Discovery

The Shack
William Paul Young

Non-Fiction

Warriors Don't Cry
By: Melba Pattillo Beals
1994

The story that everyone is familiar with, the Little Rock Nine, but with an actual face behind the story. This story puts human emotions and reactions behind an event that we, as a culture, have become numb to. Learning about history is easy until you hear from the real people involved. This memoir is a heart breaking story about a young girls strength and courage in the face of so much hate in America during the times of integration. Throughout the story you will read about different events that took place during the integration of Central High School in the 50's, but you will hear it through one of the African American student's perspective of the event.
While reading I got the sense that Melba was trying to keep her emotion out of the book so she could just write the facts about the events. However, behind the straight facts of what happened, you cannot help but feel her pain as you read through her diary excerpts scattered within the book. The nine students who attended Central High School had so many negative feelings in association with white people after this time, but eventually had a chance to resolve some of those feelings in an interview years later.
This memoir is an unbelievably powerful and emotional read. I believe that this memoir speaks more about the racism that exists in this country more than a lot of literature that adolescents are reading today. This is a book that can open the door rich discussion in whatever setting you may find yourself in; a classroom, book club, or family.

Watch the interview with Oprah -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAsh_PDr1cc
Another blog on this book --http://lifelaughterliterature.weebly.com/blog/the-importance-of-nonfiction
More about the students -- http://www.littlerock9.com/
Article from Life Magazine -- http://life.time.com/history/little-rock-nine-1957-photos/#1
Video from the History Channel --http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement/videos/little-rock-nine-rev
Excerpt from the Encyclopedia of Arkansas -- http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=723
An Interview with Melba Pattilla Beals -- http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/interview-melba-pattillo-beals
More about Melba and her Experience -- http://www.democraticunderground.com/11383264
Article from Stanford.edu -- http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/index.php/encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_little_rock_school_desegregation_1957/

I'll Give You the Sun
By: Jandy Nelson
2014

A story where twins are separated by time and emotion, but why? We see both halves through both twins but from different time points. One twin, Noah, we get his story when he is 13 and we get the other half of the story from the other twin Jude when they are 16. Slowly while the book goes on we get all the little pieces of the story put together through the different viewpoints. This is an instantly captivating read that had me hooked from beginning to end. Nelson has  writing style that will keep you interested while not being too easy a read. There are so many details to this story that you have to pay close attention while you read or you will miss something. While reading you think that there are so many lose ends to all of the stories the twins are telling but they end up all tying together in an unexpected, but remarkable way. By the end, the book definitely takes a piece of you heart and soul with it. I highly highly highly recommend EVERYONE read this, young or old, male or female.

I Am the Wallpaper
By: Mark Peter Hughes
2005

A thirteen year old girl who feels invisible in comparison to her older sister is suddenly finding herself the center of attention, why? The secrets of her diary have been exposed to the pubic and now all eyes are on her. She is trying to deal with this embarrassment of being in the spotlight and finds that maybe being ordinary isn't so bad after all.
This book is a very quick read but definitely provides entertainment. It brings me back to the time when I was thirteen years old and anything bad that happened felt like my entire world was caving in. Hughes does a very good job capturing the voice of an adolescent teen during the time of great trial, for her. Though the main character, Floey, is dealing with a lot of trouble in her life during this time, she attacks it with unwavering optimism that a lot of teenagers do not have. It is a very encouraging read, telling that something may seem bad but it may not be all that bad.

Individualism

Lucky Child
By: Loung Ung
2005

A memoir about a girl trying to find who she is in a world completely new to her. Loung Ung immigrates to America from the war ridden Cambodia when she is just ten years old. It is a story of struggle as you see young Loung trying to fit in to American culture while trying to please her older brother, Meng, who is her caretaker. She wants to forget about all the violence that she has been exposed to in Cambodia, but her roots keep bringing her back to that love of her native country.
While reading along with Loung's story you are also reading about her sister, Chou's, story while she is still living in Cambodia at the same time. This creates a very interesting juxtaposition about the privileged life that we live in America and the not so privileged life lead in Cambodia.

This book is definitely not a light-hearted read, it will leave you with a wide range of emotions throughout the memoir. This is a book that makes you think of the world outside our tunnel vision of American life and we are let in to the struggles of a young girl trying to become her own version of the "American Dream."

All About Love

The Tragedy Paper
By: Elizabeth Laban
2013

A stack of CDs were left behind for Duncan, in his dorm, as he began his senior year at the prestigious Irving School in New York, by the senior who lived there before him, Tim Macbeth. The CDs were said to help Duncan on his Tragedy Paper, the most feared of all the senior projects.
Within the story both Tim and Duncan are going through trials of the heart. Tim loves Vanessa, and Duncan loves Daisy. The story line follows both of these characters going through their senior years but one year apart. Tim's senior experience helps Duncan get through his own, especially when it comes to his dealings with Daisy.
The author does a good job circling the subject "what makes a tragedy?" But, there are times when she is...less then subtle about the name choices. Laban makes it obvious with the Shakespearean connection between Macbeth and Duncan, even making explicit comments in the novel about it. This took the mystery out of their relationship and made less work for the reader.
However, the story line is captivating and instantly grasps your attention with the mystery surrounding the tragedy paper. It turns, what I though would be, a light-hearted drama into a serious drama, involving fitting in with your peers, defiance, and above all, romance.

Sense of Self

The List
By: Siobhan Vivian
2012

The story of eight high school girls as each one of them was deemed either the ugliest or the prettiest girl of their grade. The effects of this "list" is different to every girl. How should they react? How would this effect the people around them? Some of the girls think that their lives have improved while other girls are fully aware of the disastrous repercussions of being selected to be on the list. Whether they were labeled as pretty or ugly, the judgement of the maker of this list has a negative effect on every single one of the girls. These girls learn that you can't let the judgement of another person define who you are.

This is a beautiful story about how the judgement of other people can deeply effect the way that we see ourselves. Some of these girls, who thought that they knew the type of person they were had their lives turned upside-down by this list. Vivian does a remarkable job of capturing the real life everyday problems facing teenagers in high school. It is also helpful for adults because they get the chance to see that maybe these insignificant problems their own teenagers face may not be so insignificant. We as a society are forced to look at how we treat others and how our judgement can greatly effect another person.

I would highly recommend this book to readers of any age.

Everyday
By: David Levithan
2012

This novel has a very original topic of a spirit that takes over a different body everyday, but the catch here is that A falls in love with a girl, Rhiannon, while he is inhabiting one body. It then becomes A's sole purpose to find a way to see her everyday within different bodies. This takes his life in a whole new direction, but how will A and Rhiannon ever be together if everyday he wakes up as someone else? This is where the adventure lies. Is love really enough for a relationship? This novel challenges that thought that it can.
This is a book that you need to read for a few chapter until you get connected with the book's concept and plot. The book is written in a way that makes it easy to follow, however it doesn't feel like the content is dumbed down for younger readers. It is something that I was able to read very quickly, but also enjoyed. At the beginning of the book it is a strange idea, not to understand, but to get emotionally attached to, because towards the beginning it almost seems that there isn't a person that you can be attached to. It almost feels that A isn't even real. However, as I read on I became more and more attached to A and his journey to try and win his girl. I would encourage that this book be read.

If You Find Me 
By: Emily Murdoch
2013

This is one of those books that never ends after you're through reading it. The story stays with you and you continue to think about it once you finish. The story line follows tow sisters, Carey and Jenessa, as they are rescued from their lives in the woods alone to living in society with their father. The plot line has many surprising turns that easily keeps any reader interested. You feel a deep emotional connection to the characters as they try to adjust to their new lives while hiding deep and dark secrets that may ruin Carey's new life if they were to come out. Emily Murdoch's writing style is easy to follow along giving very descriptive details so you are able to see a clear picture in your head about what it going on.
While reading the book, I found it very difficult to put it down, I was automatically hooked from the first page. Even though there aren't many, if any, people who go through this exact problem, but the books is still relatable on different levels. It is easy to understand the close, emotional ties to family and finding love within your family. The novel also forces you to think about your own lifestyle and how greedy we as a society can be and how it is so easy to get caught up in things we want when there are more important things to strive for in life, like family , friends, love, protection, and happiness.
Highly, highly recommend.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

By: Sherman Alexie 

My initial thoughts on this book are that it genuinely surprised me with all of the tragedy that took place from beginning to end of the novel. To me the novel was heartbreaking and beautiful in the way that it described Junior’s life as he talks about his journey to a new stepping point in his life. I also thought that it broke the boundaries between race lines that exist between whites and Indians, a line that I didn't really think even existed. It also opened my eyes to the way life is on Indian reservations, something that I never really put much thought into and it surprised me to hear about how it really works. I found myself cheering on Junior as he goes on, even as he is faced with such troubles. Although this is a book written mainly for adolescents I still feel that it could be read and enjoyed by adults because I believe that this is an extremely thought provoking novel and it forces you to think about how the world works. I would highly recommend this novel for any reader of any age.