All the Light We Cannot See

Doerr, A. (2014). All the light we cannot see. NY: Scribner. Marie-Laure LeBlanc is the protagonist in All the Light We Cannot See. In the novel, Marie-Laure goes blind at age six. At age twelve, the Nazis close in on Paris, forcing Marie-Laure and her widowed father to flee to Marie-Laure’s great-uncle’s house by the sea. With them, they have the Sea of Flames, a valuable jewel from the museum where Marie-Laure’s father works. Meanwhile, greedy, selfish Nazi Sergeant Major von Rumpel sets out to find the Sea of Flames. The novel ends with Marie-Laure, now 86, showing her grandson where she grew up. I think the intended audience for All the Light We Cannot See might be for ages 12 and up. Recommendations for follow up reading include The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, Go See the Watchman by Harper Lee, and The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I think All the Light We Cannot See meets the physical developmental criteria because Marie-Laure is permanently blind-stricken at age six. She can navigate through her neighborhood with a scale-model her father built for her. All the Light We Cannot See meets the emotional developmental criteria because Marie-Laure and her father must deal with the Nazis taking over their home and chasing them for the Sea of Flames. All the Light We Cannot See also meets the social developmental criteria because, through all the destruction and devastation, Marie-Laure and Werner manage to cross paths and form a strong bond.

The Martian

Weir, A. (2011). The martian. NY: Broadway Books. Mark Watney is the protagonist in The Martian. In the novel, during a storm while on a manned mission to Mars, Mark is lost and presumed dead by his crew. However, unbeknownst to his crew, Mark has survived the storm, but they have already left him behind. Now stranded on Mars, Mark uses his botanist skills to grow food and survive on his own. The novel ends with Mark’s crew that abandoned him rescuing him from Mars. Lewis reports that all six crew members are safe, and they prepare for the six month journey back home. I think the intended audience for The Martian might be for ages 13 and up. Recommendations for follow up reading include Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, Go See the Watchman by Harper Lee, and Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I believe The Martian meets the mental and emotional developmental criteria because Mark must deal with being stranded on Mars, all the while he sits and contemplates whether he is going to be rescued and get back home, or even survive on is own. I think The Martian also meets the social developmental criteria because Mark’s crew mates feel guilty about leaving him behind, but when the opportunity arises, Mark’s five crew members jump at the chance to undo the wrong they did when they get the chance to rescue their friend, Mark, from his isolation on Mars.

Ready Player One

Weir, A. (2011). Ready player one. NY: Broadway Books. Eighteen-year-old Wade Watts is the protagonist in Ready Player One. In the novel, Wade needs to find an Easter egg within the OASIS by its creator, James Halliday. Wade plays OASIS to unlock the Gates to get to the egg, and meets companions along the way. The novel ends with the unlocking of the Third Gate killing everyone except Wade, who enters Halliday who rewards Wade billions of dollars in assets. In the real world, Wade meets Art3mis and they are left pondering what to do with their fortune. I think the intended audience for Ready Player One might be for ages might be for ages 13 and up. Recommendations for follow up reading include The Martian by Andy Weir, The BFG by Roald Dahl, Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. I think Ready Player One meets the physical developmental criteria because in the novel, the players spend a lot of time trying to perfect their avatars into their ideal selves. Some players’s appearances might differentiate from their avatars, wight heir avatars appearing opposite from their actual appearance. I also think Ready Player One meets the mental developmental criteria because Wade must enter into a virtual world through his avatar, Parzival, and fight through the game to get to the egg. He meets a sexy avatar, Art3mis, who catches his eye. This also happens in the real world when Wade meets Art3mis’s human controller, who he also thinks is beautiful.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Andrews, J. (2012). Me and Earl and the dying girl. NY: Harry N. Abrams. Greg Gaines is the protagonist in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. In the novel, Greg and his friend, Earl Jackson, make films together. One day, Greg is informed that his childhood friend, Rachel Kushner, has been diagnosed with leukemia, and is encouraged by his long-time crush, Madison Hartner, to make a movie for Rachel. The novel ends with Rachel dying days after viewing her movie, while Earl decides to give up filmmaking and Greg decides to apply to a film school and wonders if he should put Rachel in his next film. I think the intended audience for Me and Earl and the Dying Girl might be for ages 13 and up. Recommendations for follow up reading include The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, and All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. I believe Me and Earl and the Dying Girl meets the emotional developmental criteria because Greg must deal with the sudden discovery that his childhood friend, Rachel, has leukemia and the consequences that will come of this. Greg also becomes embarrassed when Earl shows Rachel’s movie to the entire school. I think Me and Earl and the Dying Girl also meets the social developmental criteria because Greg is not socially intact with his school peers, while only having one real friend, Earl. Also, Greg and Earl’s social bonding, filmmaking, is tested after Rachel dies. Earl gives up filmmaking while Greg continues to pursue it as his future.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

Lockhart, E. (2009). The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. NY: Disney-Hyperion. Fifteen-year-old Frankie Landau-Banks is the protagonist in The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. In the novel, Frankie begins to date senior Matthew Livingston, and wants to become like Matthew and his Hounds, lighthearted pranksters full of mischief. When Alpha rejects her, Frankie creates a fake e-mail and impersonates Alpha, telling the other Hounds to carry out several pranks while Alpha is gone. The novel ends with Frankie confessing to the pranks Alpha is accused of doing. For this, Matthew breaks up with Frankie, but Frankie sees Matthew’s break-up as a positive if he can not accept her for who she is. I think the intended audience for The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is for ages 13 and up. Recommendations for follow up reading include We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta, Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr, Like It Never Happened by Emily Adrian, and How to Be Bad by Sarah Mlyonwski. I think The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks meets the social developmental criteria because Frankie wants to be fit in with a group of pranksters whom she envies. When Frankie is not initiated into the Hounds, she goes as far as to impersonating the leader because she wants to fit in with her boyfriend. Frankie even accepts her boyfriend breaking off their relationship because she is happier without someone who does not accept her. All of this results in some of her classmates parsing her while others evade her.

Pure

Baggott, J. (2012). Pure. NY: Grand Central. Pressia is the protagonist in Pure. In the novel, Pressia and Partridge search for Partridge’s mother after the Detonations, while several other individuals are either using or searching for Pressia, Partridge, or Partridge’s mother for their own self-seeking intentions. It is later revealed that Partridge’s mother has a formula that can cure the coding that Partridge’s father, Willux, created. The novel ends with Willux killing his wife and Sledge. El Capian takes over and leads OSR, while Willux continues his pursue for the cure that Pressia and Partridge now have. I think the intended audience for Pure might be for ages 13 and up. Recommendations for follow up reading include The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker, Above by Leah Bobet, The Killables by Gemma Malley, Those That Wake by Jesse Karp, and Neva by Sara Grant. A lesson that might come from reading Pure is to never fully trust some people because they can just as easily stab you in the back because no one ever knows what their true intentions really are. I think Pure meets the social developmental criteria because Pressia and Partridge are survivors of the Detonation, and even though they are unknowingly using each other for other individual’s intentions to help those individuals become powerful or controlling, they become friends and instead choose to help each other and fight those individuals that are using them. They also help each other survive throughout the novel.

Tell the Wolves I'm Home

Brunt, C. (2013). Tell the wolves I'm home. NY: Dial Press Trade. 14-year-old June Elbus is the protagonist in Tell the Wolves I’m Home. In the novel, June’s only friend and close companion, her godfather Finn, suddenly dies of an illness. When June thinks she’s now alone, she realizes Finn’s death brought Toby into her life, Finn’s boyfriend who will make June question everything she knew about Finn, her family, and herself. June meets with Toby on several occasions, where she learns the truth about her family’s resentment of each other. The novel ends with Toby and June’s mother reconciling before he dies, and all of the additions June and Greta added on Finn’s painting are removed, while June’s mother’s are left untouched. I think the intended audience of Tell the Wolves I’m Home might be for ages 13 and up. Recommendations for follow up reading include Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple, The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker, and What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty. I think Tell the Wolves I’m Home meets the emotional developmental criteria because June has to deal with the death of her godfather, and mourns his loss, along with Toby, throughout the novel. I think Tell the Wolves I’m Home meets the social developmental criteria because June is very shy and distant, with the exception of Finn. Also, June and her sister, Greta, struggle to rekindle their long lost relationship they had when they were younger. June’s mom also struggles to keep a steady relationship with Finn because he is gay, and with Toby because he was Finn’s boyfriend.

The Butterfly Clues

Ellison, K. (2012). The butterfly clues. NY: Egmont USA. Penelope “Lo” Marin is the protagonist in The Butterfly Clues. In the novel, Lo’s coping with her brother Oren’s death results in her hobby collecting of souvenirs and trinkets becoming an obsession. Lo discovers a butterfly pendant having been stolen from the house of another recent murder, and sets out to piece the puzzle together and solve the mystery of what would could be the answers to her brother’s death. The novel ends with Lo being kidnapped by Jones, but saved by Flynt and Officer Gardner. Lo solves both Sapphire’s and Oren’s murders and is accepted by her father, is taken to prom by Flynt where she defends herself against the popular girls, and Lo also sees herself as beautiful. I think the intended audience of The Butterfly Clues might be for ages 14 to 17. Recommendations for follow up reading include Dead to You by Lisa McMann, The Name of the Stars by Maureen Johnson, Out of Easy by Ruta Sepetys, and I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga. I think the The Butterfly Effect meets the physical developmental criteria because Lo doesn’t see herself as a pretty attractive woman, and meets the mental developmental criteria because Lo accepts what others think of her. I also think The Butterfly Clues meets the social developmental criteria because Lo is bullied in school, doesn’t stand up for herself, doesn’t have many friends, and does not receive respect or acceptance from her father, and is considered an outcast by most everyone until at the end of the novel.

Jasper Jones

Silvey, C. (2009). Jasper jones. NY: Ember. 13-year-old Charlie Bucktin is the protagonist in Jasper Jones. In the novel, Charlie, a loner, agrees to help Jasper Jones, a town trouble maker, with a problem, moving Laura Wishart’s dead body before Jasper can find out who murdered her before he is blamed. Charlie struggles to not tell his love interest Eliza, Laura’s younger sister, the truth as he grows closer to her. The novel ends with Eliza revealing that Laura killed herself after her mother did not believe that her father impregnated her, but promises never to tell the police about Laura if her mother comes forward with the truth. Eliza’s mother never does, so Eliza burns her house down. I think the intended audience of the book might be for ages 12 and up. Recommendations for follow up reading include Cloudstreet by Tim Winton, The Secret River by Kate Grenville, and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. A lesson that might come from reading Jasper Jones is to not hang with the wrong crowd. For anyone who has been in Charlie’s shoes, not everyone that comes around is meant to be a friend, no matter how desperate you are for one. I think Jasper Jones meets the social developmental criteria because Charlie, who is a loner, befriends a troublemaker and gets wrapped up in a killing. During adolescence, teenagers look for kids to socialize with and find their place in the world. Along the way, some find their place while others struggle and become loners or hang with the wrong crowd.

Don't Look Back

Armentrout, J. (2014). Don't look back. NY: Disney-Hyperion. Samantha is the protagonist in Don’t Look Back. In the novel, Samantha and her best friend, Cassie, disappear. Samantha wakes up with no recollection of what happened and Cassie is still missing. Samantha realizes that who ever did this to her wants her to keep quiet, but that’s not enough to keep Samantha from discovering the truth so she can move on with her life. The novel ends with what happened on the night Samantha and Cassie disappeared. Cassie discovers she and Samantha are half sister, and Cassie sets Samantha up to hear the truth by blackmailing Samantha’s father, but he pushes her off a cliff which kills her while Samantha accidentally knocks herself out when she comes out of her hiding spot. I think the intended audience for Don’t Look Back might be for ages 13 to 16. Books that might make good recommendations for follow up reading include Nearly Gone by Elle Cosimano, Get Even by Gretchen McNeil, Torn Away by Jennifer Brown, See Me by Wendy Higgins, and The Secrets of Lily Graves by Sarah Strohmeyer. I think Don’t Look Back meets the mental developmental criteria because Samantha temporarily loses her mind when she accidentally knocks herself out and she must go through a period of time before she can remember what really happened on that night. Also, Samantha hallucinates, which adds to her confusion as she tries to reminisce the night she and Cassie disappeared.

We Were Liars

Lockhart, E. (2014). We were liars. NY: Delecorte Press. Candace is the protagonist in We Were Liars. In the novel, Candace can’t remember what happened on her summer vacation and suffers from headaches. Two years later, Candace dedicates herself to discovering what happened during her summer vacation. The novel ends with Candace remembering what happened. Candace, her two cousins, and her boyfriend decide to burn her family’s island house to stop the greedy family feud for wealth. Unfortunately, all the masterminds except Candace die in the fire, and she realizes that she’s been hanging out with their ghosts. After they leave, Candace goes back to her old life and to her family to start over. I think the intended audience for We Were Liars might be for ages 12 and up. Books that might make good recommendations for follow up reading include All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han. I believe a lesson that might come from reading We Were Liars is to not be greedy because it can result in constant family fighting, sibling rivalry, and if taken to far, can ultimately lead to death. I think We Were Liars meets the mental developmental criteria because Candace has to deal with temporary memory loss after a summer vacation she can’t recall and is also confronted by ghosts who she believes to be her real cousins and boyfriend until she finally reminisces the unnerving truth.

Please Ignore Vera Dietz

King, A.S. (2010). Please ignore vera dietz. NY: Ember. Vera Dietz is the protagonist in Please Ignore Vera Dietz. In the novel, Vera has kept her love for her best friend, Charlie, from him but never gets the chance to reveal her secret because he dies in a store fire he supposedly started. With Vera keeping other secrets as well, she knows what really happened on the night Charlie died, and contemplates whether or not to clear his name. The novel ends with Vera finding Charlie’s notes that reveals Jenny killed him after he refused to have sex on video as a way to make money easy. I believe the intended audience for Please Ignore Vera Dietz might be for ages 15 and up. Books that might make good recommendations for follow up reading include Stolen by Lucy Christopher, The Sky is Everywhere by handy Nelson, Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler, and Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by David Levithan. I think a lesson that might come from reading Please Ignore Vera Dietz would be if the reader were in Vera’s shoes and they had a friend treat them the way Charlie treated Vera, or if the reader ever contemplated to withhold information or not, then the reader can easily relate to her struggles. I think Please Ignore Vera Dietz meets the mental, emotional, and social developmental criteria because throughout the novel, Vera struggles to reveal what she knows about Charlie’s death while reminiscing her past with him and how she felt as his best friend and as his temporary ex-friend.

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

Angleberger, T. (2010). The strange case of origami yoda. NY: Abrams Books. Sixth-grader oddball Dwight is the protagonist in The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. In the novel, Dwight makes an origami puppet of Yoda, which draws attention from the class when Dwight starts to give them advice in the voice of Yoda. While some students believe Dwight’s creation is some sort of relation to the Force, while Tommy remains doubtful and plans to discover if Dwight’s origami Yoda is real. The novel ends with Tommy believing Dwight’s Yoda and he gets together with Sara on the dance floor. The intended audience of the book might be for ages 9 to 12. Recommendations for follow up reading would be the remainder of Angleberger’s Star Wars children’s books, including Darth Paper Strikes Back!, The Secret of the Fortune Wookie, The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett!, Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue, and Empire Pickletine Rides the Bus, all by Tom Angleberger. I think a lesson that might come from reading The Strange Case of Origami Yoda is any readers who has ever struggled with who to believe in a situation similar to this should relate to the story and the characters involved. I think The Strange Case of Origami Yoda meets the mental developmental criteria because the book revolves around make-believe, whether Dwight’s classmates believe in his origami Yoda or not. The book also meets the social developmental criteria because Dwight, being an oddball, gains popularity among his peers when they believe in his creation. This causes segregation among Dwight’s classmates, divided between the believers and the non-believers.

The Sledding Hill

Crutcher, C. (2005). The sledding hill. NY: Greenwillow Books. Eddie Proffit is the protagonist in The Sledding Hill. In the novel, after Eddie’s father and best friend, Billy, die, Eddie stops talking, but Billy’s spirit remains Earthbound and walks Eddie through the steps he needs to take to get over the deaths. Meanwhile, Eddie’s mother seeks help from the Red Brock Church, and Eddie begins to talk only after announcing that he will join the church and defends the teachings of a novel Warren Peece that Reverend Tarter despises. The novel ends with Eddie making new friends and a girlfriend. This causes Billy to see it is time to move on and says goodbye to Eddie. I think a lesson that might come from reading The Sledding Hill includes anyone who can relate to having fear and loss when coping with the death of a loved one or a friend, or both like Eddie in the book. I believe the entire book can serve as a step-by-step guide to deal with tragic losses. The Sledding Hill meets the mental developmental criteria because Eddie believes he is going crazy when he sees Billy’s Earthbound spirit “haunting” him until he comes to terms with the fact that Billy’s spirit is not a ghost, but in fact Billy. The Sledding Hill also meets the emotional developmental criteria because Eddie has to cope with the losses of people close to him, and the social developmental criteria because Eddie deals with the deaths in his own way, by blocking out everyone and silencing himself from society.

When You Reach Me

Stead, R. (2009). When you reach me. NY: Yearling. Sixth-grader Miranda is the protagonist in When You Reach Me. In the novel, mysterious notes start to appear at Miranda’s apartment that eventually make Miranda believe she can stop a death from happening. The novel ends with Miranda discovering that the laughing man was actually an older Marcus who traveled back in time to save Sal from dying, and the laughing man intended for the notes to be passed to the younger Marcus through Miranda to warn him. I think the intended audience for When You Reach Me might be for ages 8 to 12. Recommendations for follow up reading include Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead, Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, and First Light by Rebecca Stead. Lesson that might come from reading When You Reach Me are anyone who has a friendship like Miranda and Sal, or has had a friendship like Annemarie and Julia. I think kids can relate and associate with the friendships of the characters in the book that match theirs. When You Reach Me meets the social developmental criteria because the novel’s main focus is on the character’s friendships and how they are or were associated with each other. The book captures the good and evil of friendships as they change over time, showing it through the characters as they either stay friends, drift apart, become distant, or break. When You Reach Me teaches the reader how friendships work, and that they don’t always last forever.

Winger

Smith, A. (2013). Winger. NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. 14-year-old Ryan Dean West is the protagonist in Winger. In the novel, Ryan Dean deals with his dorm of troublemakers, his roommate who just so happens to be the rugby team bully, and his love for his best friend, Annie. The novel ends with Ryan Dean getting together with Annie and befriends Chas after and Ryan’s first best friend, Joey, is beaten to death by Casey and Nick. Ryan comes to the conclusion that everything he’d been through was a “reinventing” of himself. I believe the intended audience for Winger might be for ages 12 and up. Recommendations for follow up reading include In the Path of Falling Objects by Andrew Smith, More Than This by Patrick Ness, and If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan. I think a lesson that might come from reading Winger is anyone who can associate with Ryan Dean, whether it be his struggle with love interests, or his trouble with bullies. Winger meets the physical developmental criteria because Ryan is forced to socialize with students who are physically older than him. Although he is fourteen, Ryan Dean sees himself as just as good for 16-year-old Annie. Winger also meets the social developmental criteria because Ryan Dean, being only fourteen in classes with student who are two years older than him, struggles throughout the novel with maturing from a boy into a man. So, Ryan Dean attempts to identify with his troublemaking dorm mates to help him become a man, but finds himself being challenged by his female love interests.

Doll Bones

Black, H. (2013). Doll bones. NY: Margaret K. Elderry Books. Zachary Barlow is the protagonist in Dark Bones. In the novel, Zach is pushed by his father to grow up and stop make-believing, until Poppy claims she’s still having dreams about the Great Queen, a bone-china doll who curses anyone who displeases her. Zach, Poppy, and Alice set off together to stop the Queen once and for all. The novel ends with Zach telling Poppy and Alice the truth about the action figures and, together, they bury the doll and promise to keep the Story alive. I think the intended audience of Doll Bones might be for ages 10 to 14. Recommendations for follow up reading include Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale by Holly Black, Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo, The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes, and The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black. A lesson that might come from reading Doll Bones is kids might be able to relate to Zach, Poppy, or Alice and what they go through in the novel. Readers might also relate if they have been told to grow up and stop make-believing like the characters in the book. I believe Doll Bones meets the mental developmental criteria because, at 12-year-old, Zach still lives in a make-believe world inside his head with his friends. Also, the Queen terrorizes Zach’s, Poppy’s, and April’s minds and dreams throughout the entire novel until they succumb to the Queen’s wrath and reveal their secrets. At the end of the novel, the Queen’s torment has torn Zach apart from the inside out.

Wolf in White Van

Darnielle, J. (2014). Wolf in white van: A novel. NY: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. Sean Phillips is the protagonist in Wolf in White Van. In the novel, Sean shoots himself in the head, disfiguring his face, while the reason for Sean’s actions remaining unclear. While recovering in the hospital, Sean invents a video game and receives a small profit. The novel ends with Sean reminiscing before his incident, where he was then contemplating whether or not to shoot himself and his parents. I think the intended audience of Wolf in White Van might be for ages 13 and up. Recommendations for follow up reading include Tales of Love & Loss by Knut Hamsun, The old boys by William Trevor, Windy McPherson’s Son by Sherwood Anderson, and Damn!: A Book of Calumny by H. L. Mencken. A major strength of Wolf in White Van is how it is written in reverse, starting with the end and ending with the beginning and the climax. I think a lesson that might come from reading Wolf in White Van includes readers might be able to relate to Sean if they are contemplating suicide or if they are going through the same situation he is. Wolf in White Van meets the physical developmental criteria because Sean’s physical appearance permanently changes after he intentionally shoots himself, meets the mental developmental criteria because Sean is isolated from everyone after his incident and he goes experiences different psychological states in his life through time jumps, notably at one point when he considered killing his parents. Wolf in White Van also meets the social developmental criteria because Sean must adjust to other people’s reactions to his new appearance.

It's Perfectly Normal

Harris, R. (2009). It's perfectly normal. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press. The general subject of It’s Perfectly Normal is it’s a non-fiction book with information and illustrations about sex, puberty, sexual health, and more. The major facts are It’s Perfectly Normal provides real information from experts available to anyone approaching adolescence. Extras included in It’s Perfectly Normal are “praises from the experts”, “a note to the reader”, a thank you list, an index, and two full pages available for note-taking. Recommendations for follow up reading include two other books by Robie H. Haris about sexuality, It’s So Amazing! and It’s Not the Stork!. I think the major strengths of It’s Perfectly Normal are the illustrations that can help visual learners understand terms and paragraphs better if they see the pictures. Lessons that might come from reading It’s Perfectly Normal are this book can help both parents and kids when they’re ready to have the talk. Also, this book can help define terms and answer questions kids might be to shy to ask or don’t fully understand. I believe It’s Perfectly Normal meets the physical developmental criteria because the entire book is about what physical changes happen to our bodies as we go through puberty, meets the mental developmental criteria because as we go through puberty, our minds are at war with other parts of our body, forcing us to make decisions we may have regretted in the future, and meets the emotional developmental criteria because our bodies release all kinds of hormones during puberty, causing us to have mood swings and experience new feelings, such as love.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. NY: Little Brown. Arnold “Junior” Spirit is the protagonist in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. In the novel, Junior was born with hydrocephalus and his family suffers from poverty due to the fact that they are from the reservation, ultimately leading to Junior’s suspension from his school and being forced to transfer to a school with rich kids. The novel ends with Junior and Rowdy reconciling and Junior accepts himself as both Indian and American. I think the intended audience of the book is might be for ages 12 and up. Recommendations for follow up reading include Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton, Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks, and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. A lesson that can come from reading the novel is kids can relate to Junior in different ways if they also suffer from at least one of the many tragedies or difficulties Junior struggles a giant throughout the book. I believe The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian meets the physical developmental criteria because Junior suffers from being small for his age because he was born with hydrocephalus. It meets the mental developmental criteria because throughout the novel, Junior deals with finding who he is, Indian or American. It meets the emotional developmental criteria because Junior must deal with the fact that he is poor from the reservation, and suffers consequences along the road because of it. It meets the social developmental criteria because Junior is forced to socialize with rich white kids.

Persepolis

Satrapi, M. (2004). Persepolis. NY: Pantheon. The general subject of Persepolis is it’s an autobiographical graphic novel about Marjane Satrapi’s life during the war between Iran and Iraq. The major facts are Persepolis is a non-fiction autobiography of Satrapi retelling her life and experiences through several chapters in the form of a graphic novel. Extras included in Persepolis are a “Credits” list for translators and lettering, and a “Thanks to” list. I think the intended audience of the book might be for ages 14 to 18. One recommendation for follow up reading would be to continue the Persepolis story with Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return, also by Marjane Satrapi. Other recommendations include Maus by Art Spiegelman, Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Allison Bechdel, Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi, and Wolf Among Wolves by Hans Fallada. English teachers might find this book valuable for their class if students are interested in reading a book that varies from regular novels. I think history teachers might also find this book valuable for their class if the students are being taught about the Iran and Iraq war, so this book can serve as an educational experience. Persepolis meets the emotional developmental criteria because, from ages six to fourteen, Marjane witnesses the devastating effects of war on both Iraq and Iran. Starting out, Marjane is not as aware of her surroundings due to her young age. However, as she grows older, Marjane becomes emotionally compelling and more aware of her surroundings and the horror that war causes during the unstable time of the Iran Iraq war.

Monster

Myers, W. D. (1999). Monster. NY: Harper. 16-year-old Steve Harmon is the protagonist in Monster. In the novel, Steve is in prison for supposedly taking part in a robbery murder. While in prison, Steve writes a script of the events that take place during his trial. The novel ends with James King found guilty and Steve is found innocent. Steve is released and continues his filmmaking, but even after five years, still ponders as to why Kathy O’Brien was so cold to him on that day when the trial ended. I think the intended audience for Monster might be for ages 13 and up. Recommendations for follow up reading include any of Walter Dean Myers’ novels, such as Fallen Angles, Bad Boy, Slam!, Scorpions, Somewhere in the Darkness, and Autobiography of My Dead Brother. Teachers that might find this valuable would be English teachers because, considering Monster is written in the form of a screenplay, it differs, variety-wise, from other novels students might be required to read. I think a lesson that could come from reading Monster is to not let other people’s opinions and accusations be the facts. Monster meets the social developmental criteria because Steve cares a lot about what others think about him and what he thinks of himself. However, Steve remains heroic while facing the consequences as the events are slowly set into motion. Monster also meets the mental developmental criteria because Steve ponders and conflicts inside his head whether he is truly a monster, even putting in his script that he felt like one at one time.

Gabi, a Girl in Pieces

Quintero, I. (2014). Gabi, a Girl in Pieces. TX: Clinco Puntos. Gabi Hernandez is the protagonist in Gabi, a Girl in Pieces. In the novel, there are a lot of problems: Gabi’s friend Cindy is pregnant and later reveals she was raped, Gabi’s friend Sebastian reveals to Gabi that he is gay and deals with the consequences that follow, while Gabi deals with boys, her father’s addiction to meth, and her body image and weight. The character’s arcs end with Gabi helping Cindy reach out for help, Sebastian finds support at school, and Gabi wants to go to college to leave her town, but is pressured by her mother to stay home at the same time. Recommendations for follow up reading include How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon, Girls Like Us by Gail Gides, When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds, and Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan. I believe a strength of the book include readers should be able to relate to Gabi, either through at least one event or emotion she goes through, or through her friends, Cindy and Sebastian. I think Gabi, a Girl in Pieces meets the physical developmental criteria because Gabi has low self esteem with her body image, meets the mental developmental criteria because Gabi has to deal with her mother’s expectations of her as a girl, meets the emotional developmental criteria because Gabi helps her friends through their issues she is beyond capable of doing, and meets the social developmental criteria because Gabi’s perspective of boys changes entirely after she is told the reason behind Cindy’s pregnancy.

Speak

Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. NY: Penguin. Melinda Sordino is the protagonist in Speak. In the novel, freshman Melinda is raped during a senior party and calls the police but does not tell them what happened, and the police arrive and arrest some of the party goers. Starting out her freshman year, Melinda is shunned by her school peers for calling the police without giving an explanation. For this, Melinda solves this problem by slowly settling into a deep state of silent depression, distancing herself from everyone and everything. The story ends with Melinda being ultimately abused by her rapist for revealing the truth to her best friend. Afterwards, the truth spreads and Melinda is now treated as a hero by the peers who once treated her as an outcast. I think the intended audience of Speak might be for ages 12-18 years. Recommendations for follow up reading include Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, and Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks. I believe a lesson that might come from reading Speak is Melinda could be considered a “real” person because she can be relatable to students who also don’t speak their mind or are also considered outcasts. Speak meets the social developmental criteria because Melinda struggles to tell the truth of what happened on the night she was raped, and is ultimately outcasted by her friends and peers. However, in the end, she comes out a hero for speaking the truth and regaining her reputation, friendship, and place amongst her peers once again.

El Deafo

Bell, C. (2014). El Deafo. BY: Abrams. The general subject of El Deafo centers around childhood of Cece Bell, who grows up bullied by her peers at school because she wears a hearing aid. To become accepted by her peers, Cece must lie to them about her hearing aid abilities and is given the secret identity, “El Deafo”. The facts of El Deafo are El Deafo was crafted by Cece Bell, based on her true experiences and torments as a child going to school with hearing aids. Extras found in the book include “A note from the author”, “Acknowledgements”, followed by a short paragraph of Cece Bell with a picture of her as a child wearing her hearing aids. The intended audience for El Deafo is middle grade through young adults, but there’s something in El Deafo that all ages can enjoy. Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson, Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm, and Hidden: A Child’s Story of the Holocaust by Loic Dauviller would be excellent for follow up reading. Lessons that might come from reading El Deafo are Cece can be relatable to anyone who might have an impairment, or struggle(d) at making friends the way she did. El Deafo meets the social developmental criteria because Cece struggles with keeping her friends while she has her hearing aids. In El Deafo, Cece is considered a heroic leader, both in her reality and her fictional world she creates when she becomes “El Deafo”, after she’s faced becoming socially unaccepted by her peers.

Brown Girl Dreaming

Woodson, J. (2014). Brown Girl Dreaming. NY: Nancy Paulsen Books. The general subject of Brown Girl Dreaming is it’s a free verse memoir by Jacqueline Woodson about her childhood as an African American growing up in the American Northeast and South during the 1960s. The major facts are Brown Girl Dreaming is a non-fiction autobiography of Woodson craftily recounting several categories through poetry, including childhood, family, and history. Extras that are included in Brown Girl Dreaming are family tree of Woodson’s relatives, descendants, and ancestors, author’s notes, thankfuls, and some of Woodson’s family photos. Hidden by Helen Frost and Red Butterfly by A.L. Sonnichsen can serve as follow up reading. History teachers might find this book valuable because Brown Girl Dreaming is historical and can be read when students are being taught about America’s civil rights movement and/or about segregation. One major strength is the fact that every single page of Brown Girl Dreaming is an autobiography written in the form of a poem, giving this book a unique taste, a different perspective, and is what will make Brown Girl Dreaming stand out from all the other autobiographies. Brown Girl Dreaming meets the social developmental criteria because even though Jacqueline and her family are rejected in society during the civil rights movement, they continue to go on with their everyday life all the while valuing God to bless them for favoring peaceful protest marches. The strength of Woodson’s family is what keeps their willpower alive.

George

Gino, A. (2015). George. NY: Scholastic. George is the protagonist in George. In the novel, George sees himself as a girl, Melissa, but is afraid of what his family might think of him as Melissa. George jumps at the part of Charlotte in an upcoming school production of Charlotte’s Web to see his family come to terms with his transgender, but his teacher denies him the part because he’s a boy. So, George forms a plan with his best friend Kelly in an attempt to both get the part of Charlotte, and to make everyone accept him as Melanie. At the end of the book, Kelly lets Melissa dress like a girl and together, they go out for a girl’s day out in the town, where Melissa is able to venture as the way she sees herself. Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky, Better Nate Than Never and its sequel, 5-6-7-Nate!, both by Tim Federle, are good recommendations for follow up reading. One major strength in George is that George is referred to as ‘she’ or ‘her’ instead of ‘he’ or ‘him’. I liked this because often, we would automatically think of George as a boy. George meets the social developmental criteria because George did not fit into the box that society made for him. George wanted to be Charlotte but it was not acceptable for a boy to play a girl role. So, George’s interests clashed with society’s expectations and he had to struggle to pursue his individual desire, which was to be Charlotte and Melissa.

Annie on My Mind

Garden, N. (1982). Annie on my mind. NY: FSG. Liza Winthrop, 17, is the protagonist in Annie on My Mind. In the novel, Liza meets and befriends Annie Kenyon, also 17, but they both come from different lives and have different goals. Throughout the novel, Liza and Annie quickly turn their close friendship into a relationship and they admit to each other that they are gay. Liza and Annie’s relationship is later discovered by Liza’s private school administrator, and although Liza is allowed to stay at her school, she ultimately ends her relationship due to guilt and confusion. At the end of the novel, Liza and Annie go their own separate ways, but late reunite after Liza finally comes to terms with her sexual orientation. Keeping You a Secret by Julie Anne Peters, Ash by Malinda Lo, Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters, and The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth are good recommendations for follow up reading. A lesson that might come from reading this book is it’s okay to be perfectly comfortable with your sexual orientation, as the characters in this novel are, while being both likable and relatable to young audiences around the same age range. Annie on My Mind meets the emotional developmental criteria because the entire novel is about two adolescent girls who discover their emotional love for each other. Then, towards the end of the novel, Liza struggles to learn how to control her feelings for Annie and breaks off the relationship until she later finds that her true emotions lie with Annie and rekindles their relationship.

The Knife of Never Letting Go

Ness, P. (2008). The knife of never letting go. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press. Todd Hewitt is the protagonist in The Knife of Never Letting Go. In the novel, preteen Todd Hewitt learns that Prentisstown is a place where 13-year-old boys become ‘men’ by committing a violent act. With help from family and friends, Todd runs away from Prentisstown as a means of escaping Prentisstown’s initiation of becoming a ‘man’. During his journey, Todd comes across Viola Eades who joins him in finding Haven, a settlement. On their way to Haven, preacher Aaron is killed by Viola and Prentiss Jr. shoots Viola. Todd escapes to Haven with Viola, but Mayor Prentiss has already taken Haven. Todd surrenders so Viola can receive medical treatment. I think good recommendations for follow up reading are parts two and three of this series, The Ask and the Answer and Monsters of Men. Other recommendations include Every Day by David Levithan and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. I believe Todd serves as a symbol for the young adult readers. He shows young adult readers that even though they’re growing up with violence all round them that it’s okay to stand up for what’s morally right. The Knife of Never Letting Go meets the social developmental criteria because the novel is about moral development. Todd is brought up in a society of violence, and even after Todd is told the truth about Prentisstown, he is still able to protect his innocence and resist the temptations that everyone else succumbed to.

The Fault in Our Stars

Green, J. (n.d.). The fault in our stars (2012 ed.). New York, New York: The Penguin Group. Hazel Grace Lancaster is the protagonist in The Fault in Our Stars. In the novel, Hazel is a 16-year-old with lung cancer. Forced to go to support groups by her parents, Hazel meets and falls in love with 17-year-old Augustus Waters. Throughout the story, Hazel ponders her death and struggles with her love for Augustus, but together, Hazel and Augustus love and support each other as they work through their situations. In the end, Hazel discovers Augustus has cancer, and Augustus later dies in ICU. Later, Hazel learns that Augustus is having Van Houten compose a eulogy about her as she did earlier for Augustus. After reading what Augustus had sent Van Houten, Hazel concludes that she is happy with her choices she’s made. I might suggest the intended audience of the book is for grades 9 through 12 (high schoolers). Good recommendations for anyone who enjoyed The Fault in Our Stars are If I Stay by Gayle Forman, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews, and Looking for Alaska by John Green. A major strength of The Fault in Our Stars is high schoolers can easily relate to Hazel and Augustus because of age similarities and how they fit into the average people, such as middle class people. The Fault in Our Stars meets the emotional developmental criteria because the novel is about two teenagers struggling to control their strong emotional feelings and reactions towards each other.