Youth Adult Literature Reading List 1-8
Summary: This story is about a boy named Junior
who loves to draw and has so much unused potential. He is constantly being bullied
and picked on because of who he is and where he comes from. This story is about
determination and Junior proving that he will not give up. It is his personal mission
throughout the entire novel to do something no one else had ever been able to
do from the reservation and that was to make it. He grew up on the Spokane
Indian Reservation and after too much torment he chooses to get off of the
reservation and attend an all-white farm town high school where he has to find his
niche. He
makes new friends and falls back in love with his passion for basketball.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: 7th Grade and up (Ages
12-17)
Strengths: It is inspired by the author’s own
experiences. The author makes you feel like you are a part of his world even
though I have never been to a reservation. It is a novel that truly makes you a
part of an emotional rollercoaster.
Book Trailer:
Book Review:
Similar Books: To Kill a Mockingbird, American
Born Chinese, The Soul of the Indian
Other books by the same author: The Long
Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, Reservation Blues
Teaching Ideas: Social skills, Basketball, Different
cultures, Native American Cultures, Respect, Poverty, Racism, Alcoholism,
Family Issues, Friendships
*Required Youth
Adult Literature Reading List
Summary: Speak is a story about a 9th
grade girl named Melinda. Melinda was a typical high school student with
friends and enjoying life until she was raped by an upperclassman at a high
school party. At first she feels threatened by him and ashamed because and has
to deal with her emotions and feelings alone. She starts isolating herself from
her friends and dealing with her emotions in unhealthy ways. Melinda finds
peace and starts her healing process when she is motivated by her Art teacher.
She finds her voice throughout working on her art project, and she is finally
able to face and deal with what really happened the night of that party. She realizes
she has to learn how to speak up for herself in life because no one else will.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: 9th Grade and up (Ages 14-18)
Strengths: The author does a great job of
capturing the true pains and struggles of what highschool is like for most
teenagers. I was able to connect to the characters in the book and think about
people that I used to go to high school with. This isn’t a book that you are
really supposed to enjoy however it exists to make you think about sexual assault
and rape culture. It also makes you think about those who aren’t directly
participating in the sexual assault and how they are still part of the problem.
This is important especially for the generations today because it is a major problem
with the bystander effect, the selfishness, and technology. Melinda’s voice is
distinct and you can connect with her realness. This story has believable characters and
situations helping the reader become fully engulfed in the novel.
Awards:
New York Times Best Seller
Publishers Weekly Best Seller
Michael
L. Printz Honor Book
National Book Award Finalist
Edgar Allan Poe Award Finalist
Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist
ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults
ALA Quick Pick
Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
Booklist Top Ten First Novel
BCCB Blue Ribbon Book
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Book Trailer:
Book Review:
Similar Books: To Kill a Mockingbird, Night,
Night, Don’t Call Me Kit Kat, Lifeline, Before You Break
Other books by the same author: Shout,
Wintergirls, Twisted, The Impossible Knife of Memory, Catalyst
Teaching Ideas: Physical Abuse, Emotional
Abuse, Courage, Strength, Social Skills, Teenage Life, Outcast, Bullying,
Coping Skills, Rape, Depression, Sexual Abuse
*Required Youth
Adult Literature Reading List
Summary: Ruthie is a little girl who emigrated
from Cuba to New York City with her family to start a better life. She came to
the United States knowing no English, but she was starting to find a new
happiness as she started to adjust. She started to master the English language,
and she was popular with the neighborhood. One day she gets into a horrible car
accident leaving her whole entire body in a cast. She is no longer allowed to play
outside with her friends, but instead she is confined to her bed for a very
long time. She is not able to move and has to learn how to cope with her new
life and the situation she is in. Throughout the process she starts to
understand how fragile life is, how human we all are, and how important friends
are in life.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: 5th-6th Grade
(Ages 10-12)
Strengths: You get all of the feelings with this novel. The reader is able to connect and feel for Ruthie and her situation.
Awards:
2018 Pura Belpre Award
Book Trailer:
Book Review:
Similar Books: The Girl Who Drank the
Moon, Beyond the Bright Sea
Other books by the same author: The
Vulnerable Observer: Anthropology That Breaks Your Heart, An Island Called Home:
Returning to Jewish Cuba, Traveling Heavy: A Memoir in Between Journeys
Teaching Ideas: Disease, Illness, Hispanic
and Latino Culture, English as a Second Language, Courage, Friendship, Forgiveness,
Hope, Immigration, American Dream
*Required Youth
Adult Literature Reading List
Summary: Liza and Annie started off as two teenage girls who formed a very close friendship. Throughout everyday life the girls realize there is more to their ongoing friendship than they realized. They deal with the confusion of all of their feelings and the pressures from their family, and they battle with the moral dilemma of it what they are feeling is right or wrong. Through it all they manage to stick together, and they realize their relationship is truly something special.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: 7th Grade- 9th Grade (Ages 12-18)
Strengths: The language that is used is very
elaborate. It is great for discussion since it was written over 30 years ago yet
kids today can still relate because not much has changed. Even though it has
been decades the thoughts and feelings on same sex love hasn’t changed much
from then until now, so it was an interesting read. This was the first book of
its time about this topic which makes it extremely unique.
Book Trailer:
Book Review:
Similar Books: Keeping You a Secret, The
Miseducation of Cameron Post, Just Juliet, The Gravity Between Us
Other books by the same author: The Year They
Burned the Books, Endgame
Teaching Ideas: LGBT, Self-Acceptance, Love,
Friendship, Relationships, Courage
*Required Youth
Adult Literature Reading List
Summary: Dunkin is a boy that is dealing with
bipolar disorder and all of the struggles that come with it. He has to deal
with moving from his childhood home in a little New Jersey town where has become
comfortable to a whole new life. Things were bad enough having to move and
leave everything behind, but now he has to deal with keeping a secret hidden
from everyone. One summer day, Lily and
Dunkin met. They experience life together and learn how to be brave together.
Lily was born a boy, so both of them learn how to lean on eachother.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: 5th Grade-6th Grade (Ages 10-12)
Strengths: This is a great novel since it addresses many issues and topics that our youth are experiencing. This allows them to be able to connect to the characters and the issues addressed in the novel. It gives these teens a sense of normalcy.
Book Trailer:
Book Review:
Similar Books: Gracefully Grayson, George,
Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World
Other books by the same author: Death by
Toilet Paper, My Mother is Running for President, Olivia Bean the Trivia Queen
Teaching Ideas: Social situations, Illness,
Friendship, Transgender challenges, Mental Illness, Bipolar Disorder, Acceptance,
Understanding, Bullying, Family Drama
*Required Youth
Adult Literature Reading List
Summary: This is a great informational book for
adolescents about all questions related to sex, puberty, STDs, birth control
etc. It includes information from teachers, librarians, scientists, and health
professionals.
Genre: Informational
Audience: 5th-6th Grade
(Ages 10-12)
Strengths: Very informative information. It
covers a variety of topics such as no means no, safe online practices, and safe
sex practices. I am not sure if is age appropriate for age 10 because of the
explicit illustrations.
Book Review:
Similar Books: Guy Stuff, Asking About Sex
and Growing Up, What’s Happening to My Body
Other books by the same author: It’s So
Amazing, It’s Not the Stork
Teaching Ideas: Puberty, Sex, Birth Control,
STDs, Adoption
*Required Youth
Adult Literature Reading List
Summary: Monster is a heartfelt novel
about a sixteen year old boy named Steve who is on trial for a robbery gone
bad. Steve was gifted and had dreams to get out of Harlem unlike his other
friends. Due to the severity of the charges Steve has to come to the
realization that he will be an adult prison and that he may be facing a life
sentence. In order to help him cope with his fears he starts writing a journal
that is filled with a play by play of the trial that he is now a part of. One
of his dreams was to become a filmmaker, so he uses all of his current
experiences to create a screenplay which allows him to reflect and gather a
different perspective on life as he knows it. Steve not only has to deal with being
wrong place wrong time, but he also has everyone against him, including his own
attorney.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: 9th-12th
Grade (13 and up years old)
Strengths: Strong words and ideas are used,
Incorporating a screen play as a major piece of the novel gives it a new and refreshing
perspective, and it keeps the reader engaged.
Awards:
2000 Coretta Scott King Honor Book
2000 Michael L. Printz Award
1999 National Book Award Finalist
2001 Heartland Award for Excellence in YA Lit
Finalist
2000-2001 Tayshas High School Reading List
2000-2001 Black-Eyed Susan Award Masterlist
2000 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)
Hornbook Fanfare 2000
Michael L. Printz Award 2000
2000 Coretta Scott King Award Author Honor
Book
2000 Quick Picks for Young Adults
Recommended books for Reluctant Young Readers
2000 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)
Other books by the author: Monster: A
Graphic Novel, Slam, Bad Boy
Similar books: Speak, All American Boys,
Long Way Down, The House on Mango Street
Teaching Ideas: Violence, Justice System,
Racism, Prejudice, Law, Crime,
Book Trailer:
Book Talk:
Book Review:
Author Talk:
*Required Youth
Adult Literature Reading List
Ness, P. (2008). The knife of never letting
go. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press
Summary: In The Knife of Never Letting Go,
Todd
is the only boy in a town of only men. Since the settlers were infected with something
called the noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they hear
everything he thinks. Todd is only a short month away from becoming a man
himself, but he feels like the town is hiding something from him. It gets to
the point where Todd feels forced to leave the town and run for his safety with
only his dog. Throughout his journey he meets a girl which causes him to have
so many more questions. They learn to
work together, and he starts to learn the truth about the big secret and what else
is really out there.
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: 7th Grade and up (Ages
12-17)
Strengths: It is the first book out of four. It was made into a motion picture movie.
Book Trailer:
Book Review:
Similar Books: The Ask and the Answer,
Monsters of Men
Other books by the same author: More than
This, A Monster Calls
Teaching Ideas: Social skills, Survival, Social
Issues, Violence, Time Travel
*Required Youth
Adult Literature Reading List
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