11/8 Best Books for Young Adults 2011 Discussion

[Pam Goble]

PART 3 - PARTICIPATION CRITERIA FOR THE NING.

1. Since all of you are reading different books, the idea is to share the many reads students can experience from reading YA literature. For each list you, will get
reviews on approximately 20 or more books.

2. What must be included in your posts are:

            a. A short summary

            b. A connection to YA Lit criteria

            c. A link to a resource for further information about the book/novel( these may include author information, reviews, insight or information about issues the text references.

            d. Your opinion/recommendations of the book/novel relating back to criteria. A key
question to consider is whether the book is
classroom appropriate, and, if so, what reading level/grade/studentswouldbenefit from reading the text. If it is not suited for the classroom, if students are reading the book, what is the appeal?           

3. Lastly, you must respond to at least 2 other posts in detail.

 Have fun this week; I did... reading your work.

 

Enjoy.
Pam

[Heather Olson]

This book sounds like it would be a great read for young adults! Whether they are having sex, thinking about having sex or have already become pregnant/experienced other negatives of uneducated sex. Do you think this book would be helpful to a pregnant teen who isn't sure which choice to make? Would it enable them to have an "easier" time of making the decision? I just bought the book based on your review. It's several books down my list of to-reads right now but I'm looking forward to it as the product of teen pregnancy. While you suggest the age of 11 or 12, is it written at the level of an 11/12-year-old reader or is that more of an opinion that adolescents should be educated on this material at that age? How old are Ellie & Josh?

[Meghann Lothson]

I would love to read this one. It describes the decision for two teens to have sex in a realistic way. And since the book doesn't end happily, it's even more realistic--obviously, not every sexual teen relationship ends badly, but it often does. The book seems like it really describes those uncertainties and questions really well.
A close friend of mine discovered she was pregnant at age 19. At first she was upset, but she and her boyfriend decided to keep the baby. It took a while for her to get through the initial fear. Over the next few months she began looking forward to having the child and raising it with her family. She took care of herself, and always showed me ultrasound pictures. I didn't see her for several months, but when we met up again, I asked her about her baby. She proceeded to tell me that she had had the baby. But the baby was stillborn.
I saw this girl go through an excruciating period of mourning for the daughter she never took home.
This story seems like it faces these painful issues that come up between people when things go wrong and they each handle it differently. It doesn't even just concern teens and sex. Couples go through difficult periods where something bad happens and they each process it their separate ways.

[Pam Goble]

This does sound like a book worth reading...Juno..ish.

[Rosalind Engerman]

Amber
I think this book sounds incredibly useful for both parents, teens, and schools to use (which was also mentioned in other posts) in order to address important issues surrounding sex. I feel that teens that find themselves in this predicament lack information not having to do with the actual act of sex, but all the situations that may arise from having sex. In schools and even at home, kids learn about sex. In middle school, I was in a health class that had 2 weeks of sex ed, and from what I can remember, it was more preachy than informative when it comes to negative outcomes. The outcomes teens need to actually here about surround the negative emotions that one may feel after having sex and experiencing consequences. This book deals with that aspect, and I think that is the key that is missing when most parents, teachers, or doctors talk to teens about being sexually active. I am excited to read this one. Does Ellie keep the baby??? Does Josh come to terms with his actions?? I kind of wish I read this book instead of my original pick

[Shelly Fields]

What makes this book stand out from all of the other books about teen pregnancy? There seems to be so many books about this that the story gets old (even though teen pregnancy is still very prevalent in society). What makes this book in particular special?

[Meg Seth]

As a lifelong lover of literature, I have always favored young adult literature, as well as other forms of “genre” fiction, including but not limited to fantasy, science ficition, and horror. Incarceron is not only an exceptional piece of young adult fiction, it is also a phenomenal example of fantasy literature. By tracing the overlapping journeys of Claudia and Finn, the novel explores themes of imprisonment, exploration, and ultimately coming of age in a world where justice isn’t fair.
Incarceron itself is a giant prison that has taken on a life of its own. It is conscious, plays with its inmates, and seemingly has no way out. This is the world of Finn, a young member of a marauding group of outlaws within Incarceron’s walls. Finn has been plagued by visions of the Outside, and his quest to find a world outside Incarceron’s walls leads him on an adventurous journey with an elderly scholar named Gildas, his oatbrother Kiero, and a slave girl called Attia. Outside, Claudia is the daughter of Incarceron’s Warden, the courtly man given rule over the prison. She is to be married to the queen’s son, Caspar. Her world is one stuck in the Era, a false projection of Elizabethan-style living, devoid of modern conveniences and safeties. Under the guise of primitive living, scholars called the Sapienti have pursued advanced technological and even magical devices for ages. Jared, Claudia’s tutor, is one of the Sapienti and desires only to help Claudia live a happy and fulfilled life. Desperate to escape a marriage with the insufferable prince, Claudia and Jared stumble upon a clue that could change everything in the court.
The novel incorporates key elements of fantasy, science fiction, and young adult literature, creating an interesting and layered story. Although there are many fantastic elements in the novel (both the plot and setting depend on this) Incarceron fits very solidly into the genre of young adult literature. Although the narration is not in first person, it is solidly rooted in the consciousnesses of Claudia and Finn through limited first person POV. The novel, although almost four hundred and fifty pages, is very fast-past and would be appealing to a young reader. The action of the story is consistent and ever moving, and it reads like the literary equivalent of a well-done action movie. Claudia and Finn also learn to listen to their hearts, defying adult institutions and rules in order to do what is right. This thematic element subscribes stringently to the YA motif of finding oneself during the teen years, veritably coming of age by confronting a new chapter in life or facing new and challenging situations. The novel seamlessly incorporates these YA elements with the fantastical settings, plots, and even some characters of the novel. Even though these elements are very unlike the world of the modern teen, the theme of entrapment and feeling stuck in one’s own life would probably be received positively by a modern adolescent audience.
Overall, the novel was quite enjoyable and admirable as a staple of YA fantasy literature. It incorporates important elements of several genres of literature while maintaining psychologically realistic characters. I would recommend this novel for fantasy lovers of all ages and for young adults between twelve and eighteen. The material and the writing style of the novel are approachable for many levels of reader, and different kids will appreciate this read on different levels. Incarceron takes the tale of a fantastical prison relevant to a modern world, ultimately creating a one of a kind literary experience.

[Meg Seth]

Also, here are a few links to reviews of the book, and debates about it's merits as a possible movie:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/02/AR2...

http://www.slashfilm.com/fox-to-adapt-incarceron-the-next-harry-pot...

http://www.yahighway.com/2010/05/incarceron-book-review.html

[Adriana]

Brutal by Michael Harmon

This book is about a rebellious 16 year old rocker chick named Poe Holly who loves standing up for what she thinks is right. She lives in Los Angeles with a mom who Poe feels is much too preoccupied with being a rich and stuck-up doctor then being her mother. This is why she is not surprised when her mom decides to go to South America for a year and decides to leave Poe in the care of the father she has never met. As soon as she steps off the bus she is not at all loving what she sees: nothing but a small perfect little California suburban town, the total opposite of her beloved and chaotic LA. Her father is also just like that perfect looking little town he lives in, everything about him and the way he lives is perfect and nearly emotionless. Poe soon finds out though, that the town is not as perfect as she thought it was when she meets her next door neighbor Velveeta, the total opposite of the preppy polo wearing teens she expects to find. On her first day of school however, Poe realizes that these preppy teens she expected do in fact exist, and that Velveeta is actually the kid all the "cool kids" pick on. She has also come to realize that these cool mainstream kids are all given the power to do practically whatever they want. This kind of injustice is too much for Poe to stand idly by and simply witness, so she decides to do something about it. Poe tries hard to point out injustices and make changes, even if by doing this she continually finds herself in the vice-principal's office. Things only get worse before they get better though, as Velveeta is nearly killed in the school bathroom by the star quarterback, Colby Morris, with half the football team watching. Poe tries to make justice and have Colby punished however as previously mentioned, these cool kids are able to get away with anything and not even a student lying unconscious and bleeding on the bathroom floor is enough for the school to change its ways. Poe will not stop fighting though, and by the end of the story manages to learn a lot about herself and those around her.


The story is written from Poe's POV which is great because we follow her around throughout the book and know her every thought and fear, even while she is trying to act tough. Part of the reason I liked this story so much is because while parents are ever present in this story, the teens in it still take control of their lives and accomplish things on their own. This story is also very fast-paced, something is always happening and especially towards the end you simply do not want to put the book down. This story deals a lot with individuality, music, cliques, family relationships and especially violence and bullying. The book does not really make mention of various groups however we do seem to have the teens in the book split in half, either you're with the "cool kids" who are bullies or you are bullied and/or different. Poe and her boyfriend however, seem to be their own group as she tries her best to be an individual (at one point she shaves her head into a mohawk) and her boyfriend until Poe comes along is a loner who is left alone because he is the mayor's son. The main goal trying to be met in this book is to end bullying, and while this is a far from easy task in the end we finally do get some optimism. This novel also deals with a lot of emotion as we see a lot of frustration, anger, resentment, love, sadness, fear, happiness, regret etc in the story.

As far as resources I couldn't find much but on his website he talks about why he writes which I thought was interesting:
http://www.booksbyharmon.com/whywrite.htm

Personally, I liked the book. While I felt that some parts in the beginning were a little annoying with their exaggeration of teenage rebellion it really was enjoyable overall. Poe and her boyfriend are both smart and have interesting things to say. Also, parts of the book literally made me laugh out loud which is always good. Finally, the way this book approached bullying was really interesting, and I feel teachers, deans etc should read the book to see how no level of bullying/name calling/harassment should be accepted and how they should never stop working to help combat it, as it all affects kids and can lead to very serious consequences. The book is a fairly easy read and would especially recommend it to lower reading levels. I think that this book is geared a little more toward girls since it is told from a girls POV however feel it could also be popular with male young adults. I'm not so sure I would recommend this book for a whole class to read although a school/class dealing with a lot of bullying might benefit from reading this novel.

[Nicole Priester]

This book sounds very interesting Adrianna. It definately brings a lot of issues to life that are being completely ignored. It definately points out the double standards in high school between the popular crowd (jocks and such) and those left out of that circle. I definately believe that jocks and so have a different standard that they have to follow compared to those that "Don't bring pride" to their school.

Do you think this is a book that you could teach in a class? if so, how.

What benefits do you think students could gain from reading this book?

[Adriana]

What you said about bringing pride to school is right on! There was one teacher in particular who embodied the idea and encouraged everybody to be the same, meaning being a part of the popular and pride-filled group.

As far as teaching the book in class I'm not sure I would, although it would be a good read for all students as it deals with all kinds of students and their good and bad aspects. Even Poe who is the heroine in the story has something to learn as she feels she is in a way above everyone else. I feel this book points out faults we all have, and it can hopefully serve to encourage students to fix them.

[Christina Abruzzini]

Adriana,
This book sounds really good! I definitely think this is a book I would enjoy. This type of book seems to be very relatable for high school aged children as that is when I was first exposed to so many different types of cliques: popular, jocks, nerds, etc. It seemed to really stand out in high school as that is when everyone started forming their own "cliques" or groups. Certain people in junior high would not talk to me when we got to high school because they were in their own "clique" so I guess they felt they were too noble or cool. While I was never picked on, I did see students that would get made fun of or teased as I'm sure many of us witnessed or were even the victims of. I find it inspiring to see a character like Poe who is tough and wants to fight back for what is right. She does not seem like someone who just lets people take advantage of her as she has that momentum to stand up for herself and/or others. This book could be very useful in a classroom as it exposes bullying which can raise an awareness for students. If not used in a classroom though, I think it would definitely be very effective in a group setting so students would be able to talk with each other and discuss the various elements in the book about bullying/standing up for what is right/etc. I do not believe you mentioned this, but what age group do you feel is the most appropriate for reading this book? Like I mentioned, I feel high school only because the story seems very relatable to high school students as I think that was the most crucial time for cliques/bullying/teens trying to fit in/etc. I haven't read the book though, so maybe you feel differently?

[Pam Goble]

I would agree that HS would be the best place to entertain using this book. There are so many books that are in classroom libraries because they would not be approved for a whole class .