Turtles All the Way Down
NYT Bestseller List (10/29/2017 - present)
by John Green
Green, J. (2017). Turtles all the way down. New York: Dutton Books.
Being sixteen carries its own set of challenges. When you add to it the death of a father and a personal struggle with OCD, it becomes nearly unbearable. Aza's spiraling thoughts seem to control her life. At times, she is not even sure if she is real or fiction. When the local millionaire, Russell Pickett, disappears without a trace, Aza and her best friend, Daisy, go on a quest to solve the mystery with hopes of receiving a $100,000 reward. In the process, Aza reunites with a past friend from grievance camp, who happens to be Russell's eldest son, Davis, and a blossoming romance ignites. After Aza and Daisy ultimately solve the mystery, Davis and his brother are left fatherless and decide to start a new life in Colorado.
As the mother of a child with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, this book gave me a glimpse into my daughter's internal world. Although I don't recall an actual label of OCD ever being assigned to Aza within this realistic fiction young adult novel, it was clear that this was what she was struggling with. We live in a world where people throw around the term OCD when referring to a tendency to keep things extremely neat and orderly. This book gives a realistic look at what OCD actually is through the eyes of a youthful protagonist who experiences gradual change as she begins to understand and accept her personal limitations and the affects of OCD on her life. This was refreshing, due to the assumptions that people make about this disorder and how people who have it are often misunderstood. As seen with Aza, it affects every aspect of one's life: from personal relationships to health. John Green's understanding of this comes from his personal experience with OCD and was evident in his writing. Due to some strong language and a sexual picture sent to Daisy in response to her fanfiction writing, none of which were really necessary in this novel, I would only recommend this book for a mature high school audience. This is a shame since, in my opinion, the book would be beneficial for young adults beginning at about age 13 to understand mental struggles without having to experience them personally.
Author, John Green's website: http://www.johngreenbooks.com/
An interview with John Green: http://time.com/4976944/john-green-turtles-all-the-way-down-mental-illness/
Learn more about OCD from the International OCD Foundation: https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/
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All American Boys
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers Top Ten (2017)
by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
Reynolds, J., & Kiely, B. (2015). All American boys. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
Rashad is an ROTC member, but he’d much rather don oversized jeans, a t-shirt, and tennis shoes and head to a party with his best friends...like he does every Friday after ditching his stiff uniform. On one particular Friday, he stops to grab some chips at Jerry’s corner store before meeting his friends, but a police officer (falsely) accuses him of stealing and Rashad lands in the hospital with broken bones and internal bleeding. When a video of the event finds its way into the hands of the media, students take sides. Some claim that Officer Paul Galluzzo was just doing his job and others proclaim racially motivated police brutality. Quinn, who has strong ties to the Galluzzo family, was an eyewitness and is torn on what to do. As racial tension ripples out into the community and beyond, a peaceful protest results, in which both Rashad and Quinn participate, beginning a breakdown of racial barriers and uniting hearts.
This book really made me think, not only about racial prejudice and police brutality, but also about family relationships, assumptions, and what drives people to make certain decisions. The numerous conflicts within this novel make it a fantastic catalyst for classroom discussions and appealing to junior high and high school students. Alternating chapters are written from different characters' points-of-view: Rashad, the attacked, and Quinn, the witness. It wasn’t until about halfway through the book that the skin color of each was stated. This was very effective in revealing my own assumptions about the characters before knowing them. The book delves into the internal struggle that Quinn experiences in trying to determine if his loyalties to Paul are greater than his sense of right and wrong as he moves from Kohlberg's conventional stage to the post-conventional moral stage of development by the end of the book. Rashad also deals with inward challenges, as he struggles between the pressures his father has always put on him and what he finds out about his father’s own experience as a police officer. This book could certainly be used to examine the assumptions and prejudices that students may unknowingly have. It would also be great for discussions related to loyalties, right and wrong, racial and other prejudices, and even in comparing segregation from the past to that in today’s world.
Book trailer:
Authors, Reynolds and Kiely, answer questions from readers:
Another novel exploring racial tension and police brutality:
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Looking for Alaska
Michael L. Printz Award Book (2006)
by John Green
Green, J. (2005). Looking for Alaska. New York: Speak.
Miles Halter lacks friends, but that is not why he wants to leave Florida to attend Culver Creek, a boarding school in Alabama. Instead, he desires to seek a “Great Perhaps” while he is still living. His life at boarding school is full of adventure and new experiences including smoking, drinking, sex, pranks, and a unique group of friends, including the alluring Alaska Young. When Alaska dies in a tragic car accident, Miles and the Colonel wrestle with guilt and try to figure out what actually happened on that dreadful night, but come up empty. While writing his final essay for religion class at the end of the school year, Miles finally finds the ability to move on as he realizes that forgiveness is what allows you to survive in the labyrinth of suffering.
This young adult novel is written from Miles' point-of-view, presenting his interpretation of his development as well as how he perceives that of his friends. It brought tears to my eyes as I read about the death of Alaska’s mom and then her own. It surprised me when the Before and After sections ended up being linked to Alaska’s death, as I expected the turning point “event” to be Miles and Alaska having intercourse. It also shocked me when Lara and Miles had oral sex and it was explicitly described. However, all of these things combined together truly set the scene and contribute to the development of the characters, as well as the story-line. With these mature topics, I’d reserve this book for older teens. However, the topics this book broaches (religion, death, loss, forgiveness, depression, parent/child responsibility for one another, friendship) are definitely worth exploring with them. Depending on the reader, it will provide an autobiographic or vicarious reading experience. In addition, philosophical speculation will definitely occur as topics are raised during religion class for exploration.
Author, John Green, on the banning of this book:
Book trailer:
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Eleanor & Park
Michael L. Printz Award Book (2014)
by Rainbow Rowell
Rowell, R. (2013). Eleanor & Park. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin.
Eleanor, a heavy-set, awkward red-head from an abusive home, and Park, a half-Korean comic book lover, end up sitting together on the school bus one day. Over time, a friendship develops through the silent sharing of comic books and music. Later, first love ignites and the two become deeply connected. When Eleanor discovers that her alcoholic stepfather has been writing obscene messages on her school books, she knows that she cannot go back home without risking her safety. Park, supported by his parents, demonstrates his love by driving her to her uncle’s house in Minnesota. After six months of writing letters to her with no response, Park receives a postcard in the mail containing three life-giving words.
This was a very sweet love story. It brought back memories of my own first love, including the sweaty palms, fast-beating heart, consumed thoughts, and enhanced sensory awareness from when we first held hands. For me, it was a realistic fiction novel since I was a teen in the 80's. However, for current young adults, it will likely be perceived as historical fiction with accurate historical facts as demonstrated often through Park's music and reading selections. I loved how the main characters were different than those in most teen love stories; they were not the popular kids or people who were trying to become known. They were much more like the majority of us and readers will likely identify with them. : ) Rowell realistically presents two very different family lives and the struggles that Eleanor and Park have within their own. I found Richie repulsive and desperately wanted to help Eleanor, her siblings, and her mom get out of the terrible situation they were in. You never really know what goes on behind closed doors in other people’s families. This book gives high school and mature junior high readers a glimpse into other households without having to experience it themselves. In addition, it communicates permission to seek help for those who find themselves in an abusive household.
Books by Rainbow Rowell:
Author's website: http://www.rainbowrowell.com/
Mighty Jack
Great Graphic Novels for Teens Top Ten (2017)
by Ben Hatke
It is finally summertime. Jack wants to sleep in, but his single mom works two jobs to try to make ends meet, so he must take care of his autistic sister, Maddy, instead. During a family outing to the flea market, Jack trades the family car for a box of seeds when normally-silent Maddy expresses an interest. Back home, Jack works with her to till the ground and plant the seeds. They are both surprised when the plants come alive and begin to attack! As they investigate the magical garden with their neighbor, Lilly, Maddy begins to blossom and grow close to Jack, a spark ignites between Lilly and Jack, and Jack becomes mighty!
Although the basic story-line is the same, Mighty Jack takes an entirely new twist on the classic Jack and the Beanstalk tale by modernizing it, adding a touch of sci-fi along with a superhero vibe, and throwing in additional characters. Jack is still a boy from a poor home who foolishly trades his family’s possession for seeds, and he still faces a giant. I’d like to read Book 2 to find out if a fortune results at the end of the story for Jack as it does in the original. This graphic novel’s spin contains additional characters, and each of them have a different approach to the seeds and dangerous garden in which readers will be able to relate. Maddy, though usually silent and anxious, approaches them with curiosity and uncharacteristic boldness. Jack is fearful of them, but bravery comes out because he is driven to protect his family. Lilly looks at them in an investigative way stating, “Just because something’s dangerous doesn’t make it evil.” True, but that doesn’t mean you should knowingly involve yourself with danger, in my opinion. Statements like Lilly’s and the family bonds in this book would make for great discussions with middle, junior high, and high school students. In addition, the graphic novel format makes it appealing to modern youth with detailed illustrations, especially of the garden and dragon, complementing the text.
Author, Ben Hatke’s blog: http://www.benhatke.com/
Book trailer:
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Required Young Adult Novel
by Sherman Alexie
Arnold Spirit Junior lives on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Because he was born with hydrocephalus, he looks strange, has a lisp, and stutters. On the rez, these things make him a target for bullying and cause him to be beat up frequently, not only by kids, but also by 30-year-old adult men. His only solace is his family and his best friend, Rowdy, who happens to be tough and full of anger. When Mr. P, Junior’s teacher at Wellpinit High School, encourages him to leave the reservation so that he does not become trapped and fall into the depressed, drunken cycle that the other Indians have, he takes the leap and transfers to Reardan High School, a rich, white school twenty-two miles from the rez. Although it’s very difficult for him at first, when he punches the school giant in the face for making a racist joke, he surprisingly gains respect. Unfortunately though, by leaving the rez to attend Reardan, he loses the respect of his tribe and the friendship of Rowdy. Thankfully, his family remains loyal and supportive of him. A series of events including a basketball game and the death of three people he loves reunite him with his tribe and, most importantly, with Rowdy.
This book appears on ALA’s Frequently Challenged Young Adult Book List from schools, probably because of its inclusion of sexual references and terms. I am a very conservative person and tend to shy away from these things with younger adults. However, I’ve noticed as an adult when I reread books or rewatch movies that I first viewed as a teen, there are mature situations within them that I did not tune into when I was a young adult. With this book, I think we must be careful not to lose sight of the forest for the trees...and the forest in this novel is worth seeing. There are so many rich, positive lessons in this book; it really should not be passed up. In fact, I began marking thoughts that I wanted to remember when I was a little over halfway through the book so that I could go back and recall the important lessons later. However, by the end of the book, I felt like I had every other page marked (pg. 153, 157, 176, 180, 186, 188, 189…). Seriously, it is just that rich. In addition, it is hilarious. Alexie’s writing style is very enjoyable, Junior’s comic sketches are awesome, and there are laugh-out-loud moments, as well as shed-a-tear passages. It will definitely provide an aesthetic experience and can be read for fun, but will also develop empathy in the reader. Personally, it was extremely interesting to me to read about the reality of an Indian reservation, too. I lived in South Dakota, home of numerous reservations, for a few years as a child. In addition, I participated in the Minority Mentorship Project during college, which was led by a Native American woman who was raised on a reservation and, therefore, had a heart for helping students who were poor. Each person in MMP was paired up with an “at risk” local elementary school student whose family had limited financial resources. We mentored our student for multiple years and, hopefully, made a difference in their life, much as Mr. P did in Junior’s.
Learn about the Spokane Tribe of Indians: http://www.spokanetribe.com/
Author, Sherman Alexie’s website: http://fallsapart.com/
Sherman talks about the book: https://www.c-span.org/video/?202083-3/the-absolutely-true-diary-part-time-indian
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Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.
Melinda and her best friend, Rachel, attend an end-of-summer party before beginning their freshman year at Merryweather High hoping that it will propel them into popularity. But, it has the opposite effect on Melinda after she calls the cops and they break up the party. Now her friends, including Rachel, ignore her, and everyone else glares at her in the school halls. What they don’t understand is that something terrible happened at the party. Melinda was raped. Unfortunately, instead of telling the police, she flees the party in fear. Now, she can’t bring herself to speak about it to anyone. When her perpetrator traps her in an abandoned janitor’s closet and attempts to have his way with her again, she breaks her silence. It is only then that she can begin to heal.
This National Book Award finalist offers numerous topics of discussion with students including friendship, cliques, loyalty, depression, mentors, art therapy, family relationships, mutism, alcohol use, parties, healing, and rape. Although the description of the forced sexual assault is not graphic, the topic is a mature one. So, this realistic fiction book is most appropriate for a Young Adult audience (13 - 18 yrs). The opening pages of Anderson’s novel reminded me of Divergent because both mentioned factions. The story is told from Melinda’s point of view. Her sarcasm is sad, but hilarious, and her thoughts run very deep, often revealing much more about her than would appear at surface level. I have a number of favorite quotes from this book. “Instead of multicultural, we have no-cultural” (pg 69). I thought this was clever of Melinda to observe and say. “Maybe I’ll be an artist if I grow up” (pg 78). Notice she said “if,” not “when,” which reveals the level of pain she is going through and that she is not sure if she can survive it. “The whole point of not talking about it, of silencing the memory, is to make it go away. It won’t” (pg 82). SO deep and revealing and sad. “He’s not chopping it down. He’s saving it. Those branches were long dead from disease. All plants are like that. By cutting off the damage, you make it possible for the tree to grow again” (pg 187). Revelation! A way to survive and enter back into the land of the living, as well as bring closure to the tree metaphor displayed throughout the novel. Although this was an emotion-packed read, I shed only one tear. I could not prevent it from slipping out as I read the last page.
Book trailer:
Movie trailer:
Watch Laurie Halse Anderson read a response poem called Listen in which only 2 stanzas are written by her. All of the other words are taken from letters she received from readers of Speak:
Go to the RAINN website (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) for information about the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline: https://www.rainn.org/about-national-sexual-assault-telephone-hotline
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Gephart, D. (2016). Lily and Dunkin. New York: Delacorte Press.
Tim McGrother wants to be called Lily Jo and start taking hormone blockers because he identifies as a girl. His best friend, Dare, fully supports him, as do his mother and sister, Sarah. However, his dad is definitely not on board and forbids him to leave the house wearing girl's clothes or makeup. When Tim’s psychologist speaks to his dad alone, though, his attitude suddenly changes. In the meantime, Norbert Dorfman (nicknamed Dunkin by Tim), who just moved to town from New Jersey, is dealing with his own struggles. He’s wrestling with trying to fit in, making friends, learning to play basketball, and deciding whether to keep taking his bipolar medications. Everything comes to a head during a basketball game after he stops taking his medications. A mental hospital helps him to get back on track and to deal with the truth about his father.
In the Author’s Note at the end of this realistic fiction novel, Donna Gephart shares that her desire to write a story about the transgender experience was sparked after viewing a film called I Am a Girl! during Lunafest and that she wanted to write about the bipolar experience after walking through it with her own son. I admire her desire to help others experience empathy and to walk in the shoes of transgender and bipolar youth vicariously by writing this book. However, I think the ending of the story was a bit deus ex machina. It was somewhat implausible for Lily’s father to show up at the dance in an “I love my DAUGHTER!” t-shirt, Vasquez to stop bullying Tim, Dare to reveal that she is a lesbian, and Norbert to go to the dance after being picked up from the mental health hospital, then easily proceed to ask Lily to dance. Nonetheless, there are positive themes in this book worth discovering such as: Children need the unconditional love of their parents; Living to make other people happy is hard; and, A true friend sticks by you when no one else will.
Author, Donna Gephart’s website: http://www.donnagephart.com/
Link to Gender Diversity website: http://www.genderdiversity.org/
Link to National Alliance on Mental Illness: https://www.nami.org/
Speak
Required Young Adult Novel
by Laurie Halse Anderson
Melinda and her best friend, Rachel, attend an end-of-summer party before beginning their freshman year at Merryweather High hoping that it will propel them into popularity. But, it has the opposite effect on Melinda after she calls the cops and they break up the party. Now her friends, including Rachel, ignore her, and everyone else glares at her in the school halls. What they don’t understand is that something terrible happened at the party. Melinda was raped. Unfortunately, instead of telling the police, she flees the party in fear. Now, she can’t bring herself to speak about it to anyone. When her perpetrator traps her in an abandoned janitor’s closet and attempts to have his way with her again, she breaks her silence. It is only then that she can begin to heal.
This National Book Award finalist offers numerous topics of discussion with students including friendship, cliques, loyalty, depression, mentors, art therapy, family relationships, mutism, alcohol use, parties, healing, and rape. Although the description of the forced sexual assault is not graphic, the topic is a mature one. So, this realistic fiction book is most appropriate for a Young Adult audience (13 - 18 yrs). The opening pages of Anderson’s novel reminded me of Divergent because both mentioned factions. The story is told from Melinda’s point of view. Her sarcasm is sad, but hilarious, and her thoughts run very deep, often revealing much more about her than would appear at surface level. I have a number of favorite quotes from this book. “Instead of multicultural, we have no-cultural” (pg 69). I thought this was clever of Melinda to observe and say. “Maybe I’ll be an artist if I grow up” (pg 78). Notice she said “if,” not “when,” which reveals the level of pain she is going through and that she is not sure if she can survive it. “The whole point of not talking about it, of silencing the memory, is to make it go away. It won’t” (pg 82). SO deep and revealing and sad. “He’s not chopping it down. He’s saving it. Those branches were long dead from disease. All plants are like that. By cutting off the damage, you make it possible for the tree to grow again” (pg 187). Revelation! A way to survive and enter back into the land of the living, as well as bring closure to the tree metaphor displayed throughout the novel. Although this was an emotion-packed read, I shed only one tear. I could not prevent it from slipping out as I read the last page.
Book trailer:
Watch Laurie Halse Anderson read a response poem called Listen in which only 2 stanzas are written by her. All of the other words are taken from letters she received from readers of Speak:
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Lily and Dunkin
Required Young Adult Novel
by Donna Gephart
Tim McGrother wants to be called Lily Jo and start taking hormone blockers because he identifies as a girl. His best friend, Dare, fully supports him, as do his mother and sister, Sarah. However, his dad is definitely not on board and forbids him to leave the house wearing girl's clothes or makeup. When Tim’s psychologist speaks to his dad alone, though, his attitude suddenly changes. In the meantime, Norbert Dorfman (nicknamed Dunkin by Tim), who just moved to town from New Jersey, is dealing with his own struggles. He’s wrestling with trying to fit in, making friends, learning to play basketball, and deciding whether to keep taking his bipolar medications. Everything comes to a head during a basketball game after he stops taking his medications. A mental hospital helps him to get back on track and to deal with the truth about his father.
In the Author’s Note at the end of this realistic fiction novel, Donna Gephart shares that her desire to write a story about the transgender experience was sparked after viewing a film called I Am a Girl! during Lunafest and that she wanted to write about the bipolar experience after walking through it with her own son. I admire her desire to help others experience empathy and to walk in the shoes of transgender and bipolar youth vicariously by writing this book. However, I think the ending of the story was a bit deus ex machina. It was somewhat implausible for Lily’s father to show up at the dance in an “I love my DAUGHTER!” t-shirt, Vasquez to stop bullying Tim, Dare to reveal that she is a lesbian, and Norbert to go to the dance after being picked up from the mental health hospital, then easily proceed to ask Lily to dance. Nonetheless, there are positive themes in this book worth discovering such as: Children need the unconditional love of their parents; Living to make other people happy is hard; and, A true friend sticks by you when no one else will.
Author, Donna Gephart’s website: http://www.donnagephart.com/
Link to Gender Diversity website: http://www.genderdiversity.org/
Link to National Alliance on Mental Illness: https://www.nami.org/
