Extra Credit #4: Monster

Myers, Walter Dean. Monster. New York: Amistad Harper Teen, 1999. Print.

Annotation:

A teenager on trial, but did he really do it? Steve Harmon lives his life behind bars as a trial wages on to determine his guilt or innocence. Will he get out or will he spend the rest of his youth and most of his adulthood locked away?

Justification for Non- nomination:

Stylistically, this book was great for me to read. It went beyond the actual telling of a story and created a screenplay for the plot. At times, as the reader, I could visualize every aspect of the scenes being depicted in the book. I could readily see this on a television or movie screen in front of me. Besides the screenplay details, Myers also incorporates journal style narration that allows you to get closer to the main character.

The piece itself is very relevant in YA literature in that the main character Steve Harmon has questioned the role he has played in his own life. Outsiders label him a monster for a crime he may not have committed, leaving him questioning who he really is and what he really stands for.

Though the piece was a fluid and fast read, I found the lawyer commentary in the screenplay to be mundane and cliché at times.  On the other hand, I really enjoyed the journal narration that gave you an inside look into the character of Steve Harmon. Though the quest for identity is relevant to YA literature, I didn't think it encompassed much more than that in relation to hallmarks leading me to my decision of non-nomination.

Genre Catalog: Coming of Age, Realistic Novel/Edgy Fiction, Printz Award Winner, Multicultural.

Extra Credit #3: Hard Love

Wittlinger, Ellen. Hard Love. New York: Simon Pulse, 1999. Print.

Annotation:

So much anger bottled up in one confused teenager. John uses zines in order to say what he actually hasn't said before. Through zines, he recreates himself as Gio and happens upon a quirky girl that ignites a spark in him that he has never felt before.

Justification for Non- nomination:

The style of this book is like none I’ve ever come across in any of my readings. Wittlinger incorporates zines throughout the story. By doing this, the plot is given dimension by allowing for other viewpoints and smaller stories to enter the plot. Each story has a larger impact on the main character John, but the zines themselves give the reader an actual inside look at zines, what they represent, and how zines work to tell the story or provide an outlet for the authors of those zines.  

As for the relevance to YA literature, it is apparent that John/Gio is having trouble navigating through life after the divorce of his parents. The trouble he has with the relationship with both of his parents, leads him to question who he is as a person which is a significant hallmark of YA literature in the quest for finding a greater sense of self. John/Gio transcends through many of the hallmarks of young adolescence in highschool through his only friendship, a new love interest, and even the re-development of a relationship with his parents.

Though this book was stylistically appealing and very unique to me as the reader, I did not feel that it encompassed all that was needed for nomination. The character of John/Gio was going through a significantly troubling period in his life but I found his character to be flat and just angry through most of the text. The zines were a very good way to see beyond that clichéd character but it didn’t do enough to hold my interest by way of a good book. I would, however, recommend this book to readers purely for the exposure to zines and the power they hold to tell a very in depth story in a short amount of time.

Genre Catalog: Coming of Age, Realistic Novel/Edgy Fiction, Printz Award Winner.

Extra Credit #2: American Born Chinese

Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese. New York: First Second, 2006. Print.

Annotation:

A Monkey King that can't go to a dinner party?! Jin Yang who likes a girl in his class but doesn't like himself?! And Danny who is so embarassed by his cousinChin Kee, that he often switches school?! Follow the story of three main characters in three separate but parallel stories. Jin Yang, Monkey King, and Danny as they all struggle with race, identity, and self-acceptance.

Justification of Non-nomination:

An exceptionally written graphic novel where Yang builds three stories separately, but they all seemingly twist together in response to the struggles the characters face with their own identity and race. 

American Born Chinese is multidimensional in several ways. One is that it creates a hard look into outward racism through the strong stereotyping of the character of Chin-Kee. Yang does hit home in this strong stereotypical Chinese character to show how the stereotyping of the race is portrayed and thought about.

Yang also builds dimension with the characters of Monkey King and Jin Wang in that they struggle with their internal feelings of self-identity related to their own race. Though the characters have no control of how they were born, each struggle with society’s acceptance of themselves and even others, as we see with the character of Danny in his response to Chin-Kee.

This is a very well written book that shows the dynamics of trying to live in a world where you are considered outside of the norm in relation to culture and race. The struggle of the characters allows the reader to sympathize with the very realistic dilemma of trying to find self-acceptance within two different cultural identities.

Genre Catalog: Graphic Novel, Coming of Age, Realistic/Edgy Novel, Printz Award

The graphic novel itself is easy to follow with strong images for each of the stories. I found it very easy to read and the drawings added depth to the story and the characters themselves.

Extra Credit #1: The House On Mango Street

Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. New York: Vintage Books, 1984. Print.

Annotation:

Ashamed of her home and her name, Esperanza does all she can to stay out of focus. Unwilling to accept herself and where she comes from, Esperanza is forced to grow up and face reality that she no longer wants to hide in the shadows but rather embrace who she is and be a strong, confident young woman.

Justification for Nomination:

Cisneros takes a very unique approach to this story by writing it in a very poetic fashion that allows the book itself to be a very quick read. The style alone sheds light on the importance of writing and poetry for Cisneros and the character of Esperanza.

Developmentally, this book is wonderfully written to show how Esperanza, though resistant to growing up for fear of what that means for her life, gradually moves through various stages of her life allowing her to embrace herself and to open her mind at the acceptance of her past and where she comes from.

This book is wonderfully written. Cisneros allows Esperanza and other characters in the story to seem life-like thus allowing the reader to understand and relate to the characters and the life of Esperanza on a more in depth level.

Genre Catalog: Coming of Age, Realistic Novel/Edgy Fiction, Multicultural Fiction

#10: Audiobook: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Heller, Johnny, narr. The Perks of Being a Wallflower. By Stephen Chbosky, 1999. Recorded Books, LLC, 2005. CD.

Annotation:

Though brilliant, Charlie is a freak. Or at least other kids think he is. Unable to make friends easily, Charlie struggles as a freshman in high school. After losing his best friend Michael to suicide, Charlie makes friends with two senior students that take him under their wings and show him a life far different from the youthful one he’s been living until now.

Justification for Nomination:

Chbosky uses The Perks of Being a Wallflower to show the significant changes and coming of age experiences through the voice of Charlie as he moves out of his youthful childhood and into the young adult life of a high school student trying to determine his place in the world while navigating through his past.

This is an amazing journey of a boy growing up that is told through his journal entries to an anonymous person. This stylistic approach is a captivating way to understand Charlie himself and the experiences he encounters as he journeys through high school.

Not only is Chbosky’s story beautifully written, the audio narration of this book adds to the depth of Charlie as an individual, but also adds to the depth of the story allowing for the listener to experience Charlie’s world from another perspective that might be significantly different than just being a reader.

Genre Catalog: Coming of Age, Realistic/Problem Novel/Edgy Fiction

#9: Alex Award Winner: Water For Elephants

Gruen, Sara. Water For Elephants. New York: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2006. Print.

Annotation:  

Faced with the sudden death of his parents, college student Jacob, returns home to find that he has nothing left, no family and no home. Not knowing how to move forward, Jacob unknowingly jumps aboard a circus train in the middle of the night thus beginning a life far different from the one he had envisioned for himself.

Justification for Nomination:

This is an intriguing dualistic story of identity told from two perspectives: one from the perspective of Jacob as a young man trying to navigate through the traumatic experience of the loss of his parents with no where to turn and the other also through the perspective of Jacob but this time as a man who has lived life and has no idea what to do with himself now that he is 90 or is it 93?

This book encompasses the question of “Who am I” on two very different levels. One level trying to find out who he is as he journeys through life as a young man trying to fulfill his responsibilities as an adult that can no longer can rely on his parents. The other is trying to find out who he is now that he is older, and in fact, can’t even remember how old he actually is and no longer has his independence.

Gruen does an outstanding job keeping this story a page turner and allows the reader the opportunity to glimpse a life from two perspectives. The research she put into this book is evident and truly makes you feel apart of a time that no longer can be personally experienced. She also incorporates wonderful real pictures of circus life that really bring added depth and realism to the story she is telling.

Genre Catalog: Alex Award Winner, Coming of Age, Realistic Novel, Historical Fiction, Romance

#8: Censored or Challenged: A Day No Pigs Would Die

Peck, Robert Newton. A Day No Pigs Would Die. New York: Random House, Inc, 1972. Print.

Annotation:

Robert, a well-mannered young boy growing up on the farm journeys through young adolescence and into adulthood through the experiences he encounters as well as the death of his father. Robert must fill the large shoes his father leaves behind and give up his adolescence to become a man.

Justification of Nomination:

Deemed a classic, I can whole-heartedly understand why. This is a wonderful story that takes place on a farm where life is tough and some of the experiences are even tougher. Written as a semi-autobiographical novel from Peck’s own life, it is easy for the reader to understand the complexities of adolescence and relate to the main character on several levels.

This work highlights the coming of age story of a boy maneuvering through his life initially as an innocent boy and transcending into manhood. I’m convinced that every detail that author Robert Peck put in this book is intentional in order to show the very remarkable and very painful journey that the main character experiences. By doing so, Peck makes this story incredibly relatable to many of its readers even though the setting and certain aspects may not be. For example, living on a farm may not be relatable, but losing someone or something very close to you is. 

This book is on the censored/challenged list for a number of reasons. Many are based around the main character’s pet pig and the experiences that the pig endures. Peck astutely ties Robert’s own life directly together with the pig’s life. Though told from the perspective of Robert, both he and his pig move through the channels of innocence into maturity and eventually come together in a way that shows the necessity of each of their experiences and the impact it has on Robert himself.

Genre Catalog: Pre-1980s Classics, Coming of Age, Realistic Novel

#7: Science Fiction or Fantasy: Black Juice



Lanagan, Margo. Black Juice. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2004. Print.

Annotation:

A series of strange and mythical short stories that take the reader into a very unfamiliar world that can either be embraced or leave you in the dark.

Justification for Non-Nomination:

Where to start? I absolutely loved the very first story in Margo Lanagan’s book, “Singing My Sister Down.”  I was completely enthralled in the mysterious storyline of a girl being executed for her actions by standing her on hot tar that acted like quicksand. Amazingly and beautifully written through the voice of the sibling of the girl being executed, Lanagan had me hooked as I turned each page. That changed however as I progressed through the rest of the book.

I was initially hoping that the first story would continue throughout the remainder of the book. I did not initially realize it was a series of short stories until I was midway through the second story and had found no connection to the previous. 

Confusion and the inability to make sense of characters, word usage, spelling, and storylines of several of the short stories left me feeling frustrated and baffled. When I thought I figured out an aspect of the work, it took a sharp turn and left me standing in the dark again.

Enough of the challenging aspects of this read and onto the wonderful side. This book is the first I have come across in our Mock Printz assignment that was a collection of short stories rather than one complete novel. It was beautifully written by Lanagan that takes the reader into a completely unknown world that is no longer confined to reality and logic. Though it is a hard read, I find myself thinking about some of the stories, still trying to sift through them and make sense of them. It’s likely that a reread and an openminded outlook will make the book itself more enjoyable.

This collection of short stories houses some of the components of Science Fiction and Fantasy in that it often contains a battle of good versus evil in a unique and unknown world  that works to highlight human nature and challenge the mind.

Genre Catalog: Science Fiction and Fantasy, Thriller, Printz Award Winner, Supernatural, Coming of Age

#6: Supernatural, Horror, or Vampire: Twilight

Meyer, Stephanie. Twilight. New York: Time Warner Book Group, 2005. Print.

Annotation:

After deciding to move in with her dad, Bella starts her new life in a new town and a new high school. During her first day of school, she meets a boy that she is instantly drawn to. As the two form an unlikely relationship, it becomes evident to Bella that she is encountering a whole new world that she can barely fathom, but the bigger question remains, can she survive in it?

Justification for non-nomination:

Look beyond the Twilight phenomenon that entails the movies and the movie star characters so that you can focus on the actual book and the writing itself. This book encompasses so much of what it takes to hold the YA audience and its attention both stylistically as well as the deeper context of teenage issues, quests for identity, and belonging.

Stephanie Meyer does a great job introducing the awkwardly clumsy Bella into the new world of belonging both in terms of her new town and school but also to the gripping world of the supernatural. This is a fast-paced story that moves quickly through the relatable, uncomfortable first days at a new school and moves onto the beginning stages of love and romance, with a twist, the human girl falls for a not-so-human boy.

Even if you look at this as an entertainment novel that holds no value to the reader, it has to be admitted that Meyer uses this supernatural tale to show the very concepts of adolescent identity at work throughout the story. Take for example Bella, unable to fit in, struggling to understand who she is, is able to find the unconditional love of someone she still can’t believe would be interested in her; its all relatable to the YA audience as they too, move through the awkward stages of adolescence into adulthood.

This book is a fun read. It introduces the reader into a different reality that can work metaphorically as a tool to deal with adolescent issues as seen through a good versus evil supernatural storyline. I think Twilight itself receives a lot of criticism based on the widespread popularity that made it into well known blockbuster movie phenomenon. It may not be deemed a classic piece of literature, but something has to be said for its overall popularity and loyal fans and readership. It is the writing that made it popular initially, not the movie itself.

Genre Catalog: Supernatural, Horror, or Vampire, Thriller, Fantasy, Romance, Coming of Age

#5 Multicultural: The First Part Last



Johnson, Angela. The First Part Last. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003. Print.

Annotation:

Bobby's girlfriend Nia tells him she is pregnant on his 16th birthday. During the birth of their daughter, Nia suffers from eclampsia and is left unable to care for herself or their baby.  Bobby makes the brave decision to raise his daughter alone, but struggles with his identity as a father and a teenage boy.

Justification for Nomination:

Angela Johnson does a superb job in this piece by telling the story of teenage pregnancy through the voice of a teen father. The book is incredibly fluid, and almost poetic, as the chapters alternate between "Then" and "Now," explaining the experiences for Bobby before and after the birth of his daughter.

Johnson is able to create a realistic and authentic depiction of the contrasting world for a young man working through adolescence and the new world of single-parenting. I am recommending this book for nomination because of its ability to bring teenage pregnancy into focus from a male perspective that highlights the struggle with identity, morality, and responsibility while showing the beauty of teenage love along with the love between a father and daughter.

This book was listed under the multicultural selections, but aside from the cover and a couple of references to African American décor, I did not feel that this book gave many distinguishing characteristics of cultural identity or diversity. It was written more as a book about identity through adolescence and adulthood rather than about culturally specific people and experiences. Perhaps that was the point that author Angela Johnson was making when she left little more than a few clues to show the boy was in fact an African American teenager because the point was to show how anyone, of any race, culture, or background, could in fact experience teenage pregnancy and the impact it has on your identity.

Genre Catalog: Multicultural, Realistic/Edgy/Problem Novel, Coming of Age

#4 General Non-Fiction: Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell.  Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow. New York: Scholastic, Inc, 2005. Print.

Annotation:

Take a look inside the devastating impact Hitler had on Germany’s youth. Roughly 7 million boys and girls participated in Hitler’s organized youth club where they unwittingly played a significant role in Hitler’s plight for domination and the massacre of millions of innocent lives.

Justification for Non-Nomination:

Almost everyone has heard of Hitler and the Holocaust, but what they may not know is the role that Germany’s youth played in that devastating event in history. Bartoletti gives an inside look at Hitler’s youth organization that diligently worked to spread the political ideals of Hitler’s propaganda and also worked to enforce the strict rules and guidelines imposed on Germany by Hitler himself.

This is an incredible look into one of the worst events in history.  The difference in this recounting of the Holocaust, however, is that this book focuses on the contribution of Germany’s youth in Hitler’s plan rather than on Hitler and his own actions during the Holocaust.   

Bartoletti makes this a must read for YAs and adults. The first person interviews of grown Hitler youth and the ominous photographs she includes, take the reader back to a time that gives the reader a better understanding of what life was like for the children and young adults that were living in Germany during Hitler’s rule.

This book is informational and includes many of the known facts about the Holocaust, however, it can be very disturbing to read how young adults worked together to harm others and actively targeted other human beings, even their friends and their parents, because they were directed to do so by a supposed leader. The book, at times is very descriptive about the murders of young children that rebelled against Hitler’s rule and also of the Jewish population that was so viciously targeted.

Though I find this book to be incredibly worthwhile and believe it should be read by YAs, I am hesitant to think it would spark much interest for adolescent reading. I think that most YAs, unless they had a specific interest in the world history and the Holocaust, would likely look past this book on the shelf unless it was an assigned book for them. 

Genre: General Non-Fiction, Histiorical Fact

#3 Coming of Age: Someone Like You

Annotation:

Away at camp, Haley is surprised by a call from her best friend, Scarlett, desperately asking her to return home early. Shocked by the wavering in the voice of her usually strong and supportive friend, Haley realizes her best friend needs her now more than ever, and she will do whatever it takes to be there for her.

Justification for non-nomination:

Haley finds out that Scarlet’s boyfriend has just been killed in a motorcycle accident. To make an ugly situation even worse, Scarlett finds out she is pregnant with his child. As Haley embarks on her quest for identity in her own life, she also becomes the support for her friend through this teenage pregnancy, which inevitably forces both girls to face adulthood in a very early and dramatic way.

Though Dessen has an incredible ability to intertwine various issues together and make them fit cohesively throughout the story, it seemed incredibly predictable and lacking in some areas. This may have been the adult voice in my head so I ventured to look at it through my teen lens. I can agree, however, that Dessen touches on many of the adolescent hallmarks that accompany that fine line between childhood and adulthood including friendships, parents, boys, alcohol and drug use, sex, and teen pregnancy.

Dessen writes the story from Haley’s point of view and through this telling, she is able to completely own the teenage perspective including leaving the parents and adults mostly in the background while the teens try to navigate and understand their own individual worlds. This perspective allows the reader to better understand the situations and decisions being made by Haley, but it also limits the reader in having a fully dimensional understanding of the characters in any other way than through the eyes of a teenage girl.  Each character within the story, all the way down to their actions, mimic the way a teen would feel and perceive an adult, a friend, a parent, a boy and in some cases, even other girls they feel threatened by. This may or not have been the point Dessen was trying to drive home in the book, but it left little to the imagination and may have contributed to the lack of depth in the storyline.

This book is a very easy read and would appeal to YA girls for sure. The cover of the book itself does not seem to fit the story at all.  After finishing the book, I questioned why and how that cover was relevant to the story.  Parents may cringe a little at the topics discussed and the life lessons being learned, but as an adult reading this book, it helps bring you back to the mindset of a teenager through the thoughts and the situations that Haley experiences.

Genre Catalog: Coming of Age, Realistic/Edgy/Problem Novel

#2 Graphic Novel- The Tale of One Bad Rat

Talbot, Bryan. The Tale of One Bad Rat. Milwaukie, Dark Horse Books, 1994. Print.

Annotation: After suffering severe abuse at the hands of her father, Helen flees from her home with her pet rat. Not exactly sure of where to turn, she begins to follow in the path of her favorite author Beatrix Potter in a desperate attempt to rid herself of the abuse she has had to endure.

Justification for Non-nomination:

Talbot uses this graphic novel as a device to show the harsh realities of child abuse and incest. Helen, abused by her father finds comfort in the life and books of Beatrix Potter. Her only companion is a rat she rescued from a laboratory. After fleeing from her father, Helen is homeless, roaming the streets desperate for food and shelter. She encounters many evils along the way including people believing she is a sinner and the cause of her despair, which actually can be tied into what a person suffering abuse may feel.  She also encounters people looking to use her for prostitution or sexual favors of their own. Tragically, no one has Helen’s best interest at heart and she receives absolutely no unconditional love through much of the story.

Though it is a dark and dismal story, there is a prevailing message in this comic-art style graphic novel in that Helen can become the voice of those being abused. Talbot moves her character through various psychological stages that accompany the pain and eventual healing associated with sexual abuse: guilt, despair, distrust, worthlessness, anger, and eventually confrontation of her abuser. These stages allow Helen to progress on a path towards healing allowing for her journey to be a vehicle for other abused children to possibly find hope and healing when dealing with sexual abuse.

Though this is a courageous piece of literature in that it brings sexual abuse to the forefront and offers to be a healing, “you are not alone,” type of device for those suffering from abuse, I couldn’t help but think of the target audience. This piece would show the horrors of sexual abuse and incest but I question its influence and impact on those that have not suffered in this way. While it is necessary to bring awareness to this abuse, this book most likely would be influential to those being traumatized, affected, or even experiencing abuse.


Genre Catalog: Graphic Novel, Realistic Novels/Problem Novels/Edgy Fiction

#1 Printz Winner Selection: One Whole and Perfect Day

Clarke, Judith. One Whole and Perfect Day.Honesdale: Front Street, 2006. Print

Annotation:

Not only does bold Lily Samson realize that her family is the complete opposite of perfection, she sees that she is the only sensible member within it. With this sensibility comes her realization that she acts much too old for the sixteen year old she is and she must do something reckless and unexpected; something her family would never imagine her doing. Her solution, Lily decides to try to fall in love, not just with anyone, but with Daniel Steadman, a boy that she’s convinced doesn’t even know she exists.

Justification for Nomination:

Judith Clarke’s One Whole and Perfect Day, highlights the solitary life Lily Samson leads.  Her mother works late, her brother, after being disowned by her grandfather, went off to school, her grandparents live in the mountains, and a father that only makes appearances via telephone maybe twice a year, have left Lily fending for herself and living a life far different from the other girls her age.

While her school friends are contemplating how to ask out boys, Lily is deciding what to make for dinner. Seemingly undisturbed by this initially, Lily catches herself using a phrase that her grandmother uses and sees herself as “old” rather than a teenager. In an effort to try to recapture her youth, she sets out to do something unexpected and decides she will try to fall in love.

This story begins with Lily, however, Clarke allows for all the characters to have a voice and share a viewpoint by using the limited omniscient perspective. Doing so allows the reader to enjoy the depth of each of the characters and entices you into the story of not just Lily but also her family members and other characters presented throughout the story.

 Clarke allows you to get involved in the identity crisis of Lily, but also allows you to move beyond that and experience other crucial elements including cultural diversity, racism, aging,  death and the list goes on and on. Another important aspect to mention that Clarke brings to the novel is her intertwining of poetry within the piece. Several stanzas are included in different scenes in the book and tie the experience of the character with the lines of poetry extremely well.

 The book itself is impossible to put down! Each page reaches out to the reader begging them to keep going and when the end is near, there is this impossible feeling of needing to slow down so the story doesn’t have to come to an end.  At times the piece seemed far more sophisticated that what I was expecting of a teen read and made me wonder if a teen would identify enough with certain elements to continue reading it. Regardless of my initial thoughts, when the story closed it felt like a perfect read for a YA audience and a driving force behind so many important topics that most, if not all young adults will encounter in some shape or form within their lives.