Monster by Walter Dean Myers

Myers, W. D. (1999). Monster. NY: Harper.

Steve Harmon is a 16 year old African American boy who is accused of committing a murder of a convenience store owner. Steve Harmon happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, and is writing in a journal and explaining the emotions and sadness he feels and experiences, as he waits in his jail cell throughout his trial. The protagonist keeps thinking throughout the whole story on why he is called a monster, if he did not commit any crime at all. If buying a candy at the grocery store is a crime, then he guesses he is a criminal. He ends up having many witnesses that help the judge determine that he is a well behaved, smart, and respectable young man who did not commit this monstrous crime. The age group for this book would be appropriate for grades 7-12th. Educators that have troubled kids or have students that are in gangs would find this to be a great resource for a wake up to call for their students.

It's Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris

Harris, R. (2009). It’s perfectly normal. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press.

 This book is all about the changes our bodies go through as we develop and grown in age. There are many questions that arise and at times we do not know how to answer some of those uncomfortable questions. Teens want to know why bodies and certain things are happening to them, and this book has most of the answers. “It’s Perfectly normal” is broken down into different sections by common questions, sex, decisions, and wraps it up by explaining how to stay healthy. This book contains a great amount of important information for the growing teens and also includes a thank you note, a bibliography, Index, a note to the reader, and a bit of information about the authors. This book was intended for children the age of 10 and up. If a curious student wanted another book like this, I would recommend “What’s Happening to my Body”, “Deal with it: A whole new approach to your body, brain and life as a goal”, ‘The boys body book: Everything you need to know for growing up you”, and “What’s the Big Secret?” Educators that teach sex education curriculum or even a health ed. class might find this resource very handy. Teens around this age are experiencing so many different emotions and body changes all at the same time, so we need to make sure we are educating them and supporting with accurate information to help them develop and be conscience of what is really happening to them, which is perfectly normal.

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

King, A. S. (2010). Please ignore Vera Dietz. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Vera is a young and responsible girl in high school who is trying to hold many secrets from her classmates about herself and her best bud. The only person who knows the secret that her mother was a stripper and left her at age 12, was her best friend Charlie. She struggles to keep her secret safe, explains her growing up experiences with Charlie, her feelings on becoming a young woman, and how she dwells on how she could’ve saved Charlie’s life. She solves her struggles by finally admitting and coping with her really being in love with Charlie all along. Her father as well faces and deals with his wife, Vera’s mom abandoning them, while that brings them closer together. Her dad supports her as she gains strength and courage to release the truth about Charlie Khan. This book would be best for the age range of 15 and up, or 9th grade and above. In correlation to the book, Vera undergoes a change of relationship with her dad and she matures with age, and after they both finish counseling and face the problems they have been hiding this whole time.

Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing by Ann Angel

Angel, A. (2010). Janis Joplin: Rise up singing. NY: Amulet.

 The book “Janis Joplin Rise Up Singing “was written to provide the factual information about the unstoppable famous first female rock and blues star, Janis Joplin. The story stated how Janis lived in a small town named Port Arthur in Texas and relocated to California to pursue her dream in singing and making music. Singing was Janis’ outlet to happiness and to relieve the pain she felt for being alone, and not fitting in with her typical classmates. Girls in her hometown wore pins, skirts, married their high school sweetheart, and lived in a house with a white picket fence. Janis Joplin never fit in and longed for acceptance. In connection to “Making the Match”, it was tough fitting into societal expectations. Not being the type of girl everyone wanted her to be, caused her to seek drugs and alcohol which made her a loud and crazy girl later whom her fans adored. The book started by introducing Janis’ younger years and then the different stages and experiences throughout her life. This book included valuable information such as a timeline on her life, notes on each chapter, a bibliography, and an index. Other books that are similar in context are: “Music was it: young Leonard Bernstein”, “Starting at Zero” by Jimi Hendrix, and “Joe Cocker: The Authorised Biography”. This book will surely satisfy the "curiosity" or "snoopy" feeling we as readers posses.

Tequila Worm by Viola Canales

Canales, V. (2005). The tequila worm. NY: Wendy Lamb Books/Random House

Sophia is the protagonist in the story who is a young girl who gets offered a prestigious award to relocate to a school in Austin, Texas. Her family does not understand why she wants to move 300 miles away from their tight family, customs, and traditions. As Sophia gets accepted and moves, she explains her difficulties fitting in with the rich kids, dealing with a racist girl, and being homesick. She eventually gets used to life away from home, and within time she fits perfectly into becoming a comadre. I believe the major strength of this book was Sophia’s will power, courage, and motivation to follow through with pursuing her dream to getting a better education, even if it meant being far away from family and what she was used to. Sophia experienced many forms of social development mentioned in the book “Making the Match”. She began to become independent by obtaining a job at a warehouse doing a job she disliked to make money for her entrance school fee. Sophia was also able to hold a friend-relationship with a boy that she would regularly travel down with back to Mc Allen during the holidays. I have to say that I really enjoyed reading this story because I can relate to Sophia’s culture and family traditions. I am also from the Rio Grande Valley and previously moved to Austin Texas for a better Job. My family was not very fond of my relocating, but I eventually gained their full support just as Sophia did. This book would be valuable to add to any collection because of the diversity and different cultures.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. NY: Penguin

 Melinda, is a freshman in high school who is being hated by her classmates for the wrong reason. Melinda withholds the truth about a past situation that could free her from self torment. She eventually faces the problem by finally speaking out to advise her best friend to protect her from a situation that could happen again. Speaking out allowed her to come to terms that it was not her fault for being sexually assaulted by the guy her ex best friend begins to date. In the end, Melinda almost gets assaulted again by the same guy because she speaks the truth about the night of the party. She screams and hollers which gets the attention of the Lacrosse team which unfolds the truth that Melinda was right about being sexually assaulted by Andy Evans.If a student were to ask me for other books similar to the book "Speak" I would have to recommend the story "Just Listen" by Sarah Dessen, or "Some Boys" by Patty Blount. They are similar in the sense of the protagonist being raped or sexually assaulted, no one believing their story which leads them to become a social outcast and eventually opening up about the situation. I feel that this may be a great read for students who are dealing or coping with a situation just like Melinda. Unfortunately, teens go through situations just like this and may need to read about how others can come back to life after being an outcast, betrayed, and raped.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. NY: Little Brown.

Junior is the main character in the story who receives advice from a teacher, that he should relocate to another school to receive a better education. Once he relocates, it is very difficult for him to make friends, keep his childhood best friend from hating him, and being accepted in his new school by his peers. Eventually he makes friends with a very smart and inspiring boy named “Gordy”, has some acquaintances at school, and falls in love with a girl named Penelope who sort of becomes his girlfriend. Despite all the hardships he experiences, he later realizes that everything was worth it in the end. This book had me laughing and crying at the same time from cover to cover. I think teens can learn many things from this book, but one main lesson could be to always keep your head up high no matter what life throws at you. Junior experienced many difficult events but no matter the situation, Junior never gave up and that is one thing teens could appreciate from Junior.  In the book “Making the Match”, it states that books can serve as portals to help students see others struggling with similar emotions and feelings and reactions. This book can definitely help teens cope with the difficulty of making new friends, and struggles with family and community.