Am I
Blue? Am I Blue? Coming Out from the Silence. (Edited by Marion Dane Bauer)
Genre: Fiction - short stories, several different genres (fantasy, realistic, historical) Topics incorporated into work: Homosexuality, friendship, love, self-discovery and self-awareness, loss of a parent, coming of age, family and personal conflict Annotation: This
anthology of sixteen original stories about young people coming to grips
with their sexuality is very sensitively told. Stories range from the
very comical, laugh-out-loud ("Am I Blue"), to the poignant
("Winnie & Tommy"), to the strange ("Blood Sisters).
Integrated in the main homosexual theme are other issues like family
love, friendship, and acceptance.
Ideas
for booktalking this book
Genre: Fiction - Realistic Topics incorporated into work: Coming of age, boarding school, friendship, relationships, family conflict, decisions, depression, identity crisis Annotation: Salinger's novel is the standard by which all coming of age stories are judged. A beautifully crafted, honest depiction of adolescent confusion and angst, Catcher in the Rye can be read on many levels. Holden is one of literature's most memorable characters.
Ideas
for booktalking this book The Catcher in the Rye is #3 on the The Most Frequently Banned Books in the 1990's list.
Genre: Fiction - Realistic Topics incorporated into work: Courage to resist peer pressure, intimidation, good vs. evil, God vs. religion, drama, coming of age, bravery in the face of persecution, not bowing to convention, bullying, corruption and abuse of power, standing alone Annotation: Cormier
has written a brilliant, realistic novel about a young boy who dares
to stand up to powerful, intimidating forces at work in his school.
A very provocative novel; compelling and disturbing. Cormier's style
is terse, suspense and tension build throughout. Jerry's lonely struggle
against the power elite is an accurate depiction of a teenager's learning
to be true to himself and accept the consequences of his actions. The
message that life is not fair needs to be addressed; Cormier does not
wrap everything up in a neat package at the end. He makes the reader
think and question. (Barbara Gillen)
Ideas
for booktalking this book
Genre: Historical Fiction Topics incorporated into work: Civil War, Irish Americans, racism Annotation: This
very well written story about an Irish teenage girl living in a slum
of Washington D.C. during the Civil War rings true. The prose of Ms.
Armstrong is often lovely and lyrical and Mairhe's dreams add a historical
accuracy to this piece of fiction. The characters are rich and believable
- she used imagery effectively. She has done much research on the era,
including the building of the Capitol, and the role of Walt Whitman
during the War. (Leslie Cunningham)
Ideas
for booktalking this book
Genre: Nonfiction - Autobiography Topics incorporated into work: Drama, coming of age, sexual abuse, racism, segregation, self-acceptance, family love Annotation: In
this heartwarming, heart-wrenching, and poetically beautiful novel,
Maya Angelou candidly depicts the painful realities of her youth in
a segregated and racist world. She paints vivid rich word pictures that
transport the reader into her story. It is at times poignant, funny,
and painful. This book is a triumph! An inspiration! (Daphne Jorgensen)
Ideas
for booktalking this book
Genre: Fiction - Realistic Topics incorporated into work: Social inequality/tensions; family love, coming of age, drama, friendship Annotation: This
is a gritty, poignant, and realistic look at slum life in the 1960's
through the experiences of an intelligent, sensitive, impoverished teenager
and his friends. Pony Boy endures painful trials, which threaten to
harden him and strip him of his innocence. In the end his true, yet
more mature, self emerges.
Ideas
for booktalking this book
Genre: Historical fiction Topics incorporated into work: Mystery, death, betrayal, deceit, drug trade, suspense, coming of age Annotation: Sally Lockhart receives the strange message, "BEWARE OF THE SEVEN BLESSINGS," and sets out to discover its meaning and how it is connected to her father's death in the Far East. She quickly finds herself pursued by an old woman and other villains as she learns about the disappearance of a valuable ruby that once belonged to the maharajah of India and finds clues within the world of Victorian London's opium dens. (Lou Ann Stewart) Pullman writes an excellent mysterious plot with spellbinding details. However, some areas of the book are busy with too many things going on at once. The reader must follow closely. The descriptions of characters and settings were wonderful! (Robin Sitarski) Ideas
for booktalking this book
Genre: Fiction - short stories Topics incorporated into work: A wide gamut of topics was covered in various writing styles and genres. Some examples: dealing with the death of a loved one, friendship, love,; family relationships, bullies, sex, individuality, and making important decisions. Annotation: This
interesting anthology encompassed many relevant young adult themes in
a variety of writing styles and genres.
The stories were well organized into subsections: friendships, turmoil, love, decisions, and families. No two stories were alike, and yet most could easily strike a chord with young adults. Ideas
for booktalking this book
Genre: Fiction Topics incorporated into work: Coming of age, friendship, murder, drama, family relationships, self-acceptance Annotation: Integrated in this
suspenseful mystery is humor, a loveable main character, colorful
supporting characters, and an engrossing, easy-to-read plot. The first
person narrative (Tyler) adds to the charm of the book in that readers
get to experience Tyler's world through his 12 year old perspective:
his insecurities, need for love, hopes, dreams, fears, secret quips,
and more. This is a thoroughly enjoyable read. (Daphne Jorgensen) Ideas
for booktalking this book
Genre: Fiction Topics incorporated into work: Family, friendship, loyalty, death, divorce, love, homosexuality, decisions, depression, relationships, fantasy, sexual relationships Annotation: Weetzie
Bat is the story of a high school girl in Los Angeles who doesn't fit
in. That is, until she meets Dirk, a fellow student who understands
her. They become fast friends and do everything together. Dirk, however,
is gay and soon meets his mate, Duck. Follow Weetzie, Dirk and Duck
on a journey of self discovery and love as they meet new people and
expand their family. (Robin Sitarski)
This poorly written, choppy story had little plot, was not engaging, was totally inappropriate for young teenagers, and had little to recommend it. Characters were flat. Plot was thin. Long run-on sentences masqueraded as poetry. Promiscuity, smoking cigarettes, getting drunk, cursing, twisted sexual content, and infidelity, are examples of subjects covered in this book. Kids are impressionable. This book has no good nutritional value to offer in the reading diet of an adolescent. The only strength: the last two paragraphs of the book. (Anonymous) Although some teachers and librarians may have a problem with the "morality" of this book (e.g., Weetzie making love to more than one man at a time), I think the book's underlying message is a sweet and sound one. Be nice to the people you care about. Support them, be there for them, and give them space when they need it. (Sandra G. Gollop) Ideas
for booktalking this book
Genre: Fiction - animal Topics incorporated into work: Nature, birds, family relationships, death, coming of age Annotation: Where Harrier's
Dance is really two stories in one. It is the story of Bryan Kingsly
and his struggle to deal with life in a strange place, both mentally
and physically. It is also the story of Pale Face, a northern harrier
hawk who must learn to follow his own instincts and make his way south
for the winter. An interesting element of this novel is the alternating
chapters between Bryan and Pale Face. Readers may be intrigued to
make the connections between them. Will both learn to follow their
own instincts? Read the book to find out! (Robin Sitarski and Britt
Costa)
Genre: Nonfiction - Autobiography Topics incorporated into work: Nature, man's relationship with nature, dog-sledding, adventure, animals, outdoor life, Iditarod Annotation: Gary
Paulsen skillfully draws the reader into his breathtaking world of dog-sledding
in this beautiful narrative. Paulsen effectively paints stunning scenery
in the mind of the reader, portrays the depth of his relationship with
his animals over the years, and illuminates the many valuable lessons
he learned through his dealings with nature. The book concludes with
a day-to-day account of his experiences while racing the Iditarod, including
his hallucinations after days with little sleep.
Ideas
for booktalking this book
This page last updated May 11, 2001
|
Top