprise, he makes the team. Junior's sister Mary gets married and moves. Although everything was going well for Junior, sadness hits his family and reservation. A drunk driver kills his grandmother, and that makes him realize the significance of family in his life. To make situations worse, Juniors high school basketball team is playing against his old school. The first game Juniors school doesn't do as well, but they start preparing for the rematch. Again he faces his friend Rowdy, but this time Junior delivers an impressive victory. Near the end of his school year, Junior finds out that his sister Mary dies in an alcohol-related accident. The death of Mary brings Juniors family closer together. His high school classmates support him in his time of grief, and he learns his classmates genuinely care about him. In the end, Junior and his family members share a moment of connection, and he reconciles with Rowdy.
Strength:
The challenges the character faces are something that our students go through. I have experienced first hand seeing how some of our students struggle with problems at home and with friends at school. This novel had a very good story behind the main character. He suffered hardships in school with racism and lost family members due to accidents. The students can connect to this story because they can relate to what the character went through in his life. This story even brought me to tears because I was able to relate to Junior and the racism he suffered at school and the loss of family members.
Connection
Other books Sherman Alexie:
Book Trailer:
2) Speak by Laurie Anderson
Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. NY: Penguin.
Summary:
Melinda, a freshman at Merryweather High School, begins the year with a huge secret. During the summer, she attended a party with her friends, and she ended up calling the police. Calling the police caused her to be rejected by her friends and everyone who attended the party. Melinda only has one friend, and her name is Heather, but Heather is trying to involve Melinda in different schemes so they can gain popularity. Still, Melinda is not interested in gaining popularity. Melinda spends most of her time alone in a janitor's closet. She avoids going to classes of teachers she doesn't like by hiding out in the closet. She also hides in the closet to avoid painful interactions with her former friends. There is only one place in the school where she feels at peace and that is her art class. In art class, they are working on a project where they are creating various interpretations of a tree. While at school, she tries to avoid Andy Evans because of what he did to her. Every time Andy sees Melinda, he antagonizes her, which makes her relive the horrible experience she went through. She starts missing days of school, and her academics start dropping. Her parents and school counselor question her about what is happening, but she stays in silence. Months later, after so much depression, she finally admits that Andy raped her at the part last summer. After finally speaking out, Melinda begins to recover and feels free. In the end, Melinda gains the respect of the school, as many other girls spoke out in how they also suffered silently. She ends the school year by pulling herself out of her depression and finishing her art project.
Strength:
This novel touched my heart on another level because I personally experienced this situation myself. This is a book I can see many of my students connecting to because even though some people think that 5th-grade students are too young, they have suffered as well with many of these situations. This novel will help students understand that yes bad things happen that will cause you to be sad at times but they need to speak up and not stay silent. It also shows the students that they will get past the bad situation and they can overcome anything they go through. This novel will give inspiration to any person who reads this book.
Connection
Other books by Laurie Anderson:
Book Trailer:
3) Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar
Behar, R. (2017). Lucky broken girl. NY: Delacorte.
Summary:
Ruthie and her family emigrated from Cuba to Queens, New York. Ruthie was so full of life and love. She was enjoying being called the queen of hopscotch by her kids in the neighborhood. Ruthie was finally getting confidence in speaking the English language she was learning until a horrific accident happened. Ruthie ended up breaking her leg, leaving her in cast and confined to her best for a long time. She ends up being homeschooled because she is not able to move. Ruthie starts feeling like her world is starting to shrink because she feels like she can't do anything. She is angry at the boys who caused the accident and puts her in the situation she is. Time passes by and she decides to forgive the boys because she comes to understand how fragile life is and is grateful she still has life. It was a challenge for her to learn how to walk again, but with the support of the nurse, her family, and her neighbors little by little, she regains her strength and can return to the routine she had before the accident occurred.
Strength:
Ruthie suffered a great tragedy that left her angry ad sad. She had to learn to forgive and become strong. The students can connect to this book because some students can relate to Ruthie. Some of the students have family and even their own family have emigrated from another country to the United States. The challenge that Ruthie went through can be a learning experience for the students that no matter what situation life brings you, you can overcome it. It teaches the children that life is very fragile and shouldn't be taken for granted. One day we might be here and in an instant, we can be gone from this world.
Connection
Other books by Ruth Behar:
Book Trailer:
4) Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden
Garden, N. (1982). Annie on my mind. NY: Farrar, Straus, Giroux.
Summary: Liza is a student at a private school and comes from a wealthy family. Annie, on the contrary, comes from a family that immigrated to the U.S. and is not wealthy. Liza and Annie met at a museum and had an instant connection. Liza was a star student whose dream was to be accepted to MIT to study architecture. Annie wants to be a singer and study at the University of California. Even though they come from two different worlds, they are drawn to one another. Eventually, their friendship becomes a romantic relationship. Liza and Annie fall in love. Circumstances come upon Liza's school, where she ends up being suspended. The suspension gave Liza time to spend with Annie. During that time, Liza and Annie kissed for the first time. Annie then tells Liza that she is gay. Liza then started thinking about her sexual orientation and that she might be lesbian. The school finds out about their relationship and wants to get Liza kicked out of the school, but in the end, they couldn't kick her out. With so much pressure on Liza about her relationship with Annie, she decides to break off her relationship with Annie. After graduation, they each go their separate ways. While in college Liza finally accepts her sexual orientation. Liza and Annie met again and decided to get back together.
Strength:
This book will help the student understand that they shouldn't be ashamed of who they are and how they feel. The challenges that Liza and Annie went through as a couple is something that you see happening all the time in society. This book allows young adults to express their feelings and sexual orientation. This book helps them see that there are people who will support who they are and that they will have to face people as well that don't agree with their relationship but they have to understand that at the end of the day it is their life and they can be with who they want.
Connection
Other books by Nancy Garden:
Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppRtHPFXzzk
5) Lily and Duncan by Donna Gephart
Gephart, D. (2016). Lily and Dunkin. NY: Delacorte.
Summary:
Lily, born as Timothy McGrother is an eighth-grade boy who identifies himself as a girl. Lily is not afraid to be who she wants to be. Timothy endures much ridicule from classmates. He meets a friend named Norbert who just moved from New Jersey. Norbert has a bipolar disorder and takes medication for the condition. Timothy gives him a new name of Dunkin. Dunkin only wants to fit in and not be an outcast. During their friendship, Lily feels that he only wants to be her friend secretly and not when others are around. Both characters tell their stories from their own perspective. These two friends are similar in that they both have been ridiculed but different at the same time. They both want to be accepted for who they are. Although their problems and challenges that they are facing are different, their similarities are what helps them form a strong friendship and keep it strong.
Strength:
The students can connect to this book because in this world we have students who are going through the same situations these characters are going through. It will show the students that they are not alone in this world and there are other people who are going through the same difficulties as them. Being transgender and having a mental disorder are two difficult situations that many people find themselves struggling with. This gives the students an opportunity to understand that they can and will have friends even though the world might perceive you as different.
Connection
Other books by Donna Gephart:
Book Trailer:
6) It's perfectly normal by Robie Harris
Harris, R. (2009). It’s Perfectly Normal. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press.
Summary: It starts with a conversation between a bird and a bee. This book talks about the human body and the changes it goes through. It explains a girl's and a boy's anatomy and development. There are many illustrations with labels on each page to help the reader understand each explanation. This book gives explicit descriptions of the changes experienced as we grow up. The book is divided into parts labeled what is sex, our bodies, puberty, families and babies, decisions, and staying healthy. It helps the reader to understand that sex is something natural when you are mature enough and to know the risks of pregnancy. The bird is open about everything while the bee is more shy.
Strength:
This book helps students understand that it's natural to be who you are and to have the body you have. We all are different in our way and that is what makes us perfect in our eyes. This book will be able to help students feel more comfortable in knowing and learning about those sexual questions they have. With all the different ideas in this world and challenges that are being faced this book will help young readers have a better idea of how their body works and how what happens is perfectly normal.
Connection
Other books by Robie Harris:
Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vya_DTyPbgU
7) Monster by Walter Myers
Myers, W. D. (1999). Monster. NY: Harper Collins.
Summary: Steve Harmon a 16-year-old who was accused of being the lookout in a robbery of a drugstore in Harlem. Steve is being charged for murdering a store owner. He is waiting to be tried for the murder of 55 –year old Alguinaldo Nesbitt, the owner of the drugstore. The story begins in jail and with the description that he hates and is scared of all that goes on inside jail. It is an environment of threat and violence. The story then moves to the courtroom where the prosecutor Sandra Petrocelli is addressing the jury with respect to the case and calls Steve a monster. Kathy O’Brien is Steve’s attorney and also addresses the jury to consider Steve innocent until proven guilty. The case goes back and forth. It was five months later that Steve went home when the jury found him not guilty. Although the lawyer thought he was guilty she defended him well and ended up being not guilty.
Strength:
The students can connect with the book because they can relate to the challenge steve faced. The realistic setting and realistic terminology that was used really enhanced the credibility of the events that were being described such as the fear of imprisonment and death. This book also allows for the connection that we may have at one time been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Connection
Other books by Walter Myers:
Book Trailer:
8) The knife of never letting go by Patrick Ness
Ness, P. (2008). The Knife of Never Letting Go. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press.
Summary:
This book is for a young adult reader as it has dystopia and sci-fi elements. Todd Hewitt and his dog Manchee who talks live in Prentisstown. This place has no women and a population of 146 men and a boy as Todd was about to become a man. There is something that is called noise. All the men can hear each other’s thoughts so it is a little hard to keep your secrets from the other men. Todd stumbles into a girl named Viola Eade. This is the first time he cannot hear thoughts because she is a girl. They have to say goodbye again in order to keep running so they can reach Haven, their final destination. Todd was the last boy left in his town and in order for him to become a man he has to be a cold-blooded murderer. He refuses to do this so Viola takes the lunge for him. It looks like they are about to reach safety when she is shot. The Mayor appears and Todd realizes that things are not what they seemed. He has been cared for by Ben and Cillian who have kept him in the dark about many things because they did not want other men to know through his noise that he knew certain things. Todd and Viola help each other to stay alive so that they can reach Haven.
Strength:
This book was a bit confusing when reading. Ness does a great job in describing Todd’s feelings of fear and bravery leaving the reader with many questions throughout the story. For me, it had too much violence but in the end, overall it was a good book.
Connection
Other book by Patrick Ness:
Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj4fowWo7xM
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