June 6th- Newbery, Printz, Alex, and National Award Winning Books

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by: Sherman Alexie. Grade Level: 9-12.

This award winning novel is a coming of age story about  Junior, who transfers to a high school off the reservation and faces challenges not only from the people that he encounters at his new school, but anger from those that remain on the reservation. While the book has received some criticism for some of the more mature content (alcohol abuse, poverty, bullying), I believe that these are topics that many teenagers can understand and better yet, learn from. Overall, I think that the honest story-telling assures any teenager, in a situation where they feel different or misunderstood, that there is always hope.

 
The Lover's Dictionary by: David Levithan. Grade Level: 9-12. 

Many of the recommendations that I read said that this book was appropriate for grades 9-12, but i think that it's probably more suitable during the college after gaining some relationship experience, but that's just my opinion. The jury is still out for me on this book. It's one of those things when you're really not sure if you like it, until a few weeks later. The eccentric writing style, defined words A-Z, while describing the beginning, the peak, and the end of a relationship in a shuffled order, is something that I enjoyed yet I longed for a little more detail. You feel for the narrator, but can only connect so much because you only know bits and pieces of the relationship. Overall, a quick read that I think I might have to read again to truly make a decision about how I feel about it.


Holes by: Louis Sachar. Grade Level: 6-8.

I think that this is another great book with a male teenage protagonist, that would get a lot of teenage boys to really enjoy reading. The story follows Stanley, who always feels that fate is against him and that his family is cursed,  is sent to a juvenile detention camp. The more the story progresses, we realize that three stories are actually beginning to intertwine and that the decisions of others can have a huge effect on their ancestors. However, in the end Stanley realizes that fate has a way of working itself out, not only for him but for a few others.  I really enjoyed this book, although I did not read it until after I saw the movie; a definite must read for teens!


Number the Stars by: Lois Lowry. Grade Level: 4-6.

This Newbery award winner has now become a staple in the curriculum of many elementary schools.Annemarie is the main character of the story, set during the third year do Nazi occupation of Denmark. The innocent perspective of the ten year old is illustrated throughout the story. When many Jewish shops begin to close due to Nazi force, she struggles to understand why. However, when her family is forced to flee and protect her friend Ellen and their family, she begins to understand the gravity of the situation as Nazi soldiers become more apparent. At the end of the war, she learns more about what was going on in her family before and during the chaos of the war. This book was still captivating to me almost fifteen years after I initially read it, and I think its a crucial book for children to gain a perspective of children during that time in world history.



Cold Mountain by: Charles Frazier. Level: 9-12.

Before this story became an Academy Award winning film, it was an award winning book! This unbelievable love story chronicles the failures and triumphs of Inman and Ada during the American Civil War. Inman, a Confederate soldier, abandons the cause and begins walking all the way home to the love of his life. He encounters people and situations that  show him the darkness and the good in people. Meanwhile, Ada is struggling to handle the farm that her father has left her. While she struggles she attains a great friendship with Ruby. I thought that this was a great story about true love and the lengths that people may go to attain it, and keep it.







In Zanesville by: Jo Ann Beard. Grade level: 9-12.


This coming of age story, about two inseparable best friends documents the trials and tribulations of being a high school teenager. While their mothers consider them to be "late bloomers", the girls rely on each other through babysitting antics gone wrong, family drama, other "clicky" high school girls, and boys. Although they fight, they reconcile and reminisce about simpler days when things were so complicated, when all they cared about was each other; a notion that every adult can understand. I really enjoyed the story of their friendship and related to their feelings of being "weird".



The Talk-Funny Girl by: Roland Merullo. Grade level: 9-12.


This is another book about a girl is very different from everyone else her age. Marjorie's family speaks English, but in a very strange way, which took a little getting used to when reading. Her parents belong to a cult and are abusive toward their daughter, who they rely on as their breadwinner. Marjorie receives a job and help from her Aunt and Sands, and eventually gains the strength and hope to escape from the abuse of her parents. This sad story is still one of hope, because Marjorie is able move on and live her life, without being bogged down by her past.


Where Things Come Back by: John Corey Whaley. Grade Level: 9-12.

This story follows Cullen in a rural town in Arkansas. He struggles with a complicated personal and family life: the death of his cousin, the desire for the girl of his dreams, and the disappearance of his younger brother.  Like life, the characters reactions to situations and each other is messy and very realistic; something that everyone can relate to, in many different life situations. Hope is the overall message of the story and I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it.




Jellicoe Road by: Melina Marchetta. Grade Level: 9-12.

This is another story, with a teenage character trying to figure out her past in order to figure out her future. After being abandoned by her mother at the age of 11 and having no real memories of her father, Taylor then struggles to find out why her closest thing to family, Hannah, suddenly disappears. I really enjoyed this riveting story, and think that both teenage girls and boys will really like the story that Marchetta tells.