Satrapi, Marjane. (2003). Persepolis: A Story of a Childhood.
New York, NY: Pantheon.
Summary:
Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis is a
memoir written in graphic novel format. It
is told in a series of black and white comic strips. It depicts her childhood memories growing in
Iran during the Islamic Revolution.
Marjane was raised by a privileged family, who was liberal-minded. During this time in Iran, citizen’s personal
freedom was diminished and extremists in faith reformed the country. Her parents protested, yet always trying to
keep normality at home. Marjane
gradually transformed into an opinionated, strong, and rebellious girl, after struggling
with the changes of crime and hatred in her nation. Her parents decide to send her to Austria, to
keep her safe from those who do not agree with her views. Her curious and witty spirt inspires many to
keep fighting for what they believe.
Commentary
on Strengths and Connections:
Satrapi cleverly
gives readers an insight perspective of her childhood by using comic strips for
Persepolis, something young readers
are attracted to. She includes facts
about this period and how politics and religion impacted the country. This novel captures the emotions and
experiences skillfully with its remarkable text and illustrations. Persepolis
made me realize how bless I am to live in America and to have my freedom
rights. This story will make you cry and
make you laugh at the same time, since the author delivered this tough topic with
a hit of humor. The book includes many themes throughout the story, like religion,
politics, and war. I recommend this book
for readers fourteen and up, due to its content of violence and use of
language. It is a great resource to have
when studying social studies lesson, since students can connect it to what they
are learning. Students may also write
their own autobiography using comic strips.
However, I must admit this book was hard to read, especially at the
beginning when it provided a lot of historical facts. I do not have as much knowledge in this
topic, and I think that is the reason I struggled a bit to understand the
information. Building background
knowledge before reading the book will allow you to smoothly understand the
flow of the events.
Books by Marjane Satrapi:
1) Persepolis 2
2) Embroideries
3) Chicken with Plums
Books with similar themes:
1) Epileptic 1 by David B.
2) Palestine by Joe Sacco
3)
The Magical Life of Long
Tack Sam: An Illustrated Memoir by Ann Marie
Books Trailer:
Movie Trailer:
Garden,
Nancy. (1982). Annie on My Mind.
New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Summary:
Annie
on My Mind is a story of two high school girls who have an instant
connection and develop a friendship so strong, it later becomes romantic. Set in the 1980s, homosexuality was not as
acceptable as it is today, and was judged and criticized by many. Their romance is discovered one day, when
Liza was house sitting for her teachers, Ms. Stevenson and Ms. Widmer. Liza, one of the young girls, struggles to
understand her sexuality and is confused with her emotions. Family, friends, and the community critic
Liza’s relationship, and makes her question her feelings towards Annie. Liza goes through a period of self-discovery
and endures condemnation from others after being caught, causing her bond with
Annie to part ways. Even after spending
time apart, love continues to connect the girls.
Commentary on Strengths and Connections:
I can’t even begin to imagine
how groundbreaking and memorable this piece of literature could have been for
young girls in the 80s. This book was
written over thirty-five years ago, and I am sure it is was relatable to
teenage girls back then, as it is today.
Teenagers are at an age where exploring their sexuality and questioning
their wants and needs is fundamental in their development stage, and this book
offers such an inspiring message.
Readers are motivated to find courage to be true to themselves, just
like Liza and Annie. Young adults are
often found making difficult choices, particularly some that might be
controversial with family and friends.
This book provides an inside look to LGBT readers and other young
adults, of how homosexuality was intolerable and not accepted years ago,
compared to how it is acknowledged today.
Annie on My Mind is a novel that should be required in high school. As a future librarian, this novel made me
realize the importance of intellectual freedom.
It offers a fantastic opportunity to teach about banned books and the
need for pieces of literature like this one, to be available at all
libraries.
Books by Nancy Garden:
1) The Year They Burned the Books
2) Holly’s Secret
3) Molly’s Secret
Books with similar themes:
1) Keeping You A Secret by Julie Anne Peters
2) Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour
3)
The Gravity Between Us by Kristen Zimmer
Books Trailer:
PRINTZ
Rowell, Rainbow. (2016). Eleanor & Park. New York, NY: St.
Martins Griffin.
Summary:
Eleanor
& Park is set in Omaha, Nebraska in 1984, and it
tells the story of two teenagers who find comfort and love with each
other. Eleanor is a poor girl, who comes
from a wrecked home and is forced to live with her mother, siblings, and a mean
step dad. Park is a half Korean and half
American boy who lives with his stable family yet struggles to feel accepted by
his father. They begin their
heartwarming relationship over music, comic books, and by sharing their bus
seat. Their bond begins to grow, as Eleanor
spends more time with Park at his house and share their problems from home and
school. They connect in a deeper level
and their friendship develops into their first love. The need to be together cultivates and their
lives begin to feel more positive or worth living, that is until their love is
discovered by her step-father. Eleanor’s
fear of her step-father’s anger towards her, forces her to run away from
home. With the support of his father,
Park is able to help Eleanor escape and go to Minnesota to live with her aunt
and uncle. Although it hurts them part
their ways, they know it is the best decision for her safety. For months on end, Park writes letters to
Eleanor with no responds in return.
Finally, he receives a post card from her that brings hope and
affirmation.
Commentary on Strengths and Connections:
My first impression of the
book was not the most favorable, due to the amount of foul language at the
beginning of the book. Even though the
bad words continued throughout the story, my impression quickly changed,
because the story line became so interesting and the use of words seemed to be
perfectly put in place. I absolutely
loved it being written in the point of view of both the characters. It really created visual pictures of the
emotions and feelings Eleanor and Park were going through. The theme I obtained from the story, was that
everyone deserves to be loved and be happy, no matter what the situation
is. As I was reading, I found myself
going on a roller coaster of emotions, at times I was upset and other times I
was sad. I can totally see teenagers
relating to this story, as many go through the similar issues. As a teacher, I get to see many students that
come from broken homes, experience domestic violence, have lack of self-esteem,
or struggle with weight problems or fitting in.
Eleanor & Park is truly a
book that allows readers to see they are not alone and correlate their personal
issues with those of the characters. I
recommend this book for young adults from fourteen to seventeen years old, due
to the mature language and edgy topics.
Books by Rainbow Rowell:
1) Fangirl
2) Carry On
3) Almost Midnight
Books with similar themes:
1) To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
2) Love is a Mixtape by Robb Sheffield
3)
Like No Other by Una LaMarche
Books Trailer:
BEST
FICTION FOR YOUNG ADULTS TOP TEN
Meyer, Marissa. (2016). Cinder. New York, NY: Square Fish.
Summary:
Cinder is
the ultramodern retelling of Cinderella, with a sixteen-year-old cyborg girl living
in New Beijing, as the main character.
She is one of the best mechanics and is asked by Prince Kai to fix his
android. Not knowing that Cinder is a
cyborg, he soon begins to feel drawn to her.
Plague is spreading throughout the country, and prince is obligated to
take over the kingdom after the king’s recent death caused by this
disease. A ball will be hosted in New
Beijing and everyone is invited, yet Cinder finds it difficult to attend,
because her stepmother and stepsisters do not make it easy for her to go. She gets blamed for her stepsister’s illness
and is volunteered for experimental treatments, where she is considered to be
immune to the disease and have the possibility of carrying an antidote. In her attempt to escape from her stepmother,
Cinder discovers valuable information that needs to be delivered to the prince. Trapped between loyalty and betrayal and her
forbidden attraction towards the prince, she must reveal her background to save
humanity and her country.
Commentary on Strengths and Connections:
I really enjoyed reading this book. A futuristic Cinderella version puts a twist
to this classic story, and I am sure many young adults line up to check this
book out. Who doesn’t like dystopian
fiction? Meyer did an amazing job with
this first volume of the Lunar Chronicles.
The characters are very intriguing and provide plenty of charm
throughout the story. Meyer gave
readers the opportunity to see the fairy tale of Cinderella throughout the
book, by using innovative and hi-tech elements that will allow teenagers to
connect the stories. Young adults are
attracted to ultramodern and modern tales, and the author was able to hit the
nail on the head with Cinder. I honestly can’t wait to read the second
volume of this series. I recommend this
book to middle school and high school students who are able to keep up with the
multifaceted dialogue and vocabulary.
Books by Rainbow Rowell:
1) Winter
2) Scarlet
3) Cress
Books with similar themes:
1) Blood Red Road by Moira Young
2) Sweetly by Jackson Pearce
Books Trailer:
NEW
YORK TIMES BEST SELLER LIST
Applegate,
Katherine. (2017). Wishtree.
Waterville, ME: Thorndike Press, a part of Gale, a Cengage Company.
Commentary on Strengths and Connections:
Summary:
Red is a neighborhood wishtree
that has been around for more than two-hundred years. Just like many other trees, Red tells
stories. Every year, the community
visits Red, and ties wishes on its branches on the first day of May. Although Red is not able to grant the wishes,
it is a hopeful tradition that is strong in the community. Its limbs and hollows are home to many
animals, including its friend, Bongo. A
new family moves into the neighborhood, and Red discovers the need to do
whatever it takes to grant their child’s wish.
The family is Muslim and the daughter, Samar, is feeling lonely and wishes
to find a friend. Red realizes the
importance of uniting the community and removing prejudice actions within
them. One night, the word LEAVE is
carved on Red’s trunk and sets Samar and her family feeling hurt and
frighten. This incident made Red feel
the need to speak up and tell its story to Samar and her neighbor Stephen. Red and Bongo take action and come up with
plans to make Samar wish come true. The
owner of the land, believes it is better to cut down the tree, in an effort to get
rid of the problems the tree apparently brings to the neighborhood. With understanding and kindness, the tree is
not cut and a beautiful friendship blossoms, making the wishtree even more
significant.
Applegate delivers a heartfelt
novel with a powerful theme of community and acceptance. She is able to mesh the environment and
social issues that are affecting many families.
Young readers will enjoy the characters and their many traits that make
the story feel authentic. Bongo
definitely brought humor to the storyline and Red offered empathy and
hope. I recommend this book to upper
elementary or middle school students, due to its simplicity and
vocabulary. I know this book will be
hard to keep on a shelf, because it has a great message and has issues young
adults can relate to.
Books by Katherine Applegate:
1) The One and Only Ivan
2) Crenshaw
3) The Buffalo Storm
Books with similar themes:
1) The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
2) Love, Hate, & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed
Books Trailer:
Block, Francesca
Lia. (2004). Weetzie Bat. New
York, NY: Harper Collins.
Summary:
Weetzie Bat is a fun and peculiar
girl. She befriends Dirk, who she spends
lots of her time with partying and living it.
Weetzie receives a magic lamp from Dirk’s grandmother and gets the
opportunity for three wishes to be granted.
Unfortunately, none of her wishes turn out the way she wanted them to. One of her wishes is to find My Secret Agent
Lover Man for herself. Another wish, is
to find a Duck for her friend Dirk.
Finally, she wishes for them to get a big house where they can all live
together happily ever after. The wishes
come true, but unfortunately, they do not create a fairy tale ending. Weetzie decides she wants a baby, and even
though My Secret Agent Lover Man does not want to have one, she chooses to do
whatever she needs to in order to have one, even if it means its not from her
significant other. My Secret Agent
Lover Man leaves Weetzie and has a baby with someone else. He returns with Weetzie and bring along his
new baby. Weetzie tackles a series of
unfortunate events: her father’s death, Duck’s disappearance, and even a
witch’s curse. At the end, Duck is found,
and the curse is removed. Everyone
chooses to live happily together in their own way.
In Weetzie Bat, Block created a fiction
book that crossed the line into fantasy.
The story has elements of a realistic setting and characters, yet when
the magic lamp was introduced, it transformed into make-believe. The language utilized was easy to follow, yet
I believe the amount of imaginary situations, made the story feel
unrelatable. Young readers may have fun
reading the text, since the dialogue between characters seems to be a bit
immature and they might find it amusing.
Nonetheless, the author does a fantastic job of presenting difficult
issues like divorce, death, sex and drugs.
Block is able to bring these topic to light and allow readers to connect
with the story and with the characters.
Books by Francesca Lia Block:
1) Witch Baby
2) The Rose and the Beast
3) Pink Smog: Becoming Weetzie Bat
Books with similar themes:
1) Deliver Us from Evie by M.E. Kerr
2) Go and Come Back by Joan Abelove
Books Trailer:
Telgemeier, Raina. (2013). Smile. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.
Summary:
Smile is a coming of age story of
author Raina Telgemeier. One night when
Raina was in sixth grade, she tripped and fell, injuring her two front
teeth. Her life changed as a result of
her injury, leaving her numerous of surgeries to follow and years of wearing
braces and headgear to correct her teeth.
Raina struggles with issues of adolescents like: love, friendship, and
school transitions. After years of
traumatic dental procedures, her teeth finally get fixed and she learns who her
real friends are.
Telgemeier conveys her
feelings and emotional state of mind to the readers in this memoir. She delivered events from her past that can
be very relatable to young adults, especially ones that have gone through
dental procedures like her. This book
allows readers to transport back in time and remember or experience the anguish
and trauma that someone can feel when in distress and pain. The struggle to fit in, having a first crush,
and have trustworthy friends is a familiar subject with teenagers back in 80s
as it is today. In fact, I believe the
struggle might me even more complicated for teens today, with social media
being such an important part of our daily lives. I truly recommend this book to middle school
age students and possibly high school students who are struggling to fit in and
find true friendships.
Books by Raina Teglemeier:
1) Sisters
2) Ghosts
3) Drama
Books with similar themes:
1) To Dance: A Ballerina’s Graphic Novel by Siena Cherson Siegel
2) Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
Books Trailer:
Kidd, Chip. (2013). Go: A Kidd’s Guide to Graphic Design. New
York, NY: Workman Publishing Company.
Summary:
Chip Kidd introduces readers
to graphic design in Go: A Kidd’s Guide
to Graphic Design. The book provides a brief
history of graphic design, copyright, and techniques. It offers readers the opportunity to view how
graphic designs have evolved through the years.
It includes the author’s reflection of the distinctive design techniques
such as, form, typography, content, and concept, and how they are all utilized
to grab reader’s attention. Projects
ideas are provided at the end, to facilitate students to interactively partake
and practice using the techniques presented.
It demonstrates how designers communicate visually their ideas.
Commentary on Strengths and Connections:
Kidd did a fabulous job organizing and sharing his ideas and tips to readers
in this nonfiction book. The book was
pleasantly laid out and provided just the right amount of information about
graphic design. Having absolutely no idea,
and to be honest little interest in how graphic design works, this book was surprisingly
noteworthy reading. I really enjoyed how
Kidd used visuals to show his concepts and ideas. His attention to detail, validated the author’s
knowledge of the material. I recommend
this book, to everyone who enjoys YA books, but mostly to those curious readers
who might consider their future in art or marketing.
Books by Chip Kidd:
1) Chip Kidd: Book Two
2) Chip Kidd: Book One
3) Judge This
Books with similar themes:
1) Type Matters by Jim Williams
2) The Shape of Design by Frank Chimero
3) Design Dossier: Graphic Design for Kids
Books Trailer:
TED: Chip Kidd: The Art of First
Impressions-In Design and Life
