Quintero, Isabel. (2014).
Gabi: A Girl In Pieces. TX: Cinco Punto Press. Gabi is a Mexican-American high school senior with a lot on her plate. Her best friend is experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, and her other best friend is dealing with the repercussions of coming out as gay to his unsupportive father. Her father, a meth addict, is rarely home and Gabi has a hard time knowing how to connect with him when he is home. She is also navigating her relationship with her mother, which she describes as a light switch, one minute they are on and the next minute they are off. She wants to live her life as a teenager, but doesn't want her mother to think she is becoming "too white" and leaving home to become a "bad girl" and have sex with all the boys in town. She finds two things that help her cope with all these issues: poetry, and food (which she says makes her a "gordita"). Throughout the year, Gabi faces many challenges and traumatic events that she is able to overcome with the help of her friends, her boyfriend Martin, and of course snacks. She never compromises on her beliefs, and stays true to herself through it all.
I absolutely adored Gabi as a character. Isabel Quintero gave her a specific and unique voice, and never strayed from it. Her poetry was incredibly moving, and the zine Gabi created on the double standard revolving around women's sexual expression was empowering. Gabi told her story casually, though many scenes were quite dramatic. I think many girls will relate to Gabi and her experiences.
Smith, Andrew. (2015).
Grasshopper Jungle. London, UK: Speak.
Austin Sczerba is a teenage polish boy who lives in Ealing, Iowa, where pretty much nothing happens. Since the closing of Mckeon Industries, the former defense weapon manufacturing company turned shower head and toothbrush factory, most of the shops in town have closed down and the employees have since moved on to new towns and new jobs, leaving Ealing as almost a ghost town. Austin and his best friend Robby, take advantage of a deserted overgrown alleyway behind a shopping center that they call "grasshopper jungle" and spend there time skateboarding and smoking cigarettes. Although Austin has a girlfriend, Shann Collins, who he loves, he is struggling with his feelings towards Robby, who he also loves. He is confused and this leaves him feeling very alone most days. One day, when hanging out at grasshopper jungle, some boys from another school insult and beat up Robby and Austin, leaving them bloodied and tossing their shoes and skateboards on the roof of the shopping center. Late at night, Robby and Austin decide to climb the roof to reclaim their belongs. They find many strange things on the roof of a consignment store owned by Shann's new stepfather, Johnny, where Austin often volunteers. Austin has always wondered what secrets Johnny hides in his office and him and Robby decide to break in and investigate. When they do, they find many weird things in jars- including a black pulsing mold that reacts to light. While in Johnny's office, they hear the boys who assaulted them earlier stumbling about the neighboring liquor store and making way into Johnny's office. Robby and Austin are able to escape, and when they do, they look back to see the mean group of boys stealing the black pulsing mold jar. The boys end up dropping it, causing a reaction that no one could have ever expected. It is the beginning of the end of the world.
This was an incredibly unique book for many reasons. The way this story was told was comprehensive- Austin (a self proclaimed historian) recorded the events that were happening simultaneously in all the characters' lives. The subject matter was also unique for YA. Sexuality is often explored in YA literature, but rarely do we see a book that explores how sexuality is a spectrum, and features a bisexual character. The actual story itself is absolutely nothing I have ever heard or seen before, giant praying mantis type bugs that hatch out of people and eat everyone in the town. It was dirty, grungy, and at times made you feel like you were uncomfortable in your own skin. It touched on how history is recorded often with a bias depending on who is recording it, which was thought provoking and relevant for our current society. It also lightly explored the bonds of brotherhood, destiny/fate, and sexuality within religion. Due to the sexual nature, language, and graphic violence in this book, I recommend this for older readers (high school age +). An activity I would do with this book, since it is so unique and would be an incredible movie, would be to have students create a playlist of songs that would be a perfect soundtrack for this book. I have already thought of a few songs that I would put on a soundtrack for this story, including: Pumped Up Kicks by Foster The People, Doubt by Twenty One Pilots, and Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana.
Crutcher, Chris. (2007).
Deadline. NY: HarperCollins. High School student Ben Wolf gets devastating news that he has an aggressive blood disease the summer before his Senior year. Since Ben is 18 and able to make his own decisions about his medical treatment, he decides he wants to forego any medical interventions and also keep his diagnosis a complete secret from everyone other than his doctor in hopes of having a "normal" last year of life. He doesn't want to upset his brother, or cause more pain to his manic depressive mother, so he stays silent. He sets several goals for himself for the one year he has left: Join the football team, get the dream girl, help someone emotionally, and educate himself as much as possible to find the truth in all his classes. He accomplishes the first easily, as he was already an athlete for cross country. Though he is small, his brother is the quarterback and together they practice and drill until they are unstoppable. He also gets his dream girl, Dallas Suzuki, who he finds out has secrets of her own. He begins befriending the town drunk, Rudy, and finds that he is also an avid reader and they have many historical and political discussions together. He begins challenging his history teacher's conservative bias, much to the teacher's annoyance. He delves into a book on Malcom X, and discovers how powerful the truth of Malcom's story is, and works to change his small Idaho town's racist views by attempting to name a street after him. As he moves through this last year, he frequently dreams up a spirit guide, Hey-Soos, who encourages Ben to always speak truth. After Dallas and Rudy share their experiences with child molestation with Ben, he realizes that they deserve to know that he is dying, and eventually tells his family, coach, and the whole school. When Ben passes, he leaves behind an important message: Always seek and speak the truth.
I have never read a book by Chris Crutcher, and I think I may have picked the wrong one to start with. This book had an intriguing premise, a terminally ill boy who decides to keep it secret to live it up his last year on Earth. However, Crutcher tried to jam
way too much in this story, and was therefore unable to make any firm points other than speak your truth. Although YA novels are somewhat notorious for having all kinds of dramatic events in their stories, this one was way over the top. Death, molestation, shame, alcoholism, brotherhood, mental illness, terminal illness, religion/spirituality, football, racism, political bias, teen pregnancy/parenthood, physical child abuse were all a part of this novel and it was fueled with tragedy. Toward the end, I was rolling my eyes as they continued to kill off characters and expand on tragic backstories because at a certain point it just felt silly. I was also very uncomfortable when reading about Rudy's past and desire to molest children. I don't think this novel needed to go as far as it did when explaining his past (and current) desires and actions on those desires. Crutcher inadvertently tries to get you to feel sympathetic towards Rudy, a child molester, and that is something I just could not get behind. I understand the importance of including real stories of people who have been abused, but I'm not sure that I care about how the abuser feels about what they did because it is
never okay. The cycle of abuse is absolutely tragic, and it was fine to shed light on that, but to go as far as Rudy telling Ben that he has fantasies about him and describing what it is about Ben that he liked, ending with "you're actually too old for me" was way too far. On another note, although I do appreciate a good football game, the terminology was over my head most of the time. I skimmed through several pages in the middle describing individual plays because I didn't understand the phrases used and it muddled together for me. Overall, I think this novel started off strong, fell apart halfway through and crashed and burned at the end.
It would be interesting, to have students write about what they would do if faced with one year to live: would they take Ben's path or tell everyone and seek treatment? Why or Why not? What would they do with their time? I think these would be great discussion questions.
Alexander, Kwame. (2014).
The Crossover. NY: Mifflin Harcourt.
The Crossover is a novel told in verse, from the point of view of Josh Bell. Josh (AKA Filthy McNasty) and Jordan (JB) are identical twins who are middle school basketball stars. Though they are young, they dream of going professional just like their dad, Chuck "Da Man" did for an Italian team. During the season, things start to change between Josh and JB. It begins when JB, a betting guy, makes a bet that Josh loses meaning he has to cut off his dreadlocks. This symbolizes the beginning of the rift in their relationship, which only grows deeper as JB begins a relationship with the new girl in school. Josh notices JB becoming "mooney" and "spacey" when he tries to talk and practice basketball with him, and Josh isn't able to comprehend how JB could get distracted like that from basketball.The jealousy over JB and Alexis' relationship continues to harbor in Josh, and when he sees them kissing in the library, he calls it his "tipping point". Soon after, during a basketball game, Josh lets all his harbored feelings out in a pass to his brother, which is too hard and ends up breaking JB's nose. Meanwhile, his mother tells the boys that they have a history of heart disease in their family, and that they will start eating healthier, especially since their father has high blood pressure and other health issues. He continues to have dizzy spells, fainting spells, nosebleeds, and other alarming health problems. As the season continues, Jordan learns more about Alexis, and the bitterness he feels towards her for driving a wedge between him and his twin brother only grows. He wonders if his family is falling apart. After months of continuous medical problems, Chuck suffers from a heart attack during a game of one-on-one with Josh, and ultimately passes away. Josh and JB aren't sure how to process his death, but are able to reconnect over the love and memories they have of their father.
From the hard cover to each verse, this novel is expertly crafted. I loved how the hardcover under the jacket is orange and embossed to look like the texture of a basketball. Each verse had it's own flow, and had the pacing of a real basketball game. When Josh was fired up, his verse took on a rap style. When he was reflecting on talks with his father, they were told with love and care, and often humor. The verses about his brother and his girlfriend were mostly short or to the point, reflecting the rift between them. One verse in particular stood out to me: titled "Dear Jordan". It was somewhat of a letter to his twin brother after throwing the pass too hard and breaking JB's nose. It is powerful, emotional, and demonstrates the intense connection between twin brothers.
I happen to have a 15 year old sport-obsessed brother, who absolutely despises reading, but I think I could actually get him to read (and possibly love!) this book. Although the format of verse isn't exactly popular with teen boys, Josh's voice is real and powerful enough to make it work. A great activity to do with students while discussing this book would be to have them write a verse in one of Josh's styles.
Sartrapi, Marjane. (2000).
Persepolis. NY: Pantheon Books.
Persepolis is an autobiographical graphic novel reflecting on Sartrapi's experiences as a child growing up in Iran during the Iranian Revolution. The novel depicts Marjane Sartrapi's challenges understanding the complicated political and religious motivations of her country during this tumultuous time.
Persepolis delves into complicated subject matter through the eyes of a child, making it easy for an uninformed reader to follow along. Marjane's parents are active participants in political demonstrations that leads to the overthrow of the old regime. Although her parents, along with many other citizens, had hoped to establish a communist government, an Islamic Republic is established instead. Sartrapi retells the ways her daily life is changed because of this, including her experience being forced to wear a veil.
Because Sartrapi is a child surrounded by adults, it is a fish out of water style story that counts on the parents explaining the current goings on to their child, informing the reader as well. Her storytelling is honest in nature, including memories of being dishonest and cruel to others. The art style is simple, yet she manages to create moving an intimate scenes, such as the scene depicting God cradling her as a child in her bedroom. Character faces are expressive and kinetic, adding depth to the text.
Older students could research the current events in Iran, and younger students could illustrate a graphic novel page that reflects on a moment in their own childhood.
King, A.S. (2010).
Please Ignore Vera Dietz. London, UK: Knopf Books For Young Readers. Vera Dietz has been best friends with Charlie since childhood, up until right before his recent death. Charlie and Vera were inseperable, bonded over their dysfunctional families, until the April preceding his death, when Charlie started hanging out with the wrong crowd (friends he found in detention). When Charlie begins dating a girl named Jenny, Vera becomes increasingly jealous. Jenny starts lying to Charlie, saying Vera said horrible things about Charlie and his family, which drives the wedge further between Charlie and Vera leading them to stop speaking. Vera knows more about Charlie's death than she leads everyone around her to believe, which causes her immense guilt. She begins seeing Charlie's ghost consistently, with him begging her to tell the police what she knows. Vera is also a workhorse, she does well in school and also has a full time job at the local pizza place as a pizza delivery girl. She keeps a bottle of vodka under her the seat in her car, and gradually falls into alcoholism. Vera's dad has always lived by the mantra of if you ignore it long enough it will go away. Unfortunately, that is not the case for him or for Vera. Vera continues to feel crippling guilt about Charlie's death, and with the help of her father, she eventually does go to the police and explains the full story after reading a letter Charlie left her in their special meeting place.The story is told in a psuedo interview style- with Vera discussing her present situation, memories from her past, and with injections from her father, Charlie, and even the Pagoda in town.
The style that A.S. King used to tell the story made this book a real page turner. The mystery of Charlie's death made me want to keep reading right from the get-go, but the pacing wasn't too drawn out- King gave clues and hints along the way. I loved how we got interjections from Charlie, her Dad, and even the Pagoda. Not only did it allow us to see things from their perspectives (which otherwise couldn't be done with Charlie's death) but her dad used flowcharts to explain his views, and that combined with the personification of the Pagoda provided much needed comic relief. The themes in this story were heavy.-teen alcoholism, death, abandonment, domestic abuse, teen pregnancy, and loss of relationships. Although Vera's father believes in ignoring problems until they go away, they both learn that this isn't the case, and in the end, and that they must face their problems head on. This story had a grungy tone to it, and I liked that it had that kind of tone with a female main character. It gives readers the sense that Vera is not your normal girly girl- and I liked that about her. Overall, I really enjoyed this book (I can't help but love mysteries!) and I think boy or girl high school students can find things to relate to in this story.
Thomas, Angie. (2017).
The Hate U Give. NY: HarperCollins. Starr Carter is an African-American high school student, living in Garden Heights. Garden Heights is a predominately black neighborhood, and Starr attends Williamson Prep School, a predominately white school. While attending a Garden Heights party, Starr reconnects with a longtime friend, Khalil, who she hasn't seen in a while and has worried he has fallen in to the wrong crowd. When the police shut down the party, Khalil drives Starr home. On the way, they are pulled over by officer Brian Cruise, who is a white police officer. Starr is very conscious of how she acts when pulled over, and hopes Khalil is the same. When the officer demands that Khalil gets out of the car, Khalil turns back toward the car door to see if Starr is okay, and Officer Cruise shoots Khalil three times and kills him. Starr knows Khalil did nothing deserving of being shot, but when the media gets ahold of the story, they paint Khalil as a drug dealer and violent gang member. At Khalil's funeral, King, leader of the gang called the King Lords, claims that Khalil was part of his gang.Starr is approached by Ms. Ofrah, an attorney and activist who will represent Starr as a witness in the trial. When ultimately the jury decides not to indict Officer Cruise, riots and protest break out across Garden Heights and Starr finds herself leading the charge. This causes tension with her friends, and white boyfriend Chris. Her friend Hailey from school makes racist remarks, and Starr realizes her true colors. Another layer of the story surrounds Starr's father, Maverick, who owns the Garden Heights grocery store and has an feud with King due to past events that led Maverick to serve prison time. Their feud fires up when Maverick takes in one of King's gang members, DeVante, and offers him protection. When Maverick's store goes up in flames, the neighbors all rush to help, and find King and his gang laughing outside the store. The neighbors ban together to tell the police the truth, despite their "snitches get stitches" mantra, and King lands himself behind bars.
I could not think of a more relevant story in YA right now. Angie Thomas spotlights the senseless violence being committed on African Americans all around the country at the hands of police officers and provides an exclusive perspective from Starr. She also confronts gang violence, blatant racism, identity, and interracial relationships. Starr's voice feels genuine and real, and her struggle with her identity is one many readers will relate to. Though there are many interwoven relationships and characters, it never feels confusing- Thomas makes it feel as though you are in Garden Heights. This book is incredibly important for everyone to read. Angie Thomas holds nothing back- and the result is a story that is heartbreaking, moving, and truly powerful. I can't wait to see the movie adaptation.
Green, John. (2012).
The Fault In Our Stars. London, UK: Dutton. Hazel Lancaster is a seventeen year old girl with thyroid cancer that has spread to her lungs. Her mother urges her to attend a cancer support group, where she meets Augustus Waters. Augustus was at the meeting to support his friend Isaac, who has eye cancer, though he previously had osteosarcoma in his leg which has since been amputated, leaving him cancer free. Hazel notices Augustus eyeing her at the meeting, and they have a conversation afterwards and develop a friendship. Augustus invites Hazel over, where they decide they will each read each other's favorite book. Hazel gives Augustus
An Imperial Affliction written by a man named Peter Van Houten. The story is about a girl named Anna, who has cancer, and Hazel finds that her experiences are reflected in Anna's story. Augustus is outraged when he discovers that the book ends mid-sentence, and Hazel admits that she too struggles with the lack of closure, especially concerned with how Anna's death affects her mother in the story. She tells Augustus that Peter Van Houten disappeared to Amsterdam after writing the novel and never wrote another book again. Augustus begins writing to Van Houten through email, and when he gets a response, he tells Hazel to compile her questions to Van Houten to send him. Van Houten eventually replies that he can only answer her questions in person, and invites the two to stop by if they are ever in Amsterdam. Augustus plans a dutch themed picnic and surprises Hazel with tickets to Amsterdam in order to meet up with Van Houten. Shortly after, Hazel suffers from a lung infection where her lungs fill with fluid, and is placed in the ICU. She is told after that Augustus never left her side. Though her doctors and parents worry Hazel is too sick to travel, one doctor allows it and says that she must live her life. Augustus, Hazel, and Hazel's mother travel to Amsterdam, where Augustus confesses his love for Hazel. When they meet up with Van Houten, they discover that he is a mean old drunk, and that they had actually been corresponding with his assistant who was posing as him. Things get ugly, and the two leave Van Houten's home without any answers. Back in the U.S., Augustus' health begins to decline. He explains to Hazel that while she was in the ICU, he had a scan that showed his cancer came back and spread through his whole body. Augustus holds a pre-funeral, which Hazel and Isaac attend. When Augustus passes away, Hazel is shocked to see Van Houten has attended Augustus' funeral at Augustus' request. He explains that his novel is a real story and that his daughter was Anna, who passed away at age 8. Augustus has always been writing a follow up story, which he sends to Van Houten, who then gives it to Hazel. It says that we don't have a choice but to be hurt in this life, but we can choose who we are hurt by, and he is happy with his choice. Hazel declares that she is happy with her choice too.
I found this novel to be very predictable, but I still enjoyed the story none-the-less. I saw Augustus' death coming from a mile away, and also that Van Houten's book was a true story about his life. What made me enjoy this novel was the relationship between Hazel and Augustus. It seemed real, and the way they cared for each other was special. I loved that Augustus was so hell bent on getting closure from the novel, but that Hazel was mostly concerned for how her mother would cope with her passing. It perfectly reflected their attitudes about life and about their disease. The way John Green handled discussing their disease was gentle, yet unafraid to show all sides of cancer and how it affects people. The message this story ended on, with not giving up on someone because they might hurt us, is relatable to all people who might read this book- not just people who are sick. An activity that would be great for students to do would be to find a book, and imagine what it would be like if it ended with a few chapters left. How would it affect their attitude toward the story? Would they be okay with any story not giving closure? Why or why not? I think it would make an interesting and fun discussion.
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