Dark Sons

Bibliography

Grimes, Nikki. Dark Sons. 2005. New York, NY: Hyperion Books ISBN #:0-7868-1888-3

Critical Analysis

Nikki Grimes poetically tells the story of Abraham and Ishmael making it relevant to today's young adults by juxtaposing it with the modern story of Sam, a teenager dealing with the divorce of his parents, the stress of a new stepmother and the jealousy of a new baby brother. Ishmael's story is told so convincingly from a teen's point of view that many readers won't even know they're reading a Bible story until they are half way through. 

Ishmael's faith in God pushes him through his familial trials, though sometimes he questions Him and even gets angry with Him. Sam does the same as he deals with his new family life. This faith and their similar situation bridges the time gap between the two young men and by the end of the book the reader strongly feels their connection as "brothers, two dark sons." 

Emotions run deep throughout the book and both characters show young readers that frustration, anger, doubt, confusion and jealousy are all natural feelings, while also showing that you can overcome them to better yourself and your situation. Even readers who are not religious can find the plot of Dark Sons intriguing, the poetry well written and the emotions genuine. Dark Sons is a great read for grades 6 and up. 

Book Group Discussion Questions

1. Sam and Ishmael have a lot in common despite living in two different times. What are some of the similarities between their situations?

2. What about between their personalities?

3. What are some similarities between Sam's mother and Ishmael's mother? What about their fathers?

4. How do you think the stories would be told if narrated through Sam and Ishmael's little brothers?

5. What do you think Sam's relationship with his brother will be like when they are older?

External Assessments

Coretta Scott King Honor Book

*Starred Review* Gr. 5-8. "Why does he have to run off? / To start some new family? / With her?" Teen-age Sam can barely contain his fury and hurt when his father gets married again, this time to a young white woman, who gives Sam a new baby brother. In a parallel, first-person narrative that draws on Genesis, young Ishmael and his mother, Hagar, rejected by Abraham, wander in the desert, after Sarah bears Abraham's child. Grimes' clear, free verse speaks with immediacy and lyricism about both boys' feelings of betrayal and loss. The real focus, though, is on Sam, who complains to his high-school friends ("It's my stepmom, man. / My dad wants me / to give her a chance / But I can't") and talks to and screams at God--until he's able to ask God to help him let his anger go. The simple words eloquently reveal what it's like to miss someone ("I've stopped expecting / his shadow in the hallway / his frame in the doorway"), but even more moving is the struggle to forgive and the affection each boy feels for the baby that displaces him. The elemental connections and the hope ("You made it / in the end / and so will I") will speak to a wide audience."-Hazel Rochman, Booklist

What My Mother Doesn't Know

Bibliography

Sones, Sonya. What My Mother Doesn't Know. 2001. New York, NY: ISBN # 0-689-84114-0

Critical Analysis

The idea of an entire novel written in poetry form might sound a bit daunting for some readers but Sonya Sones' What My Mother Doesn't Know is the book to change young adults' minds about poetry. Written in free verse, Sones has the reader hanging on to every word through the humorous main character Sophie. Sophie's thoughts, views, and daily occurrences  are detailed through short one to two page poems making the poetry easy to digest. 

In every poem Sophie's voice comes through crystal clear. Girls of all ages will be able to relate to her insecurities, daydreams and relationship woes. Sone explores all types of relationships that are important to adolescent girls in the book. Sophie breaks up with one boyfriend to date Dylan, whose smile is almost like "a religious experience" to her. As so often young love does, Sophie and Dylan's relationship goes from hot and heavy to nearly nonexistent and the time comes for them both to move on, and Sophie does, to someone that surprises herself and the reader alike. Beyond the boyfriend relationships, Sones also emphasizes the bond between Sophie and her two best friends, Rachel and Grace, showing just how important a girl's friends can be. 

Interestingly Sophie's relationship with her mother is probably the most indirectly developed relationship in the book. Sophie's mother seems to spend most of her time watching TV and making Sophie feel the type of guilt that only mothers know how to make you feel, yet there is something charming about their relationship. As distant as they are, when Sophie really needs someone to talk to, her mother is there. 

The simplistic beauty of the poetry in What My Mother Doesn't Know makes it a great read for grades 6 and up. Girls will especially enjoy the book because of the subject matter. Another perk to suggesting the book to young readers is that Sone describes Sophie's feelings and actions in the book from an adolescent girl's point of view so convincingly that parent's don't have to worry about young readers stumbling on more adult perspectives on relationships that they may not be ready to handle yet.

Book Group Ideas

Have readers go through the book and find a poem with a humorous tone, a poem where Sophie feels guilty, a poem where Sophie is worried and a poem where Sophie is happy. Discuss the differences between the poems. What elements in the poem make it come across funny? Guilty? Worried? Happy? What word choices set the tone of the poem? Encourage them to try and change a few words in the poem to see if it changes the tone.

External Assessments

"*Starred Review* Drawing on the recognizable cadences of teenage speech, Sones (Stop Pretending) poignantly captures the tingle and heartache of being young and boy-crazy. The author keenly portrays ninth-grader Sophie's trajectory of lusty crushes and disillusionment whether she is gazing at Dylan's "smoldery dark eyes" or dancing with a mystery man to music that "is slow/ and/ saxophony." Best friends Rachel and Grace provide anchoring friendships for Sophie as she navigates her home life as an only child with a distant father and a soap opera-devotee mother whose "shrieking whips around inside me/ like a tornado." Some images of adolescent changes carry a more contemporary cachet, "I got my period I prefer/ to think of it as/ rebooting my ovarian operating system," others are consciously clich‚d, "my molehills/ have turned into mountains/ overnight" this just makes Sophie seem that much more familiar. With its separate free verse poems woven into a fluid and coherent narrative with a satisfying ending, Sophie's honest and earthy story feels destined to captivate a young female audience, avid and reluctant readers alike. Ages 12-up."- Publishers Weekly

"*Starred Review* Gr. 6-10. In a fast, funny, touching book, Sones uses the same simple, first-person poetic narrative she used in Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy(1999), but this story isn't about family anguish; it's about the joy and surprise of falling in love. Sophie, 14, thinks she has a crush on handsome Dylan, but she discovers that her most passionate feelings are for someone totally unexpected, a boy who makes her laugh and shows her how to look at the world. And when they kiss, every cell in her body is on fire. Meanwhile, she fights with her mom--who fights with Sophie's dad--and she refuses to wear a pink flowered dress to the school dance, secretly changing into a slinky black outfit with the help of her girlfriends. Their girl talk is hilarious and irreverent in the style of Naylor's Alice books. The poetry is never pretentious or difficult; on the contrary, the very short, sometimes rhythmic lines make each page fly. Sophie's voice is colloquial and intimate, and the discoveries she makes are beyond formula, even while they are as sweetly romantic as popular song. A natural for reluctant readers, this will also attract young people who love to read."- Hazel Rochman, School Library Journal

Persepolis

Bibliography

Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis. 2003. New York, NY: Pantheon Books. ISBN # 0-375-42230-7


Critical Analysis
Persepolis is an intriguing approach to a memoir. Marjane Satrapi tells her experiences growing up as an adolescent in Tehran through an entertaining and eye-opening graphic novel. Because of the graphic novel format, the limited space for text forces Satrapi to use her words wisely and concisely. The direct and to the point style of the narrative echos her quirky and determined childhood personality. Stories are relayed through short topical chapters which make the often serious subject matters easier for young readers to digest. 


Even if young readers don't fully understand the political aspects and themes of the book- the war against Iraq, communism, religious extremism, etc.- they will still enjoy the spunky personality of Marji as she has one-on-one conversations with God, dreams of being a dictator and stirs up imaginative trouble at school. Satrapi's telling of her own life as preteen in a seemingly oppressive culture gives new insight and a few surprises, such as her love of Michael Jackson and desire for western clothing, like Nikes and a denim jacket. 


Satrapi's progressive parents also play a major role in the memoir. They encourage Marji's outspoken personality, keep her abreast of the political happenings and even take her out protesting with them once. Their approach to parenting shows a different perspective of the Iranian family and culture. This new perspective shown through Satrapi's life experiences in a humorous, yet enlightening way, makes Persepolis a great read for grades eight and up. 


Book Group Ideas
Have students bring in newspaper and magazine articles about current events in Iran. Provide information about the current required dress for women and political standing. Discuss the differences between Iran when Marji lived there and now, how she would have grown up if she was ten and in Iran now, what role her parents played in her life and in the political movements in Iran, her conversations with God, and whatever other questions that spur from the conversation.


External Assessments
"Satrapi's autobiography is a timely and timeless story of a young girl's life under the Islamic Revolution. Descended from the last Emperor of Iran, Satrapi is nine when fundamentalist rebels overthrow the Shah. While Satrapi's radical parents and their community initially welcome the ouster, they soon learn a new brand of totalitarianism is taking over. Satrapi's art is minimal and stark yet often charming and humorous as it depicts the madness around her. She idolizes those who were imprisoned by the Shah, fascinated by their tales of torture, and bonds with her Uncle Anoosh, only to see the new regime imprison and eventually kill him. Thanks to the Iran-Iraq war, neighbors' homes are bombed, playmates are killed and parties are forbidden. Satrapi's parents, who once lived in luxury despite their politics, struggle to educate their daughter. Her father briefly considers fleeing to America, only to realize the price would be too great. "I can become a taxi driver and you a cleaning lady?" he asks his wife. Iron Maiden, Nikes and Michael Jackson become precious symbols of freedom, and eventually Satrapi's rebellious streak puts her in danger, as even educated women are threatened with beatings for improper attire. Despite the grimness, Satrapi never lapses into sensationalism or sentimentality. Skillfully presenting a child's view of war and her own shifting ideals, she also shows quotidian life in Tehran and her family's pride and love for their country despite the tumultuous times. Powerfully understated, this work joins other memoirs-Spiegelman's Maus and Sacco's Safe Area Goradze-that use comics to make the unthinkable familiar."- Publishers Weekly

"Marji tells of her life in Iran from the age of 10, when the Islamic revolution of 1979 reintroduced a religious state, through the age of 14 when the Iran-Iraq war forced her parents to send her to Europe for safety. This story, told in graphic format with simple, but expressive, black-and-white illustrations, combines the normal rebelliousness of an intelligent adolescent with the horrors of war and totalitarianism. Marji's parents, especially her freethinking mother, modeled a strong belief in freedom and equality, while her French education gave her a strong faith in God. Her Marxist-inclined family initially favored the overthrow of the Shah, but soon realized that the new regime was more restrictive and unfair than the last. The girl's independence, which made her parents both proud and fearful, caused them to send her to Austria. With bold lines and deceptively uncomplicated scenes, Satrapi conveys her story. From it, teens will learn much of the history of this important area and will identify with young Marji and her friends. This is a graphic novel of immense power and importance for Westerners of all ages. It will speak to the same audience as Art Spiegelman's Maus (Pantheon, 1993)."- Susan H. Woodcock, School Library Journal

It's Not About the Bike

Bibliography

Armstrong, Lance. It's Not About the Bike. 2000. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons ISBN # 0-399-14611-3

Critical Analysis

Lance Armstrong's memoir It's Not About the Bike is an honest and direct synopsis of his rise to the top of the cycling world and his battle with testicular cancer. This inside look allows Armstrong fans to go beyond what they read from press and magazines and get the inside scoop on the Tour de France champion. Armstrong's portrayal of himself as a rowdy child and teen living with his hardworking, single mother provides many humorous anecdotes while also giving the background to his determined personality in adulthood. Perhaps the most entertaining story is that of the game Armstrong coined called "fireball," which consisted of soaking a tennis ball in kerosene, lighting it on fire and throwing it back and forth while wearing garden gloves. It's ideas like this that make It's Not About the Bike a great read for reluctant, young adult, male readers but might make parents wish it came with a "Do Not Try This at Home" warning label on it. 

Armstrong's approach to describing his cancer battle is direct and matter-of-fact. Though his emotions play a role in his retelling, he details his chemotherapy treatments, doctor's visits, MRI's and X-rays with medical precision and honesty. Determined would be the best word to describe his outlook on cancer, cycling and life.  

Book Discussion Questions

1. Lance Armstrong's mother plays a large role in his life, as detailed in the book. How does their relationship effect Lance in cycling, his cancer battle and life in general?

2. Lance is often forced to make some difficult decisions, whether it be in cycling or deciding between oncologists. Discuss his decision making process and any decisions you might have made differently.

3. What are some of the parallels between Lance's race approach and life approach? What are some of the differences?

4. How would some of Lance's experiences have been different if he were not a successful, famous cyclist? 

5. Lance receives an email from a man in the military stationed in Asia that was a fellow cancer patient that says "you don't know it yet, but we're the lucky ones." What did the man mean? At that time Lance doesn't understand what he means. Do you think that by the end of his battle he understood?

External Assessments

"In 1996, young cycling phenom Armstrong discovered he had testicular cancer. In 1999, he won the Tour de France. Now he's a grateful husband, a new fatherAand a memoirist: with pluck, humility and verve, this volume covers his early life, his rise through the endurance sport world and his medical difficulties. Cancer "was like being run off the road by a truck, and I've got the scars to prove it," Armstrong declares. Earlier scars, he explains, came from a stepfather he casts as unworthy; early rewards, from his hardworking mother and from the triathlons and national bike races Armstrong won as a Texas teen. "The real racing action was over in Europe": after covering that, Armstrong and Jenkins (Men Will Be Boys, with Pat Summit, etc.) ascend to the scarier challenges of diagnoses and surgeries. As he gets worse, then better, Armstrong describes the affections of his racing friends and of the professionals who cared for him. Armstrong is honest and delightful on his relationship to wife Kristin (Kik), and goes into surprising detail about the technology that let them have a child. The memoir concludes with Armstrong's French victory and the birth of their son. The book features a disarming and spotless prose style, one far above par for sports memoirs. Bicycle-racing fans will enjoy the troves of inside information and the accounts of competitions, but Armstrong has set his sights on a wider meaning and readership: "When I was sick I saw more beauty and triumph and truth in a single day than I ever did in a bike race."- Esther Newberg, Publisher's Weekly

A Northern Light

Biography

Donnelly, Jennifer. A Northern Light. 2003. New York, NY: Harcourt Inc. ISBN 0-15-216705-6

Critical Analysis

Jennifer Donnelly's novel A Northern Light has something for everyone- romance, mystery, history, murder and more. Mattie Grokey's story grips readers from the first page and keeps them hanging on until the very last. Donnelly goes back in forth through two stories so eloquently that they intertwine seamlessly in the end. Mattie, a sixteen year old aspiring to be a famous writer and a college graduate, lives on a farm with her father and three sisters that she has taken care of since her mother died of breast cancer. Mattie is constantly stuck between a rock and a hard place with an influential teacher encouraging her bright future at a college that she has already been accepted to and a father who needs her help at home and doesn't appreciate her desire to learn. It doesn't help when Royal Loomis, a wealthy and handsome young man, sets his sites on Mattie creating yet another dilemma in her already complicated situation. These types of issues are what make A Northern Light easy to relate to despite it being set in 1906. The situations Mattie deals with in the twentieth century are nearly identical to what teens face in the twenty-first century. She wants to go to college but cannot afford it. She loves to read and her friends and family don't understand why. Her mother passes away after battling breast cancer. Examples such as these that jump the time gap are prevalent throughout the book.


Although the story is mostly Mattie's, readers will find themselves wanting to know more about Grace Brown, a young pregnant woman found dead in the lake by the hotel that Mattie is working at for the summer. As Mattie uncovers more about her by reading the letters that Grace had asked her to burn hours before her untimely death the audience slowly puts the puzzle pieces together. Donnelly's skillful alternation between Mattie's story before working at the hotel and her summer working there creates an anticipatory buildup leaving the reader hanging on every word, anxiously awaiting to figure out the truth.


Book Group Ideas
Mattie and her best friend Weaver have "word duels" often throughout the book where they start out with a word and go back and forth with synonyms of that word. Have a word duels with the list of characters below. Write down the words as you say them and go back and discuss why you chose that word to describe the character afterwards.


Mattie, Weaver, Royal Loomis, Lawton, Aunt Josie, Miss Wilcox, Emma Hubbard, Mr. Gokey, Cook, Minnie, Daisy, Pleasant


External Assessment
Michael L. Printz Honor Book


"Mattie Gokey, 16, a talented writer, promised her dying mother that she would always take care of her father and younger siblings. She is stuck on a farm, living in near poverty, with no way of escaping, even though she has been accepted at Barnard College. She promises to marry handsome Royal Loomis even though he doesn't appear to love her. Now, Mattie has promised Grace Brown, a guest at the Adirondack summer resort where she works, to burn two bundles of letters. Then, before she can comply, Grace's body is found in the lake, and the young man who was with her disappears, also presumably drowned. This is a breathtaking tale, complex and often earthy, wrapped around a true story. In 1906, Grace Brown was killed by Chester Gillette because she was poor and pregnant, and he hoped to make his fortune by marrying a rich, society girl. Grace's story weaves its way through Mattie's, staying in the background but providing impetus. The protagonist tells her tale through flashback and time shifts from past to present. Readers feel her fears for her friend Weaver-the first freeborn child in his family-when he is beaten for being black and his college savings are stolen, and enjoy their love of words as they engage in language duels. Finally, they'll experience her awakening when she realizes that she cannot live her life for others. Donnelly's characters ring true to life, and the meticulously described setting forms a vivid backdrop to this finely crafted story. An outstanding choice for historical-fiction fans, particularly those who have read Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy."-Lisa Prolman, School Library Journal

Hole in My Life

Bibliography

Gantos, Jack. Hole in My Life. 2002. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux ISBN 978-0-374-43089-4

Critical Analysis

Jack Gantos holds nothing back as he depicts his haphazard, young adult mistakes that land him in prison in his early twenties in his memoir Hole in My Life. Gantos' passion for writing and literature is woven in with every adventure he relates. As he grasps for something to write about he realizes that his "biggest problem with writing was that [he] didn't have anything worthwhile to write about" because nothing exciting ever happened to him. His wish for something adventurous to write about certainly came true when he gets himself into a drug smuggling partnership and sails from St. Croix to New York with hundreds of pounds of hash and a strange British sailing partner named Hamilton who prefers to walk around the boat naked. Inevitably they get caught and Gantos lands himself in prison for fifteen months. With these facts in hand, the reader's first instinct is to assume that Gantos is just another underprivileged, uneducated teen who fell in with a bad crowd, but Gantos' counteracts these assumptions with a heavy dose of literary name dropping. He goes on a trip to see the homes of Hemingway and Stephen Crane. He reads poetry, classic literature and takes photos of the doors of writer's rooms at the hotel Chelsea. He defies the stereotype of a pot-smoking drug-seller purely with his knowledge and love of literature.

Despite Gantos' frustrating decisions that get him into more trouble than he can handle, readers will find themselves on his side, hoping he doesn't get caught and put in prison for selling hash. This controversial approach is finally counterbalanced when the wife of a former buyer asks him "did you ever consider what it could do to the people who bought it?" This is the first and arguably the only time the reader sees Gantos think beyond himself and his desire to write. He says he "was beginning to feel how I had screwed up more lives than just my own." Even though the reader is rooting for Gantos, it is a relief to see him finally look past himself, even for just a fleeting moment. 

Young adults will love to read Hole in My Life if only for the seemingly off-limits topics approached in the memoir. The theme of the entire memoir is based around the selling and using of drugs and the prison references can be rather graphic and sexual making this book appropriate for mature young adults grades 10 and up.

Book Group Ideas

In his memoir Hole in My Life Jack Gantos mentions several writing exercises to spur his creative writing. Write any and everything that comes to your mind about the memoir for five minutes. Discuss some of the thoughts with the book group and any other ideas that may pop into your mind as you discuss.

External Assessment

"The compelling story of the author's final year in high school, his brushes with crime, and his subsequent incarceration. Gantos has written much about his early years with his eccentric family, and this more serious book picks up the tale as they moved to Puerto Rico during his junior year. He returned to Florida alone, living in a seedy motel while he finished high school and realized that his options for college weren't great. A failed drug deal cost him most of his savings and he joined his family, now in St. Croix, where he accepted an offer of $10,000 to help sail a boat full of hash to New York. He and his colleagues were caught, and as it turns out, he was in more trouble than he anticipated. Sent to federal prison for up to six years, Gantos landed a job in the hospital section, a post that protected him from his fellow inmates, yet allowed him to witness prison culture firsthand. Much of the action in this memoir-some of it quite raw and harsh-will be riveting to teen readers. However, the book's real strength lies in the window it gives into the mind of an adolescent without strong family support and living in the easy drug culture of the 1970s. Gantos looks for role models and guidance in the pages of the books he is reading, and his drive to be a writer and desire to go to college ultimately save him."-
Barbara Scotto, School Library Journal

Awards: American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults; American Library Association Notable Children's Books; American Library Association Popular Paperbacks for Young Readers; Michael L. Printz Award - Honor; Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year; Books for the Teen Age, New York Public Library; Parents' Choice Award Winner; Booklist Editors' Choice; Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon Award; Horn Book Magazine Fanfare List; School Library Journal Best Books of the Year; Robert F. Sibert Award - Honor; Massachusetts Children's Book Award

  

Specials

Bibliography

Westerfeld, Scott. Specials. 2006. New York, NY: Simon Pulse ISBN 13-978-0-689-86540-4

Critical Analysis

Pretties leaves readers on such a cliffhanger that they feel compelled to jump right into the last book of the trilogy Specials- bungee jacket on or not. In Specials, Tally's world changes again in a big way, going from a regular "bubblehead" pretty to a cruel, "icy," superhuman Special Circumstance pretty. Readers will find that despite her extraordinary lifestyle and "special circumstances," Tally still closely resembles the seemingly selfish and self-serving character she has in the first two books of the series. Much like real teenage world, her once best friend turned enemy, Shay, is suddenly her best friend again, she flutters between love interests Zane and David, not making a choice until the choice is made for her and all the while she has an inner struggle to decide who she is inside, "whether ugly or pretty or special." 

Although Tally has been "tricky" and defiant her entire life, she still clings to the fact that "someone was always forcing her to join their side" and things kept happening to her "because of threats, accidents, lesions in her brain, and surgery changing her mind for her" which is "not exactly her fault." Contradictory to this Tally struggles to get control of her mind and makes disobedient decisions often throughout the book. This juxtaposition can be frustrating as the reader waits for Tally to take responsibility for at least some of her actions and their results. Even in the end with Tally's acceptance of her part in the war the reader is still left with the taste of a egotistical main character in their mouth. 

Discussion Questions

1. What changes did Tally make from Pretties to Specials?
2. What changes did Tally make from the beginning of the book to the end?
3. What do you think happened to Dr. Cable after Tally left? 
4. If Zane did not die, would Tally still have ended up with David? Why or Why not?
5. At what stage did you like Tally's character the best, ugly, pretty or special, and why?

External Assessments

"Grade 8 Up–This final installment in the series is a warning of the dangers of overconsumption and conformity. Set some time in the future, after a human-made bacteria destroyed the modern world, the trilogy tells of new cities established and tightly controlled through brainwashing and a series of operations leading to a compliant society. Tally Youngblood, the 16-year-old protagonist, learns in the first two books that free will and truth are more important than a false sense of security. In Specials, she has become an elite fighting machine, fully enhanced with nanotechnology and super-fast reflexes, and made to work as a Special Circumstances agent for the nameless city that she fled. As in the first two books, much of the story takes place with characters whizzing through the air on hoverboards, but Tally and her friends are in for some harsh realities here. Readers who enjoyed Uglies and Pretties (both S & S, 2005) will not want to miss Specials, but those who have not read those books will not understand much of what is happening. Westerfeld's themes include vanity, environmental conservation, Utopian idealism, fascism, violence, and love. In this trilogy, the author calls for a revolution in our hearts and minds–think The Matrix". –Corinda J. Humphrey, School Library Journal

Pretties

Bibliography

Westerfeld, Scott. Pretties. 2005. New York, NY: Simon Pulse ISBN 978-0-689-86539-8

Critical Analysis

Lovers of Scott Westerfeld's Uglies get to see the other side of the coin in the sequel Pretties. When Tally Youngblood sacrifices herself to help find a cure for all the brain damaged pretties and undergoes the risky operation to become pretty herself she finally gets to see the life she had longed for for so long. The only problem is, now that Tally has had a taste of the pretty life, why would she ever want to be cured?

Westerfeld jumps right into the New Pretty Town setting as Tally gets ready for a party. Immediately the new, "pretty" changes in Tally are evident. She prefers "formal white-tie or black-tie parties" that became fun once "everyone got drunk." However, many of Tally's resilient qualities are still present and shine through despite her new personality and surroundings. Tally's ability to stay inherently herself, which is not always a good thing since she can often be selfish and self-absorbed, bring a touch of reality to the dystopian, sci-fi feel of the book. Though set in the future with talking walls and hoverboards, human nature still exists and is shown in different ways through each of the characters, making the novel relevant to young readers of today.

Westerfeld makes some strong social statements in Pretties, much like he did in Uglies, but takes them to a deeper level with brief descriptions on how life as we know it now ceases to exist. He describes the burning of trees , war and "the oil-transforming bacteria" that was released into which stopped the "Rusty civilization" and saved the planet. In an encounter Tally has on a reservation of wild people she recalls being taught at school about how in the past there was the "custom of assigning different tasks to men and women. And it was usually women who got the crappy jobs." Perhaps the most controversial mentioning of the book is when Tally is mistaken as a god and remembers that "God" was "the old Rusty word for their invisible superheroes in the sky." Such taboo subject matter makes for great discussion, no matter where the reader stands on the subject. 

Even with an often dis-likable main character, Pretties still shows readers what they've been wondering since the first book in the trilogy- what is life really like as a pretty?

Discussion Questions

1. What changed about Tally from Uglies to Pretties? What stayed the same?
2. Who is Tally a good friend to? Who is a good friend to Tally? What makes someone a good friend?
3. What do you think would have happened if Tally took the pill that Zane did? What would she have done in that situation? Why did the author have Zane take that pill and not Tally?
4. Do you think Tally would go back to being ugly if she had the choice? Why or why not?
5. Who is a better match for Tally, Zane or David? Why?

External Assessment

"This sequel to Uglies (S & S, 2005) continues to provide a gripping look at a dystopian future, but does not stand on its own. Tally, the protagonist of the first book, has forgotten all that she did as an Ugly and has completely embraced the mindless life of a New Pretty, going to parties, drinking heavily, and thinking of nothing more than the next bit of entertainment. It is not until one of the Uglies from New Smoke comes and delivers a message for her that leads her to two pills, that she begins to remember the real reason she is Pretty: to see if the cure will work. Tally and her new boyfriend, Zane, each take one of the pills and both begin to stay focused for longer periods of time. Then he has a bad reaction to the pill, and Tally has to make a desperate attempt to get him to the only doctors who can help him–the ones outside the city. Westerfeld has built a masterfully complex and vivid civilization. His characters are multidimensional, especially Tally, who wrestles with what she has done in the past and what she will be forced to do in the future. Uglies and Pretties are both nearly impossible to put down. If you don't have the first one, make sure to purchase them both."–Tasha Saecker, School Library Journal


"In this highly anticipated sequel to the hit Uglies 2005), Tally Youngblood struggles to retain her mental acuity after undergoing the operation that transformed her into a Pretty. While in the renegade Ugly community, Tally learned that along with cosmetic enhancements, new Pretties are given brain lesions that leave them in a perpetual state of lazy vanity. Tally volunteered to take a drug developed to cure the lesions, but now that she is a Pretty, she has forgotten her promise. A coded message leads her to some pills and a letter that she wrote to herself before her transformation, and after swallowing the cure, she is catapulted into a dangerous new adventure, in which she discovers that the peace and happiness of Pretty society come with a terrible price. Riveting and compulsively readable, this action-packed sequel does not disappoint. Just as good as its predecessor, it will leave fans breathlessly waiting for the trilogy's final volume."- Jennifer Hubert, Booklist

Uglies

Bibliography

Westerfeld, Scott. Uglies. 2005. New York, NY: Simon Pulse ISBN 978-0-689-86538-1

Critical Analysis

Tally Youngblood is fifteen and ugly. As is every other fifteen year old in the city Tally lives in. It's not until you turn sixteen and undergo a serious, life-altering operation that you morph from being an "Ugly" to a "Pretty." Scott Westerfeld's novel Uglies manages to make an allegorical social commentary on the importance society places on beauty while telling an action-packed, futuristic story of friendship and betrayal. 

The Uglies are kept separated from the Pretties until they turn pretty themselves and get to move into New Pretty Town. All the new pretties spend their time dressed in high fashions drinking at parties or in one of the multiple "pleasure gardens" with a fellow new pretty. The behaviors of the new pretties give a not so subtle nod to the ever popularized young celebrity lifestyle. The new pretties are flippant, self-absorbed and glamorized and every Ugly anxiously awaits the day when they get to join their ranks.

Despite the futuristic, dystopian setting, Uglies provides several interesting challenges for main character Tally that teens today can relate to. Before Tally's new best friend Shay chooses to runaway to the Smokes instead of going under for the mandated pretty operation she gives Tally directions on how to find the Smokes if she wants to stay "normal" too. When the secretive Special Circumstances pretties catch wind that Shay has runaway and that Tally may know how to find her, and the band of others who did not turn pretty, she puts Tally in a challenging position- if she does not help them find the Smokes Tally will stay ugly forever. Tally is forced into some difficult positions with this ultimatum and she is not always the hero the reader wants her to be, but the journey is interesting nonetheless. 

Book Discussion Questions

1. How did society get to where it is in the novel from today?
2. Which life would you prefer and why- the life of the Pretties, Uglies or the Smokies?
3. What would you have done in Tally's shoes if you had to betray a friend or miss out on what you have looked forward to your entire life?
4. Is Peris still Tally's friend? Why or why not?
5. Will Shay be able to trust Tally again?

External Assessments

"Tally Youngblood lives in a futuristic society that acculturates its citizens to believe that they are ugly until age 16 when they'll undergo an operation that will change them into pleasure-seeking "pretties." Anticipating this happy transformation, Tally meets Shay, another female ugly, who shares her enjoyment of hoverboarding and risky pranks. But Shay also disdains the false values and programmed conformity of the society and urges Tally to defect with her to the Smoke, a distant settlement of simple-living conscientious objectors. Tally declines, yet when Shay is found missing by the authorities, Tally is coerced by the cruel Dr. Cable to find her and her compatriots–or remain forever "ugly." Tally's adventuresome spirit helps her locate Shay and the Smoke. It also attracts the eye of David, the aptly named youthful rebel leader to whose attentions Tally warms. However, she knows she is living a lie, for she is a spy who wears an eye-activated locator pendant that threatens to blow the rebels' cover. Ethical concerns will provide a good source of discussion as honesty, justice, and free will are all oppressed in this well-conceived dystopia. Characterization, which flirts so openly with the importance of teen self-concept, is strong, and although lengthy, the novel is highly readable with a convincing plot that incorporates futuristic technologies and a disturbing commentary on our current public policies. Fortunately, the cliff-hanger ending promises a sequel." –Susan W. Hunter, School Library Journal


"With a beginning and ending that pack hefty punches, this introduction to a dystopic future promises an exciting series. Tally is almost 16 and breathlessly eager: On her birthday, like everyone else, she'll undergo extensive surgery to become a Pretty. She's only known life as an Ugly (everyone's considered hideous before surgery), whereas after she "turns," she'll have the huge eyes, perfect skin, and new bone structure that biology and evolution have determined to be objectively beautiful. New Pretties party all day long. But when friend Shay escapes to join a possibly mythical band of outsiders avoiding surgery, Tally follows-not from choice but because the secret police force her. Tally inflicts betrayal after betrayal, which dominates the theme for the midsection; by the end, the nature of this dystopia is front and center and Tally-trying to set things right-takes a stunning leap of faith. Some heavy-handedness, but the awesome ending thrills with potential." -Kirkus Reviews

Notes From the Dog

Bibliography

Paulsen, Gary. Notes from the Dog. 2009. New York, NY: Wendy Lamb Books ISBN 978-0-375-89450-3

Critical Analysis

Life as he knows it changes the second loner teen Finn meets his new next door neighbor Johanna at the beginning of summer. Finn has planned to spend his break from school reading stacks of novels and speaking to as few people as he can manage, but definitely no more than a dozen. That is until Johanna comes over to say hello to Finn, his friend Matthew and dog Dylan as they sit on the porch one summer day. At 24 years old Johanna is fighting breast cancer with as much optimism as she can muster. She pays Finn to plant a garden for her in his yard and as the garden begins to grow, so does Finn.

In Notes from the Dog Paulsen is able to show many changes in Finn's life without the transformation feeling rushed or shallow. He starts out the summer as a middle schooler who avoids people because they make him feel uncomfortable and "like an alien dropped onto a strange planet" who "always [has] to be on the lookout for clues and cues on how to act and what to say," but as the summer continues and he witnesses Johanna's struggle with cancer he starts to morph into someone who appreciates every day. As he and Matthew fundraise money for a cancer awareness triathlon Johanna is participating in, Finn is constantly forced into positions that he feels uncomfortable in, but because of his dedication to helping Johanna he pushes through them and comes out on top. His character provides hope for readers that may be struggling with their own self confidence.

Paulsen successfully integrates a dose of reality and the bad and good sides of human nature throughout the novel as well. Johanna's boyfriend breaks up with her during one of her chemo treatments and then drops her off, frail and sickly, outside of her house and drives away. Throughout the whole book the reader is rooting for Johanna as she trains for her triathlon, but Paulsen brings reality in when she is not able to compete in her physical state. These harsh realities are balanced with positive surprises like when a "tattooed man three times [Finn's] size" wearing a nose ring and "a picture of a skull on his black T-shirt" is the first to come forward when Finn tries to get the men of a construction site to donate money for cancer or when Finn starts receiving positive messages about himself attached to his dog Dylan. Paulsen's writing is truthful, honest and heartfelt and young and adult readers will both enjoy Notes from the Dog. 

Book Discussion Ideas

Have a cancer survivor come to the book group to share their perspective on the book and their story. Discuss the fundraising tactics that Finn and Matthew used. Discuss potential fundraising opportunities for the book group to do to raise awareness and funds for a good cause.

External Assessments

"Fourteen-year-old Finn is terrified of meeting new people, and conversation is painful. His true friend, Matthew, is talkative, overly confident, and sometimes a thorn in his side. The boy is content with books and Dylan, his canine companion. He's determined that his summer vacation will not be marred by the intrusion of people, and thus, the discomfort they cause him. Then he meets his pretty new neighbor, 24-year-old Johanna, who shares her joy of life with Finn and Matthew and employs Finn to help her create gardens in his sorrowful-looking backyard. Johanna's enthusiasm for research, compost, fertilizer, and all things garden break down Finn's barriers. When she tells the boys that she is a breast-cancer survivor, their initial trepidation shifts to friendship. As she trains for a triathlon to raise money for cancer awareness, Finn and Matthew join her team. Right before the race, more adverse reactions to chemotherapy thwart her run, and the two boys take up the torch. Johanna's spirit and optimism infuse Finn with courage and love, and he finds his voice. Paulsen's fans may miss his trademarks: the notorious exploits of boys, the page-turning wilderness adventures, or the sled dogs that often take center stage. Yet this candid and tender tale, told with his signature humor, is a salute to the bravest of the brave."—Alison Follos, School Library Journal

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You

Bibliography

Carter, Ally. I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You. 2006. New York, NY: Hyperion ISBN 1-4231-0003-4

Critical Analysis

From the outside, the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women looks like every other snooty, rich prep school, but the inside tells a whole other story. That is if you even figure out how to get in... Cammie Morgan also seems like just another prep school girl with nothing particularly special about her until she meets "townie" Josh and learns that she has more to offer than just being "Cammie the Chamelon."

Gallagher Academy is a school for geniuses who may or may not be training to be spies. The book's setting alone provides for an exciting and eventful story. The secret passageways and hi-tech accommodations keep the characters and readers on their toes, wondering what invention is going to pop up next. Gallagher Academy grads can take credit for the development of such inventions as Velcro, duct tape and Evapopaper- "paper that instantly dissolves when you put it in your mouth." It's little facts like this that help to make I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You, fun and light-hearted while still dealing with the heavier issues of girl world.

Cammie puts the social atmosphere of school best when she says"even though Gallagher Academy is a school for girl geniuses, sometimes the emphasis should be kept on the girl." Despite the fact that the girls can speak 14 different languages and are well-trained in hand-to-hand combat, they still have to deal with the rumor mill, worry about studying for class, parent issues and boys. There is a character and situation for every type of girl in this book whether they are a spy-in-training or a regular girl. Cammie's friend Liz is studious and follows the rules precisely but is put in positions several times in the book where she has to weigh the options of following the rules or helping a friend. Macy McHenry, a senator's daughter and new enrollee to Gallagher Academy, is behind in school and not immediately accepted by the girls because of her seeming bad attitude and abrupt manner, but she slowly makes friends showing that there is more to meet the eye with people. 

Main character and narrator Cammie makes the biggest transformation after being noticed by Josh, a cute boy in town, during a mission. She is so used to being a "chameleon" that she is shocked that a boy could be interested in her. Despite all of her hard work and training at school she is still clueless when it comes to interacting with the opposite sex, making this super-spy teen easy for any teenage girl to relate to. 

Book Club Ideas

Create a "mission" at the library. Make clues that pertain to the book that will take the readers around to different sections of the library, eventually leading them to the "secret" meet-up spot in the library where a book discussion will take place. This exercise provides a fun and inventive way for young adults to explore the library.

External Analysis

"Cammie Morgan, 15, is a student at Gallagher Academy, a top-secret boarding school for girls who are spies-in-training. She studies covert operations, culture and assimilation, and advanced encryption, and has learned to speak 14 languages. Her troubles begin when she falls for Josh, a local boy who has no clue about her real identity. Keeping her training secret forces her to lie to her new love, which leads to comic complications. Subplots include Cammie's relationship with her mother–the headmistress at Gallagher–and her grief over the loss of her father, who died while on a spying assignment. The teen's double life leads to some amusing one-liners, and the invented history of the Gallagher Girls is also entertaining, but the story is short on suspense."- Miranda Doyle, School Library Journal

Runner

Bibliography

Deuker, Carl. Runner. 2005. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company ISBN 0-618-54298-1

Critical Analysis

Carl Deuker's novel Runner leaves readers anxious to keep pace with main character Chance Taylor love of running when his daily workouts turn into a secretive, high-paying job. Chance lives on a small boat that can't even sail called the Tiny Dancer, in a marina with his alcoholic father who cannot hold a job for any length of time, leaving it up to Chance to figure out a way to pay the piling bills. His part-time job washing dishes on the weekend isn't cutting it and Chance spends most of his time worrying about things that teenagers shouldn't have to be worried about like "the moorage fee, the electric bill, the heating bill, the sewage fee, the food bills - and how [they] didn't have money to pay any of them." For these reasons, when Chance is offered a job picking up undisclosed packages on his daily runs and leaving them in a locker at the marina bathrooms for a few hundred dollars a week he is in no position to refuse, even if it is illegal...

Deuker's choice of first person narrative gives young readers direct insight to a side of life that many will never have to deal with, creating a character that faces obstacles that less-fortunate teens have to deal with everyday, like if there will be any food to eat for the next week. Teens from all walks of life will be able to relate to Chance however. His character is three-dimensional and despite the fact that he has to make many adult decisions, the typical senior year questions, like what to do after graduation and girl problems, are still confronted as well. Readers follow his thought process as he makes these difficult decisions and are given the opportunity to question what they would have done in the same situation.

A theme of politics runs cleverly throughout the novel as well. Chance's only friend Melissa is quite vocal about her political opinions in class, especially when a pompous, high school alumni that graduated a few short years early comes back to visit the school after enlisting in the Army and talks about how great it is. The threat of foreign smugglers at the nearby ports is ever-present in the book as well. Though mentioned frequently, the politics throughout the book are integrated so well that they set the scene rather than take over the book.

Runner will have readers on the edge of their seats as they try to keep up with Chance and his fast-paced journey to get off the Tiny Dancer and create a better life for himself.  

Book Discussion Ideas

Discuss the decisions that Chance makes throughout the book and what would have happened if he had made another choice. Ask if there were other choices. Discuss the choices other characters could have made in the book as well and what the outcome could have been. 

Example Questions:

What would have happened if Chance never spoke up in class to defend Melissa? 

What if Chance had not taken the job the man at the dock offered?

What would have happened if Chance's mother never left?

What if Melissa's father had not helped Chance at the end of the book?

External Assessment

"When his alcoholic Gulf War veteran father is fired from the first steady job he has held in years, Chance Taylor is understandably glum. He has no idea where they'll get the money to pay the moorage fees for the run-down sailboat they call home. Since his parents' divorce, Chance has tried to keep a low profile in school, and his only pleasure is running by himself along the Seattle waterfront. When a marina office employee offers to pay him $250 a week to pick up occasional packages at a tree along his running route, Chance is deeply suspicious of what they may contain but desperate enough to accept this opportunity to pay the bills. As this new job gradually becomes more dangerous and more clearly illegal, Chance's father is able to rise above his personal problems to help extricate his son. In a gripping climax complete with SWAT teams swarming throughout the marina as Coast Guard patrol boats close in on terrorists, Chance is afforded a final glimpse of the heroic man his father once was. Writing in a fast-paced, action-packed, but at the same time reflective style, Deuker uses fewer sports scenes than in his previous novels, and instead uses running as a hook to entice readers into a perceptive coming-of-age novel. A subplot involving Chance's friendship with a wealthy female classmate whose father was a close high school friend of Chance's father is nicely integrated into this timely, compelling story."- Ginny Gustin, School Library Journal

"My dad never hit me; never yelled at me. He was just a drunk." High-school senior Chance is a "ghost-walker" at school--barely talking, just passing, finding escape only in long, solitary, after-school runs. His hard-drinking father can't keep a job, and Chance worries how they will pay the mooring fees for their dilapidated, 30-foot sailboat home in Pugent Sound. When a marina worker offers him a job picking up secret packages, Chance can't turn down the lucrative opportunity, even though he's sure it's illegal. But as a friendship with smart student Melissa grows, so does Chance's concern about his job and its possible links to local smuggling rings. Deuker drops plenty of hints about what's in the packages, but the tragic blockbuster ending may still be a surprise. The authenticity of Chance's first-person voice occasionally wavers, and the initial pacing of the story is sometimes awkward. But the sports and suspenseful action will easily draw readers, as will the gripping adventure's consideration of crime, class, ineffectual parents, and a teen's questions about his uncertain future."- Booklist

Hope Was Here

Bibliography

Bauer, Joan. Hope Was Here. 2000. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons ISBN 0-399-23142-0

Critical Analysis

Hope Was Here is a heartfelt read that blends humor and realism beautifully. Hope and her Aunt Addie, her acting mother since her biological mother handed her over at a young age, have lived quite an exciting life, breezing in and out of diners, Addie cooking while Hope masters the art of waitressing- the only thing her real mother ever taught her- until they finally settle down at Welcome Stairway, a diner in rural Wisconsin. It is here where Hope learns her first lesson in politics, as the diner owner, G.T. Stoop- an good, honest man with leukemia- runs against the corrupt current mayor, Eli Millstone. As she gets involved with the local politics and starts helping G.T. campaign, young readers get a crash course in politics- the good, bad and the ugly. Bauer explores the ins and outs of the campaign trail and how quickly the tides can turn in the other candidates favor. She also discusses the importance of voting, that citizens have to register to vote, petition signing, and other aspects of a political election without sounding like a Government class textbook. Bauer integrates the factual aspects of politics throughout the novel so smoothly that young adult readers will learn the process of an election and won't even know that it's happening!

Hope Was Here goes far beyond being a novel about small town politics though. The relationships in the book are deep and genuine. Hope and Addie work well together and Addie is always honest with her telling her that she "never promised that life would be easy, but she did promise that if [Hope] hung with her the food would be good." Hope's relationships with the customers at the diner adds much comedic relief and leaves the reader impressed with her ability to read people so well and the tricks she has learned in her sixteen years. A slow budding romance builds between Hope and Bravermen, the short-order cook that works the grill adding another layer to the story. Their relationship is slow-moving and simple, yet still realistic. It is a great example for the young reader who cannot relate to books where the romantic relationships are fast-paced and deeply emotional. 

One major character often mentioned, but mostly missing is Hope's father. She has never met him and has no idea who he is, but she waits patiently for him to find her. Throughout the years she has cut out pictures of men who she thought looked like they could be a father and kept them in an album, flipping through it often. As the relationship builds between Hope and G.T. Stoop she realizes that she might have found just what she was looking for.

Book Discussion Ideas

Have readers bring their favorite snack to the book discussion with new diner menu names to set the diner tone. During the discussion, have each person cut out pictures of people from magazines to represent what they think each character looks like and why, just like Hope cut out pictures of people who could be fathers. Discuss why voting is important, how to register to vote, if applicable have Voter's Registration Cards available. 

External Assessment

"Bauer serves up agreeable fare in this tale of a teenage waitress's search for a sense of belonging. Sixteen-year-old Hope has grown used to the nomadic life she has built with her aunt Addie, a talented diner cook. She doesn't mind the hard work it takes to make a diner hum; she seems to have inherited a knack for waiting tables from the free-spirit mom (Addie's younger sister) who abandoned her years ago. But Hope would gladly give up always having to say good-bye to friends and places she loves. When Addie accepts a new job that takes the pair from Brooklyn to the Welcome Stairways diner in Mulhoney, Wis., Hope never could have imagined the big changes ahead of her. She and Addie shine in the small-town milieu and gladly offer to help diner owner G.T. Stoop, who is battling leukemia, run for mayor. Along the way, Addie and Hope both find love, and Hope discovers the father figure she has so desperately wanted. Readers will recognize many of Bauer's hallmarks hereAa strong female protagonist on the road to self-discovery, quirky characters, dysfunctional families, a swiftly moving story, moments of bright humor. Her vivid prose, often rich in metaphor, brings Hope's surroundings and her emotions to life. The author resolves a few of her plot points a bit too tidily, but her fans won't mind. They're likely to gobble this up like so much comfort food." -Publisher's Weekly

"It's Bauer's humor that supplies, in Addie's cooking vernacular, the yeast that makes the story rise above the rest, reinforcing the substantive issues of honesty, humanity, and the importance of political activism. Serve this up to teens-with a dash of hope." -Frances Bradburn, Booklist

Along for the Ride

Bibliography

Dessen, Sarah. Along for the Ride. 2009. New York, NY: Penguin Group ISBN 978-0-670-01194-0

Critical Analysis

Along for the Ride is filled with stories of journeys. Main character Auden learns that there is more to life than studying and being just like her mother when she goes to stay at the beach with her self-absorbed father, excessively girly stepmother and her fussy, newborn stepsister. Through her narrative the reader sees the journeys that all the other characters going through as well. Her stepmother, Heidi, learns to be more assertive, while her father learns to compromise and put the needs of his wife and daughters before his own. Auden's new friend and crush Eli learns to cope with the death of his best friend and Auden's first real girl friend, Maggie, spends the summer getting over her ex. With all of these characters facing different types of journeys, there is an experience for every reader to relate to. 

While staying up all night, every night, Auden meets Eli, a fellow night owl who shows her the underground nightlife of small town Colby- a coffee shop in the back of a laundromat, an all night supermarket 15 miles away. During their late night rendezvous, Auden reveals there are several childhood norms she missed out on because she was too busy trying to put back the pieces of her life after her parents got divorced. After Eli convinces her that "it's never too late to have a happy childhood," they begin their "quest" to do all of the things Auden missed out on. The feelings that come up during Auden's quest are well described, helping young adult readers that have experienced the same anger or guilt because of divorce understand that they are normal emotions to have. Dessen discusses events that are often not talked about in YA literature, such as the events that actually led up to the divorce and how most divorces don't end amicably. She also shows how history has a tendency to repeat itself when Auden's father and stepmother separate for a period. 

Dessen also provides a character for every type of reader to relate to. Auden's stepmother Heidi and all of the girls who work at her store, Clementine, are very girly and are interested in boys, parties and fun. Hollis, Auden's older brother, is carefree and hops from country to country looking for an adventure. Auden's crush Eli is friendly, yet quiet and distant. Auden's character has the most dimension at readers will be able to relate to her at some point in her quest. She starts out as studious and reclusive, and slowly blossoms as she understands that she can be smart and have some fun at the same time as she journeys through her quest to make up for lost time. 

Book Discusion Ideas

Have readers think about things they feel like they might have missed out on, but still have the opportunity to do. Have them write these items down to create their own personal "quest." Have them write about their experiences as they finish each item on their quest. Once the list is complete, have them write about any changes they experienced or if any of the items they thought the missed out on weren't really all that great.

External Assessment

"Dessen has built a well-deserved reputation for delicately depicting teen girls in turmoil. Her latest title showcases a socially awkward young woman who seeks solace in the comforting rigidity of academic success. Auden is about to start college in the fall, and decides to escape her control-freak professor mom to spend the summer with her novelist father, his new young wife, and their brand-new baby daughter, Thisbe. Over the course of the summer, Auden tackles many new projects: learning to ride a bike, making real connections with peers, facing the emotional fallout of her parents’ divorce, distancing herself from her mother, and falling in love with Eli, a fellow insomniac bicyclist recovering from his own traumas. The cover may mislead readers, as despite the body language of the girl in pink and the hunky blue-jeaned boy balanced on a bike, this is no slight romance: there’s real substance here. Dessen’s many fans will not be deterred by the length or that cover; they expect nuanced, subtle writing, and they won’t be disappointed." -Debbie Carton, Booklist

"Beautifully captures that sense of summer as a golden threshold between past regrets and future unknowns." -The Washington Post

Speak

Bibliography

Anderson, Laurie Halse. Speak. 1999. New York, NY: The Penguin Group ISBN 0-14-240732-1

Critical Analysis

Freshman year is hard enough without starting the year out with the stigma of being the girl who called the cops on the high school party during the summer but this is how the year starts for the main character of Speak, Melinda. If anyone doesn’t know about that then they can just remember her as “that girl who got nailed by potatoes the first day” of high school. As the reader delves deeper into the book, Melinda’s story slowly unfolds.

Hers is not the story of normal teenage angst, but that of a girl who has suffered in silence for what really happened that fateful night at the party. Though the subject of the book is heavy, it is easy to read because of the short chapters, concise, first person narrative and dialog that reads more like a play than a novel. Fourteen is a difficult age to emulate the voice of but Anderson does so successfully without having Melinda seem to mature or immature for her age, making Speak an enjoyable read for both young adults and adults.

The classic high school happenings are present in the book- the events, teachers and token stereotypes that appear in all high school literature in movies, only because they are so true. The presence of these characters in Speak are what make it just as relevant in 2011 as it was in 1999 when it was written. The erratic art teacher, Mr. Freeman plays an important role in helping Melinda to express herself with her art topic for the year- trees. Of course, there is the group of mean girls- old friends turned enemies- who make Melinda’s high school life miserable and helping her remember just what an outcast she is by blatant meanness like mouthing “I hate you” when she passes by. Even Melinda’s parents don’t understand her behavior resulting in a frustrating and unhappy life at both school and home. And who could forget “the” guy that all the girls have a crush on- the one that Melinda refers to less than lovingly as “IT?” These characters all shape the Melinda’s character and effect her actions, leading to a sense of frustration on the part of the reader who wants Melinda to find the courage to stand up for herself. Due to mature subject matter, Speak is appropriate for grades 8 and up and will most likely appeal to female readers.

Book Discussion Ideas

Host a mid-book discussion at the library. Have readers discuss what has happened so far and make conjectures about how the book will end. Have them explain why and what evidence the text provides for that conclusion. Host another book discussion after reading the book in its entirety and compare the author’s ending to how the readers thought it was going to end. What did they like about the author’s ending? What would they have changed? Looking back, where there clues that hinted how the author was going to end it?

External Assessment

"In a stunning first novel, Anderson uses keen observations and vivid imagery to pull readers into the head of an isolated teenager. Divided into the four marking periods of an academic year, the novel, narrated by Melinda Sordino, begins on her first day as a high school freshman. No one will sit with Melinda on the bus. At school, students call her names and harass her; her best friends from junior high scatter to different cliques and abandon her. Yet Anderson infuses the narrative with a wit that sustains the heroine through her pain and holds readers' empathy. A girl at a school pep rally offers an explanation of the heroine's pariah status when she confronts Melinda about calling the police at a summer party, resulting in several arrests. But readers do not learn why Melinda made the call until much later: a popular senior raped her that night and, because of her trauma, she barely speaks at all. Only through her work in art class, and with the support of a compassionate teacher there, does she begin to reach out to others and eventually find her voice. Through the first-person narration, the author makes Melinda's pain palpable: "I stand in the center aisle of the auditorium, a wounded zebra in a National Geographic special." Though the symbolism is sometimes heavy-handed, it is effective. The ending, in which her attacker comes after her once more, is the only part of the plot that feels forced. But the book's overall gritty realism and Melinda's hard-won metamorphosis will leave readers touched and inspired."- Reed Business Information, Inc.

"A ninth grader becomes a social pariah when she calls the police to bust a summer bash and spends the year coming to terms with the secret fact that she was raped during the party. A story told with acute insight, acid wit, and affecting prose."- Reed Business Information, Inc.