The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

Bibliographic Information
Publisher: Speak
Publication year: 2013
ISBN: 978-0142425831

Reader’s Annotation
The first four waves of the invasion caused Cassie to lose her mother and father, and lose track of her little brother, Sammy, who was drafted into an army of children being trained to take on the aliens and reclaim earth for the human race. Together with mysterious stranger Evan, she must find her brother before the fifth wave begins.

Plot Summary
High-schooler Cassie’s life is as average as it gets, until she finds herself one of the only people left on earth after a multi-wave alien invasion meant to snuff out all human life on Earth. Both of her parents are killed and her younger brother Sammy is taken by a branch of the army that pretended to be the “good guys.” Cassie’s classmate and secret crush Ben was enjoying life as a star athlete and lady’s man until he survived the virus that killed the rest of his family and was drafted into an army of children whose purpose is to kill the alien enemy before humans go completely extinct. After becoming leader of his troupe Ben, a.k.a. Zombie, takes Sammy under his wing and vows to protect him no matter what. With the help of mysterious but inexplicably trustworthy stranger Evan, Cassie finds herself in a terrifying race to find Sammy before the dawn of the aliens’ next attempt to snuff out all humans: the fifth wave.

Critical Evaluation
The 5th Wave has all the ingredients of a mainstream, popular science fiction franchise without the kitsch. The characters are just average enough to be believable, but just original enough not to be called one-dimensional. Descriptions of an America ravaged by an extraterrestrial invasion are so vivid that the reader can not only see, but feel the devastation as they read. Yancey leaves the reader wanting more after each chapter, which turns this 500+ page novel into a quick read.

Author Information
Rick is the author of fifteen novels and a memoir. His books have been published in over thirty languages and have earned numerous accolades and awards from around the world. His young adult novel, The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp, was named a "Best Book of the Year" by Publishers Weekly and was nominated for the Carnegie Medal. In 2010, Rick received a Michael L. Printz Honor for The Monstrumologist. The sequel, The Curse of the Wendigo, was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His latest novel, The 5th Wave, the first in an epic sci-fi trilogy, made its worldwide debut in 2013, and will soon be a major motion picture for GK Films and Sony Pictures.

Source: http://www.rickyancey.com/about

Genre
Science Fiction

Curriculum Ties
n/a

Booktalking Ideas
Begin by describing the post-apocalyptic setting and the first four waves. Read a passage from Zombie’s perspective about his early days training in the army. Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Booklist: Grades 9-12
School Library Journal: Grade 9 and up

Challenging Issues
Language
Mental Illness
Murder
Violence

Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html

Why the Item Was Chosen
It is important to offer popular materials to library patrons, especially series with popular movie franchises attached. The 5th Wave is still in the early stages, but could eventually be compared to The Hunger Games or Twilight in terms of popularity with young adults. A teen might come into the library looking for this book and leave with it along with several others they weren’t even looking for. Not to use Yancey’s work exclusively as a ploy to gain young adult patrons, because the work is good in and of itself. The main reason I included it in my collection is because post-apocalyptic settings and alien invasions are universally desired by readers from all generations.

All-American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

Bibliographic Information
Publisher: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
Publication year: 2015
ISBN: 978-1481463331

Reader’s Annotation
When a white police officer brutally beats a black teenager over a misunderstanding, the fallout causes a schism in a New York community. Rashad and Quinn, one the victim of the crime and the other a friend of the perpetrator, try to come to terms with the event and how it affects them.

Plot Summary
Rashad is a sixteen-year-old high school student, just a kid who likes to hang out with his friends and wishes his dad didn’t want him to be in ROTC. One afternoon, a police officer named Paul Galluzzo mistakes his actions as suspicious and accuses him of shoplifting a bag of chips from a convenience store, which leads to a brutal beating when Galluzzo believes Rashad to be resisting arrest. Quinn, Rashad’s fellow student and friend of Galluzzo’s younger brother, witnesses the brutal attack from the street. Rashad and Quinn hardly know each other and run in social circles that only vaguely overlap, but as the community spirals into an uproar over the white cop who beat a black teenager over a bag of chips, each boy does their best to reconcile their feelings about the event and find out what it really means to be a young man in America.

Critical Evaluation
Narratively, the strongest aspect of this book is the authors’ choice to tell a story about the execution and subsequent perception of police brutality from the first person points of view of two boys, one black and one white. They each have certain knowledge gaps that are brought to light by the events of the novel, which perfectly mirrors the way our consciousness about the social climate can change with current events. The authors have done a fantastic job mimicking how teenage boys act, speak, and think, which is a large part of the reason this novel is so powerful. The message of All-American Boys resonates with the reader long after the final page. With this novel, Reynolds and Kiely have positively affected the way we see racially motivated crimes in America.

Author Information
Well, if you've made it here, that means you've survived the huge picture of my face! Congrats! And to reward you, I'm going to tell you all about...me. Sorry. No cake. No confetti. No money falling from the ceiling...this time.

So, I'm a writer. And when I say I'm a writer, I mean it in the same way a professional ball player calls himself an athlete. I practice everyday and do the best I can to be better at this writing thing, while hopefully bringing some cool stories to the world. The stories are kinda like my slam dunks. Except, I'm dunking words. In your FACE! Ha!

I graduated from the University of Maryland (where I spent about 65% of my time writing and reciting poetry all over campus...yeah, that was me) with a B.A. in English, then packed my bags and moved to Brooklyn because somebody told me they were giving away dream-come-true vouchers. And if I ever find the person who told me that... let's just say, no one was giving away anything. ANYTHING. Lucky for me I had all these crazy stories to keep me going. Ten years later, here I am, doing my best to string together an "ABOUT" section on my own website about my own books. Crazy.

Here's what I know: I know there are a lot — A LOT — of young people who hate reading. I know that many of these book haters are boys. I know that many of these book-hating boys, don't actually hate books, they hate boredom. If you are reading this, and you happen to be one of these boys, first of all, you're reading this so my master plan is already working (muahahahahahaha) and second of all, know that I feel you. I REALLY do. Because even though I'm a writer, I hate reading boring books too.

Here's what I plan to do: NOT WRITE BORING BOOKS.

That's it, and that's all.

Source: http://www.jasonwritesbooks.com/bio/

...

Brendan Kiely received an MFA in creative writing from The City College of New York. His debut novel, The Gospel of Winter, has been published in ten languages, it was selected as one of American Library Association’s Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults 2015, and it was a Kirkus Reviews selection for best of 2014. He is the coauthor, with Jason Reynolds, of the Coretta Scott King Author Honor Award winning All American Boys, and author of the forthcoming The Last True Love Story (McElderry Books/S&S, September 2016). Originally from the Boston area, he now lives with his wife in Greenwich Village.

Source: http://www.brendankiely.com/biography/

Genre
Fiction

Curriculum Ties
Current Events
History
Social Sciences

Booktalking Ideas
Explain the main plot of the book against a backdrop of current events, and explain why it is important for everyone to educate themselves before taking sides on important social issues. Support this with a relevant excerpt from the book. Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Amazon: Grade 7 and up, age 12 and up
Booklist: Grades 9-12
School Library Journal: Grade 8 and up

Challenging Issues
Language
Racial Issues and Stereotypes
Violence

Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-specific-challenges_6.html

Why the Item Was Chosen
This book is included in my collection because of it’s powerful message. It was written because of violence that occurred in real life, and continues to be relevant because of the violence that continues to occur. When compiling a collection of important literature for young adults, it is imperative to include things that help them understand the world. Unfortunately, the events of All-American Boys ring especially true in light of attacks that continue to happen to black people, often committed by non-black cops. It is important to relay these events to young adults in a way they will understand and care about, so that as the future of America they work to end the violence.

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Bibliographic Information
Publisher: First Second Books
Publication year: 2006
ISBN: 978-0312384487

Reader’s Annotation
A monkey king who yearns to be accepted by the Gods as a legitimate deity; an all-American boy with a stereotypical Chinese cousin; a second-generation Chinese-American exploring his identity. These three characters come together in a surprising and mystical way as each explores his personal identity and their own place in their culture.

Plot Summary
This unique graphic novel combines three story lines to bring the reader on a journey of self-discovery with Chinese-American boy Jin Wang. Jin’s story focuses on his coming to terms with his identity as a child of Chinese immigrants and making friends in a school consisting mostly of white students. The second story’s main character is Danny, a classic all-American white boy with a Chinese cousin whose frequent visits upset Danny’s idealistic life. The final story tells the tale of the Monkey King, who is the subject of a traditional Chinese folktale. The three story arcs seem unrelated until a surprise twist that opens each main character’s eyes to what it means to be part of Chinese culture in their own way.

Critical Evaluation
Every aspect of American Born Chinese, from the quality of the art, to the surprising way the three storylines fit together, to details such as a “laugh track” running across the bottom of certain panels to give the reader the feeling of watching a sitcom are fascinating. Yang does an especially good job with the over-exaggeration of the stereotypes Americans place on Chinese immigrants with his portrayal of Chin-Kee. The twist to the story when the true identities of the Monkey King and Danny are revealed is unexpected, but as soon as it happens all the loose pieces of the puzzle fall effortlessly into place. This creates a can’t-put-it-down experience for readers of all ages. The execution of this book is nothing short of masterful.

Author Information
Hi! I’m Gene Luen Yang. Thanks for visiting my site! I began making comics and graphic novels in the fifth grade. In 2006, my book American Born Chinese was published by First Second Books. It became the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award and the first to win the American Library Association’s Printz Award. It also won an Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album – New.

In 2013, First Second Books released Boxers & Saints, my two-volume graphic novel about the Boxer Rebellion. Boxers & Saints was nominated for a National Book Award and won the L.A. Times Book Prize. I’ve done a number of other comics, including Dark Horse Comics’ continuation of the popular Nickelodeon cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender and DC Comics’ Superman!

In addition cartooning, I teach creative writing through Hamline University’s MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. I teach alongside amazing authors like Anne Ursu, Gary Schmidt, Laura Ruby, Matt De La Pena, and more.

In January 2016, the Library of Congress, Every Child A Reader, and the Children’s Book Council appointed me the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.

Source: http://geneyang.com/about

Genre
Fiction
Graphic Novel

Curriculum Ties
Art

Booktalking Ideas
Give an introduction to the three main characters; Danny, the Monkey King, and Jin Wang. Have a poster-size print-out of the passage I will read aloud so the audience can experience the book as it was meant to be experienced. Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Booklist: Grades 10-12

Challenging Issues
Racial Issues and Stereotypes

Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-specific-challenges_6.html

Why the Item Was Chosen
I chose to include this item in my collection because it opened my mind to the world of graphic novels. I have never been a fan of comics because I thought the only options were super heros or Manga. After being assigned American Born Chinese and subsequently hearing a lecture from a young adult librarian whose specialization is comics and graphic novels, I felt as if I had been exposed to a whole new world of literature. This graphic novel is an excellent stepping stone for anyone just stepping into the daunting world of comics, as well as those who have been fans of the genre for a long time. I also included it because the journeys of all three main characters that land in self-acceptance is an important story for young adults to read as they navigate the changes and growth in their own identities.

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer

Bibliographic Information
Publisher: Simon Pulse (Simon and Schuster)
Publication year: 2012
ISBN: 978-1451635751

Reader’s Annotation
Delilah is content to stay home and read her favorite fairy tale over and over, fantasizing about the story’s main character, a handsome prince named Oliver. When she finds out Oliver is a real person who can talk to her from his pages, Delilah embarks on an unforgettable literary adventure.

Plot Summary
High schooler Delilah would rather stay in and read than go out with friends. One book in particular has caught her attention lately; a fairy tale about the adventures of handsome prince Oliver, his faithful animal companions, and his quest to rescue a princess. Delilah gets the surprise of a lifetime when she finds out Oliver and the book’s other characters all exist in real life! They play their parts like actors every time the book is opened, otherwise living normal lives within the closed pages. Oliver and Delilah take an immediate liking to each other, especially after Delilah finds out Oliver isn’t really in love with the princess. The duo come up with a plan to get Oliver out of the pages of a fairy tale and into the real world, but need help from an unlikely source to turn their fantasy into a reality.

Critical Evaluation
The idea and plot of Between the Lines is a creative concept that young fiction and fantasy readers will enjoy. However, the simplistic writing style gives the impression of being written for younger readers than the officially recognized definition of “young adults,” or older teenagers. Another aspect of the novel that gears it toward younger readers is the ending. After much build up and discussion, Delilah and Oliver’s solution to getting Oliver out of the pages of his book is anticlimactic and ultimately sets a negative example of a child’s relationships with their parent. Oliver being able to live a normal human life by switching places with the author’s son, who will now be taking his place in the fairy tale pages, shows young readers it is easy to run away from their problems instead of providing encouragement to work things out with parents. This choice could be due in part to one of the authors being a high school student herself. Although the ending leaves something to be desired, Between the Lines is overall an entertaining story that readers of all ages will find relatable.



Author Information
Jodi Picoult: (Refer to Nineteen Minutes)

Samantha van Leer is a junior in high school. She conceived the idea for Between the Lines and pitched it to her mom, Jodi Picoult, who was in the middle of a book tour. In her spare time, Samantha can be found playing softball, doing contemporary dance, acting and singing in musicals, and cuddling on the ground with her two dogs, Dudley and Oliver—for whom the prince in this fairy tale was named.

Source:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5106204.Samantha_van_Leer
Genre
Fantasy
Fiction
Humor

Curriculum Ties
Fairy Tales

Booktalking Ideas
Ask the audience to think about their favorite character from a book or movie, and ask if they ever wished that character could be alive in real life. Explain that this is what happens in Between the Lines. Introduce the characters of Delilah and Oliver, emphasizing that they are both dissatisfied with their realities and looking for something more. Read the passage when Delilah first figures out Oliver can talk to her. Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Amazon: Age 12 and up / Grade 7 and up
School Library Journal: Grade 7-10

Challenging Issues
Running Away

Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html

Why the Item Was Chosen
I included this novel in my collection because by possessing fantasy elements, it adds to the diversity of genre. More importantly, it is an example of a writer who is a young adult herself making her creative vision a reality. Young adults will benefit from the story of van Leer having the drive and determination to pursue her passion for writing, ultimately resulting in not one, but two published novels before she finished high school. Teachers and parents preach following one’s dreams, but teenagers are rarely presented with an example of someone their age doing so successfully.

Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson

Bibliographic Information
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Publication year: 2002
ISBN: 978-0670035663

Reader’s Annotation
Organized and over-scheduled high school senior Kate has every minute of her life planned, from taking care of her father and younger brother to applying to the MIT chemistry program. When the house next door burns down and she finds herself sharing a room with her nemesis, Kate’s universe is thrown out of orbit in a way she never thought possible.

Plot Summary
Kate Malone is a busy high school senior, balancing a boyfriend and taking care of her father and younger brother on top of track practice, school work, and applying to her dream school, MIT. As the town minister, Kate’s father invites their next door neighbors to stay when a fire unexpectedly burns down their home. Teri, Kate’s classmate and the opposite of a friend, moves into Kate’s room with her little brother. Then, tragedy strikes during a community project to rebuild Teri’s house. The event begins a catalyst of events that make Kate realize everything she was doing to make her life perfect might not be so important, and a friendship with Teri blooms in the wake of unimaginable pain.

Critical Evaluation
The strongest part of Anderson’s narrative is her imagery. Told in first-person from Kate’s perspective, descriptions of everyday emotions and actions come alive for the reader. Phrases such as “I have Medusa eyes, and they are battling the contacts” (p. 109) and “I fry this high school skin to a crisp and emerge from the ashes, a college student” (p. 39) effectively communicate a stream-of-consciousness narration inside Kate’s head. This differs from the more usual first person narration style presented in past tense. The narration in Catalyst gives the reader the impression that they are following Kate’s thoughts as they happen, instead of her having time to consider the situation and reflect on it afterward. This style sets Catalyst apart from others of its genre.

Author Information
Laurie Halse Anderson is the New York Times-bestselling author who writes for kids of all ages. Known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity, her work has earned numerous national and state awards, as well as international recognition. Two of her books, Speak and Chains, were National Book Award finalists. Laurie was honored with the 2009 Margaret A. Edwards Award given by YALSA division of the American Library Association for her “significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature…”. Mother of four and wife of one, Laurie lives in Northern New York, where she likes to watch the snow fall as she writes.

Source: http://madwomanintheforest.com/laurie/

Genre
Fiction

Curriculum Ties
Chemistry
College Planning
Health (Social and Family Issues)

Booktalking Ideas
Introduce the characters of Kate and Teri, emphasizing their rivalry at the beginning of the novel and how the events bring them together until they want to spend most of their time with each other or no one at all. Without giving away the death of Teri’s little brother, read a passage that takes place after this has happened to get the potential readers interested in the story. Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Amazon: Grade 7 and up, Age 12 and up
Publisher’s Weekly: Age 12 and up
School Library Journal: Grade 10 and up

Challenging Issues
Bullying
Death of a Loved One
Depression
Language

Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html

Why the Item Was Chosen
There are a lot of high schoolers who think they have planned their life to the point where nothing can go wrong. They have every minute scheduled and have come up with a detour for every possible roadblock. While thinking ahead is a valuable skill to develop in one’s adolescent years, it is also important to know that something completely unexpected can pop up and change the direction of your life. Anderson also shows a classic enemies-becoming-friends scenario that, while not new, bears repeating in young adult literature because it happens often in real life. Many young adults are not aware that circumstances can change people’s opinions of one another, which is why Catalyst is part of my collection.

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Bibliographic Information
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing Division)
Publication year: 2004
ISBN: 978-0689865190

Reader’s Annotation
Kristina is a conscientious straight-A student until goes on an extended visit to her father and meets Adam, who introduces her to Crank, a.k.a. The Monster, a.k.a. Methamphetamine. After she is addicted Kristina’s life becomes a spiral of dealing, consuming, and dealing with the consequences of her actions while high on The Monster.

Plot Summary
Kristina takes a three week trip to visit her father in Albuquerque the summer before her junior year and returns home addicted to Methamphetamine, street named Crank. She quickly finds connections to buy the drug in her hometown of Reno with the help of Brendan, a smooth talking dealer, and Chase, a good-hearted jock. After Brendan rapes her, Kristina confides in Chase and soon finds herself in a loving relationship with Chase. However, Kristina’s drug-induced downward spiral continues until she finds herself in juvenile hall gaining a direct contact to a Meth manufacturer in Mexico. After being released Kristina becomes a dealer, selling to students at her school and allowing her grades and class attendance to fall by the wayside. Suddenly, an unexpected event forces Kristina to choose between Crank and what the rest of her life could be if she gets clean.

Critical Evaluation
One of Crank’s greatest strengths is the personal nature in which it is written. Hopkins loosely based Kristina’s journey on her daughter’s descent into drug addiction, giving it a level of reality that strictly fictional books sometimes lack. Formatting the novel in free-form poetry verses gives the reader the impression of Kristina’s disjointed thoughts as her consciousness fades in and out of sobriety. Strategically bolding certain words within the stanzas give the poems deeper or dual meanings, adding another level to the narrator’s consciousness. This technique also puts the reader into Kristina’s convoluted consciousness as she struggles to form concrete thoughts while high or coming down from the drugs. The tone in which Hopkins forms her poetry come together with her personal experience to form a cohesive, cautionary, and at times heartbreaking tale about the dangers and consequences of Methamphetamine.

Author Information
Born: March 26, 1955 in Long Beach, CA. I was adopted at birth by an older couple. Albert C. Wagner was 72 at the time; Valeria was 42. To put that into perspective, he was born in 1883 and she was born in 1912.

In school: I was a straight A student almost all the way through school. With an excellent private school background through 8th grade, it was fairly easy to maintain those grades all the way through high school, despite a certain renegade attitude (70s rebel and all that!). I was the type who could read a chapter in a book and pass a test, even without the classroom discussion necessary for some.

Started writing: From the time I knew how to put words on paper. I’ve always been writing something (especially poetry) ever since, although I didn’t start writing for money until around 1992.

Published: my first poem, a brilliant haiku (I’m pretty sure there were trees and springtime in it), when I was nine. I was always encouraged by my English teachers to write, and won pretty much every creative writing contest I ever entered all the way through high school.

Graduated: Santa Ynez Valley Union High School in 1973. Went on to study journalism in college (Crafton Hills College and UCSB), but dropped out to get married and start a family.

Children: Had my first child, Jason, when I was just 21. He was born in 1976. Cristal followed two years later.

For the last time: We moved to northern Nevada, in a rural valley between Reno and Carson City, in 1990. We thought the move might be temporary, but we simply love it here. If you look in my photo albums online, you’ll find examples of why. It’s a different kind of beauty than the green of Washington, but the palette here—gold and auburn and sage and the deep blue of the Sierra–is unmatched.

During this time: I decided to try and write for a living. I started freelancing newspaper and magazine articles. Moved from there into children’s nonfiction, publishing twenty titles before I sold my first novel. I was always trying different things—picture books, early chapter books, etc., and I wrote an entire adult novel, which didn’t sell then. I also taught creative part time as an artist-in-residence; owned my own little publishing company, which did a newspaper for children; and was an instructor for the Institute of Children’s Literature. And I did all those things simultaneously, searching for where I belonged as a writer.

The real story: behind Crank took place between the years 1995 and 2001. “Hunter,” aka Orion, was born in 1996. We took guardianship of him when he was just a baby and adopted him when he was not quite four years old. He is the light of our lives (as well as the biggest pain!) and a true gift. He knows the whole story, of course, but considers us his parents, and we consider him our son.

We lived: in the same modest home until 2008. Rather than move (we love our 1.25 acres on a hill overlooking Washoe Lake to the Sierra), we added on, and remodeled the old part of the house. Everything they say about remodeling/additions is true. The process had dust and some small delays. But it was sooooooooo worth it. We built exactly the house we thought we’d need for the rest of our lives.

Source: http://ellenhopkins.com/YoungAdult/bio/

Genre
Fiction
Poetry

Curriculum Ties
Health
Language Arts

Booktalking Ideas
Tell the audience about Kristina’s personality shift from the beginning of the novel to the end, and how an addiction to hard drugs change it as well as her relationship to her family and opinions about her own life. Read passage toward the end of the book when she is trying to decide how to handle her unexpected pregnancy. Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.

Reading Level/Interest Age
School Library Journal: Grade 8 and up

Challenging Issues
Depression
Drug use and/or Addiction
Language
Rape and Sexual Assault
Running Away
Sexual Content and/or Nudity
Teen Pregnancy

Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html

Why the Item Was Chosen
This is another series that might draw young adults into the library because of its popularity. Crank and the other books in the series unfailingly hold the interest of young readers because of their riveting stories and quick pace. Reading the books written in free verse poetry make reluctant readers feel like they have made a lot of progress in a short period of time. The story arc coupled with the small number of words on each page makes Crank easy to read, enjoy, and understand in just a few days. The level of popularity of Hopkins’ books coupled with the potential appeal to reluctant readers is why I have chosen it as an addition to my collection.

The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen

Bibliographic Information
Publisher: Puffin Books
Publication year: 1990
ISBN number: 978-0142401095

Reader’s Annotation
Hannah is tired of her family’s annual Passover gathering, but her wish to leave manifests too literally when she finds herself in Poland in the year 1942. Being transported to a concentration camp is terrifying for everyone, but even more so for the girl from the future who knows exactly what will happen.

Plot Summary
Middle schooler Hannah Stern is more interested in celebrating Easter with candy and friends than attending her family’s Passover Seder, which her mother reminds her is all about remembering. Hannah grudgingly attends, and while participating in the traditional opening of the door for the Prophet Elijah, she is transported through time and space to a country farmhouse. The residents of the house are a brother and sister who insist Hannah is their niece, her name is Chaya, and that she recently recovered from a near-fatal illness that took her parents’ lives. Chaya/Hannah’s Jewish family and friends are taken by the Nazis while waiting to attend a wedding, and with her knowledge of the Holocaust imparted by a family of survivors, Hannah is the only one who knows the horrors they are about to face. Chaya’s memories as modern-day Hannah begin to fade as the days in the concentration camp drag on. She becomes friends with three girls her age, and together the group does their best to remain optimistic and keep themselves alive.

Critical Evaluation
Jane Yolen has achieved something incredible with this novel. The writing style paints a vivid picture in the mind of young readers who might otherwise never be able to picture the horrors of concentration camps. The fantasy aspect of time travel and the main character becoming someone else adds a touch of whimsy to an otherwise dark story, which helps make the book appropriate for a younger audience. The short structure of chapters is easy for readers of all ages to follow and understand.

Author Information
Jane Yolen is an author of children’s books, fantasy, and science fiction, including Owl Moon, The Devil’s Arithmetic, and How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?

She is also a poet, a teacher of writing and literature, and a reviewer of children’s literature. She has been called the Hans Christian Andersen of America and the Aesop of the twentieth century.

Jane Yolen’s books and stories have won the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, two Christopher Medals, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Fantasy Awards, the Golden Kite Award, the Jewish Book Award, the World Fantasy Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Association of Jewish Libraries Award among many others. This website presents information about her over three hundred books for children. It also contains essays, poems, answers to frequently asked questions, a brief biography, her travel schedule, and links to resources for teachers and writers. It is intended for children, teachers, writers, storytellers, and lovers of children’s literature.

Source: http://janeyolen.com/about-site/

Genre
Historical Fiction
Curriculum Ties
Social Studies
World History

Booktalking Ideas
Give a very brief overview of the purpose of concentration camps, then segue into why this is important to modern Jewish culture. Give a brief overview of the beginning of the book and Hannah’s character, emphasizing that she keeps her knowledge of the future while she lives the life of someone from the past. Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Amazon: Age 10 and up, grade 5 and up
Publisher’s Weekly: Age 12 and up
School Library Journal: Grades 4-8

Challenging Issues
Murder
PTSD

Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html

Why the Item Was Chosen
This book has been on my list of personal favorites since I discovered it in fourth grade. It was around this time that my interest in the Holocaust began, and I feel The Devil’s Arithmetic is an excellent introduction to the cruelty and intensity of concentration camps for children and young adults who have never been educated about it. Although the reading level is slightly below the target for young adults, I chose this book for my collection because Yolen tells an engaging story that encourages readers to respect and appreciate their family and its traditions set against the harrowing backdrop of one of Hitler’s concentration camps.

Don't Die, My Love by Lurlene McDaniel

Bibliographic Information
Publisher: Laurel Leaf
Publication Year: 1995
ISBN: 978-0385743792

Reader’s Annotation
Luke and Julie grew up together and always knew they were meant for each other. But when Luke’s hopes for a college football scholarship are derailed with a cancer diagnosis, the young couple must depend on their love to get them through the dark time.

Plot Summary
Luke Muldenhower and Julie Ellis have known each other their whole lives. High school sweethearts a year apart in age, their time is consumed with Luke’s prospective football scholarships and what that means for Julie’s college plans the following year. Then Luke unexpectedly begins having symptoms like night sweats and swollen glands. At Julie’s urging, he visits the doctor and is diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Several rounds of chemotherapy and radiation later, it looks like Luke is in remission until his symptoms return. Julie’s optimism helps the couple believe that love conquers all, but it is ultimately up to a risky surgery to save Luke’s life.

Critical Evaluation
Don’t Die, My Love is written in a way that is accessible for readers at a seventh grade reading level and above. The story is easy to follow with no major subplots distracting from the main arc of Julie and Luke’s romance and Luke’s cancer diagnosis. One unfortunate effect of the book is the unrealistic expectation it sets up for young people about teenage romance. A teenage reader can easily come away from the book feeling inadequate for never having a romance as deep and loving as the one in the book, even though this happens to a minority of high school students. However, the book demonstrates adequate ways to deal with the sickness and death of a loved one that a young person would find useful if they found themselves in that situation.

Author Information
ABOUT ME: Who I Am: Lurlene Nora (Gallagher) McDaniel

My Birthday: April 5, 1944… It only comes once a year, so I turn it into a festival and celebrate it for the entire month!

I was born in Philadelphia PA, grew up (mostly) in Hialeah FL, graduated from the University of South Florida, Tampa FL (go Bulls!) and currently live in Chattanooga TN—I’m an American citizen by birth, and Southern by the grace of God.

I have a brother, three years younger, married, and mathematically gifted. I am totally without math skills.

The books I write, the topics and subject matter, grew out of my firstborn son’s diagnosis of diabetes at age 3. Infinite reward that comes to me from my work…. when a grown reader lets me know that reading my books inspired her to seek a profession that helps others. I have wonderful letters saying, “Today I graduated from nursing/medical school.” Now that’s a gift of joy!

WORDS THAT ALWAYS INSPIRE ME: “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” (Matt 6: 28-29, KJV)

MY LIFE PHILOSOPHY: No one gets to choose what life gives them. You do get to choose how you deal with it.

MY LEGACY: I hope to be remembered not only for the words I’ve written, but for what I leave behind, my finest work and the best of me—my two grown married sons and grandkids.

Source: http://www.lurlenemcdaniel.com/aboutme/

Genre
Fiction
Curriculum Ties
Health

Booktalking Ideas
Introduce the characters of Luke and Julie, explain their relationship, and give a brief overview of the first half of the book including his cancer diagnosis. Read a passage illustrating both the intensity of Luke’s illness and the purity of their love, as these are the two main things around which the story revolves. Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Amazon: Age 12 and up, Grade 7 and up
Booklist: Grade 7-12
School Library Journal: Grade 7-10

Challenging Issues
Death of a Loved One

Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html

Why the Item Was Chosen
This book, along with many others written by Lurlene McDaniel, has been on my list of favorites since childhood. While I have thankfully never been in the position of going through cancer diagnosis and treatment with a loved one, the story has always touched me. The romantic seventh grader in me always wanted a love like Julie and Luke’s, so strong that a terminal cancer diagnosis strengthens instead of weakening our bond.

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Bibliographic Information
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Publication year: 2013
ISBN: 978-1250064875

Reader’s Annotation
From the first time Park loans Eleanor a comic book, she knows there is something special about him. Falling in love is the last thing the two high schoolers need, but sometimes love is inevitable.

Plot Summary
Eleanor shares her bedroom with her four siblings, all of whom live in fear of their abusive, alcoholic stepfather, Richie. She is bullied at school for the way she dresses in patched, used clothes and her unruly hair that she tries to tame with multicolored ribbons. When she meets Park, she is frustrated that he takes his loving parents and middle-class home for granted. Even with their differences in background, and even knowing high school romances almost never work out, Park and Eleanor give in to first love. When Richie makes the environment in Eleanor’s home too unbearable, she and Park have to figure out if love is enough to fix a seemingly impossible situation.

Critical Evaluation
This novel is identified from the beginning as a “star-crossed lover” teen love story. The powerful choice Rowell makes with her writing is making her characters aware of this. Park and Eleanor have a conversation about one of the most famous star-crossed couples in history, Romeo and Juliet, and recognize them as silly teenagers who didn’t know what they were doing. From Eleanor’s home life being both poor and abusive, to Park not having the resources to help her, the odds are stacked against the teenage couple. Despite this, they enter into a relationship and allow themselves to fall in love. Eleanor’s tragedy and Park’s privilege are both approached from a place of sensitivity, so the reader does not blame Park for being oblivious to his girlfriend’s struggle because he has never truly been exposed to anyone living in poverty or who does not come from a loving home. Instead of blame him, the reader sees that he is a sensitive sixteen-year-old boy in love, doing what he can to help even if it is, at times, not entirely useful. Rowell’s portrayal of two intelligent adolescents who are knowingly doing something that will probably end in disaster is the teenage love story that had not yet been told.

Author Information
Rainbow Rowell is only very good at two things – reading and writing, in that order.

People who are good only at reading and writing, and who also want health insurance, usually study journalism. Rainbow earned a journalism degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1995 and at, 24, became the youngest-ever – and first female – columnist at the Omaha World-Herald. (Which maybe won't sound like such a big deal to you, but she was pretty proud of herself at the time and celebrated with lots of Carlo Rossi Paisano.)

Though her first novel, Attachments, is set in a newsroom, it couldn't be less of a true story. She met her husband in junior high and can hardly get him to read her column, let alone her email.

Her second novel, Eleanor & Park – sort of an East Omaha Romeo & Juliet – came out in March 2013.

Her third book, Fangirl, another love and geek and family story, also comes out next year.

When she's not writing, Rainbow is reading comic books, planning Disney World trips and arguing with people about things that don't really matter in the big scheme of things. She has two sons, and if God hears her prayers, they will grow up just as nerdy and true-hearted as the protagonists of her books.

Source: https://www.bookbrowse.com/biographies/index.cfm/author_number/2273/rainbow-rowell

Genre
Fiction

Curriculum Ties
Health (Social and Family Issues)

Booktalking Ideas
Talk about the quintessential “boy meets girl” high school love story, and tell the audience this book is that story, but with a twist: both of the main characters know exactly what they are in for. Read the passage where they discuss Romeo and Juliet and acknowledge their relationship is most likely doomed. This will interest the audience in the characters’ personalities without giving away any spoilers. Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Publisher’s Weekly: Age 13 up
School Library Journal: Grade 9 up

Challenging Issues
Bullying
Child Abuse
Depression
Language
Running Away
Sexual Content and/or Nudity

Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html

Why the Item Was Chosen
Eleanor and Park makes an adult reader to look back on their first love and examine what, if anything, went wrong and why. For young adult readers, this is even more important because they might be in the middle of their first love at the very moment they pick up the book. Rowell’s portrayal of aware, intelligent star-crossed lovers will cause introspection in teen readers. It will make them more sensitive to their peers whose home lives are less than perfect, and open their minds to ways people live that are different than theirs. I first read Eleanor and Park in my early 20’s, and wish it had come out even five years earlier so I could have experienced it as a teenager. The best I can do is include it in my collection so that any teenagers who come to my library have the option to laugh and cry along with the two incredibly realistic main characters.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (Audiobook)

Bibliographic Information
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication year: 2002 (Original book publication 1985)
Run Time: 11 hours 57 minutes
Narrators: Stefan Rudnicki, Harlan Ellison, Gabrielle de Cuir

Reader’s Annotation
Although he hasn’t yet hit his tenth birthday, Ender Wiggin is Earth’s greatest hope against an impending alien invasion. Taken from his parents and siblings to attend a prestigious battle school, Ender learns what he must do to survive the alien race called “Buggers,” and his own peers.

Plot Summary
Ender Wiggin is a “third,” a rare child with two older siblings in a population-controlled society. The government gave his parents special permission to have one more child in the hopes that he would be the perfect combination of his brother Peter’s detached tactical brilliance and his sister Valentine’s compassion. After Ender is enlisted in battle school, Peter and Valentine rise to anonymous fame writing commentary under pseudonyms and effecting political change. Meanwhile, Ender enters battle school as the runt of his class and rises through the ranks to commander of his own squad. His tests come in the form of virtual reality simulations and battles in zero gravity against the school’s other teams. After facing bullies, strict commanders, and a computer game controlled by his own thoughts, Ender faces his final and most important battle against the Buggers.

Critical Evaluation
Card has created an entire universe within the pages of Ender’s Game. The reader is completely transported into the world of the future where an alien invasion is an imminent threat, Mazar Rakam is a revered celebrity, and a third is one of the worst things you can be. Card effortlessly presents an answer to every possible question, from slang the children use to the content taught in school to typical family life. The transportation to a future world is completed by the experience of listening to the unabridged story on audiobook. The character of Ender adds to this complete worldview because he has been completely consumed with the universe in which he lives. As a child a world in which Buggers might attack any moment and child soldiers are the norm is all he has ever known. Seeing the world through Ender’s eyes, the reader sees how media coverage of wars can distort the truth to the detriment of society’s youngest and most impressionable members.

Author Information
Orson Scott Card is the author of the novels Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow, and Speaker for the Dead, which are widely read by adults and younger readers, and are increasingly used in schools. His most recent series, the young adult Pathfinder series (Pathfinder, Ruins, Visitors) and the fantasy Mithermages series (Lost Gate, Gate Thief, Gatefather) are taking readers in new directions.

Besides these and other science fiction novels, Card writes contemporary fantasy (Magic Street, Enchantment, Lost Boys), biblical novels (Stone Tables, Rachel and Leah), the American frontier fantasy series The Tales of Alvin Maker (beginning with Seventh Son), poetry (An Open Book), and many plays and scripts, including his "freshened" Shakespeare scripts for Romeo & Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew, and The Merchant of Venice.

Card was born in Washington and grew up in California, Arizona, and Utah. He served a mission for the LDS Church in Brazil in the early 1970s. Besides his writing, he teaches occasional classes and workshops and directs plays. He frequently teaches writing and literature courses at Southern Virginia University.

Card currently lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, with his wife, Kristine Allen Card, where his primary activities are writing a review column for the local Rhinoceros Times and feeding birds, squirrels, chipmunks, possums, and raccoons on the patio.

Source: http://www.hatrack.com/osc/about.shtml

Genre
Science Fiction

Curriculum Ties
ROTC

Booktalking Ideas
Introduce the character of Ender as a young genius, emphasizing both his detachment when he knows what is necessary isn’t always pleasant and his empathy for others. Also introduce the characters of Peter and Valentine because their personalities are indicative of Ender’s and their parts in the story are often overlooked. Read the passage at the beginning with Peter forcing Ender to play a violent game and Valentine defending her little brother. Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Amazon: Grade 5-12, Age 12-18

Challenging Issues
Bullying
Murder
PTSD
Racial Issues and Stereotypes
Violence

Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-specific-challenges_6.html

Why the Item Was Chosen
Ender’s Game is a book a young adult will want to read over and over. Card expertly strikes the delicate balance between writing for a young person’s understanding and including such detail that several readings are required to catch everything. I included this novel in my collection because the universe Card has created is so complete and all-encompassing. I included it in the form of an audiobook because some books are meant to be read, and others to be experienced. I feel that listening to the narrators read Card's epic story makes the listener feel and understand everything Ender goes through. After listening to Ender’s Game, patrons will want to hear the rest of the series and continue Ender’s saga. One of the goals of my future career as a young adult librarian is to encourage reluctant readers to not only read, but genuinely enjoy books. Listening to a great story on audiobook could easily be a jumping off point for reluctant readers to begin appreciating literature without physically reading. Later on, after they've been hooked by the compelling tale, they might explore reading physical books. The compelling story and characters in Ender’s Game make it an excellent reference for librarians looking for material to motivate reluctant readers.

Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

Bibliographic Information
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication year: 2016
ISBN: 978-1250075963

Reader’s Annotation
Mercedes has taken it upon herself to educate the virgins at her high school on how to give their girlfriends the perfect first time; with hands-on training. But when her best friend’s boyfriend blackmails her for her services, Mercedes might have some explaining to do.

Plot Summary
Between her devoutly religious best friend Angela, Angela’s smooth-talking boyfriend Charlie, Zach, her “friend with benefits” who might want to be more, a mysterious new friend who loves talking about sex, AP classes, college applications, her uninterested mother, and teaching the male virgins of her school to be good in bed with hands-on experience, Mercedes Ayres has filled her senior year of high school to the brim. She doesn’t want anything from the virgins except for them to give their girlfriends what she never had: the perfect first time. The first problem arises after Charlie finds out Mercedes has given lessons to ten virgins and wants to be the eleventh, even though Angela unequivocally wants to wait for marriage. The second problem comes after Mercedes turns Charlie down and he leaks a secret video shot in her bedroom to everyone in school. Mercedes’ life turns more complicated than ever when she has to come clean about her extracurricular activities to everyone involved.

Critical Evaluation
The most important aspect of Firsts is Flynn’s refusal to shy away from the uncomfortable. She brings the reader right into Mercedes’ bed along with the virgins and uses the same amount of detail describing the positive and negative ramifications of her actions. For example, Mercedes is flooded with satisfaction when she hears that Jill, the first virgin’s girlfriend, had a perfect first time thanks to Mercedes’ teaching. But after she refuses Charlie, he broadcasts hidden camera footage of several occurrences in Mercedes’ bedroom, along with her journal entries about each virgin, on the internet for everyone in the school to see. The novel is narrated from Mercedes’ first person perspective, and while the reader understands Mercedes’ emotions, the events of the story themselves are presented in an unbiased manner. This gives the reader the opportunity to form their own opinion of Mercedes’ actions and think about what they might do in a similar situation, a valuable trait in a young adult novel.

Author Information
I’m beyond excited to be a Pitch Wars mentor for the first time this year! My career was greatly impacted during my time as a Pitch Wars mentee, when I was able to work with two amazingly talented mentors (hello, Lori Goldstein and Evelyn Skye!) to strengthen Firsts and get it ready for the agent round. I learned so much and grew a lot as a writer, and I came out of my shell, social media wise (I had previously been a Twitter lurker, but thanks to the welcoming Pitch Wars community, I shed a lot of that shyness). Shortly after the contest, I signed with my amazing agent, Kathleen Rushall, and had a book deal by the end of the year!

So, a little bit about me! I’m a proud Canadian girl and I live in London, Ontario with my husband and my beloved senior Chihuahua (aka the star of my Instagram and basically my life). I’m a former model and lifelong fashion addict. I love walking in the woods, thrift store shopping, wearing red lipstick, and indulging in nachos basically any day, any time. I write YA contemporary books. My debut novel, Firsts, came out in January and was recently nominated as a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults pick. It’s the story of a high school senior named Mercedes who has an open-door policy when it comes to her bedroom, but only if the guy is a virgin. I’m also the author of a series of short stories, the Boys Tell All, sharing the perspectives of ten virgin guys from Firsts.

Source: http://www.laurieelizabethflynn.com/

Genre
Fiction

Curriculum Ties
Health
Sexual Education

Booktalking Ideas
Introduce the characters of Mercedes, Angela, and Zach, and talk about their different thoughts and actions on the subject of sex. Read a passage where Mercedes explains why she performs her service for the virgins. Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Publisher’s Weekly: Age 14 and up
School Library Journal: Grade 10 and up

Challenging Issues
Bullying
Language
Rape and Sexual Assault
Sexual Content and/or Nudity
Teen Pregnancy

Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html

Why the Item Was Chosen
Because of the realistic but sensitive tone Flynn takes in her writing, Firsts would be an excellent addition to any collection of young adult literature. I included it in mine because each character’s individual opinion of sex represents a legitimate stance on which young adults should be educated. The sexual encounters Flynn describes, from Mercedes’ first time being a rape, to Charlie pressuring a celibate Angela, to inexperienced adolescents making mistakes with protection and becoming pregnant, are situations many adolescents have already encountered. Firsts provides an honest look at the sexual practices of real, modern adolescents and the consequences that come with sexual decisions at any age.

Freakboy by Kristin Elizabeth Clark

Bibliographic Information
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication year: 2013
ISBN: 978-0374324728

Reader’s Annotation
Brendan leads a typical high school life, with the bonuses of a position on the wrestling team and a beautiful girlfriend, until he comes to a surprising realization about his gender identity. With the help of a new friend deeply involved in the LGBT community, Brendan begins to come to terms with his discovery.

Plot Summary
Brendan is a high schooler with the seemingly perfect life. He has a solid and loving relationship with long-time girlfriend Vanessa, plenty of friends, and a respected position on the wrestling team. He ignores the recurring dream where he stars as a princess with flowing hair and soft skin, even though he always awakes feeling inexplicably right. The feeling slowly creeps into his waking hours with help from his new, openly transgender friend Angel, a receptionist at the local LGBT youth community center, and Brendan comes to the realization that he might be transgender. He is just as surprised as Vanessa and others who find out. In the meantime, Vanessa questions what her deep love for Brendan means if he starts identifying as a female. After avoiding Vanessa doesn’t work, Brendan has to confront her about what his feelings mean and who he really is, with Angel’s support and experience as a guide.

Critical Evaluation
Kristin Elizabeth Clark opens up two seldom-addressed topics with Freakboy. First, the notion that not every transgender person knows or even suspects this about their gender identity until later in life. Second, gender fluidity being different than firmly male or female. Choosing to write the story in the form of free verse poetry coaxes the reader along Brendan’s, Vanessa’s, and Angel’s journeys and the first person narration style drops the reader into the middle of each character’s deepest thoughts. Bringing the book’s core issues to the forefront of the reader’s consciousness is perhaps the most important characteristic of Freakboy, especially with the current social and political issues surrounding the LGBTQ community.

Author Information
Kristin Elizabeth Clark lives and writes in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Northern California. She hikes with her dog and reads to her cats… but she’s not one of THOSE people. Really.

She has worked as a child advocate within the juvenile justice system, as a children’s theater producer, and is a proud volunteer at Project Outlet in Mountain View, California.

Her young adult debut, Freakboy, was published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) on October 22nd, 2013.

Source: www.kristinelizabethclark.com/about

Genre
Fiction
Poetry

Curriculum Ties
Health
Language Arts
Poetry
Social Sciences

Booktalking Ideas
Explain each of the three main characters’ personality and main struggle in the book, then read a short excerpt that reveals one of the main story arcs without giving away any spoilers. Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Amazon: 12-18 years, grade level 7 and up
Booklist: Grades 9-12

Challenging Issues
Bullying
LGBTQ+
Sexual Content and/or Nudity
Violence

Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-specific-challenges-lgbtq.html

Why the Item Was Chosen
Books such as Clark’s are indescribably important for representation of different expressions of gender and sexual identity. Teenagers go through a fragile life change even if everything about them is “average;” if they start to question whether they are cisgender and have no resources against which to compare their feelings, they might think they are abnormal and resort to self harm. I chose this item for my collection because not many LGBTQ books tackle the topic of gender fluidity. Clark not only tackles it, she excels in making the reader understand and sympathize with Brendan as he goes on his journey of identity exploration. I can easily see Freakboy becoming a lifeline for young adults going through a similar crisis.

Girl From Mars by Tamara Bach

Bibliographic Information
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Publication year: 2003
ISBN: 978-0888997241
Translated by: Shelley Tanaka

Reader’s Annotation
Fifteen-year-old Miriam is growing bored of her small German town until the arrival of a new student, mysterious and intriguing Laua. Laura sparks a chain of events in Miriam’s life that cause Miriam to spiral into self doubt while simultaneously finding her true self.

Plot Summary
Miriam and the friends she has known since kindergarten spend every day the same way: school, home, and the occasional party with all the usual attendees. Life’s monotony is beginning to smother Miriam. She wishes that something exciting would happen to her, like a great adventure or a first love. Then she meets Laura, a mysterious new addition to school who sparks Miriam’s interest as more than a friend. Together with Laura’s best friend Phillip, the girls plan a weekend getaway to the city. During the trip secrets are revealed, feelings are shared, and suspicions confirmed, bringing Laura and Miriam closer than before. The real question is, can their relationship remain blissful after they return to the city?

Critical Evaluation
The beauty of Girl From Mars lies in its simplicity. Setting aside the gender of the two main characters, Bach has made it a fairly usual high school love story. She makes Miriam’s first love with Laura just as confusing, scary, and wonderful as it would have been with Phillip or another male character. A small amount of judgement on the part of Miriam’s friends makes it into the story, but realistically no more than would happen if Miriam were suddenly spending more time with a new boyfriend than her friends. This is a significant characteristic of the novel in terms of LGBTQ+ representation. By normalizing Miriam and Laura’s relationship, Bach is showing young adult readers that falling in love with someone of the same gender is just as natural for some people as falling in love with someone of another gender. Young adult LGBTQ+ literature is important to the genre as a whole because members of the queer community deserve to see characters like themselves in their literature, and Bach has shown them successfully in Girl From Mars.

Author Information
Tamara Bach has been writing since she was sixteen. She spent her teen years living in Oppenheim -- a small town very much like Miriam's -- and, like Miriam, wishing she lived in a big city. Today she lives and writes in Berlin, where she also works in young people's television and theater.

Source: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/884754.Tamara_Bach

Genre
Fiction
Foreign Fiction

Curriculum Ties
Health

Booktalking Ideas
Relate to the young adult audience about how exciting, scary, and confusing first love can be. Read a passage that is universally understandable to anyone who has ever had a crush. Then reveal Miriam and Laura as a lesbian couple to solidify the idea that love is love, regardless of gender. Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.

Reading Level/Interest Age
School Library Journal: Grade 9 and up

Challenging Issues
LGBTQ+
Sexual Content and/or Nudity

Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-specific-challenges-lgbtq.html

Why the Item Was Chosen
As I mentioned in the Critical Evaluation, Bach’s novel has all the elements of a mainstream high school story about first love, except for the gender of both main characters being female. I feel this form of representation is very important for young adult readers in all stages of the coming out process. It is important for queer youth to realize there is nothing inherently wrong with their feelings toward others of their gender. They should have to worry about their orientation being considered unusual (at best) or deviant (at worst) at a time when they are dealing with the countless other uncertainties of adolescence. For the same reason, Girl From Mars would be an enjoyable and possibly eye-opening read for straight allies to the LGBTQ+ community. I included it in my collection as an example of a peaceful, regular love story that just happens to be queer.

Hairstyles of the Damned by Joe Meno

Bibliographic Information
Publisher: Akashic Books/Punk Planet Books
Publication year: 2004
ISBN: 978-1888451702

Reader’s Annotation
Thoughtful, punk music loving Brian and his best friend Gretchen navigate friendships, relationships, and racial contention in 1990’s Chicago. Brian’s burgeoning crush on Gretchen as she falls in love with older Neo-Nazi Tony Degan causes a rift in their friendship that allow them both to explore other social scenes.

Plot Summary
Brian is a senior at a Catholic high school in Chicago, but would rather spend his time making punk rock playlists for his fictional band than go to class. His best friend Gretchen is dealing with the recent death of her mother by dyeing her hair shocking pink and lashing out with violence against the other girls at school. Brian keeps trying to figure out how to tell Gretchen he has fallen in love with her, but Gretchen is putting all her energy into catching the eye of Tony Degan, a skinhead in his 20’s who still hangs out with high schoolers. Their differing interests slowly lead to a schism between the long-time friends, allowing them both to branch out into other social circles. Gretchen starts dating Tony, and Brian makes friends with a burnout named Mike and falls in love with fellow music lover Dorie, who later reveals she was cheating on her boyfriend with Brian and breaks his heart. As conflicts between school clicks and town racial factions brew, Brian and Gretchen’s friendship stands a chance to be resurrected.

Critical Evaluation
Hairstyles of the Damned is on the fence between young adult and mainstream adult fiction, but an argument to keep it in the young adult genre can be adequately made because the majority of characters are high schoolers going through adolescent life changes. Meno perfectly captures this transition by showing the evolution of relationships between friends, romantic partners, and children with their parents. For example, Brian and Gretchen begin the novel as best friends with a routine that has not changed in years. As the story unfolds they take time away from one another to explore other relationships, which is common with lifelong friends as their worldview broadens in their teenage years. Brian’s relationship with his father also shifts as his parents separate, causing Brian to become more independent in his choices. These are circumstances in which average teenagers often find themselves, and Meno’s portrayal of the situations against the backdrop of the anti-establishment mindset of the 1990’s punk scene makes the characters even more relatable for the young reader.

Author Information
Joe Meno is a fiction writer and playwright who lives in Chicago. A winner of the Nelson Algren Literary Award, a Pushcart Prize, a Great Lakes Book Award, and a finalist for the Story Prize, he is the author of six novels, Office Girl, The Great Perhaps, The Boy Detective Fails, Hairstyles of the Damned, How the Hula Girl Sings, and Tender as Hellfire. His short story collections are Bluebirds Used to Croon in the Choir and Demons in the Spring. His short fiction has been published in the likes of McSweeney’s, One Story, Swink, LIT, TriQuarterly, Other Voices, Gulf Coast, and broadcast on NPR. He was a contributing editor to Punk Planet, the seminal underground arts and politics magazine. His non-fiction has appeared in The New York Times and Chicago Magazine.

Source: http://www.joemeno.com/bio

Genre
Fiction

Curriculum Ties
History/Pop Culture
Music Education
Sexual Education

Booktalking Ideas
Introduce the characters of Brian and Gretchen, making sure to highlight their differences in personality and their “opposites attract” style of friendship. Read a short passage with Brian being introspective, then a short passage of Gretchen acting on her Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.

Reading Level/Interest Age
School Library Journal: Adult/High School

Challenging Issues
Language
Racial Issues and Stereotypes
Sexual Content and/or Nudity

Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-specific-challenges_6.html

Why the Item Was Chosen
This book grabbed my interest from the very first sentence. “The other problem I had,” Brian laments to the reader on page 1, “was that I was falling in love with my best friend, Gretchen, who I thought the rest of the world considered fat” (Meno, 2004). This opener gives the reader clues to both Brian’s personality and Gretchen’s physical appearance before they even know it is Brian speaking. We also infer that Brian thinks he has problems, but is willing to confide in the reader. Most importantly, this gripping opening would interest a reluctant teenage reader. I believe they would at least read enough to find out why Brian considers falling in love with Gretchen a problem, at which point something else about the book may have caught their eye and compelled them to read further still. Books like Hairstyles of the Damned that make the reader want to continue turning pages are especially positive additions to young adult collections.

Holes by Louis Sachar

Bibliographic Information
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication year: 1998
ISBN: 978-0440414803

Reader’s Annotation
Stanley Yelnats IV, whose first name is his last name spelled backward, always seems to find himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. During a sentence at Camp Green Lake where criminal boys are sent to build character by digging holes, Stanley finds out that all his bad luck might be the fault of his “no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather.”

Plot Summary
When Stanley gets hit in the head by a pair of sneakers falling from an overpass, he has no idea that they belong to a famous basketball player, or that they have been stolen from a charity auction. He is found in possession of the valuable donation and sentenced to serve his time at Camp Green Lake. Attendees of the “camp” spend their days digging holes exactly five feet wide and five feet deep in order to build character and reflect on their crimes. Soon Stanley finds himself wrapped up in the camp warden’s scheme to find a treasure buried decades before by famous outlaw Kissin’ Kate Barlow. Together with his new friend Zero, Stanley has to investigate how his own family history fits into the history of Camp Green Lake, the town it used to be, and the truth that was buried along with Kate Barlow’s treasure.

Critical Evaluation
The most impressive aspect of Holes is the seamless transitions between several eras. Sachar draws a parallel from Elya Yelnats’ connection with Madame Zeroni in 19th century Latvia, to the old west town of Green Lake in 1888, to present-day Stanley and Zero’s adventure at Camp Green Lake. Characters in each era are three-dimensional, complete human beings with hopes, desires, and complicated backstories. For example, Kate Barlow’s legendary crime spree and suicide make sense after it is revealed that an angry mob murdered the love of her life. The realization that Stanley and Zero are the descendants of Elya and Madame Zeroni, and that they have finally broken the curse by performing the duties Elya shirked decades ago, dawns on the characters and the reader at the same time in a highly effective twist that makes the rest of the story riveting. Using these techniques, Sachar keeps the reader engaged from beginning to end.

Author Information
I was born in East Meadow, New York on March 20, 1954 and lived there until third grade. My dad worked on the 78th floor of the Empire State Building, and maybe that somehow inspired Wayside School, who knows? When I was nine years old, we moved to Tustin California. At that time, there were orange groves all around, and the local kids would often divide up into teams and have orange fights. The "ammo" hung from the trees, although the best ones were the gushy, rotten ones on the ground. Now most of the orange trees are gone, replaced with fast food restaurants, and big box stores.

I enjoyed school and was a good student, but it wasn't until high school that I really became an avid reader. J.D. Salinger and Kurt Vonnegut were the authors who first inspired me. Some of my other favorite authors include E.L. Doctorow, Margaret Atwood, E.B White, Richard Price and Kazuo Ishiguro.

After high school, I attended Antioch College in Ohio. My father died during my first semester, and I returned to California to be near my mother. During that time, I had a short but surprisingly successful career as a Fuller Brush man. For those of you too young to know what that is, I went door-to-door selling cleaning products.

I returned to college, this time to the University of California at Berkeley where I majored in Economics. On campus one day, I saw the unlikely sight of an elementary school girl handing out flyers. I took one from her. It said: "Help. We need teachers aides at our school. Earn three units of credit." I thought it over and decided it was a pretty good deal. College credits, no homework, no term papers, no tests, all I had to do was help out in a second/third grade class at Hillside Elementary School.

Besides helping out in a classroom, I also became the Noontime Supervisor, or "Louis the Yard Teacher" as I was known to the kids. It became my favorite college class, and a life changing experience.

When I graduated 1n 1976 I decided to try to write a children's book, which eventually became Sideways Stories From Wayside School. All the kids at Wayside School were based on the kids I knew at Hillside.

It took me about nine months to write the book. I wrote in the evenings. In the daytime I had a job at a sweater warehouse in Connecticut. After about a year, I was fired (my enthusiasm for sweaters was insufficient), and I decided to go to law school. Sideways Stories from Wayside School was accepted by a publisher during my first week at Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco.

I finished law school, graduating in 1980, passed the bar exam (which was required to practice law) and then did part-time legal work as I continued to write children's books. It wasn't until 1989 that my books began selling well enough that I was finally able to stop practicing law and devote myself fully to writing.

My wife Carla was a counselor at an elementary school when I first met her. She was the inspiration for the counselor in There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom. We were married in 1985. Our daughter, Sherre, was born in 1987. We live in Austin, Texas along with our dog, Watson. Sherre now has a job as a zookeeper. Over the last five years, she has, at various times, taken care of tigers, lions, bears, great apes, giraffes, and a variety of smaller animals such as porcupines and sea otters.

I write every morning, usually for no more than two hours a day. I never talk about a book until it is finished. I spent two years on my latest novel, and nobody, not even Carla, Sherre or my editor knew anything about it until it was finished. Then they were the first to read it.

That book is Fuzzy Mud, although the original title was Frankengerms.

In my spare time, I like to play bridge. You can often find me at the bridge club in Austin, or at a bridge tournament somewhere around the country

Source: http://www.louissachar.com/about.html

Genre
Fiction
Historical Fiction
Humor
Mystery

Curriculum Ties
History

Booktalking Ideas
Begin by speaking briefly about coincidences, and how Stanley thought he was always in the wrong place at the wrong time. Read the passage toward the beginning with the family sitting around the dinner table cursing Stanley’s great-great-grandfather for all their bad luck. Interest the audience in whether their bad luck is due to the curse or merely coincidence. Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Publisher’s Weekly: Age 10 and up

Challenging Issues
Murder
Racial Issues and Stereotypes
Violence

Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-specific-challenges_6.html

Why the Item Was Chosen
I have included Holes in my young adult collection because its popularity has been steady since the book was published. Sachar’s work has long been regarded as a gem in both the children’s and young adult genres. Not to include especially his most popular works in a collection of young adult materials would be a massive oversight. This is another title that was made more popular after being made into a movie in 2003. Patrons who have seen and loved the movie might come to the library looking for the book. I also feel this novel is a worthwhile pick for young adults who may be unenthusiastic about reading. The short chapters, engaging storylines, and slightly lower reading level will attract reluctant readers from the first page.

Hope in Patience by Beth Fehlbaum

Bibliographic Information
Publisher: Westside Books
Publication year: 2010
ISBN: 978-0997387124

Reader’s Annotation
The second in a trilogy, Hope in Patience follows fifteen-year-old Ashley Asher she seeks legal justice and continues to heal from the crimes her stepfather committed against her through therapy, and beginning to trust her biological father and his new family.

Plot Summary
Fifteen-year-old Ashley has a lot she needs to recover from. First, having been a victim of her stepfather’s repeated sexual abuse and assault since childhood, she constantly deals with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and anxiety. She is also in the process of physically healing from when her mother and step-father tried to abduct her from her biological father’s home, where she was assigned to live by Child Protective Services despite never having a relationship with him. With the help and compassion of her father, new step-mother, and unorthodox therapist, Ashley begins the long process of healing from lifelong trauma.

Critical Evaluation
Fehlbaum tackles a serious and significant issue with this work. Ashley’s history as an abuse victim and resulting self-injury is depicted realistically, as are her relationships with her parents and step-parents. However, the writing style is simplistic and one-dimensional. The reader does not gain much insight into the feelings of characters besides Ashley. While realistic to the average teenager’s self-centeredness, the author’s choice to do this leaves the reader wondering about the point of view of the others involved. For example, one wonders if Ashley’s mother is really the unfeeling monster Ashley perceives her to be, or if her poor treatment of her daughter comes with an inner struggle and ultimate poor decision of where her loyalties should lie. Overall, Hope in Patience is important because of its subject matter, but leaves something to be desired in terms of character development and interaction.

Author Information
In addition to writing Young Adult Contemporary Fiction, Beth Fehlbaum is a high school English-Language Arts teacher who frequently draws on her experience as an educator to write her books. She has a B.A. in English, Minor in Secondary Education, and an M.Ed. in Reading.

Beth is a featured author on the 2015-2016 Spirit of Texas Reading List- High School for the Kirkus Starred Reviewed Big Fat Disaster (Merit Press/F+W Media, March 2014) and The Patience Trilogy: Courage (1), Hope (2), and Truth (3) (Steady On Books, April 2016).

Beth is a member of the RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network) Speakers’ Bureau. She has a following in the young adult literature world and also among survivors of sexual abuse because of her work with victims’ advocacy groups.

She has been the keynote speaker at the National Crime Victims’ Week Commemoration Ceremony at the Hall of State in Dallas, Texas and a presenter for Greater Texas Community Partners, where she addressed a group of social workers and foster children on the subject of “Hope.”

Beth is in-demand as a panelist, having presented/appeared at the Texas Library Association Annual Conference, the American Library Association’s annual conference, YALSA, and N.C.T.E./ALAN, and she is also the founder/administrator of UncommonYA, a thirty-member-strong marketing group and website for authors of edgy YA fiction. Beth is a member of The Author’s Guild.

She is a survivor of a traumatic childhood, like Ashley in The Patience Trilogy, and the day-to-day manager of an eating disorder much like Colby’s in Big Fat Disaster. These life experiences give her a unique perspective, and she writes her characters’ stories in a way meant to inspire hope.

Beth lives with her family in the woods of East Texas.

Source: http://www.amazon.com/Beth-Fehlbaum/e/B001JP9NRQ/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Genre
Fiction

Curriculum Ties
Health
Sexual Education

Booktalking Ideas
First warn that the book has mature themes and might not be suitable for young children. Introduce the story by giving a brief overview of the first book in the series, then explain that this one follows Ashley as her journey of healing continues. Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Booklist: Grade 10-12
School Library Journal: Grade 8 and up

Challenging Issues
Child Abuse
Language
PTSD
Rape and Sexual Assault
Self-Injury
Sexual Content and/or Nudity
Violence

Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html

Why the Item Was Chosen
I included this item in my collection because the subject of sexual abuse in families is uncomfortable, but one that must not be swept under the rug. A young adult browsing my collection might read this book and finally gain the courage to speak up about the abuse they or a friend are suffering. Libraries exist to provide information; while some might find the subject matter of Hope in Patience inappropriate, it is necessary for young adults to know that sexual abuse and trauma can be overcome. I hope that the inclusion of this series in my collection solidifies for my young adult patrons that they deserve to feel safe at all times, and they should follow Ashley’s example and speak up if they do not.

Keeping You a Secret by Julie Ann Peters

Bibliographic Information
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication year: 2005
ISBN: 978-0316009850

Reader’s Annotation
Cece is witty, sure of herself, and openly gay in an intolerant high school; Holland has a steady boyfriend and is on the fast track to the Ivy League. Cece’s arrival throws Holland’s world into a not-exactly-unwelcome tailspin by allowing Holland to realize she doesn’t have to meet her mother’s every expectation in order to be happy.

Plot Summary
Holland Jager plans to spend her senior focusing on college applications, extracurricular activities, and her boyfriend Seth. When she meets Cece, a transfer to her school, Holland develops an immediate attraction to the new girl that she cannot quite explain. Part of her interest is in Cece’s shirt, broadcasting “IMRU” along with a pink triangle. Holland later realizes this means Cece is an out and proud lesbian. Holland and Cece become friends, and as their relationship becomes romantic Holland breaks up with Seth and spends less time working on college applications and homework. When Holland and Cece’s love becomes the newest gossip at school, Holland is forced to make some tough decisions about her friendships, relationship with her overbearing mother, and her future.

Critical Evaluation
Peters explores the subject of self-discovery and coming out against the backdrop of high school intolerance and homophobia in a realistic and relatable manor. As a plot-driven novel, the arc of the story leaves the reader satisfied. However, the characters’ personalities feel incomplete. In the beginning of the novel Cece is more of a device for Holland to discover her sexuality. Her first appearance wearing the “IMRU” t-shirt and Holland’s subsequent inner musing that “I didn’t know we had any gays in our school” is a forced way to introduce the subject of Cece’s openness about her sexuality and Holland’s curiosity about it. Holland’s mother having such an intense reaction to her daughter coming out and kicking her out of the house is unexpected, and seems more like a representation of the cliche intolerant parent than the way the character would realistically react. While the characters do occasionally fall flat, Keeping You a Secret is overall successful and a valuable part of the LGBTQ+ literature canon.

Author Information
Julie Anne Peters is the critically-acclaimed, award winning author of more than a dozen books for young adults and children. Her book, Luna, was a National Book Award Finalist; Keeping You a Secret was named a Stonewall Honor Book; Between Mom and Jo won a Lambda Literary Award; and Define “Normal” was voted by young readers as their favorite book of the year in California and Maryland. Julie’s books have been published in numerous countries, including Korea, China, Croatia, Germany, France, Italy, Indonesia, Turkey, and Brazil.

She is a member of The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, PEN America, Colorado Authors League, and The Author's Guild.

Julie loves writing because she gets to be her own boss and doesn't have to work in an office cubicle. It's hard to think outside the box when you work in a cube. She lives in Lakewood, Colorado, with her partner, Sherri, and far too many cats. The cats are under the impression that they're creative geniuses, since they spend a majority of their day walking back and forth across her computer keyboard. They probably generate more words per day than she does, but who can read cat gibberish?

I was born in Jamestown, New York, during the Peloponnesian Wars. I don't know when the Peloponnesian Wars were. Ancient history to me is, like, last weekend. Actual birthdate: January 16, 1952. My family moved to Colorado when I was five years old, so I consider myself a "near native." My growing up years were spent in the 'burbs of Denver, where I frequently tormented my older brother, John, and two younger sisters, Jeanne and Susan. Our home was a virtual landing zone for stray animals, friends, and relatives. You never knew who (or what) you'd find in the bathroom. It was noisy, but fun

I was always the perfect daughter (cough). That's what I wanted my parents to believe. My parents were divorced when I was in high school, a trauma from which I’m still trying to recover. Our Bohemian mother loaded the caravan and moved us all to the city, where I finished school at Denver’s North High. Valkyries rule.

School was something I did well. My first college degree was a B.A. in Elementary Education with a minor in French. Colorado Women's College offered an exchange program to Geneva, Switzerland, which I jumped at, and after a year abroad I now know what not to order in a French restaurant. Steak tartare. I believe steak tartare contributed to my subsequent all-veggie, all-the-time ideology.

I taught fifth grade for one year before I realized that I was too young and naïve to teach. Teachers are angels and I had a loooooooooooooooong way to go before I could earn my wings in that profession. (I think I missed the boat on classroom management.) How to overcome failure was the hardest lesson I've ever learned. I'm not sure I have, or ever will. But I had become accustomed to eating regularly, so I figured I'd better find a new career. Returning to the one place where success was under my control (school), I earned a B.S. degree in Computer and Management Science. They don't call it a B.S. for nothing.

During the next ten years I worked as a research analyst, computer programmer, and systems engineer until the entire left half of my brain turned to cheese. I also picked up a Masters Degree in Business and Computer Science, which only confirmed my suspicion that IS was not the career for me. You can only waste so much of your life geeking out about 4GL and artificial intelligence. There's a reason they call it artificial.

To deal with the devastating possibility that I might have actually failed at my SECOND career choice, I began to write. What came out of me were stories and books for young people. They took me back to the time in my life when the decisions I made, the paths I chose, determined the kind of person I would become.

I still live in Colorado, in the 'burbs. My partner Sherri and I met in college, and we’ve been together ever since. Our home sits on a hill with a breathtaking view of the snow-capped peaks along the Continental Divide. There's a skulk of foxes (that's what my Thesaurus calls them) who've laid claim to our neighborhood, along with the occasional coyote on the prowl for good garbage digs.

My neighbors think I'm slumming because I stay home all day. But they can't see all the places I go to in my mind. Amazing, exciting, happy, sad, horrible, wonderful places. Yeah, okay, these may be psychotic episodes brought on by lack of human contact, but I like to think my brain is a breeding ground for stories. Something is always festering in there. So, readers, sit tight; you're in for a rocky ride. I promise you one thing—it'll be noisy, but fun.

Source: http://www.julieannepeters.com/files/JPBio.htm

Genre
Fiction

Curriculum Ties
Health (Social and Family Issues)

Booktalking Ideas
Introduce the character of Holland and discuss how her instant attraction to Cece opens up her exploration that she might have feelings for another girl, even though she has never thought about this before. Talk briefly about homophobia and bullying in high school. Read the passage when Holland’s mother kicks her out of the house. Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Booklist: Grade 9-12
Publisher’s Weekly: Age 14 and up
School Library Journal: Grade 9 and up

Challenging Issues
Bullying
LGBTQ+
Language
Sexual Content and/or Nudity

Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-specific-challenges-lgbtq.html

Why the Item Was Chosen
This is another book that is important for visibility of the LGBTQ+ community in the lives of young adults. It is a coming out story and covers self-identity, self-acceptance, telling your parents, and existing as an out, queer member of your high school community. Everyone’s experience with LGBTQ+ issues is different, so including as many diverse stories on the subject as possible in a library collection is crucial. Whether my library patrons are queer, questioning, or allies, Peters tells a unique story in Keeping You a Secret that might help an unsure adolescent become comfortable with their identity. Teen patrons who are intolerant of the LGBTQ+ community might also find this book useful in aiding them to understand, and become more compassionate toward, these issues.