THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS by John Boyne

Boyne, J. (2006). The boy in the striped pajamas. Great Britain: David Fickling Books.

This book is essentially about the holocaust. It follows nine-year-old Bruno and his family to their new home in "Out-With." Bruno hates his new home and isn't allowed to do any exploring. Bruno's father is a very high ranking military professional whose boss is the "Fury." Bruno doesn't really like the Fury or the soldiers that are always at his home. One day he and his sister discover that there is a fence with tons of people living inside. They thought that it was not fair that these people got to wear pajamas all the time and never had to change into uncomfortable clothes. Bruno was absolutely not allowed to go exploring to the fences, but he did and made a friend. Ironically they had the same birthday! Bruno and his new buddy forge a friendship and Bruno sometimes brings his new friend treats. One day he and his friend agree to do some "exploring" behind the fence to find his friend's father. What happens next will forever have you thinking.

Rationale for Selection: I had heard about this book last year after my students' finished reading Elie Wiesel's book Night. I recommended to a student that was very interested in reading about WWII and the horrors of the holocaust. Unfortunately our media center didn't have the book, so I ordered it, and just got a chance to read it.

Reader Response: I had a really difficult time getting into this book. I totally disagreed with how the author and publisher printed their inside jacket about the book. They stated that they wouldn't tell the reader about the book so as not to spoil the reading of the book. Most striving readers need to know what the book is about to activate their prior knowledge. (Obviously the publishers are not teachers...) Overall I had a really difficult time getting into this story. It took about three-quarters of the way through the book to get into anything interesting. I think that most of my high school students would quit reading this book before they got to the ending--which is the heart of the novel.

Genre and Themes: This was a historical fiction novel that is about the holocaust, nazis, Auschwitz, and concentration camps. It deals with friendship, war, and the horrors associated with war.

Teacher Thinking Notes: I would probably add this book to a list of recommended reading about the holocaust. I usually do a unit on Elie Wiesel's book, Night, and I would add this as voluntary additional reading. It could be a book that I would do a book talk on once we got started in class about the holocaust. As student that had no background knowledge on the topic would be completely lost. They wouldn't understand the significance of "Out-With" or the "Fury."

Grade or Reading Level: 5th grade - 10th grade

Interest Level: Medium

Quality Level: Medium

SEEDFOLKS by Paul Fleischman

Fleischman, P. (1997). Seedfolks. New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
Summary: This very short novella tells the story of thirteen very diverse individuals whose live become entwined in a garden. All of the folks live in Cleveland in a run down part of the city. They are of all ages and all races. It all begins with a young girl that tries to grow a bean. Soon everyone is planting and sprucing up the vacant lot that becomes their garden. They help one another out and learn their personal and at times heart-breaking stories along the way.
Rationale for Selection: Ever since I began teaching I have been hearing about this book. Finally I read it after the book talk in class. I also wanted to check it out because it is very short, and I also have mostly minority students that could relate.
Reader Response: This was one of those books that I think teachers would love, but not so much students! I don’t think there is enough action in the story. There are vignettes that I think the kids could relate to, but not all of them. I enjoyed it because it was a quick read, and the setting was in Cleveland, Ohio. I’m originally from Ohio, so I felt a connection there.
Genre and Themes: Gardens, city life, neighborhoods, relationships, diversity.
Teacher Thinking Notes: I don’t think that I would use this as a class read aloud—definitely not enough going on. However, I did recommend this book to one of my brand new ESOL students, and she seemed to like it. I know that she felt successful after finishing this book. It doesn’t look like a kid book, and it is short. They had a Haitian character in this novella, and I have many Haitian students. I know that it is difficult to find books with characters of Haitian descent—so I am glad that my ESOL student could find a connection there.
Grade or Reading Level: 6th-12th
Interest level: medium
Quality level: high

THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hosseini

Hosseini, K. (2003). The kite runner. New York, New York: The Berkley Publishing Group.
Summary: This is the first Afghan novel to be translated into English. The story revolves around a privileged Afghan boy, his father, and the servant’s son. It tells of friendship and betrayal, while the reader witnesses history up until almost present day. You will be horrified, saddened, and joyful at times during this novel. You will also be thankful for living in the United States.
Rationale for Selection: A friend of mine read this book for her book club, and a professor of mine was reading this novel last year. It was always on my list of books to read, but never found the time until now! I finally read it when one of my students lent it to me after his book conference. I also wanted to read it to get a perspective on the United States from another country.
Reader Response: When I first started reading this book I didn’t understand what the big fuss was about. It took some time to get into the meat of the story, but I am really glad I read it. As silly as it sounds, I feel smarter for reading it! It made me want to learn more about what was happening over there with the war and the Taliban. I am pretty ignorant about the issues in the Middle East, and now I have some motivation to learn more.
Genre and Themes: Realistic fiction. This novel touches upon male relationships, the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, friendship and betrayal, and the Taliban.
Teacher Thinking Notes: This book definitely could not be used as a read aloud. There are some very graphic scenes that would probably not go over well in a large setting. I think that social studies teachers could use this novel in conjunction with current events in the news. Even though the story is fictional, many of the cities and places mentioned in the book could be discussed and found on a map. The Taliban also plays a prominent role in this novel.
Grade or Reading Level: 10th grade – adult
Interest level: Very High
Quality Level: High

SOMEONE LIKE YOU by Sarah Dessen

Dessen, S. (1998). Someone like you. New York, New York: Penguin Group.
Summary: Best friends Halley and Scarlett live in the suburbs of America. Both have their share of family drama. Halley’s mother is an adolescent therapist and revolves much of her work around her own adolescent daughter. Scarlett’s mother wants to be an adolescent herself and places Scarlett in the parenting role. The two girls have always been there for one another and their friendship will be tested when everything changes their junior year of high school. Scarlett ends up pregnant by her summer fling who dies almost immediately after the baby was conceived. She needs Halley more than ever—but Halley soon finds love on her own. Will she have enough time for the both of them?
Rationale for Selection: The author, Sarah Dessen, is becoming quite popular with teenage girls. I have read a multitude of adolescent books, but am realizing that I am not keeping up on trendy, teenage girl novels. I try so hard to find great stuff for the guys in class that I am starting to let the girl stuff go by the wayside!
Reader Response: I initially read this book because one of my yearbook students gave it to me. I wanted to read another Sarah Dessen book because she has a title on the Florida Teens Read list for this year. I personally liked the book because I could relate to the “white, middle America” setting that the book portrayed. Sarah Dessen really has captured the niche for white, teenage, suburban girls. I’m not sure if the majority of my students would like this book. There may not be enough “drama” in the story for them!
Genre and Themes: This novel is realistic fiction and deals with themes such as teen pregnancy, friendship, family dynamics, death, and single parents.
Teacher Thinking Notes: I think this book would be great to use for a “student recommends” project. I recently read a study that says that students respond positively to a classroom that is filled with pictures of themselves. I would like to start taking pictures of students with favorite books that they recommend and post them around the classroom, media center, and school. I could use this book that “Kayla” recommended to me as a starter.
Grade or Reading Level: 7th grade-12th grade
Interest Level: High
Quality Level: Medium

TYRELL by Coe Booth

Fifteen-year-old Tyrell is living a life in poverty. His mother doesn't want to be a mother and his father is in prison. It is now up to Tyrell to support his seven-year-old brother, himself, and his mother. The family of three has been shipped to a roach infested motel for the homeless which is where they will call home until Tyrell figures something out. Teenagers shouldn't be under pressure like this--but it is Tyrell's reality. Now he has to solve his family problem's fast--or they are going to be split apart. Will Tyrell succumb to the pressures of the street by dealing drugs? Will he let down his girlfriend, Novisha, by hooking up with a fine Latino girl that has found her self in the same situation as Tyrell?

Rationale for selection: This is a recent book that our media specialist recommended I read. As awful as it sounds, I judged this book by it's cover! It looked like something that my students could relate to--especially the boys!

Reader response: I am really glad I read this book! It portrays teenagers and poverty in a true-to-life light. Nothing was sugar-coated in this novel. It had realistic street language and dealt with things like sex and drugs without preaching or glossing over. This book tells it like it is. I recommend not reading it if you are offended by language or sexual content...the exact reasons why high schools students will love it!

Genre and Themes: This is a realistic fiction book that deals with homelessness, parenting, drugs, school, teen relationships, the foster care system, and prison.

Teacher Thinking Notes: This would be a great book to model a book talk in class. Students will be doing their own book talks on novels that they love and recommend. I could easily model this and try to get kids to check it out from the library. I would like to have a "book talk" contest. Students would do their book talks, and then we would chart how many of our classmates check out or put on hold the book we have recommended.

Grade or Reading Level: mature 8th grade- college level

Interest level: very high

Quality level: high

SOLD by Patricia McCormick

Mccormick, P. (2006). Sold. Hyperion

Summary: Lakshmi is a thirteen year old girl from Nepal that is unknowingly sold into prostitution by her stepfather. Lakshmi initially believes that she will be working as a maid to make money for her family and pay off her debts. She soon finds out that she has been put to work in a brothel where she is “torn apart” by the men who pay for her. This book is written in sparse, free verse prose and is emotionally gut wrenching and heartbreaking to read. Lakshmi at first resists her new “work,” but is quickly introduced to the world of sexual abuse. She does the math, and begins to wonder if she will ever pay off her family’s debt. Lakshmi eventually makes new friends with some of the children that live in the brothel with her, but tragedy often strikes many of them. Will Lakshmi make it out alive? Or will she be branded a prostitute and be forever destined to live this horrifying life?
Rationale for Selection: This book is on the Florida Teens Read list for 2007-2008, which is one reason I wanted to read this book—but I also loved the layout of the book when I first saw it. Struggling readers want something that is short, with words that are not too squished together. Some of the chapters in this book were only a few lines long—which made it a really quick read. I also wanted to choose something that was multicultural, and this fit the bill.
Reader Response: I thought this book was phenomenal. I read it on a plane ride from Florida to Detroit without putting it down. The first few chapters might be difficult for struggling readers—they don’t necessarily “capture” the reader right away. However, if you get through the beginning you will be astounded by this book. I have recommended it to a few students. Two of them loved the book, and both said that the beginning was tough and were glad they read the entire thing. The third student couldn’t understand the beginning and opted to read another novel.
Genre and Themes: This is a fictional account of children being sold into sex slavery. This topic has been in headlines recently. This book also deals with homelessness, poverty, gambling, and other social issues.
Teacher Thinking Notes: This book could be used in conjunction with a variety of things. It could be read along with an article about children sold into prostitution. The article would involve true stories—this book is fictional. It could also be used as a springboard for writing. Students could read this book and then send letters to appropriate government officials urging them to crack down on the men and women who abuse these innocent children.
Grade or Reading Level: mature 7th grade-adult
Interest Level: very high
Quality Level: very high

NINETEEN MINUTES by Jodi Picoult

Picoult, J. ((2007). Nineteen minutes. New York, New York: Atria Books.

Summary: What can you accomplish in nineteen minutes? Watch a sitcom? Take a shower? Read the newspaper? This fictional novel goes into the mind of a fictional teenage character, Peter, who goes on a violent shooting spree that lasts nineteen minutes and leaves almost a dozen dead. Thousands of others are haunted by the memories of that horrific day. This novel takes you through the minds of the key players in the shooter’s life. Josie, the girl he loves, is also the judge’s daughter, and witnesses the crimes. Unfortunately she can’t remember the events of that fateful day. Her mother, the judge, is torn about whether or not to be involved in the case. Peter’s mother is not dealing well with being the mother of a murderer. You will be shocked at the outcome of this intriguing novel.
Rationale for Selection: Jodi Picoult’s books are generally marketed for an adult audience. However, one of her novels was on the Florida Teens Read List for last year. This book deals with a school shooting, which unfortunately is in our headlines today. I thought that teens would emotionally relate to the characters in the book—because they are in high school also. This book takes them into Peter’s life, and what it was like to be bullied. I wanted this book to give students a glimpse of what it is like to be tortured and teased in school.
Reader Response: This book took me a little longer to get through. I was in tears at the beginning of the story—but the court case part of the book seemed to drag on. I think that teens would like it much better if they court room drama scenes were fewer and far between. I read this book right before the Cleveland, Ohio, school shooting of the other week—so parts of the book really hit home. My school also had a “code red” drill today—a drill for if there is a shooter in the building. My class had a discussion on how much things have changed for schools in the past ten years.
Genre and Themes: This is a fictional account of a school shooting. This novel deals with bullying, teen relationships, and parental relationships.
Teacher Thinking Notes: This is a tough book to relate to classroom teaching. I would definitely suggest it to kids for book conferencing or do a book talk in class to get a discussion going about school safety. It would also be a book to introduce before code red drills.
Reading Level: 9-adult
Interest Level: High
Quality Level: Medium