Must Read Books

Sorta Like a Rock Star
Matthew Quick

Amber Appleton and her mom are homeless: they live in Hello Yellow, the school bus her mom drives for a living (yes, sorta like rock stars live on buses). But this doesn't shake Amber's positive outlook on life. She still has her dog, Billy Big Boy, and her gigantic list of afterschool activities- she teaches ESL, befriends a Vietnam veteran named Private Jackson, and spreads her optimism among the elderly at a nursing home. Then Amber's unchanging attitude takes a huge blow when her mother suffers a violent tragedy. Can Amber overcome what's happened to her family?

 

 

Nov 4, 2010
Anonymous
Criss Cross
Lynn Rae Perkins

Lynne Rae Perkins' Criss Cross was the Newbery Award winner for 2006.  Told in alternating voices, it's the stories of small town young teens and their wishes and dreams for their futures.  The setting and time period is indistinguishable (you get the impression that it's the 1970s) so it's more of a story for all times.

Oct 23, 2010
Susan
Speak
Laurie Halse Anderson

Melinda enters her freshman year of high school with everyone hating her including her former best friend Rachel.  At an end of the summer party, Melinda called the police resulting in several of her classmates getting arrested for underage drinking.  It isn't until later that we learn Melinda's real reason for calling the police.  We watch as she endures the horror of adolescent shunning and see her withdraw further into herself and become mute as a result.  As the narrative unfolds we begin to see glimpses into what happened that awful night at the party and the teacher who helps Melinda recognize what happened to her and regain her voice. 

Oct 20, 2010
Kristy
Looking for Alaska
John Green

Sixteen-year-old Miles' search for a "great perhaps" at the Culver Creek boarding school in Alabama grants him more than he bargained for. While quoting the last words of famous people, Miles explores his friendships and pulls pranks under the command of the Colonel (his roommate) and Alaska (his attractive yet somewhat unstable love interest).  

The book is separated into "Before" and "After" sequences. Before and after what, you ask? You'll be shocked when you find out.

Looking for Alaska confronts its readers with some big questions; it'll really make you think. Recommended for ages 15+.

Oct 6, 2010
Anonymous
Inside Out
Maria V. Snyder

Trella is a scrub and a loner.  When her only friend asks her to help the latest "prophet" she is reluctant to get involved.  Her unwillingness to let a challenge go by gets her involved anyway and inadvertently begins a minor revolution with the Uppers.  As they search for the possibility of the Gateway Trella is joined by a variety of people in her quest.  Fans of the City of Ember and the Hunger Games trilogy should give this a try.  The sequel will be released in March 2011.

Oct 2, 2010
Susan
Feed
M.T. Anderson

Titus lives in a futuristic world where tv and the internet are "fed" directly into people's brains. They call it the feed, and it's implanted into your brain at birth. While on a trip to the moon with his friends, Titus meets Violet, who is rather unconventional. Her feed was implanted late in life, and rather than succomb to the never-ending advertisements, Violet chooses instead to fight the feed, wanting Titus to join her.

Feed is written from Titus' perspective and uses the vernicular of his future world...unfamiliar words like "null" and "mal." Don't let this bother you, though, because Anderson's book is worth reading. Titus' apathetic, vapid nature makes you think about your own reliance on technology and the lasting effects consumerism will have on society.

Sep 30, 2010
Anonymous
The Skin I'm In
Sharon Flake

Maleeka Madison is sick of being teased about how dark her skin color is so she joins the toughest, most intimidating group of girls in the school to help protect her. The only problem is Charlene and the twins tease and bully her, too (but at least she’s not hearing it from everyone else). Along comes a new teacher, Miss Saunders, who gets Maleeka to write stories which Maleeka enjoys, but still it is very hard for her to leave Charlene’s group. When Charlene wants to get revenge on Miss Saunders for failing her, see if Maleeka will stand up to Char or succumb to Char’s bullying ways.

Sep 25, 2010
Anonymous
Exit Strategy
Ryan Potter

Zach Ramsey has it tough. He's already decided that he needs a Blaine Exit Strategy during the summer before his senior year, but he's fallen in love with Sarah. Adding to the problem is Sarah happens to be the twin sister of Zach's over-protective, muscle-bound best friend, Tank. And Tank is having a few issues with his anger and being reckless. When they get in trouble for some of Tank's recklessness, Zach has to get a job at the local party shop and starts sniffing around "Blaine" (a thinly-veiled Wayne, MI) for secrets regarding his friend and family and Blaine High School athletics. Part of the draw of reading this book has to do with the action all taking place 5 miles from here- so we can really put ourselves in Zach's shoes. An exciting page-turner with plenty of heart.

Sep 24, 2010
Anonymous
How I Live Now
Meg Rosoff

Set sometime in the near future, How I Live Now tells the story of Daisy, a 15-year-old Manhattan native who is sent to live with her cousins on a farm in England.  After arriving, she feels a forbidden attraction to her cousin Edmond. The two grow even closer when England is invaded and a devastating war breaks out, leaving Daisy and her  cousins stranded on the farm without any adults. Will they survive on their own? And how long can they last before the "invaders" find them?

This book reads in a "stream of consciousness" fashion, with Daisy reiterating everything that's happened to her up until this particular point in her life. It's a quick read, and if you enjoy believable "what if?" stories about the future, you'll very much enjoy How I Live Now. It's a realistically bleak, heartbreaking story of war, love, and family.

Sep 21, 2010
Anonymous
Sweethearts
Sara Zarr

Don't be fooled by the seemingly cliched brief summary: chubby girl meets boy, they part ways, she loses weight, he returns--will it be happily-ever-after? It's so much more than that!

I was first attracted to the book by the sugar cookie on the cover; I couldn't pass up something that looked so tasty. But inside is a truly absorbing and worthwhile story. Jennifer and Cameron were best friends in elementary school, but their friendship was put on hold when Cameron disappeared. Cameron returns to find that Jennifer has transformed from a social outcast into Jenna, a pretty, popular teen dating the high school heartthrob.

The plot is merely a chance to glimpse the lives, feelings, and struggles of these two during a time when the decisions they make are informing the rest of their lives. By the time the book is over, you realize that you've kind of become friends with Jenna and Cameron--Zarr has done a fine job of creating characters that are real without being boring or utterly annoying (except in all the right places).

Sep 16, 2010
Anonymous