The Reading Nook

Hard Love is a touching book, and it really displays the essential elements of a young adult book. John (aka Gio) is a high school student, and narrates the story. He tends to take matters into his own hands, rather than relying on adults. The story is a little over 200 pages, and is very well written. Ellen Wittlinger does a great job of telling the story as a teenage boy, using colorful vocabulary, to say the least. Another key theme in the book is that John matures, and realizes certain things that he did not at the beginning of the book. John seems like an outcast at the beginning of the book, but as his life continues, he develops into quite a popular young man. There is also a lot of sexuality featured in this book, which holds true to the young adult genre.
I really enjoyed this book, because it deals with themes that all 7th graders will face in the coming years of school. Being in love with a lesbian as a boy is interesting to read about, and it makes you think about what it would feel like. It is very interesting to think about a problem you have not yet dealt with yourself. The only issue I have with the book is that it focuses a little too much on homosexuality. Many books that have homosexuality have the same problem, where every time you look, there is another gay or lesbian person. It is not a terrible downside, but can get irritating at times. Overall, I give the book a 7/10. I am glad a read it, because it may mean more to me in future years than it did now.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer is a thrilling novel about a teenage girl named Bella. She is independent and always tries to solve her problems without help from others. Bella is the narrator. By the end of the story Bella matures and realizes the dangers that she faces in the world. She also matures in another way; she learns what she really wants to do with her life. Bella is constantly faced with physical and mental challenges. In the end Bella is faced with physical pain after being attacked. Bella is faced with the same emotional conflict throughout the story; she does know what to do when she finds out what Edward, the boy she loves, really is.

I really enjoyed this book because of the constant action. There is not a page in this book when some conflict is not being dealt with. The characters are fully rounded which makes the story intriguing. When a character is being too kind you know they are hiding something. The setting plays an important role in the story. Everything described to the reader, including the setting, plays a role in the story. The plot of the story is also very interesting. The story line is very different than most other books I have read. I enjoyed this book so much that I am now reading the rest of the series.

- Alexa W

For my Y/A assignment, I decided to do a comparison on what really makes a Y/A book a Y/A book. I read two novels, Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block, and Eagle Strike by Anthony Horowitz. Although both of the books I read had teen protagonists, they each had very different content that would decide if a younger child could read it vs. an older, more mature teenager. This would decide if it was Y/A or not.

Eagle Strike is a long, winding, and surprising novel written by Anthony Horowitz that I liked very much. This book is about a young, british, 14-year-old boy named Alex Rider. Alex, like many kids reading the novel seems to his friends as an average teen with an average english life, but in reality, he is working as a secret agent for MI6, one of the United Kingdom’s most popular agencies. This secret personality really helped me to be engaged within the story. Alex had learned to grow up under the influence of his mysterious uncle (also a secret agent) who has died along with Alex’s parents, which is an unlikely trait of maturity that Alex has developed from the lack of a father figure in his life. As Alex is getting older, he is facing decisions and problems with one of his best friends, Sabina, and many more not mentioned by Horowitz that come with being a teenager. They, Alex and Sabina, have a minor romance, and finally kiss on a vacation in the south of France. Alex finds out later on that vacation about a superstar singer Damian Cray, and he thinks that Cray has one of Alex’s enemies working for him. Back and forth, Alex finds himself in trouble with Cray, the man that so many people around the world love, and he is forced to try and prove that he is hiding something, something that could change the world. He feels alone in the story, for MI6 has let him down and does not believe him. In this way, teens can relate to how he feels. The story changes, and the unexpected seems to crawl out from behind each of the character’s personalities. I liked the secret agent part of the book very much, but I was not able to relate to the characters as much as a Y/A book should let the reader be, as the reader should be able to when reading a Y/A book. Although Alex, Sabina, and their friends are teenagers and have some teen issues, the problems are minor and Anthony Horowitz does not express them enough to the reader, and they, the different stages, are not the most important part of the story, making it definitely suitable for a young, engaged, reader. Alex does not go through any significant changes other than maturity from all of the treacherous things he has faced, and thus, this novel would not be able to be classified as a Y/A book.

On the other hand, Weetzie Bat, a short novel is about a troubled, but yet happy and courageous girl named Weetzie. Living in Los Angeles with Slinkster Dog, she finds herself as one among few who actually take advantage of the wonderful place they live in. Her best friend and the hottest guy at school, Dirk, is facing one of the hardest problems that young adults face around the world: being gay. This is obviously something that young children could not comprehend, and something that many confused gay teens can relate to, making it an element that would normally be found in a Y/A book. They hang out and try new things, until Weetzie meets a genie, and is granted three wishes. They are reckless and careless teenager-like wishes, although they all come true in many different ways. Weetzie faces wishful thinking and meets My Secret Agent Lover Man, and that is actually his name, as is the same for Duck, Dirk’s new boyfriend. They all hang out, and finally, Weetzie decides that she wants a baby. My Secret Agent Lover Man does not want one, and then, Weetzie goes to Dirk and Duck for help. They reluctantly decide to have it with her, and this is a decision made by Weetzie that shows that she can take care of her own life, and that she doesn’t need help anymore. Although I felt uncomfortable reading about this, it was interesting and it made me think about the possibility that many teens do the same thing. They finally have a baby together, although they do not know who the father is. Pregnancy is a very strong issue among teens, and is a very big thing growing up, something that a crowd of young readers could not handle. Gradually, Weetzie grows and faces many problems that her friends and herself have throughout the novel, and learns that “love is the most beautiful and dangerous angel of all.” Weetzie Bat takes a mature mind to read, making it a definite choice for a Y/A project. Read it!

I liked both books very much not only for their content, but for their different styles of writing, which I liked to read. I loved Eagle strike overall because I always looked forward to reading more pages, and I took my time, wanting to enjoy every page. The style of reading was easy for me, and it could keep me going at night until I went to sleep. I almost never put it down. Although, it was not Y/A, because the major point of the book were Alex’s adventures, and not his various issues. I did not like Weetzie bat that much because there were so many abstract problems that I could not really understand, and most people would not too. It was crazy, with all the unexpected events and weird names which I did not like as much. It was also awkward at points, and really made me secretly want to change the decisions of the characters. Though, it was short, convenient, fun, and most of all, I could relate to it in many ways, as it was Y/A, a new type of read, of which I will get to understand more and more as I grow up. In a comparison between the two novels, they only really have one thing in common, a teenage main character. In truth, Eagle Strike is an action adventure, and Weetzie Bat is a true Y/A read.

The Old Man and the Sea is a book that would go under the genre of realistic fiction. It is short (127 pages long) and is about an old man that goes fishing alone far away from his home. He struggles to capture a massive eighteen foot long marlin and bring it back home safely, where he could sell it for money. However, he manages to capture the marlin. Unfortunately, on the way back sharks devour most of the marlin and the old man suffers both physically and psychologically (his cuts on his hands, the cramp in his back, and the meaning of sin).

I enjoyed the book very much even though it was depressing and not the “happy” type of book because it was simple, short, but contained a lot of lessons and messages. After the old man kills the massive marlin, he thinks of the definition of sin and wonders whether it is a sin to kill “brothers.” The old man thinks of the marlin as a brother that is strong and brave even though he kills it. The old man respects the marlin even after it is just a carcass attached to his ship. He shows this by protecting him from sharks until he could not any longer. The author places many abstract messages throughout the book. One of these abstract messages is that of the fisherman’s luck in capturing the marlin. The old fisherman wonders whether he could buy luck and whether he payed days in order to receive luck. Throughout the book the fisherman wishes many things and most importantly wishes that he stayed home. This shows his mixed feelings over his capture of the merlin. He feels as if it was a waste because the sharks destroy the merlin’s dignity and honor by eating him, which the fisherman apologizes for. He blames everything on himself for going out too far from his home, showing that he is a good, kind, old fisherman.

When I first picked up the book, I thought that it was one of those books that bring you to sleep in boredom, however I was tricked. The author described each day with many details and managed to turn days in the middle of the sea into something quite interesting. Ernest Hemingway also has a style of writing that I like very much; simplicity and short sentences that give a strong visual image of the scene.

I strongly recommend this book to all readers that can accept simple writing and depressing endings. If I were to rate this from a scale of one to ten, I would not hesitate to give this simple read a ten.

-Morris Reeves

For my YA assignment, I read Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn. The novel is an average length of 263 pages. The novel is in the main character’s point of view and his name is Nick. The plot is related to teenagers because it is about how a boy and a girl like each other but then they run into some problems. The main character is entirely in love with this one girl but he has some anger management problems. He treats his girlfriend very poorly sometimes when he is mad with her. Nick ends up in court for slapping her across the face. The judge makes a restraining order between Nick and his girlfriend. Nick is devastated and he is always trying to get with his girlfriend when nobody is there. He needs to talk to her. This novel is all about how Nick is moving on in his life with a restraining order between him and his girlfriend. There is also a little bit of sexual content. The sexual content would probably make a reader feel a little bit uncomfortable.

Nick has a problems to go through but sometimes it gets worse. Death would happen thanks to the work of drugs and sometimes his father (his mother is not mentioned) would treat him very badly. Nick tries to take some things into his own hands.

I would recommend this book to people in my grade a lot because it has the struggles of a teenage boy. From a scale from 1-10, I would give it a 9 to its plot. The reason why I would not give it a perfect score is it might make some readers feel uncomfortable. I personally like this book because it is a never-put-downer. It is really hard to put down that book. I like that the main character is intelligent, popular and wealthy and I think that kind of person makes a good book. Again, from a scale from 1-10 I would give it a 10 for its intensity. So overall I would give it a 9.5 and I really recommend it.

For our YA assignment, I read Speak. Speak is a very good example of a YA book because it has a teen protagonist dealing with problems. First off, she doesn’t have many friends. The year before the book is placed, she was happy with many friends. But you find out that she called the police during a summer party and no one ever liked her. This book is very intriguing because we do not find out the reason for the call until the end of the book. The book is told by Malinda, a girl around 15 years of age. She is very intelligent and learns a lot of things. One subject that she gets to express herself in is art class. At the beginning of the year, she has an assignment to draw a tree. It may look like drawing a tree is easy but for Malinda it is hard. The tree resembles her life in high school. It took a long time to make it perfect. She worked on it everyday and really learned a lot about being careful on what she does. She does talk in some slang and does curse occasionally. Malinda is an outsider, and learns to deal with what has happened in her life. In the book, she starts to be very sad about her life and starts to not talk very much. Everyone gets very concerned about her and this makes her confused. The book is a good YA book but may only be for people of older age. It doesn’t get boring, and is very good.

Speak, is a great book for people my age. There are many things to think about when you read it. You think about your friends and family and how powerful a voice can be. While not speaking, Malinda manages to concern her parents and realize what her life has turned into. She takes the lead and tries to get her old friends back, but has a hardship through it. Speak is an amazing book, and I really enjoyed it. It is very interesting because she always finds a way through things and really learns to love herself the way she is. She is also very comical, smart, and entertaining throughout the whole book. I loved this book and I know you will love it too. Read it!

For my Young Adult (“YA”) book I read “The Year of Secret Assignments” by Jaclyn Moriarty. The book is about three girls named Cassie, Emily and Lydia who have to take part in a pen pal project with their rival school. During the project two of the girls meet up with two boys that they like. However things go wrong when one of the girls starts writing to a psychopath at the rival school. I think that this book is a Young Adult book because it seems to be designed for teenagers. The main characters are teenagers and the problems are ones that only teenagers would have. There is some sexual content meaning that it is not for younger kids as well. Not to mention that after one of the kids gets bullied, the main characters take it into their hands to solve the problem also making it a YA book. Finally the book is a short read and is in the 250 page margin.

I really liked this book for many reasons. First, I like the way that the characters have to deal with events and sort them out in their own way. I also like how both the boys help the girls and visa versa. I think it was also neat the way that the book was told mainly through letters. It was a cool twist the way that the writer was able to tell a story this way and not make it seem like you were just reading a bunch of letters. I really did not like some of the smaller plots. They were weak and didn’t go to well with the main plot. Over all, I think that the book was enjoyable and was a fast read.

For my Young Adult book, I chose to read Chinese Handcuffs, a story told about two teenagers, Dillon and Jennifer, who have suffered of horrendous pain throughout their lives and need each other to stay strong. The story classifies as a YA book because the main characters are two teens and the plot deals with suicide and rape. The book is told through 207 pages of Dillon’s letters to his dead brother, conversations and stories from the past. Jennifer has been sexually abused by both her father and stepfather. The only one who understands and cares about her is her grandfather, who passed away years ago. Now she is left with nobody to help her escape and finally stop the horrible nights she must face with her stepfather. Dillon’s brother recently committed suicide in front of him. Dillon’s mother has left the family with his sister, and leaves Dillon alone with his father. Dillon is not able to share his pain with anybody. He is also can not explain to anybody what exactly happened on the night of his brothers death. Dillon and Jennifer are both serious athletes. Jennifer is a warrior on the basketball court, while Dillon is a triathlon prodigy. They meet and are able to share each others’ pain. They help each other get over the fear of telling others the important secrets of the terrible events in their lives. Together, with the help of their coach, they are able to fix the major problems that stop them from living normal, teenage lives.

Chinese Handcuffs is a fabulous read that I personally enjoyed greatly. The book was incredible because there were problems that you thought could never be fixed, but by working together Jennifer and Dillon can help each other out of awful situations. They are able to help each other get over the fears of telling adults their problems. Although the book deals with less common problems, along the way the book deals with typical teenage problems like dating and parents. Sadly the book eventually comes to an end, although the ending was sweet and happy. Chinese Handcuffs was amazing, and a great read for anybody.

For my young adult book, I chose to read True Believer by Virginia Euwer Wolff. This book definitely classifies as a young adult book because it is told by a teenage girl and is about all of the problems she is facing. LaVaughn, the narrator, is a fifteen year old girl living in a poor neighborhood who is trying to get into college, and has to deal many typical teenage problems like boys, friends, and schoolwork. This book is 264 pages long, but the words only take up about half the page because this book is written in a poetic way. It is not a giant poem, but the sentences are placed in a certain way so the story just flows. I could very easily picture this story happening because it is very realistic because of the events which surround LaVaughn, how she deals with her problems and communicates with her friends and mother, and how she thinks. That makes it a young adult book.

I really enjoyed this book. Although I generally like books with more action, this book was great because it never got boring. Since the reader really gets to know LaVaughn, you understand her actions. At first, I was a bit apprehensive to choosing this book because I usually do not go for the books written like a diary, like a poem, or something like that. I decided to try it, and I got used to it and really liked it. This book was not really poem, it was just LaVaughn’s thoughts and just flowed. It didn’t even seem like this book was formatted in a different way. LaVaughn is a well rounded character because she has many different sides to her personality. There is always something going on in this story, and I really liked it! I highly recommend this book to someone who wants a quick, great read!

Jenna Borenstein

I read Black And White, by Paul Volponi. This book is a 185 page novel about two boys who grew up as best friends and they share the name Black and White. They have this name because Eddie is white and Marcus is black. They do everything together and have no problems until they start doing stickups and getting into trouble. The stickups cause issues that are hard for Eddie and Marcus to go through. Black and White is definitely a young adult genre because the protagonists who are Eddie and Marcus both tell the story from each of their perspectives, the main characters are teenagers, and the teenagers use curse words. Another element that make this book young adult is that the main characters do not tell their parents about the stickups, so they try to resolve their problems independently. The main characters mature by the end of the novel because they realize that committing stickups is wrong leading them to become self aware of their actions. Black and White do not have any racial problems until the middle of the book and the characters have to learn to deal with the situation. Paul Volponi’s writing drew me into the story and the lessons touched me.

I loved Black and White because it is a story about teenagers who get themselves into trouble but at the end, they realized that they did the wrong thing. I enjoyed reading Black and White because when the book was not talking about the character’s problems, it was talking about basketball and teenage situations at school. I highly recommend this book for all types of readers because it has sad parts, happy parts, sport related parts, and regular teen issues mixed in!

Julia Rosenheim

Gingerbread, a fairly short YA novel by Rachel Cohn, is told in first person by an independent, trouble making, and funny teenage girl named Cyd Charisse. Gingerbread is a YA book because it is told in first person by a teenager who overcomes teen issues and who struggles with problems such as boyfriends, pregnancy, and family. Throughout the book she is constantly dealing with secrets about her and her family’s past. She travels to New York for the summer to visit with her dad, bringing only one memory that she has of him. The memory consists of him buying her a doll in an airport when she was young that she named Gingerbread. The doll has not left her side since, hence the significance and title of the book. Not only does the main character think and speak in teenage slang, but she faces teenage situations that are hard to deal with in real life. I think that Gingerbread is also a YA book because it deals with the issue of teen pregnancy and abortion as one of it’s hidden themes. Cyd Charisse slowly uncovers throughout the story the truth behind her father and her mother’s relationship and why they separated when she was a baby. The recurring theme of the importance of family is strong as well and is a characteristic of a YA book in this case because she matures throughout the book going from a person who did not appreciate her family, to a person who valued and respected it.

Gingerbread was an extremely well written and intriguing book that constantly kept me interested and entertained. The reason why I thought that it was so interesting was because although the main character went through a lot in her childhood and teenage years, she was independent and found a way to be strong. It was somewhat inspiring in that way, and it made the reader love the main character. Her humor was entertaining and the plot kept flowing and was never boring. The characters were all fully developed by the end of the book, including the main character who seemed like I knew very well. It was an enjoyable read in which the characters, themes, and plot were all characteristics of a well written YA book.

The Earth, My Butt, and other Big Round Things, by Carolyn Mackler, is a book targeted at teenagers with many issues, including family, school stress, and fitting in. The genre of the story is young adult. It qualifies as a young adult book because it involves a teenage girl, Virginia Shreeves, who feels that she does not fit in at school and with her picture perfect family, because she is overweight. It is also a young adult book because it is told in first person, by the protagonist. Virginia thinks that she is born into the wrong family because both her parents and siblings are very smart and have the ideal image in her society. She feels the same way at school because she is made fun of because of her weight. This book is also a young adult book because the protagonist is going through family issues. Her role model brother was suspended from college. As life whirlwinds around Virginia Shreeves, she must learn to not worry about her body, be herself, and that her family is not perfect after all.

The Earth, My Butt, and other Big Round Things, by Carolyn Mackler, was not my favorite book. This is because there was some inappropriate language and the story often made me feel uncomfortable, which are common things in young adult books. However, there are some aspects of the story that did interest me. At many points in the story, I felt like I was living exactly what each of the characters were experiencing at the time when I was reading. The characters were complex and I got to know them very well. The plot of the story is hard to figure out while reading it. I liked this because after I finished, I was able to work the story out in my head and it made complete sense. The story is a quick read and it holds your attention. This book also taught me a lot about how to deal with family issues. The story always revealed the other side of the argument and I learned to that you should always consider what the other person is feeling. I recommend this story more for girls than for boys because everything is from a girl’s point of view, or for people who are looking for a light read with complex characters. It is also for people who do not mind some uncomfortable events during the course of the book. Overall, I enjoyed watching Virginia Shreeves mature and become a confident and content character.

Jonathan Kasdin
12/15/08
English A

Nothing but the Truth
The book Nothing but the Truth by Avi is a Young Adult novel. In the book, the main character is a teenager. The book is not written in the first person point of view, which is usually the case in Young Adult novels, but that does not matter because seeing the other people’s perspective is vital to the story. The book is also a Young Adult book because it deals with some problems related to teenagers. The whole book starts because of animosity between a student and a teacher. This is something that teens go through. In the book, the main character has to find a way to cope with the struggle of being a teen. He has to deal with things like not making it onto the track team and failing classes. He goes from being an average kid to being more knowledgeable about the world. This book definitely qualifies as a Young Adult novel.

I like this book because it has an interesting plot and it was also political. The plot is very tense and kept me wondering what was going to happen next. As the tension built I could feel my mind racing, thinking about all the possible outcomes. Near the climax of the story, I could not put the book down. I also like the book because it has political aspects to it. I like that it questions what is the line between patriotism and creating a disturbance. The book forced me to think about who was truly right in the situation. The book has a good plot, is intellectually challenging, and is a fun read. I really enjoyed the book.

My Heartbeat is about a girl who is fourteen years old and is trying to open up herself and her family to what their identities really are. This book is a well composed, interesting, relatable young adult book. My Heartbeat qualifies as a young adult novel in many ways. First of all, the main character is a fourteen-year -old girl with two other teenage boys in her life. Then, everything is told from this fourteen-year-old girl’s point of view, and the problems in her life relate to not only her but her family and friends as well. There is a little amount of bad language, but it does not effect the story in any drastic measurements. The main character is intelligent, mature, and quite independent. My Heartbeat is a story that consists of one hundred and fifty-four well thought out pages. The main teenagers are mature and old enough to be assertive and only with a little help from their parents, finally manage to deal with matters themselves, and overcoming them. The main characters, particularly the fourteen-year-old girl have all matured greatly by the time it gets to the end of the book. Garret Freymann-weyr wrote a book that makes the reader somewhat uncomfortable, rather than having a perfectly happy and cheerful ending, that’s puts the reader in a good mood. The elements of My Heartbeat are so vast, but the main ones effect the story greatly in the good plot that it has.

My Heartbeat brings a lot of themes into the picture that comes into mind while reading this book. The main fourteen-year-old character is a huge outsider in her new school. She known no one except for her brother and his best friend who is practically family to her. She has trouble making friends regularly, but that does not even begin to describe the difficulties in her life. There are a numerous amount of family issues, and some concerns about AIDS and pregnancy. There is a huge having to deal with sex and sexuality in My Heartbeat. The whole book is practically about finding your sexuality around other people. There is tons of maturity, and a better understanding of people in different lives. There are a lot of themes in this book that make it a very good one hundred and fifty-four pages to read.

My Heartbeat is a book that I myself enjoyed very much for a nice read. This is because it has a good plot, and it is very easy to relate to the main characters because I am close to the same age as them. Also, the main character, like myself, is a girl; this makes it even more relatable. Although, there are some things that only older kids would do or act like, but overall it was easy to fathom what was happening. The language was perfect for me because most of the words were easy, but there were a few unknown words for me which is always good in a book. The style of My Heartbeat is a very good young adult book. It has elements of teenage characters, maturity, and all the things teenagers do and think about. It is true that this book has a plot that gets stretched out a little too far and for too long, so the author might wanted to have a more general plot than sticking to one specific thing. There were a lot of important parts, like talks with parents and things that the teenagers do, so sometimes it is a little bit hard to follow. Although, overall this book was an excellent choice for me to read, and I am really glad that I got to experience reading a very well-written young adult book.

Witch Baby, by Francesca Lia Block is about Witch Baby, a teenage girl living in Los Angeles, who has grown up being the pariah in her family and searches to find her identity. Witch Baby is a young adult book for several reasons; because of the theme and because it is short. Witch Baby is very independent and can take care of herself - since she has no friends other than her family, she learns how to amuse herself. This 103-page novel therefore has a main character that is trying to solve her own troubles and problems… she’s no longer a child. Some people may argue that Witch Baby is not a young adult novel, as the story is told in the 3rd person and does not contain teenage dialogue. Also, Witch Baby sometimes sounds like a little kid, and other times she sounds like Luna Lovegood from The Harry Potter Series (she seems a little crazy!). For example, she likes to go around saying bad things about people and telling all of their secrets. In the end though, this novel is a young adult book because of the emotional journey that Witch Baby makes. In addition to being independent, throughout the book she becomes more mature, self aware and responsible. She makes up for everything that she has done wrong.

Witch Baby is so exciting that I couldn’t put it down. It is an easy read, written in simple language that even a younger kid could understand. The characters, including Witch Baby, are very interesting because they all have unique names and are complicated people. One of the main themes in this book is that Witch Baby has to struggle as an outcast – she is very unusual and feels misunderstood. I like this book because even though Witch Baby is different from anyone I have ever met, I liked her. Particularly, I enjoyed learning about how she solved her own problems. Like many teenagers, she feels her family doesn’t understand her. Even though she may not know it, her family still loves her and tries to pay attention to her. This made me read the book with a huge smile. Out of all the genre books I have read so far, Witch Baby was by far my favorite.

Hope was here, by Joan Bauer, is a book about a teenage girl named Hope, and her problems and challenges as she moves from New York to a small town in Wisconsin. The main character is a teenager, and the book in written in first-person narration, which qualifies it as a Young Adult Book. The title, Hope was here, indicates that Hope leaves her mark wherever she goes. She has lived in four or five states in the past eight years. She leaves her mark on her old homes by writing “hope was here” on the side of the building. When she arrives at her new home town, Mulhoney, Wisconsin, Hope had many challenges immediately thrust upon her. However, she is an intelligent and quite mature, as she had been a mother-less waitress since her early teens. Hope steps into the new challenges tries her best to solve them. By the end of the book, Hope becomes more mature and realizes she can be the “hope” that the people of her town need.

There were a few aspects of Hope was here that I thought were well thought out and made me want to read more. Hope meets many challenges in the book, but not like other kid’s challenges. Hope has to overcome many things at once, such as trying to get a cancer-fighting man the job as Mulhoney’s mayor, and trying to find out who and where her father is. Hope also goes through many changes throughout the book, which I liked because it helps show the development of the charcter without losing the reader’s interest. Another aspect I liked about the book was that Hope was a normal girl, there was nothing really special about her. She was extremely smart or a gifted athlete, yet she was still able to solve problems and help her town. I also liked how there were occasional twists in the book, things that I did not expect. Sometimes the chapter ended with a cliffhanger, which made me want to read it even more. Overall, I thought that Joan Bauer is an excellent writer and her book Hope was here was very interesting and fun to read.

-Lucy R. P.

Matt Cohen
English A
12/17/08

“Son of the Mob”, by Gordan Korman, definitely qualifies as a great YA book. The main character of the book is Vincent (he is normally called Vince) Luca, and the book is told from his perspective. He is a teenager who is having problems with his family, and it is effecting his whole life. Though his problems are more serious than the problems of an average teenager, the concept is the same. People are getting on his nerves and corrupting him, and instead of seeking help, Vince decides to take things into his own hands. He tries to save two of his dad’s customers from being put out of business for good, while dealing with problems in school and with his girl friend. On top of this, he is dealing with the constant stress of his dad’s “vending machine business” (thats their code name for his real job, the leader/head of the mob). In the beginning of the book, Vince seems very mature and intelligent, but as the book went on. he seemed to lose some of his poise. The odd thing was that he ended up in a better position than he started in. Everything in his life was better, and he had just stood up to his dad for real. He takes control of his life and strays even farther away from his family and his family business. Even though his dad was the head of the mob, Vince lived a reasonably average teenage life: friends, challenging relationships, and, most of all, problems. This book without a doubt meets the requirements of a YA book, and it happens to be an amazing one.
I really enjoyed “Son of the Mob” because it was funny, it had a great plot/story-line, and I could relate to it, while at the same time I couldn’t imagine being in his position. The idea of the story was great, and the author used it as best he could. Though it wasn’t a scary book, and it wasn’t much of a mystery, I was still on the edge of my seat, wanting to read more. The book also had a bit of irony which I enjoyed. Almost any kid whose dad ran the mob would turn out bad and like his dad, but Vince was the exact opposite. He tries to live a life without the mob involved and fails. That is one of the funnier concepts. It also turns out that the one girl he really likes and who really likes him is the daughter of the FBI agent whose goal in life is to put Vince’s dad in jail. This was a very easy-read book. It was written in the language a teenager would use, and I really liked that. “Son of the Mob” was very enjoyable, thrilling, and humorous, and I would give it a 9.75 out of 10 (not ten because I have read slightly better books).

Matt Cohen
English A
12/17/08

“Son of the Mob”, by Gordan Korman, definitely qualifies as a great YA book. The main character of the book is Vincent (he is normally called Vince) Luca, and the book is told from his perspective. He is a teenager who is having problems with his family, and it is effecting his whole life. Though his problems are more serious than the problems of an average teenager, the concept is the same. People are getting on his nerves and corrupting him, and instead of seeking help, Vince decides to take things into his own hands. He tries to save two of his dad’s customers from being put out of business for good, while dealing with problems in school and with his girl friend. On top of this, he is dealing with the constant stress of his dad’s “vending machine business” (thats their code name for his real job, the leader/head of the mob). In the beginning of the book, Vince seems very mature and intelligent, but as the book went on. he seemed to lose some of his poise. The odd thing was that he ended up in a better position than he started in. Everything in his life was better, and he had just stood up to his dad for real. He takes control of his life and strays even farther away from his family and his family business. Even though his dad was the head of the mob, Vince lived a reasonably average teenage life: friends, challenging relationships, and, most of all, problems. This book without a doubt meets the requirements of a YA book, and it happens to be an amazing one.
I really enjoyed “Son of the Mob” because it was funny, it had a great plot/story-line, and I could relate to it, while at the same time I couldn’t imagine being in his position. The idea of the story was great, and the author used it as best he could. Though it wasn’t a scary book, and it wasn’t much of a mystery, I was still on the edge of my seat, wanting to read more. The book also had a bit of irony which I enjoyed. Almost any kid whose dad ran the mob would turn out bad and like his dad, but Vince was the exact opposite. He tries to live a life without the mob involved and fails. That is one of the funnier concepts. It also turns out that the one girl he really likes and who really likes him is the daughter of the FBI agent whose goal in life is to put Vince’s dad in jail. This was a very easy-read book. It was written in the language a teenager would use, and I really liked that. “Son of the Mob” was very enjoyable, thrilling, and humorous, and I would give it a 9.75 out of 10 (not ten because I have read slightly better books).

Maya Lockman-Fine
English C
Young Adult Assignment

Go Ask Alice is definitely a young adult book. Most young adults can relate to the main character, Alice, and understand what she is going through and feeling. Alice is 14 at the beginning of the story and 19 at the end. She tells her story in the first person, using modern and slang language. She curses frequently and uses nicknames for the drugs she takes. She is a very independent person. She likes to do things alone, and this can get her into trouble. One example of this is how she does not tell her parents about her drug problem, but rather attempts to deal with it alone; in the end, this is what kills her. However, Alice is also incredibly sensitive. She has a big heart and loves every member of her family. When her grandfather dies, she is incredibly affected. At the beginning of Go Ask Alice, Alice is just a typical girl who wishes for excitement. She does not realize that drugs are bad, and that her family is precious. However, by the end she has matured significantly. She is more careful, and more self-knowing. Young adults will find it easy to relate to Alice’s feelings, experiences, and the changes she goes through.
Another thing that makes this story a young adult book is how personal it is. Alice could be any girl who suffers from drugs; in fact, she was. The subject of this story was a real girl, and the book is her diary. She died of drug abuse a few weeks after the book ends. Therefore, the book is painfully truthful. Some of the things said are extremely shocking and horrifying. Alice tells many stories about people she knows, and how awful their lives are. Alice meets girls who have been abused, girls who have been raped, and girls who are younger than ten and addicted to drugs. The fact that all of the people she mentions are real, and all suffering still, makes the reader want to cry. This story is so personal that every young adult can relate to how Alice feels sometimes. Therefore, Go Ask Alice is definitely a young adult book.
I really enjoyed Go Ask Alice. It had a very interesting plot, and I wanted to keep reading page after page. I sympathized with Alice, and her personality made the story interesting. Another thing I loved about this book was how honest Alice was. Many people, even when writing diaries, cover up some of the truth because they do not want to remember it. However, Alice writes down everything, from her best moments to her worst ones. She later mentions looking back at them, and feeling horrified. However, she still writes them down. I would recommend this book to all teenagers, especially people who do not just want a light read. Go Ask Alice is an amazing book that most young adults will love.

Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes, by Chris Crutcher, is a 295-page book about a girl with physical problem. She was burned as a toddler, and nobody has liked her since. It is a depressing book, because it tells the story of the life of a chubby kid who gets made fun off, and a burned girl who gets laughed at and avoided. It tells the life of two outcasts who are in fact hated by most everyone. This story take place in their senior year when they are looking for colleges. The narrator of this book is named Eric Calhoune, but many of his unusual friends and his swimming coach. Swimming had become a big part of Eric’s life. Throughout the book, Eric swims so much that his frame slims but he feels he has to stay with Sarah. So he tries to stay fat for her while trying to promote himself as a collegiate swimmer and a friend. This story is definitely a YA book because Eric has to deal with many adolescent issues. He is looking for a girlfriend, and one day he finally goes out with his dream girl. But after he finds out of something important that had happened in her life, he had never felt more confused. The narration goes into great detail, and makes you want to flip through the pages. His humor in things that are so serious make me see it through other people’s perspectives. Like many other YA books, Eric finds out what is most important in a twisty-turvy life: friends and the truth.

I liked this book a lot because it reflects on real life, and real teen trouble. It talks about sex, sex before marriage and other major important things in real life such as abortion. I see the power of sexual intercourse, and now I understand the power of one or two bad choices. I like Eric’s approach to life, how everyday is a new day for everyone, no matter what they did. Eric even finds out that not all people are bad, but they just want something extra in their life. Eric figures out that family and friends are very important in life. What I learned from this book was that you should choose what you do carefully, and that friendship goes above else. What I liked about the book is that everything was so unexpected. I thought about it all day, and for the next few days as well . I really liked the plot of this book, and I enjoyed it, even after I looked through my head the next few days. That’s how powerful this book was.
By, Tyler

I read Go Ask Alice, by a mysterious author, and definitely qualifies as a Young Adult book. Throughout the whole book, a teenage daughter has to deal with a drug addiction she gets over the summer. This book is told in a diary format; therefor first person, and has many words for all the different types of drugs. This book was short, and throughout the book the protagonist keeps the job of stopping her addiction for herself. She never tells her parents, and as the book continues it becomes more uncomfortable to continue reading. This book also deals with the problems she must face at school, and how, when she is trying to quit, all the drug addicts she knew try to give her drugs at school, by disguising it in candy or other things. It deals with her alienation from the normal kids throughout the book, which she never quite conquers, and her psychological battle; how she eventually finds a way to tell herself to stop. It dealt with sex, and much political injustice too, as many times in the book she is raped while high, without even knowing it until she finally stops being high. Throughout Go Ask Alice she matures immensely and is very independent. She is also able to run away twice and start a shop when she leaves. This book is definitely a Young Adult book.

I liked Go Ask Alice because it really taught me about drugs, which I will now NEVER try. It taught me a lot about the underground world of drugs, which no-one sees but the addicts themselves. This book can be very disturbing at times, but is also exciting, with a surprise around every corner. This book also contained uncomfortableness throughout, so it is definitely not an easy read. Once I got past the uncomfortableness, though, this book is extremely exciting and surprising. I learned about how hard it is to deal with drugs, and how this girl has to deal with her family, friends, school, and addiction. I liked Go Ask Alice for it’s adventure and excitement, but first you must get past an unusually high comfort level.

I read Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin, which is a great Young Adult book. The main character, whose name is Liz, is a teenager(fifteen). The author does a good job perceiving what Liz would feel like as a teen who has just died. Liz has many conflicts such as: trying to fit it in a world of adults, dealing with the fact that she will never grow up, and getting over the fact that she has lost her family and friends. She is also maturing because she is dating a boy for the first time. Liz is immensely sad in the beginning of the book about not being able to lead her life on earth. She does what ever she wants, and she spends all of her grandmothers money on watching her family and friends. She is amazingly self centered, but by the end of the book she has learned her lesson. She is much nicer to everyone, and she matures just like most main characters in YA books do. Another theme is trying to belong. In a world that is mostly old people Liz has a hard time fitting in. She struggles to keep the couple of friends that she has made with the other people her age through out the book. In many YA books the main character is an outsider. This was very much the case with Liz, but by the middle of the book she had established some good friends. Although the setting of the book was unusual, I thought that Elsewhere was the definition of a Young Adult book.

I thought Elsewhere was very good book. The setting was unique, and the plot was very interesting. The characters were very deep and fun to hear about. The author established their personality very well, so I felt that I knew them. The setting was the thing that made this book for me. It was original, and creative. I am sure lots of people think about what happens when we die, and this book provided a great answer to that question. The plot was very fast paced and interesting. There were a couple of climaxes and lots of action in between, which made it a very exciting book. The language of this book was very nice. The author used descriptive words that really relayed a message about what she was trying to say. There was great vocabulary, and the sentences were well put together. The Author used words that a teenager would use, and the use of those words made the characters come alive even more realistically. The book Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin provided a unique and compelling read for me, and it was a great book.

I read the book Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, which was a great example of Young Adult (YA) fiction. First, the protagonist is an almost sixteen year-old girl (a teenager) named Tally and most good YA books have a teenage as a main character. Second, she faces segregation issues, but not segregation like we know it today, because in her world, people segregate between the Pretties (people 16 years old and over) and the Uglies (people between 12 and their 16th birthday). When the people turn 16 in this story, they get an operation that turns them pretty. Tally contemplates these segregation issues while trying to make the most important decision of her lifetime. Third, the story revolves around coming of age—coming to the age of 16 when everybody turns pretty (at least in this book), the most amazing part of anyone’s life. Lastly, the conflict of the story has to do with Tally meeting a challenge–whether she wants to never become pretty (stay ugly) to save her friends, or if she wants to betray all of her friends and the secret of a special place which is unknown to the outside world just to become pretty. The reader experiences her debate up to the decision throughout the book and realizes how she feels about maturing and facing a life changing decision. Through the book, I can see the real theme, which is maturing into a Pretty (or maybe deciding that staying ugly is best), and through this, I encounter many different aspects of a good Young Adult fiction story.

I really enjoyed the Uglies for a few main reasons. First, I enjoyed the setting– a town in the future, because I did not have to question why people were getting operations to be pretty at age 16 (although I know that some people get operations later in life to look young and more beautiful, I don’t think that anybody does it at 16). In the world today, some people are born pretty and others are not born pretty. But in the future, operations might be needed to become pretty at an early age instead of looking younger at an older age. So, I can understand the story without being confused about the purpose of operations to become pretty at such a young age. Second, I liked how Tally grew not only in age, but in what she felt was important throughout the book. For example, at first all she cares about is her upcoming 16th birthday where she will become pretty. But, later in the story, the perspective of what is important changes and now she cares more for her friends than her forthcoming birthday and her appearance. She learns that looks are not everything and that friends are what is important in life. Third, I liked how I felt like I was doing things with the characters. For instance, I could imagine I was flying next to the group of friends on a hoverboard just as the characters do in the story. Another example I could imagine was when the characters planned and carried out mischief; I really felt like I took part in it. Because of all these very important parts of the story, I highly enjoyed the Uglies. In short, it is about a character maturing and finding the important part of life, and I recommend it to anybody (probably more for girls than boys) who is interested in a somewhat realistic story, that contemplates important life decisions.

~ Olivia Katz

“Rules of Survival”, by Nancy Werlin is a thrilling and compelling story told in the first-person perspective of a teenage boy named Matthew Walsh. Matt has to cope everyday with the fearsome and abusive monster that is his mother, Nikki. Because his dad left them a while ago, Matt has to be a father figure to his two younger sisters as well as a son in the hands of his belligerent mother. Although this story is in the form of a journal entry intended for his youngest sister, Matt vividly describes his daily encounters with his unpredictable mother. This is easily a YA book because the story is in the mindset of a teenager. By the end of the book, Matthew has changed from a scrawny and timid little boy to a muscular teenager who stood up against his mother and protected his sisters. The book at times makes the reader uncomfortable, and really portrays the psychological aspects of the story. Like many themes in YA books, Matt must overcome the many obstacles he faces.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book for many reasons. Nancy Werlin wrote beautifully in the book, and her writing style really keeps the reader riveted. The dangers that Matt faces keeps the story exciting and intense. The reader never knows what will happen next, and what will tick Nikki off next. The graphic details that Werlin puts in her writing makes the reader feel as if he is in the center of the story, and experiencing the events rather than reading about them. The part I loved best about the “Surviving” was when Matt makes that crucial change and realizes that he is stronger than his mother. He discovers that all along, it was only fear that prevented him from overpowering her.

Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow, is an interesting, action packed, 365 page novel that is about a nerdy, funny, and unique boy named Marcus Yallow. At first the book seemed about a boy who was too nerdy, and was going to get into trouble for it. Then a bridge is bombed, and Marcus is questioned by the DHS about why he was out of school. He is allowed to leave, but he rebels against the rule of the system. Immediately, I realized this was a YA book. Even though it seems fantasy, this book is really told by Marcus, following his footsteps through the troubled times. Marcus is smarter then an average boy, and that makes this all the more interesting as he battles for his freedom. A few times the book made me feel awkward, but it also added little twists that caught my attention. Like every other YA book I have ever read, Marcus gets more mature of the course of the novel, and he learns how to fight and speak for himself.
This book was one of the best books I have ever read. Marcus is rebellious, and that made the book much more interesting. I loved how Marcus fights back, and I realized the power of teenagers, no matter how smart or how strong they are. Marcus is also a very unique person, and his girlfriend Ange is a smart girl who makes the book so much more interesting with her rude but funny jokes. Marcus fights a government with a computer, a lot of videos, and his brain. That is the kind of book I will read every day if I could. But what I liked the most is how the government watches everyone, and Marcus decides to watch back.
-Ben Ginzberg

True Believer can be considered a YA book for many reasons. The first is that LaVaughn, the main character, is a teenager (fifteen years old). Another reason is that LaVaughn has serious problems in her life. She lives in a slum area with her mother, and they are very poor. She is saving up for college, because she feels that that is her only hope to have a real life. She also has many conflicts with her two best friends because they joined a religious club that LaVaughn doesn’t want to join. The two girls are very close, but they are both drifting farther and farther away from LaVaughn. Another one of her friends was pregnant as a teenager twice, so she had to drop out of high school. LaVaughn sometimes has to help her out because her life is a huge wreck. One of the biggest problems for LaVaughn is that she finds out the boy she is in love with is actually gay. Finding this out sends her into a depression mode for part of the book, but eventually she finds a way to get over it. For these reasons, True Believer can be considered a YA book.

To be honest, I did not like this book that much. Firstly, this was a very depressing book. I am not saying that I only read books that have no sad parts at all, but this was a little over the edge. On the plus side, the book makes you feel like you’re really experiencing this, because it is in first person. Unfortunately, that means that you have to go through all of LaVaughn’s painfully depressing happenings for the whole book. True, the ending was happy. Still, the majority of the book was very sad. Second, the book was a little confusing. The format made it look like the whole book was a poem, and it sometimes I did not understand it very well. Overall, this book was good enough that I was motivated to read, but still not one of the best books I’ve read (6.5 out of 10).

American Born Chinese, by Gene Luen Yang, was an incredibly amusing YA comic book that was fun to read. It is classified under the YA genre because the characters are teenagers, the characters deal with racial issues, and the characters deal with dating. The book is complicated and is split between three perspectives: one of a monkey, one of Jin Wang, and one of Danny. The monkey’s perspective is an old Chinese fable and does not fall under the YA genre. Jin Wang, who is the only Chinese-American student at his school, falls in love with an American girl (who he dates) and is racially insulted occasionally in the book, making his story fall under the YA genre. Finally, Danny is a popular American boy that is in love with the same girl that Jin likes, but his cousin is a negative Chinese stereotype who visits him in the book, allowing his story to fall under the YA genre. Therefore, American Born Chinese is a YA book because of dating, racial issues, and teenagers.

I loved this comic book because it explains clearly that you can choose your own identity depending on your actions. The plot was well-planned and complicated, incorporating both racial issues and fables in one book. Some parts were very funny, while others were serious and gloomy. The author’s choice of making this a comic book instead of a normal book was smart because I do not think that words could explain the characters’ emotions as well as pictures. The book took place in both ancient China and a modern school in America, making the book even more interesting. I would suggest this book to any reader that likes comic books.

-Morris Reeves

I read Misfits, a compelling, realistic book, by James Howe, a fantastic and intuitive writer. Many themes in Misfits make this literary masterpiece a YA book. First, Bobby’s, the main character’s, friend Joe is gay and in love with someone at his school. Secondly, Addie, another friend, is a very diplomatic figure. She cares very much about obligations and is a rebel to society. Thirdly, Bobby’s friends campaign to stand up for geeks like themselves. This theme is YA because they stand up for themselves.The main character of this book is a teen, and he and his friends fight for what they think is right.

I think this book is going to be loved by anyone who is a tween or above. This book is very systematic, and anyone who likes a good rebellion would want to read this. The whole book is about standing up for yourself, and I think the book has a very good meaning. I absolutely could not stop reading this book. I would read this over and over again any time. Anyone who loves a fast-paced, diplomatic, literary work of art should read this amazing book.

This book is one of the best YA books i’ve ever read. Like your typical book about high school, the storyis told through the first person of a very unpopular boy. But unlike stories about high school, the boy doesn’t want to be popular.

In the Brooklyn Bridge, by Fred Berman; on a day in 1903, fourteen-year-old Joseph Michtom’s life changed drastically when his parents who were Russian immigrants, created the first teddy bear. No longer did the family gather together. Joseph couldn’t even play stickball with the guys. No longer were the children of the house able to get away from watching their 2 year old brother. When it was summer vacation, Joseph wanted to travel to Coney Island, but he had to work. So, he complained and fell in deep love, love at first sight. He wished that everything would go back to normal, not to be special in school, he hoped, he wished.

This book is a beautifully written YA book that will pull you into the story. Fred, Berman used a perfect Brooklyn and Yiddish language. It fulfills almost all the elements of a YA book but the protagonist at the beginning is an un-mature, dependent boy. The themes are; deeper understanding of society, social problems at home and with love, and finally alienation from his usual group. I loved this book very much and it pulled me in faster that styrofoam being sucked into a tornado. This book’s description was amazing and made me feel what he felt and see what Joseph saw. However, like all fine books, their are flaws. There are few flaws but I disliked the plot because there wasn’t a solid idea of what they were doing, there was no thrill of adventure compared to other YA books. This book seems to be written with lovers, and people who like calm, un-thrilling books. Although it was astounding in its descripive powers, I think that this book failed to suck me into the plot-line and life of the character.

For my young adult book I chose to read Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. This book qualifies for a YA book for many reasons. First the main character, Melinda Sordino, is a teenage protagonist. This 198 page book is told in first person which is something that most YA books do. Melinda is suffering from the many problems with her family and friends, a normal teenage issue. She is experiencing the effect of being an outcast as she called the cops at an end-of-summer party. This also qualifies for being a YA novel with the fact that Melinda gets more mature as the book goes on. By the end of the book she can speak up for herself and starts doing things she usually would never do.

Speak is definably a YA book that I recommend to teenagers that can relate to some of these issues. I enjoyed Speak, but it wasn’t one of my favorite books. I liked the book because it had a feeling of suspense. During the course of the book you find little clues about what happened at the end-of-summer party, but you don’t really know the story until the climax of the book. Another reason I liked this book is because of the format. I liked the way it was told in a sort of diary format, along with the fact that it had different topics and sections instead of chapters. I didn’t enjoy the book that much because it had a kind of slow approch. The writing was good, but the author didn’t build up on the character that much. It was kind of a dull book, but I still thought it qualified as a YA book.

Omigod!!!! This was the best YA book I have ever read. It is not very ‘deep’ or ‘meaningful’, but by god it is good. There are a few major themes that classify this book as YA. First the protagonist is a teenager (duh) dealing with divorce. Second Bella, the protagonist, falls madly in love with a vampire. Do we see a pattern? Third and finally there is a big theme of fitting in. Not to mention that Edward, the vampire, is gorgeous, Bella is a complete klutz, and this book would only be understood by a tween or teenager. I think that though this book may not provide a deeper truth, it is still pretty down to earth minus the vampire bit. Love stricken girl who has to choose between love with serious risks or safety. It really appeals to tween and teenagers. (Mostly girls, but the occasional boy.)

I am officially hooked. OOOOOOOOTD. Really Obsessed Twilight Disorder. I started this book vehemently against it, but now I am in love. This is my new favorite non-classic book. If you say it is boring I implore you try it one more time. The beginning is a tad slow, but once you get into it you can not stop reading. (Believe me I have tried.) I finished Twilight in less then twenty four hours. I would have to say that though it is not very well written it, it definitely appeals to a tween or teenager audience.