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.