10. Al Capone Does My Shirts

Choldenko, Gennifer. Al Capone Does My Shirts. New York: Puffin Books, 2004. Text
Annotation: "Come on Nat. It's not everybody who gets to live down the street from thieves and murderers, you know."

Recommendation: The book Al Capone Does My Shirts was a great read!  It was funny, had great characters and was really well written.  It also dealt with an issue that many fiction books do not cover, autism.  The characters in the story are well developed.  The main character, Moose, has a unique voice full of wit and great dialogue.  His biggest strength is his love for his sister.  He spends much of his time with her and it is clear that he truly cares about her well-being.  Moose's sister Natalie has autism.  As a character, Natalie shines as a girl living with autism.  Her actions and dialogue are spot on for that of some children in real-life who have autism.
The novel is relevant for teens today because many kids in school are probably aware of someone who has autism.  This book allows the chance for students to read about the disease in a fiction form.  By doing this, they are able to learn about the disease and hopefully gain some insight into what it means to have autism as well as to live with someone who has autism.  There are times when students may not fully understand what autism is and this book gives them a chance to learn.  I think this is an extremely awesome part of the story.
The book has an overall great style.  It is written in a way that flows across the page, so most students who pick it up will have no time reading through it.  The words are easier and more in-line with YA readers today, which helps to make readers understand it better. 
Genre: Humor

9. Room

Donoghue, Emma. Room. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2010. Text

Annotation:"Today I'm five.  I was four last night going to bed in Wardrobe but when I wake up in Bed in the dark I'm changed to five, abracadabra."

Recommendation: The book Room by Emma Donoghue was a very interesting read.  The story is written from the point of view of a five year old.  This is  a different take from the other YA books that I have read.  The words are choppy and at times unintelligible, so at first it took some getting used to.  However, when I did get the hang of this style, I really liked it.  This style made it much more realistic because it was as if you were actually holding a conversation with this child.  I do think that this may hurt for YA readers because I do see them getting fed-up with the style quickly and not finishing the book.  It also hurt the overall flow of the story, as it took more time to read and reread sentences.
The plot of the story was very emotional.  There were happy and sad moments for all of the characters, which made the story interesting because it was always changing.  At first it may be hard for YA readers to find relevance to the story, but when looked at deeper, I think many YA readers will love it.  The story deals with the overall themes of isolation, coming out of isolation, and growing into a person.  These are all things that many teens deal with on a daily basis.  Although the characters are going through extreme cases with these themes, the central feelings and ideas will stand out to teens.  There is also a tremendous story of courage and beating the odds in the novel, which will be inspiring to teens who are in a hard place.
Overall, I think this will be an enjoyable read for teens, as long as they allow themselves to look past the initial shock of writing.
Genre: ALEX Award Winner 

8. Lord of the Flies

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Paragon Books, 1954. Text

Annotation: "Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!"

Recommendation: Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a classic novel.  The story is superbly put together, full of adventure, violence and triumph.  The messages within the novel are even more compelling as they focus on society and the problems that occur when structure is broken down.  The writing can be tricky at first for some YA readers which may cause it to be a slow start, however once the story gets going, the writing becomes easier.  There are many layered meanings to characters and objects found within to look for.  Some of the symbolic meanings can be tricky to find, but once they are caught they make the story that much better.
The story centers around a group of boys stuck on an island, trying to recreate society, as well as get rescued.  The overall message of the book has to do with the order within society and what happens when that order is taken away.  These are powerful topics that are at times hard to deliver to YA readers, however by using boys who are the same age as many YA readers, there is an easier correlation for readers.  The boys are also very real characters.  They have raw emotions that are played out vividly in a situation that has left them all vulnerable.  At times, teens will be able to relate to the hierarchical role of teenage popularity when reading about these boys as they try to find a leader as well as a scapegoat.
The novel has been banned in many schools and libraries due to the themes and violence within the story.  However, these factors are what makes the novel as important as it is.  It is through the violence that the themes are most strongly represented.  Overall, this is an amazing novel that should be read by all.
Genre: Challenged or Censored Title

7. Hard Love

Wittlinger, Ellen. Hard Love. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1999. Text

Annotation: "Do you know what 'coming out' really means?" She asked, looking me square in the face again.  "It means you stop lying. You tell the truth even if its painful, especially if its painful. To everybody, your parents included."
"Im not gay," I told her, though I really had no strong evidence for saying so. "At least I dont think I am." "There are other closets."

Recommendation: Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger is a great book for YA readers.  The quality of the writing is very good.  The words flow together nicely, which makes for a relatively quick read.  The author uses engaging dialogue that is current with how teens talk today.  There are a few different forms of writing that take place in the novel.  There is the main story, and then there are immersions of letters that are written between characters, as well as different pieces of writing that are in the characters different 'zines.  This works as a great way to see pieces of the characters that are not always present in their dialogue or actions. 
The issues in this novel are great for teens because they deal with finding love, losing love and discovering sexuality.  One of the teens in the novel is a lesbian.  She is a strong character who embraces her sexuality.  This is extremely important for YA readers because it allows for them to see a gay person survive in the world.  The strong, gay character is often unrepresented so it was great to read a story that included that.  The novel also deals with being rejected in love.  The main character Gio falls for Marisol, who is a lesbian.  When he has his feelings rejected, he is hurt and confused but he moves on.  This is important for YA readers to see because many of them will be going through the same situations in their own lives. 
This was a great novel for romance.  The story was compelling and moving.  The characters were real and the situations were easy to relate to.  The story covers many different areas of the emotional first love roller coaster that so many teens ride on.  Most importantly, the story shows that losing love is not the end of the world and that life does go on.
Genre: Romance, Sports, or Adventure

6. Killing Mr. Griffin

Lowry, Lois. Killing Mr. Griffin. New York: Dell Laurel-Leaf, 1978. text

Annotation: "That suddenly, that quickly, it struck her-I don't want him to go! He musn't go! Without reason terror shot through her."

Recommendation: There were clues throughout the novel that continued to hint at the outcome of the teens plan for their teacher Mr. Griffin.  These clues were subltely added into the story and did not seem contrived.  It foreshadowed what was to come, however it didnt give anything away so it made you want to keep reading. 
The characters were well developed and seemed like real teenagers.  There was the main character, Susan, who so desperately wanted to fit in that she would have done anything to be accepted.  The "cool kids" were well described and I was able to picture these kids from my high schools days in my mind.  They did not seem over the top and their dialogue fit that of normal high schoolers. 
The descriptions in the novel are great.  There are always subtle hints popping up here and there by what is being described. Also, the descriptions allow for readers to get the feel that they are really part of what is going on. 
The ending of the novel reveals alot of what has happened previously in the novel to be cleared up.  There is closure for many of the characters, however there are still things that are left unanswered, leaving the reader satisified yet still wanting more.
The read did not go as quickly as some other YA novels.  The flow of words was harsher, however, the plot was very good and kept me reading. 

5. Daniel Half Human and the Good Nazi

Chotjewitz, David. Daniel Half Human and the Good Nazi. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2004. Text.
Annotation: "I walked back to the jeep.  The ground was strewn with bits of broken glass, chunks of cement, pieces of rusty metal.  A green shard caught the sunlight.... I didn't let myself think back seven years to that November night when whole streets were littered with glass.  No I wasn't ready to relive Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. I thought back to only one glass splinter."
Recommendation: Daniel Half Human and the Good Nazi was a fantastic read. The story intertwines the events of the present day Daniel and his memories of the beginning of the rise of Nazi power up to the night of Kristallnacht in Hamburg, Germany.  Daniel is the main character and his transition throughout the novel is truly great.  Throughout the novel, Daniel transforms from a seemingly normal German boy into a grown, American lawyer.  He experiences deep inner transformation as the Nazis come to power and redefine what a German is.  The reader gets to see first hand as Daniel struggles with being half Jewish and half German. 
The novel is great for young adult readers because it has action and drama, but it also has relevant issues that teens can relate to.  The issues of discovering oneself is an important part of a teens life.  Daniel tries to find who he is, based on what the government says, his parents and friends say, and how he feels. 
I also enjoyed this novel because it gave a realistic portrayal of an important time in history.  The story was fictional but many of the feelings of the characters and events described were true to what really happened in Hamburg, Germany at the time.  This is a good way to help students relate to not just literature, but to history as well.
Overall, the novel was quite good and I think that many teenagers would love it.  The flow was easy and I could barely put it down.

Genre: Historical Fiction

4. John Lennon: All I Want Is The Truth

Partridge, Elizabeth. John Lennon: All I Want Is The Truth. London: Penguin Books, 2005. Text.
Annotation: "Rock 'n' roll was real.  Everything else was unreal.  To me it got through."
Justification for Nomination: This autobiography on the life of John Lennon was truly fascinating.  It covered his entire life, from his birth to the aftermath of his death.  The information provided on his life was factual and very well researched.  I really enjoyed the flow of the reading of this biography. The words sailed nicely across the page.  This book was unique in its shape, as it was a little more boxy, however, the larger font and use of extensive pictures made it well worth the unusual shape.  The pictures were what made the book what it was.  Almost every page contained pictures of John Lennon, his band members, his family members, or anything that pertained to his life (school mascots, school emblems, and influential artists).  The narrative voice was unbiased and stuck to only telling the truth of John Lennon's life. 
Genre: Biography, Autobiography, or Memoir

3. Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey

Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey. New York: Simon Pulse, 2004. Text.                                                               

Annotation: "DONT YOU DARE READ THIS, Mrs. Dunphrey. It's four in the morning, and i'm writing here because I can't sleep at all. I lie on my front, then my side, then my back, then my front again...And all the time my brain's racing around thinking of new things to worry about.  I'm scared. I'm scared like I've never been before. Mom's gone."

Justification for Nomination: Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey by Margaret Peterson Haddix is a realistic fiction novel featuring a high school girl dealing with issues of divorce, abuse and neglect.  Tish, the main character, has to raise her younger brother, go to school, work a part-time job and run a household without the help of either of her parents.  

The format of the story is written as a journal that Tish keeps for her class. This format is great for the YA reader because it flows very easily and the reading goes pretty quickly.  Because it is in journal form, the reader is allowed inside access to the writer of the journal's mind.  In dealing with the sensitive issues of this novel, having this access is extremely important because it allows readers to understand how the writer is really feeling without the clutter of outside forces.  

There are two types of character development that take place in this novel.  The first is the development of secondary characters that we see through Tish's descriptions of her conversations with them, as well as their actions.  This type of character development can be challenging because it is only one-sided, coming from only Tish's minds.  It does not allow for the reader to see the other characters from different standpoints.  The second type of character development takes place as the reader grows to know the main character, Tish.  Through journal entries, the reader gets to see Tish's mind grow and change as she begins to face more challenges.  It is a very intimate way to learn about and understand a character.  I think that for a novel that deals with issues like this, it is important to be able to really see how the main character is affected.  

The issues that Tish deals with in this novel are very relevant for YA readers today because many of these readers will be dealing with at least one of the issues that Tish deals with.  In today's ever expanding school system, many more children are left to deal with issues ranging from problems at work/school to paying bills and feeding siblings because their parents expect more or are not around.  I think it is important for YA readers to have a novel that contains the same issues that they are dealing with in their lives as a way to see that they are not alone, as well as a way to understand what it is that is going on with themselves.  

Overall this is a pretty great read!

Genre: Realistic/"Edgy"/Problem Novel

2. Keesha's House

Frost, Helen. Keesha's House. New York: Frances Foster Books, 2003.

Annotation: "So now thats what I say
                        when kids show up and I know they can't ask
                        for what they shouldn't have to ask for. They
                        need more than I can give them. I know i'm
                        no Aunt Annie. I ain't up to the task
                        of tryin' to be their legal foster dad.
                        But I can give them space-and space is time."
                                      Keesha's House, pg. 35

Justification for Nomination: Keesha's House is the intertwining novel told in prose form from the perspective of seven different teenagers and the people in their lives.  The main characters in the novel are all dealing with a broad range of issues from pregnancy to abuse to neglect.  At one point or another throughout the story, they find themselves at a home they call "Keesha's House".  It is a safe haven for teenagers who need time to work out the inner and outer struggles that they are having. 

This was a fantastically written prose novel for teenagers.  Each characters story builds throughout the story, revealing more details to the reader about the inner workings of the characters mind.  There is no action in the story that is spelled out, everything that the reader learns is through thoughts of the main teenagers.  This makes the characters very compelling because our ideas of them are formed through their own thoughts, allowing us, as readers to judge them based solely on themselves. 

Their is not one particular narrative voice in this novel, which I think is very refreshing from traditional novels because it allows readers to really picture each character as different from the others.  The dialogue throughout the entire novel takes place between the characters inner selves.  There is never a time that a dialogue takes place between two people, it is just characters discussing their issues with themselves.  I really enjoyed this style of writing because it trimmed all the excess that was not needed, the characters thoughts were raw and it made their problems and solutions seem much more real because there were no outside details to fog what was being thought.  I especially enjoyed when there were small poems from the people who were not teenagers, such as Joe and Charles, the home owner and a father of one of the boys. These insights really added to the story because it was a small insight into their thoughts, which could be used to understand the main characters situations better. 

The style of this book makes the read very fast, however, the fast paced nature of the read does not take away from the messages that the book is sending.  The topics covered are real and pertinent to teenagers today.  In the demands that young adults have on them today, such as jobs, family responsibilities and school work, they need to be able to read something quickly that still has the ability to affect them.  True writing has the ability to affect its writer in any form, not just the standard novel form.  This novel proves this to be true. 

Genre Classification: Poetry and Verse Novels

1. Monster

Myers, Walter Dean. Monster. New York: Harper Collins, 1999.

Annotation: "The incredible story of how one guy's life was turned around by a few events and how he might spend the rest of his life behind bars. Told as it actually happened!"

Justification for Nomination: Monster is the story of Steve Harmon, a 16 year old African American boy on trial for murder in New York City.  The story is given to the reader in two forms, a journal and a movie script. The journal is Steve's own journal. Through this journal the reader gets an inside look at what is happening to Steve within the jail as well as an insight to his feelings and fears for the trial and for life in general.  The movie script is written by Steve as well.  He is chronicling the events of the trial as if it were a movie.  This, for Steve, is a means of escape from the reality of jail, which we see revealed in his journal entries. 

This book is a great nomination because the character of Steve can relate to many teens.  His fear seems real and it can be through his journal entries.  He is dealing with issues that many teens deal with today: drugs, gangs, acceptance, and fear.