YOUR OWN SYLVIA: A VERSE PORTRAIT OF SYLVIA PLATH by Stephanie Hemphill - 2008 Printz Honor Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature

One of the 2008 Printz Honor books tells the tragic story of Sylvia Plath's life through verse. YOUR OWN, SYLVIA: A VERSE PORTRAIT OF SYLVIA PLATH by Stephanie Hemphill tells about Sylvia's life through the author's research of Plath's works, published journals, published letters, biographies, and discussions with former acquaintances. The reader is able to sadly see Sylvia's roller coaster ride with depression and eventual inability to fight it and commit suicide.

Each page is some form of verse written by Hemphill sharing about Sylvia and her life, sometimes through the imagined words of Sylvia using a style of poetry that Plath wrote at that time. At the bottom of the page, the author shares the inspiration for that verse or history behind it.

I remember reading THE BELL JAR for a Freshman lit class. It didn't have the power, possibly due to my youth, that this book has had. It is so sad to read how the depression stole such a gifted literary artist, but it must also be considered that her depression also stimulated her creativity. Excellent book for high school youth to read along with her poetry! After watching the Primetime program about THE LAST LECTURE, you realize how much people's feelings can inspire/influence others.

ONE WHOLE AND PERFECT DAY by Judith Clarke - 2008 Printz Honor book

What if one day all the possible coincidences of a lifetime could occur and a circle of love be formed? That is basically what ONE WHOLE AND PERFECT DAY by Judith Clark is about. It is a 2008 Printz Honor book.

Set in Australia, Lily is frustrated with her dysfunctional family. Her grandfather, Pop, caused her brother to leave home when he went after him with an ax. Her grandmother, May, has an imaginary friend. Her mother, Dr. Samson, brings home some of her elderly day care patients, "lame ducks" as Lily calls them, to their dilapidated home which both are an embarrassment to Lily. Lily is the sensible, trustworthy one of the family that feels she is old before her time since she always smells like cleaning products or cooking food. But Lily gets frustrated and decides she needs to find a boyfriend. Through an assortment of amazing coincidences, Lily finds her "boyfriend" actually likes her, her mother realizes the house is falling apart, her brother gets his life together and gets engaged, Pop's relationship with Lily's brother heals as well as her grandfather's prejudice. These are just a few of the things that occur in this book. The one whole perfect day Lily's grandmother prays and wishes for comes true beyond anyone's dreams, particularly when May's imaginary friend shows up as her lost friend from childhood.

I LOVED this book!! It was so heartwarming to see how the lives intertwined. It was great to see people realize their mistakes while they still had time to mend them. This is a great book for secondary or older students to read. I liked this book better than the Printz winner!

THE WHITE DARKNESS by Geraldine McCaughrean - 2008 Printz Award

Geraldine McCaughrean takes you on an interesting adventure of Antarctica in THE WHITE DARKNESS, the 2008 Printz Award winner.

Fourteen year old Symone is raised and supported by her mother and "Uncle Victor", her father's old business partner. Using the ruse of taking Symone and her mother on a trip to Paris, Victor cleverly manages to cause Symone's mother to stay behind. Then from Paris, Victor takes Symone on a trip to Antarctica. But this trip is not all it seems. Victor has built a love of Antarctica in Symone. She is practically deaf (wears hearing aids) and her closest friend is the late explorer Captain Laurence "Titus" Oates, one of the five explorers with the doomed Scott expedition. Titus is her imaginary friend she communicates with particularly when she is "lost", alone, and/or confused. Symone at times during this trip feels very lethargic and confused. Eventually, when they are on Antarctica, she feels that less than the other tourists. They struggle with illness and then the loss of their plane and belongings.

That is when the story takes a twist. Victor and his accomplice, Mr Bruch and son, leave in a stolen arctic vehicle to fine Symme's Hole. This is supposed to be an opening into the earth which leads to another living sphere. But the adventure does not turn out as planned. Finally, before the loss of Victor, Symone discovers that her father's death, loss of her hearing, and this doomed adventure are all actually Victor's fault. Symone lives though through the help of Titus, who guides her and keeps her fighting spirit up until she makes her way back to the vehicle. Symone later realizes that it wasn't just her imaginings in her mind of Titus that saved her, because Titus shares something with her that she didn't know. It was his spirit/ghost that helped her to survive.

At times I thought this book was going to take a different twist. I thought that Victor was drugging and raping her. I thought Victor was going to sell her in Buenos Aries. Then I realized he planned for her and Sigurd to be the human mates to inhabit the inner world. Wow, what a strange but interesting novel! Someone that loves learning about expeditions and survival would enjoy this detailed journey through treacherous conditions.

I LOVE YOU, BETH COOPER by Larry Doyle - 2008 Best Books for Young Adults

Adolescent boys will definitely like I LOVE YOU, BETH COOPER by Larry Doyle, a 2008 Best Books for Young Adults. It has the raw, bawdy humor that most adolescent boys enjoy.

Denis Cooverman is the geek valedictorian that most people expect of a person with that high of an IQ. But during his graduation speech, not only does Denis bring to everyone's attention the shortcomings of some fellow classmates, but he also announces his love for the head cheerleader. This speech leads to a series of catastrophic events for Denis.

Denis invites Beth to his home for a graduation party. She actually show up! But her drug crazed military boyfriend comes looking for her. Beth and her friends help Denis and his possibly gay friend, Rich, to escape the boyfriend maniac trashing Denis's home. Everywhere they go, the boyfriend manages to find them and reek more havoc. In addition to gaining more injuries at each location, Denis discovers that Beth is not the mythical goddess he has made her out to be and discovers she is actually pretty lame and shallow. At the end, it is obvious a sequel is forthcoming since you discover that Denis sees Beth again just before he intends to leave for school.

I personally did not enjoy this book. The crude humor just isn't what I enjoy reading. But I could definitely see adolescents enjoying this type of humor. This book was a struggle for me to read, but I know I need to be aware of all the literature out there so I am glad I had to persevere through it.

FLIGHT by Sherman Alexie - 2008 Best Books for Young Adults

I hated this book when I started the first couple of chapters of FLIGHT by Sherman Alexie, a 2008 Best Books for Young Adults. But then it took an extraordinary twist when Zits is shot after shooting everyone in a bank. Zits time travels!

Zit awakens and thinks he is in a hospital, but he has transported to the body of an FBI agent from the Red River incident of the 1970s. He sees the activists he saw as heroes as actually men with other objectives. Then he transports to a young Native American boy's body who can not speak because his throat had been slit by a soldier. He sees the Battle of Little Big Horn through the eyes of a native. Then he transports into the body of an old Irish indian scout and witnesses the revenge cavalry soldiers take upon some natives. He also witnesses a soldier save an innocent Native American boy. All of these events are having a profound effect on Zits. The next transport he is in the body of a man who has lost his will to live because he feels guilty for trusting an Ethiopian Muslim that he teaches to fly. That man proceeds to crash a commuter plane on purpose. His last transport is into the body of his drunken father. Zits discovers why his father abandoned him.

All of these experiences have shown him the terrible circle of revenge for past mistakes/failures. It is also revealed that not only had Zits father been terribly abused by an alcoholic father, but Zits was sexually, physically, and emotionally abused by innumerable foster situations. He finally awakens in his own body BEFORE he shoots anyone in the bank. Zits abandons the instructions to shoot anyone, finds Officer Dave, and gives himself up. After counseling, Officer Dave and his brother's family become his foster family, a foster family that cares. Zits finally has enough faith to tell his real name, Michael.

I never thought I would say that I liked this book, but Sherman Alexie weaves an important message of understanding, forgiveness, and redemption in this book. Definitely a book that would appeal to older boys. I think this would also be good for discussion with groups of students going through counseling for violence, to see the circular effect of violence and revenge.

MISTER PIP by Lloyd Jones - 2008 Best Books for Young Adults Top Ten

Cruel violence by rebels and military troops that are supposed to protect you once again has a profound influence in this 2008 Best Book for Young Adult Top Ten winner. MISTER PIP by Lloyd Jones takes you to an island shortly after it has been overtaken by rebels because of its copper mine. The military (redskins) are there to defeat the rebels and "protect" the island villagers.

Matilda lives in a tiny village on the beach. The only white man on the island, whom is believed to be very awkward by the villagers, volunteers to become the children's teacher. He is an oddity due to his white skin, the way his eyes stick out, the red clown's nose he sometimes wears, and the fact that he pulls his nonspeaking black wife through town as she stands in a trolley. But this strange man, Mr. Watts, takes the students through the book GREAT EXPECTATIONS by Charles Dickens to another place and time. The students are engrossed in learning about the outside world, since their world has so little. It doesn't matter that it occurs long ago. Matilda is especially touched by the book. She feels a connection with it. Some of the women feel the book is not teaching things properly and determine that Mr. Watt's does not believe in God. Mr. Watt's tries to make the village parents more comfortable with him by asking them to come and share what they know of the world. It doesn't help Matilda's mom who sees Mr. Watts as an enemy.

The military want to know who "Pip" is that is written in the sand thinking it is a rebel they are harboring in their village. When the villagers give them an answer they don't believe, the military burn their things, then their homes upon their next visit when they are not pleased with the answer. When rebels come and the village is fearful for their lives, Mr. Watts tells them he will tell everyone who he is but he can't be interrupted for 7 days (secretly a boat is coming then to rescue them) or asked questions. Then Mr. Watts proceeds to intertwine his embellished life story, GREAT EXPECTATIONS, and the stories shared by the parents into an elaborate tale of his life. It holds off the rebels from killing them. But on the last evening when they will finally find out about what happened to Mrs. Watts to make her they way she was, the rebels have disappeared and the military come. They brutally kill Mr. Watts, thinking he is Pip. They brutally kill Matilda's mother, when she states she will be God's witness to what they have done to a white man. Matilda lives, gets off the island, manages to be sent to her father, and lives to become the "writer" of the story.

Amazing how Lloyd Jones is able to write to the point that you truly believe this is Matilda's story, not fiction. Teachers of secondary and high school will love to use this book to show how a book could take these children to another place and time. How a book saved their lives. How becoming a part of a book through acting gives you the freedom to become someone you are not. Wonderfully powerful story!

A LONG WAY GONE: MEMOIRS OF A BOY SOLDIER by Ishmael Beah - 2008 Best Books for Young Adults Top Ten

I have to honestly admit that I was not fully aware of the genocide going on in some African countries until I saw the movie BLOOD DIAMOND. That night on the news, a story about Darfur caught my attention. A LONG WAY GONE: MEMOIRS OF A BOY SOLDIER by Ishmael Beah brings the reality of what is going on in Sierra Leone to the forefront. This book definitely deserves the honor of 2008 Best Books for Young Adults Top Ten.

Ishmael Beah shares the memoir of his life, servitude as a boy soldier, and escape in this compelling book. Ishmael's horror begins when he is with friends in a neighboring village preparing for a talent show and hears that his village has been attacked by the RUF (Revolutionary United Front). Ishmael and his friends attempt to find their families to no avail. Then they wander aimlessly trying to escape the violence. After many near misses of being killed by either RUF fighters or suspicious villagers, Ishmael and his friends have almost located his family only to hear sudden screams and gunshots. The village where the family had evacuated is decimated. Although he can't locate his family among the remains, Ishmael feels hopeless. When the military for Sierra Leone eventually captures them, Ishmael follows their directions in order to survive. Service with the military is much like what service to the RUF would have been. It leads to years of drug abuse and brutal killing done by Ishmael. He has become a dreaded enemy. Then UNICEF arrives and convinces the commander to let them take some of the younger soldiers. Ishmael is taken to be rehabilitated in Freetown and relocated with an uncle. Ishmael is even chosen to speak before the United Nations in New York City. He finally thinks he may now be able to live as a child, even though he is now 15. But the unimaginable happens when the RUF takes over Freetown. Ishmael knows that if he doesn't escape he will either be killed or end up becoming a boy soldier again. Ishmael barely escapes to Guinea and is adopted by a storyteller he had met during his trip to New York. He now resides in New York City.

WOW!! I believe Ishmael's speech is so powerful that he delivers to the U.N. This is definitely a book older students (NOT elementary) should read to realize what a wonderful life they have and to encourage them to do what they can to help end violence around the world. I will include Ishmael in my prayers each night for the powerful message he shares through his memoir.

THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN by Sherman Alexie - 2008 Best Books for Young Adults Top Ten

The cover of this book reminds me of the only other book I have ever read about Indians, THE INDIAN IN THE CUPBOARD! But that was not truly about Indians, but THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN by Sherman Alexie tells about a modern day Native American boy, his struggles on the reservation, and desire to make his life something more. Not only did this book make the top ten of the 2008 Best Books for Young Adults, but it also was the National Book Award Winner for 2007.

Arnold Spirit, Jr., has been fighting the odds since birth. After surpassing expectations when he was born with hydrocephalus, Arnold is teased at the reservation school for his lisp, stutter, and appearance. His defender, Rowdy, is the child of an abusive, alcoholic parent. But Arnold wants more out of his life. He knows he is smart but is also aware that he will not be able to achieve anything if he continues to go to school on the reservation. So Arnold chooses to go to the white school in the neighboring town. After a short struggle to be accepted, Arnold proves himself as a student and in basketball. He makes friends. These friends support him through the loss of his beloved grandmother, father's best friend, and older sister. Even though Arnold feels bad for deserting his way of life on the reservation, he knows that if he stayed there he would fall into the curse of alcoholism that so many Native Americans struggle with.

This book is a book of perseverance and having the courage to do what you know/think is the best for your future against all the criticism others throw at you. It is a good book for older middle school through high school students. Reading a book from the Native American's perspective was wonderful to experience.

STORY OF A GIRL by Sara Zarr - 2007 National Book Award in Young People's Literature Finalist

Poor choices, guilt, damaged relationships are the fundamental components of this 2007 National Book Award in Young People's Litereature Finalist STORY OF A GIRL by Sara Zarr. Many people suffer from relationships gone bad due to a lack of communicating feelings, and Sara Zarr explores a young girl's struggle through just this type of situation.

Deanna Lambert's reputation was ruined when she was found screwing around with an older pothead in a parking lot when she was only 13 years old. Tommy's version of what happened labeled her the school slut or psycho, depending on which version you heard. Now Deanna is almost 16 and not only having to deal with the repercussions at school. You see, her father found her with Tommy and no longer looks at her or talks to her unless in a accusatory manner. When Deanna finds that her new job is with Tommy she decides to keep her job but treats Tommy (who hasn't changed) with contempt. When her brother, his girlfriend, and baby end up splitting up, Deanna goes back to making poor decisions without thinking those decisions through first. She even hits on her best friend's boyfriend since he was her friend first. The guilt eats her up. Then in anger one morning, she lets her feelings be known in a abruptly blunt way to her father. Her father finally sees things through her eyes. And a talk from her brother, who has mended his relationship with his small family, shows her that the first steps to change don't have to be big. Just say you're sorry and move on. This leads to a slow mending process to not only her relationship with her father but with her friends also.

Great book for teens, particularly if they struggle with choices or relationship issues. It is not overly graphic but gets the point across. The small poems thrown in occassionally are great food for thought.

BLOODY JACK: BEING AN ACCOUNT OF THE CURIOUS ADVENTURES OF MARY "JACKY" FABER, SHIP'S BOY by L. A. Meyer - 2008 YALSA Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adu

Katherine Kellgren does an unbelievable job of bringing BLOODY JACK: BEING AN ACCOUNT OF THE CURIOUS ADVENTURES OF MARY “JACKY” FABER, SHIP’S BOY by L. A. Meyer to life! This single narrator, using innumerable voices, tells the story of an orphan, Mary Faber. When the gang leader that takes her in is murdered, Mary takes his clothes, cuts her hair, and becomes Jacky. “He” finds a job on a military ship as a ship’s boy with other orphans or boys that have been sold or given to the captain. With her encounters and subsequent killings of some unsavory characters, “he” earns the nickname “Bloody Jacky” but the killings are not intentional. After time, Mary falls in love with one of the other ship boys, Jaimie, and reveals herself to him. After being shipwrecked and blown to another island by a kite, Mary is revealed as a girl to the crew as she saves the captain from pirates.
It is amazing how this single narrator makes you feel as if you are hearing multiple other actors read. Katherine Kellgren’s theatrical background definitely helps her to make this book engaging. She is able to match each character with just the right “voice” in her narrations. The pace is maintained expertly throughout the audiobook. There is music at the beginning and end but not throughout, although she does sing some songs in some chapters that Mary or another character were thinking or singing. At the end, this audiobook includes an advertisement for subsequent audiobooks by this company. Otherwise, there are no other extras. Since I have not seen the print version, I cannot compare the two. But the cover of this audiobook and its packaging are well done.
I LOVED this audiobook! It was like sitting through a movie in my mind. I struggled with distractions but not as badly when I got deeply into the book. I dreaded listening for 8 hours, but the author has created a wonderful book that was marvelously narrated by a gifted actress.

IF A TREE FALLS AT LUNCH PERIOD by Gennifer Choldenko - 2008 Notable Children's Recording

IF A TREE FALLS AT LUNCH PERIOD by Gennifer Choldenko has dual narrators of Ariadne Meyers and Francois Battiste, both having backgrounds in either the theater or on screen. Ariadne Meyers narrates the chapters of Kirsten’s thoughts, and Francois Battiste narrates the chapters of Walker’s thoughts. This way of presenting the book kept it interesting and was well done. After hearing this book, it is obvious why it was chosen as a 2008 Notable Children's Recording.
This book/audiobook is about an overweight student, Kirsten McKenna, and the new black student at her private (predominantly white) school named Walker Jones. Kirsten’s weight issues may have something to do with the constant unrest in her household between her parents and the fact that her best friend has deserted her for the popular group. Kirsten is befriended by Walker and Mateo. Throughout the book we learn that Walker is driven to fit in and do his best by his single mother. But the book takes a strange turn when Kirsten discovers that her parents’ bickering is over the fact that she has an African-American half brother- Walker! Gennifer Choldenko presents this story with a deep understanding of what young adults go through and gentle humor along the way.
The narrators present this book marvelously! Each narrator subtlety adjusts their voice so that you know when they are another character speaking other than Kirsten or Walker. The pace used matched what was happening during the narration – slow when thinking, fast when rushing to explain something, etc. The only music was at the very beginning and at the end of the audiobook and there are no sound effects. The narrators tell you the chapter numbers and titles before beginning their narration. I have not seen the print version of this book, so I do not know if anything was left off of this audiobook. Technically the audiobook was well packaged with an attractive cover. There was no noticeable white noise or any other distraction to the narration.

I struggled again with listening to this audiobook. Anyone that walked by tended to get me distracted, and I would find the need to rewind. But by the 3rd disc I was so into the book that the distractions were not as great. I was particularly glad the narrators made subtle changes to their voices when they narrated someone else speaking so that I could tell who was speaking and not having to wait until they said who was speaking. I tend to read with voices in my mind and greatly depend on new paragraphs and quotation marks to assist me with my reading. I loved how Kirsten and Walker learning about their relationship not only helped them but her parents in the end.

JAZZ by Walter Dean Myers - 2008 Odyssey Award for Audiobooks

The dual narrators of JAZZ bring jazz music alive to the reader/listener, making this presentation the best way to present this book. JAZZ by Walter Dean Myers, a poetry picture book, tells about the development and different forms of jazz. But without the audiobook, the students will not get the real gist of the book.

The narrators sometimes take turns narrating the different components, sometimes work together, and sometimes sing. James “D-Train” Williams and Vaneese Thomas, jazz vocalists, lend their talents to present these 15 poems in clear voices that are appropriately matched to each type of jazz described. The reading takes place slowly or a little more upbeat depending on what type of jazz is being read about. Different types of jazz music are intertwined throughout the entire audiobook. The poems even explain the different instruments in a jazz ensemble and the music for that poem is predominantly that instrument. The narrators cue you in to where you are by telling the titles of the introduction, poems, glossary, and jazz timeline. The only built in extras is the music which is essential to this book/audiobook. Though the illustrations of the book are not spoken of, the music makes up the difference. Technically, this audiobook was very crisp with no distractions, repetitions, etc. The sound level was on target. The packaging is the same as the attractive cover of the book.

I struggled with listening to this, my first audiobook ever. I tried to listen to it while riding home from a trip. I kept being distracted by the traffic (rightly so) and kept having to rewind. Each time it rewound to the beginning of the chapter. I was getting very frustrated with the system. I find that I would rather sit with a book, reread the part I need to when necessary, and pick up the book and read it anywhere/anytime. I had actually read this book before listening to the audiobook and now plan to make this a book kit. JAZZ just won’t have the same impact with the students if it is processed separately. The music and narration make this the quality book it is.

INDIGO SUMMER by Monica McKayhan - 2008 Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers

What a fabulous beginning to the school year for Indigo! In just the first couple of weeks of high school, Indigo is accepted on the dance team and asked to homecoming by the star linebacker. That is how INDIGO SUMMER by Monica McKayhan, a 2008 Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, begins. But the reader soon figures out this dream beginning is not what it seems. The star linebacker Quincy Rawlins is after only one thing, and it is exactly what Monica does not intend to share yet. But her determination to be this young man's girlfriend blinds her to the neighbor, Marcus Carter.

Marcus liked Indigo when he went to school with her previously. He has just moved back to the neighborhood with his father and stepmother. Marcus is doing everything he can to be able to go to a quality university and prove a white coach wrong about his academic possibilities. This includes tutoring. When Indigo seems determined to stay with the "player," Marcus's relationship with his tutoring buddy's babysitter grows. But his little tutoring pal dies of sickle cell anemia and throws Marcus's world upside down. Indigo also goes through some eye opening experiences and realizes who really has their act together.

Great book for teens to read! Realistic plot line and appealing to girls with these issues. I love the way one of the mom's of Indigo's friends bluntly tells Indigo to stick by her principles and not be persuaded to give up her virginity. It was wonderful to see the good side of what kids do in our society that we don't hear about as often.

TRUE TALENTS by David Lubar - 2008 Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers

How would you like to keep a "talent" that could help or hurt society hidden but discover that evil doers have figured it out and are after you? That is what happens in TRUE TALENTS by David Lubar, a 2008 Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers.

Trash (Eddie) awakens disoriented. He finally figures out that he has been kidnapped. After escaping his kidnapper, Bowdler, a psychic connection Trash has with his other "talented" friends, manages to get them together. Then with this "psychic pull" the friends gather in Philadelphia and work together to help the catch the "bad guys."

What are their talents? Trash has the talent of moving things with his mind. His other friends can read people's minds, torch things, find lost items, predict the future, and tell a person's true feelings. In the process of keeping Trash free from Bowdler, the boys meet a grown man (Thurston) that also has a "true talent". Good overcomes evil once again!!

Great book for boys! Each chapter is short and quick. Boys love things to do with unexplainable things, so this will intrigue them.

HOMEBOYZ by Alan Lawrence Sitomer - 2008 Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers Top Ten

With gangs being more visible in the area where I live, this book gave me an incite into their world. HOMEBOYZ by Alan Lawrence Sitomer is one of the top ten on the 2008 Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers list.

In this book Teddy Anderson is seeking revenge for the murder of his sister during a gang drive-by shooting. Teddy's family has not been involved in gangs, so when Teddy is caught trying to avenge his innocent sister's death, his family is disappointed. His mother is grieving so deeply, she spends her time in the bedroom. The family structure is crumbling. Teddy doesn't receive the judgement in court he expects though. He is placed under house arrest with an ankle bracelet and told he must work at preventing another potential gang member from getting involved in gangs with his probation officer at a school. That is how Teddy begins working with Micah. Things do not go well between them at first, but when Teddy finally takes the time to read the file about Micah and realizes what a terrible life Micah has lead, Teddy makes a concerted effort to make a difference. Teddy researches and determines that part of Micah's problem is that he may have dyslexia. Teddy brings colored transparencies which help Micah to read and boosts his self esteem. Teddy begins to make a positive difference in Micah's life! Through Teddy's cyber skills, he manages to "create" continued funding for Officer Diaz's program. Not only that, the family ends up adopting Micah in the end. Teddy realizes that out of a bad situation, good can happen.

This book gives the reader some understanding of what drives gangs to form and do the things they do. It also helps to understand how they are able to convince youth to join their gangs. Micah had learning problems that were never tested and no one there to be his advocate. But the gang was willing to be his support system. If Teddy hadn't come along, Micah would have been another statistic. I think teachers should read this book as well as youth. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in testing and the pressures of dealing with day to day classroom issues, we forget what a difference our job can make. This is a reminder to look for the potential in every student and not focus on what the student can't/won't be able to do.

SAFE by Susan Shaw - 2008 Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers Top Ten

Riding in the car headed to a family reunion/quick vacation and guess what? I couldn't put SAFE by Susan Shaw down! The author has placed herself in the mind of an eighth grade girl that has been brutally raped on her way home from school on the last day of classes. The emotions and fears this young lady goes through tears at your heart.

Tracy is raped and left for dead by the brother of a classmate. Since Tracy's mother is deceased she is raised by her father. Sadly the father tries to help Tracy by getting counseling, but she does not want to deal with what happened. Tracy hides things enough that the father thinks things will just eventually get better. He is wrong. She wants to forget it, but it won't go away. Slowly she shuts herself off - won't leave the house, alienates her best friend, then isolates herself from all other friends and classmates. Her only escape is playing the piano, which was not something she originally enjoyed. Her music teacher and the final therapist she will get will help her to finally open up and express her feelings either through music or verbally. But to finally reach her breaking point it takes Tracy falling apart and awaking on Monkey Rock disoriented after she can't deal with the fear that her attacker will possibly plea not guilty at his court hearing. Finally Tracy can "hear" the voice and "feel" her mother again. The poem she found on her first visit to the first therapist's office has even more meaning and power to her at the end.

Anyone who has a friend that is raped or a teacher that experiences a student that has been raped would do well to read this book. It gives you some insight to what they could be feeling but not answers on how to help, other than DON'T abandon them. Be there but don't talk about the rape unless they talk to you about it first.

QUAKING by Kathryn Erskine - 2008 Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers Top Ten

Quaking by Kathryn Erskine is a powerful book! Matt (Matilda) has been shuffled from one foster home to another since her mother was murdered by her abusive father. Matt has built a protective cover around herself to keep from being hurt anymore -gothic, uncaring, doing poorly in school. In actuality, Matt is very bright. At the beginning she is just arriving at a new home, relatives of Loopy's who are Quakers with a special needs child. This book is about how this peaceful and loving family break through her shell and show her how to love and care again.

Matt's inner belief in peace and what is right and wrong come through in her writings for her World Civics teacher who expects all of his students to only express the same beliefs he has concerning the war and patriotism. Matt can't do that. She expresses her belief that there is another side to everything and that peace is important. When she finally accepts that she cares and loves the family she is with, Matt realizes that Rat is headed to the Meeting House to firebomb it. When she struggles running through the freezing cold without a jacket and faces Rat and his Wall gang, she realizes she is finally also standing up to the Beast - her father - who made her build her protective shell. She embraces her new family and stands up for what is right and does not crouch and hide in fear anymore.

WOW!!! I loved this book. It was very thought provoking in so many ways - conscientious objector, abuse, gothic kids, perceptions, and special needs children. Though I couldn't use it with my elementary students, what a wonderful book for a government teacher to have the class read to go along with a lesson on patriotism or constitutional rights. After teaching the lesson, this could be a stimulus for discussion of how people view their rights. Can't wait to have my niece read this!

ELIJAH OF BUXTON by Christopher Paul Curtis - 2008 Coretta Scott King Award for Text

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis well represents the qualities of a Coretta Scott King Award for Text. Christopher Paul Curtis is an African-American author who shares an understanding of what it took for slaves to reach freedom and how they lived their life out in a community established for free and former slaves in Canada.

Through the experiences of Elijah, his family, and friends, the reader discovers what life was like for free and/or former slaves that had either been born free or escaped to Buxton, which is what the inhabitants called their community. It had been established by a white Presbyterian minister in 1849.

Since Elijah was the first child to be born free in the community, he has never experienced slavery and the evils that came along with it. Throughout this story though, eleven year old Elijah learns about what a blessing being born free was as he learns about why Mr. Leroy has a missing finger and a terrible scar of a square with a "T" on his chest. He listens to his mother and neighbors stories as they speak of being separated from family members and having to choose to leave family behind in order not to suffer humiliation and possible death at the hands of cruel masters. Elijah also witnesses that even in his culture, there are unscrupulous people, such as the thieving reverend. At the end, Elijah finally figures out grown up talk when he discovers shackled and beaten slaves and determines that the trapped mother wants Elijah to take her child to freedom.

Once again Christopher Paul Curtis gives us a powerful history lesson with humor, shock, and sadness. This book helps an older elementary or older student realize that even some African-Americans did not realize what others in their culture were experiencing if they did not live in the slave states. This book shows the bravery of the slaves and free to try to get a better life for themselves and their families. This is a book that everyone should read, then read the newspapers and see that slavery is still going on in the world. We are supposed to learn from history and use that knowledge to guide us to making better choices in helping mankind. This book and thinking about what is happening in the world can show anyone can be as brave as this eleven year old child.

LET IT SHINE: THREE FAVORITE SPIRITUALS by Ashely Bryan - 2008 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration

African-American author/illustrator Ashley Bryan used cut construction paper in vivid colors with lots of different components represented to create LET IT SHINE: THREE FAVORITE SPIRITUALS. Each page illustrates phrases from three of his favorite African-American spirituals. During the time of slavery, slaves were not permitted to learn to read or write, but they would express and share their dreams and lives through songs. Ashley Bryan honored the spirituals: "This Little Light," ""When the Saints," and "In His Hands."

All three of these I have heard since childhood, but I loved seeing the way the author included all elements of each song phrase on the pages. What a feast to the eyes! Once again, this wonderful award winning book presents opportunities to teach music and art in the library. It offers such a smorgasbord of different details in the illustrations for the students to find and discuss. The students need to hear the note at the end from Ashley telling of the importance of these spirituals.

My son was able to witness the power of these spirituals. He sang with the LSU choir in Europe in the spring of 2001. In the Prague town square, they did an impromptu concert of African-American spirituals and other songs. Upon his return, he said that when they sang the spirituals, he looked into the crowd. People were weeping listening to the power of the songs, even evident in a foreign language to them. Love this book!!!

LOS GATOS BLACK ON HALLOWEEN by Marisa Montes, illustrated by Yuyi Morales - 2008 Pura Belpre Award for Illustration

LOS GATOS BLACK ON HALLOWEEN by Marisa Montes and illustrated by Yuyi Morales is about the ghosts, witches, and monsters preparing for a Monster Ball on Halloween. This rhyming book is written through the Latino tradition of the importance of this holiday , which the Latinos call "Day of the Dead" in their culture. Interspersed throughout the book are Spanish words for different characters and aspects. For example, "Las brujas guide their broomsticks high, The witches on ecobas fly." At the end, the monsters are frightened of opening the door to disguised human ninos. The author includes a glossary at the end.

The illustrator's, Yuyi Morales, childhood is evident in her illustrations. Her artwork depicts her life in Mexico with the homes, serapes, and embroidered dresses in the artwork. The art is striking and the detail makes the reader want to look at each picture closely to discover some different detail each time. Yuyi Morales won the Pura Belpre award for her illustrations which exemplified Latino culture.

I can't wait to use this book at Halloween with my students! As teachers we are always getting the students to use context clues to determine the meaning of a word. This book presents the opportunity to do that very thing with Spanish words. It also allows the opportunity for the English speakers to understand what the Spanish speakers go through when they are given a book written in English. This could lead to great discussion and understanding of other cultures and their struggles.