Eldest

For my finale choice novel I chose the second book in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance cycle. I chose this book because it is fascinating and I simply love it. Eragon continues his journey to fight the evil Empire in this second book. Teens will enjoy the novel because it has all the elements to a great book in it. Feeling, comedy, romance, war...at least all the elements that I like :). I really think that your teens will enjoy it because more than anything it is about fighting for something, even if you don't think that you will win in the end. Eragon is fighting an almost unbeatable battle and he is giving it his 100%. I love reading stories in which the protagonist is putting their all into something. It;s inspirational and I think that it is very important for kids to read books that inspire them.

As I just mentioned, this book is very inspirational. Eragon is not as physically or mentally stronger than the people he is coming up against, but he has something that they do not...heart. He knows what he is fighting for. He fights for the one's he loves and the home that he was brought up in. To me, my family is the most important thing to me in the world. I would do anything to keep them safe, so I appreciate the fact that Eragon is so adamant about keeping those he loves from harm.

This is a great book for your teens because it is a really easy, fun, and it really makes you think about your life. Its a great read and I definitely encourage it!

Eargon

For our finale project in my YA Literature class we were told to choose a choice novel with our project in mind. This is why I chose Eragon as my choice novel. Hmm...where to begin with this novel... I am a huge fan! This book would be great for any of your teens to read. It is fun, intense, interesting, and really makes you think. When I first read this book I knew that it would be great. As you can probably tell from earlier blog entries, I love books that deal with a mythological world. My life has been pretty stressful for the past year and a half, so when I get the chance to read something that will take my mind off of things, I immediately do it!

Eragon is a boy who is struggling with trying to find 'who he is' in the great world of Alagesia. Both of his parents are dead and he is living wit his uncle, Garrow, and cousin, Roran. The only thing he knows about his life is that his mother emotionally gave him away, but he has no idea who his father is. He believe that his life is always going to be exactly the way it has always been, until he finds a Dragon egg in the Spine (a Forrest near his home). From that day forward his life is changed forever. Eragon begins his new life as a Dragon Rider, the only one that is known to still exist.

I think that part of the reason why I enjoyed this book so much is because I love the story that there is always a possibility of greatness in each one of us. The author, Christopher Paolini, was able to write a story dedicated to making readers feel like they are going on Eragons journey right beside him. As Eragon changes, readers change, and as he becomes more powerful, readers also get a sense of 'power'.

The reason why I believe that your teens will enjoy this book is because it is a quick, easy, and fun read. It is simply the story of a boy going on the adventure of a lifetime. Your teens will read about what it takes to fulfill one's potential and why it is so important to give something their all. I love the book and I really think that your kids will too!

My Most Excellant Year

My Most Excellent Year, By Steve Kluger, was light hearted and interesting. I think that your teens will enjoy the book because it deals with high school freshman who are going through life. I think that teens can relate to the fact that they have their own struggles, but they try to go through it with an easy attitude. The only problem I had was the fact that they almost made their issues seem too easy. I was a pretty dramatic kid when I was in high school (which I think i have mentioned in previous blogs :) and I think I always blew things out of proportion, but I think that most high school students are like that, yet the kids in this book were just so nonchalant about their big issues.

I think that even with the lighthearted attitude about everything, the book was fun and cute. The two best friends, T.C. and Auggie, going through life as they know it. Its a light and easy read. Alejandra goes to public school and we follow along as she tells us her fears. It took me a little bit of time to really get into, but once you get started the book goes by quite quickly!

The book begins when the three characters, T.C., Auggie, and Alejandra, are told that they need to write a paper describing their 'most excellent year'. All three of them decide that their best year was 9Th grade. After T.C.'s mother passes away Auggie really befriends him in almost a brotherly way. They become close and share everything with one another. I liked how the two boys share this bond throughout the book. T.C. realizes that he loves Alejandra, yet she decides that she can't stand him. Auggie learns that he is in love also, but with another boy.

I really like that the characters were so likable. Every one of them had redeeming characteristics that made readers really enjoy the book from beginning to end. T.C. (my favorite) had the most remarkable relationship with a little deaf boy, Hucky. T.C. seemed to want nothing more than to make Hucky happy. Alejandra starts off as seeming a little 'snobbish' but we later really get to know her. She stands up for what she believes in, which is a characteristic that I personally always admire. Auggie is just so interesting. Very into the newest 'diva', which makes his character quite fascinating.

Overall, the book was just....fun! Its easy to read, fun to follow, and make you smile which is always important. I think its a great read for your teens!

We Were Here

This book was deep and heady. It dealt with bigger issues than most teens deal with, but I think that it is a good book for your kids to read because it really makes you appreciate the small things in life. The story follows three young boys, Miguel, Rondell, and Mong, as they sneak out of home that they were assigned to from the court and travel to Mexico in hopes of finding a new life. Each boy has dealt with more things than I could even imagine dealing with. We follow as the characters open up to readers and each other as they make their way to "freedom". Its a great book for kids to read due to the fact that it shows an entire world that most young adults have never been exposed to. The lives that these three boys have lived thus far have been difficult, strenuous, and emotional. Their problems are bigger than looks and popularity, which has forced them to act certain ways that are not always appropriate. Its a book about finding yourself, facing your past, and overcoming obstacles.

While discussing this book in my YA English class, many people did not agree that the book was appropriate for teens because most people can not relate to the issues that these boys are dealing with. I know that in past blogs I have stated that young adults like to read books about issues that they can relate to, but sometimes it is necessary to read a book that is out of your comfort zone. This book forces readers to come face to face with a lifestyle that so many young kids are living. It shows struggle, pain, heartache,abuse...all of which can make readers uncomfortable. I remember the first time that I read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I was in sixth grade and had never read anything like it. The gangs that were presented in the book was something completely foreign to me. Although there was no way that a young ballerina going to a charter school could relate to these boys, I found the book completely humbling. It forced me to really look at my life and appreciate the things that I had never thought deserved appreciation. That is the same reaction I have with We Were Here by Matt De La Pena. Yes it is controversial, and yes it may make you uncomfortable, but it is also an eye-opener.

"It felt nice and warm and mellow. Ir made me feel like us three
were on some kind of journey to save America from evil. Like a brand new kind of
war. No fighting, or bombing, or invading other places, just living out in the
open, on the beach. The opposite of being in jail. We were totally free."
(130)

I liked this quote because it showed how these three boys are searching for something that they had never had before. They want to get away from all of their problems and forget about the past. The quote also points out how friendship was a major theme in the book. The boys are going through drastic changes in their lives, but most importantly they are going through them together. They need one another to get to the next stage in their life. The book really made me be thankful for the people that have gotten me through difficult situations.

The book is great for your son or daughter because it will make them really re-evaluate their lives. It makes readers think through situations in their lives and realize that they are not the only ones going though difficult times. Their are others out there who are going through similar or worse problems. Overall its a great read and I encourage you to get it for your kids!

Graceling

Graceling by Kristin Cashore is a incredibly entertaining story that takes you into a completely different world. It is about a young girl named Katsa who is Graced with a deadly gift. She is able to kill anyone with her bare hands, because her Grace allows her to fight better, faster, and more accurate than anyone else. Her uncle uses her grace to his advantage, exploiting her grace as a way of getting back at the people who he feels "did him wrong". The story deals with finding one's true identity in the world, in relationships, and most importantly in yourself. I think that is is a great book to allow your kid to read. There are some more "mature" moments in the novel which would add a bit of controversy if you do not want your child reading books that have sexual scenes in them. Other than that, I feel like this book is great for kids that are simply looking for something entertaining to read. I personally really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, Bitterblue.

~Spoiler Alert~

Please do not keep reading if you do not want details to be given away!

I feel like girls can relate to the main character, Katsa, which will make them really want to continue reading. I know that I truly enjoyed the book because I found her character to be so fascinating. She is so strong, free willed, courageous, and talented. While I read I found myself slightly wishing that I could be Katsa. She seems so indestructible, it would be nice to be so gifted! I feel like young girls especially will enjoy this book because it not only takes you into another world, but allows you to read about a character that is so unlike the characters in other books. I don't know if I have ever read a book with a female heroin like Katsa. Books usually have a male hero, and a female who needs rescuing. Katsa can not be beaten by any man in a hand to hand combat, which gives a certain appeal to other females because it is empowering to our sex. I definitely think that your daughters will enjoy the story.

One theme that I found very interesting in the novel is Katsa's never-ending need for freedom. She feels trapped and owned by her uncle, Randa, and finally decides to leave his court and once and for all follow her own path. Once she is out of Randa's control, she becomes scared of the feelings she is beginning to acquire for Po (He is also Graced. He has the Grace of fighting...but we later learn otherwise). Katsa is scared to allow anyone in to her life because for so long she has attempted to live her life without any emotions. This was just an interesting part of the book for me because it isn't often that we read about female characters who refuse to allow anyone else into their lives. She is trying to find herself in her search for freedom, but freedom was always within her grasp. This theme makes the book have an interesting twist that I believe your teens will enjoy (because at that age weren't we all in need of "freedom" :).

Overall, this book is just a great read. It is not heady or full of life lessons. It is simply a book that you can start and finish in one or two sittings because it keeps you captivated from the very beginning!

Teens and Reading

Through research I find that most teens enjoy books that they can relate to. High school is full of drama, dating, runaway emotions, and popularity. Throughout these years, teens seem to find out what kind of person they are. There is something about freshman year that is so critical to a child's life. I remember when I was a freshman and my friends began to change, many for the worst. Those early teen years are so important in mapping out the kind of person you will be for the rest of your life. That is why teens like to read books in which they can find something that is familiar. High school is so confusing, and after talking to several teens I realized just how important it was to them to know that they were not the only ones going through those awkward changes.

One teen stated that he only was interested in books which had a male antagonist. His class was currently reading The Catcher in the Rye. It was clear that he could definitely relate to the boy that was struggling in the novel. The book is about a young boy, Holden, that is struggling to find himself in a big and lonely world. The teen with which I was talking to stated that he rarely ready, "any of the books given out in class, but I like this book. Holden is funny, and I can relate to some of his problems." This point showed me that the main reason why he was reading this book, was due to the fact that the author was able to portray the feelings of young teens through his main character.

As a teen, I was very dramatic. I thought that everything I was going through was something that nobody else could possibly understand. I remember my older sisters telling me that they were once in high school and knew exactly what I was dealing with. No matter how many times they told me that, I still strongly believed that they "Just didn't understand!" That is exactly what another teen stated when I asked her what she thought of many books she read in class. "I like the ones that deal with real issues. I really liked the Scarlett Letter because it is about a young girl that made one mistake, but had to carry that mistake around with her every day. We all make mistakes, but we don't have to constantly be reminded of them like the girl in the book. It was interesting cause' we all go through stuff like that..."

Parents, if your teen is not one that likes to read but you are trying to get them interested in it, then look for book with which they can relate. Some books that I am sure they would enjoy include,
~The Catcher in the Rye-Salinger, J.D.
~To Kill a Mockingbird-Harper Lee
~Eragon & Eldest-Christopher Paolini
~Graceling-Kristin Cashore
~The Outsiders-Hinton S.E.
Reading is a wonderful thing and I really think that is is very important to get your kids involved!

The Disreputable History

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks was an interesting story about a clever young girl who decides to defy the all-boys society by beating the boys at their own game. It is a smart novel that keeps readers interested in what the outcome will be. I do think that this book would be a good read for young adults, especially young girls. It was easy for me to get through the book, which makes me think that young adults would also enjoy this book. It has some good lessons, but I do think that it is more dedicated to a female audience.

~Spoiler Alert~

This next session will be dedicated to details within the text. Themes, characters, what I thought of it, and possibly how it ended. If you don't want the ending to be given away then please don't continue!

The novel begins with Frankie telling about how she has changed throughout the summer. She is at the beach with her family and decides to go off by herself, wanting to get away. Even in her first conversation with her family readers can see how smart Frankie is. She is very persuasive and gets what she wants. She describes how she "bloomed" over the summer and went from an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan. Frankie goes back to school, eventually dating the boy she has had a crush on for years. Frankie's boyfriend is one of the leaders of The Secret Order of the Basset Hound, which is a all boys society. Frankie is not allowed in the society, which makes her want it even more. Frankie's genius mind comes out in the novel when she takes matters into her own hands and decides to play her own games with the boys.

This book is a great read for young girls. Frankie deals with keeping her individuality while she is in her relationship. While reading the book I saw how badly she was being treated by her boyfriend, which made me think over past relationships and what I put up with. Frankie's decisions in her relationships can be a help to daughters because it can show them how easy it is to lose yourself while dating someone.

The book also shows how sensitive teens are to certain issues. I know that I would have been able to relate to the issues Frankie was dealing with when I was a younger adult in high school. Frankie decides that it is unfair for her boyfriend to seclude her simply because she is a girl, so she decides to fight back. Although Frankie is staying in an unhealthy relationship, she does decide to take matters into her own hands by fighting back. This is a good thing for young girls to read about because it shows that discrimination should not be accepted.

Overall, I really liked the book and think that it would be great for young girls to read. It is interesting from the very beginning and deals with some issues that are important to all young girls.

Octavian Nothing

This book is another very interesting read. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, by M.T. Anderson, is different than any book I have ever read. The plot is focused towards a young boy, Octavian, who realizes that his entire life is being controlled and that, in reality, he has no freedom. Unlike books such as The Outsiders or Hunger Games, this book takes a bit of time to really get into. If your child is the type who only likes book that are interesting right from the get-go (which was the way I was as a kid) then this book may be a struggle to get through at first. I would strongly urge your kids to push through though!

The book can be considered a 'coming-of-age saga' due to Octavian's struggles and eventual awareness of the way life really is. This book is not a simple read or a lighthearted text. It deals with Gothic themes and is quite 'heady', but it is also a book that really makes you "think". It is deep but also has very rich with ideas.

~Spoiler Alert~

This next session will be dedicated to details within the text. Themes, characters, what I thought of it, and possibly how it ended. If you don't want the ending to be given away than please don't continue!

Octavian spends his life thinking that he is a normal boy, living in a normal home, with normal surroundings. He lives in a house full of philosophers and scientists, and he has received a phenomenal classical and musical education. Eventually Octavian realizes that his life is far from normal, and that he is actually an experiment to prove that the African race is inferior to the European race. For me, the story really began to get interesting when Mr. Gitney held a 'Pox Party', in which everyone was infected with the pox. When Octavian's mother, Cassiopeia, is killed my the pox and eventually dissected, Octavian flees from the house, resulting in his enlist in the colonial army.

Although the book began to get more interesting, it also was a little weird to me. The fact that Cassiopeia is dissected was quite alarming. I know that she and her son were seen as 'experiments' but this part of the book just seemed a little unnecessary for some reason. It may just be my biased opinion because I don't exactly like those kinds of things :).

Octavian's time in the army is told from a different perspective, Private Goring's, which adds more depth to the novel. It is interesting to see the different views throughout the book. When the book is eventually picked back up by Octavian, he is recaptured and back to the Gintley house. The end of the book leaves readers wanting more, which I find very intriguing and I hope to be able to read the second novel soon.

This book can show your young readers how thankful they should be for the freedom they have. Octavian must fight to get away, when we all are given our freedom. I really felt as if a major theme was racism. The doctors are attempting to prove that the African race is 'second-rate' when being compared with the European race. This book shows how we are all people with feelings and everyone deserves to be treated with respect.

Overall, I liked the book but I would not consider it a 'must read!' I found the characters well developed and the themes well thought out. Anderson is a great writer, so if you are looking for a book that is well developed with an interesting story and characters, than this is the one!

*There are swear words throughout the novel a a few 'intense' scenes, but they would not be a big enough deal to not have your child read the book.

The Hunger Games

Hm...where to begin with this book. I loved it! Parents, if you want your son or daughter to read a book that they will really enjoy from the very first page than this is perfect for them! I remember that as a young adult I would get so excited to read a certain book, but as I began to read it I would lose interest. If the book did not catch my attention immediately than I would put it down to "read later", but never come back to it. The Hunger Games is definitely not that type of book. From the very first page readers are engrossed in an entirely new world, following along as a young girl goes on the adventure of a life time.

~Spoiler Alert~

This next session will be dedicated to details within the text. Themes, characters, what I thought of it, and possibly how it ended. If you don't want the ending to be given away then please don't continue!

Katniss Everdeen is a young girl who takes her sisters place in the 74th Hunger Games. The Hunger Games are an annual televised event, in which the evil Capital puts young boys and girls against one another to see who will survive. Katniss is known as "the girl on fire" due to her wardrobe and her fierce competitiveness. Katniss' eventual partner for the hunger Games, Peeta, is in love with Katniss and confesses this while on live television. Katniss knows that to survive she must use the audience's emotions, using Peeta's love for her as a means to get audiences to help keep her alive.

This book would be a great read for young adults because it is a story about fighting without the slightest thought of giving up. As we grow older we see that life is not always perfect. It can be difficult, sad, angering, emotional, and a lot of the time simply un-fun. This book deals with all of those issues, but shows what it means to push through them and keep going.

Another good reason why this book is appropriate for children is because it is a way of stepping back from our own lives and seeing just how grateful we each should be for the freedom that we have. Katniss and Peeta come from a place where they do not have the normal things that we view as necessities. They wear the same clothes daily, and must fight for the small rations of food that they have. I think that kids would read this book and begin to be grateful for the small things in life. A home, clothes, food, friends, and most of all, freedom. I really think that they would be more appreciative and grateful for the things that they have been blessed with.

Lastly, the book is appropriate because it shows what happens when you keep going. Katniss refused to give up and fought to the very end, finally winning the competition. Because of her ability to keep a steady mind throughout the competition, she ended up being victorious even though all odds were against her. It is a story of the underdog becoming the victor.

Overall, this book is not only an incredible story, but it also will help your children to love reading and leave them thirsty for more.

Robert Cormier

I found Robert Cormier's The Chocolate War full of interesting topics and, up until the very end, I thought it had a great theme it was attempting to portray. The main character, Jerry, was very likable and admirable for his attempt to "disturb the universe" by not partaking in the annual chocolate sale. At first I thought that Jerry was simply refusing to sell chocolates, but as I read on I learned that by his refusal he was achieving so much more. By quietly saying 'no', Jerry was refusing to support the evil that was in the school. Jerry became a very appealing character due to his sincerity and genuineness. He was the heroic figure because he refused to buckle when everyone else did, and stood his ground when others ran.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed the majority of the book, the last part was very hard for me to understand. Jerry had become such a preferable character that when he was abused in the end it almost ruined the entire book for me. It seemed as if everything Jerry stood for was crushed and the entire novel made no sense. In the beginning of the novel I thought that the books main point was that we should all stand for what we believe in, but by the end I didn't know what Cormier was attempting to portray at all. It was as if he was showing readers that standing your ground is not the right thing to do because in the end you will lose. I would have understood the book better if we had gotten to learn what happened to Jerry after the fight, but Cormier left readers wondering if he even turned out alright.I guess overall the ending really made me second guess the book in its entirety. I was disappointed with the ending and was left wondering what Cormier was trying to get across.

"Looking for Alaska"

I was amazed that this book touched on so many important issues. John Green did an amazing job at making the characters believable. I think all readers can compare their lives to at least one of the characters in the novel. Although there were many parts through out the book that really spoke to me, the part where Alaska gets into the car made me the most emotional.
Although I have never known anyone who has died in a car accident, I have known people who have made stupid mistakes in which their lives were put at risk. Underage drinking is a terrible thing to begin with, but the fact that Alaska got into a car while being intoxicated made the entire situation even worse. She was looking for an 'escape' from reality and found it in cigarettes, alcohol, and putting her life at risk. Someone very close to me has gotten into a car while being far from able to drive due to the amount of alcohol he had drank. He recked his car but thankfully walked away with his life. This passage in the book struck me because it showed me just how easy it is to make a stupid mistake. My friend who was driving while under the influence had to spend time in jail due to one stupid decision. Thankfully that decision changed his life because it showed him how close to death he had come.
Alaska's decision to drive when she shouldn't have showed how she was looking for a way to end her life. She was waiting for the end, and it came faster than it should have. The worst part is that there are thousands of kids that are going through many of the same issues that Alaska was dealing with. They think that their lives don't have a purpose or that they are hopeless. When tragedies like Alaska's happen it really shows that everyone, no matter what they may think, have an affect on somebody and one stupid decision could possibly be the last decision they make.

The field of YA Lit

Well, here I go. Attempting to make my blog interesting to readers and good enough to receive a good drade in my class :). This blog is going to dedicated to parents who do not know if a certain book would be appropriate for their child. I will be giving my personal oppinion on the characters, authors, and themes of the books. I will be going into detail on many of the books, maybe even giving away some of the endings. (I don't want to ruin anything for anyone!) Through my blog I hope to assist parents in knowing if the books I will be reading are the right type for their child, and if the theme is what they are hoping their children will enjoy. To begin my blog I am going to go over the field of YA literature overall and discuss some personal oppinions. Hope I am a help!

The field of Young Adult Literature is much broader than I ever would have expected it to be. I was very surprised to realize the impact that YA novels have on so many people. It was interesting to learn about the Kidlitosphere (a blog set up fpr young adult readers), publishing industry, and the impact that YA books have on bookstores, but the topic I was most interested in was the fact that many great YA novels go unrecognized.

I did not know till recently that there are actual awards that are given to YA novels. The fact that so many people do not know about these awards is astonishing. Everyone has heard about the New York Times Best Seller list, and the Newbery award, but there are also certain awards that are dedicated to YA novels that I never even knew existed. Just because a book is characterized as 'Young Adult' does not mean that it is not worthy of broad recognition.
I am thankful for taking YA Literature class because it opened my eyes to an entire list of amazing books that I had never even heard of. It has given me an all new appreciation for the YA books!

"The Outsiders" Bolg Entry

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton was an amazing book. Incredibly interesting and constantly relatable. The author, S.E. Hinton, made the characters very likable to all readers. While I was reading the book I found myself wanting to comfort Ponyboy as his life seemed to crumble around him.
The relationship between Greasers and Socials is like many relationships in real life. You can relate their hatred for one another to hatred between the popular and unpopular, or the rich and the poor. The difference in social classes in apparent and happens on a daily basis.
Hinton uses his main character, Ponyboy, to portray a young man that is trying to find himself in a big world. The novel can relate to everyone in the fact that we have all been through times in our lives where we feel alone and confused. In the tender years of one's life there is a point in time where you don't really know who you are. Ponyboy is going through those years, which is why this book can be viewed as a 'coming of age' novel. It is amazing to follow along as Ponyboy is forced to make adult decisions and watch as he changes from a boy to a young man.

"How I live Now" Blog Entry

For my Young Adult Literature class we needed to read one "classic" YA novel. I chose to read How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff. I found this book very interesting and definitely different than any book I had read before. The author was very courageous with her attempt to stretch new boundaries in her relationship between two cousins and in depth descriptions of the war.
The main character, Daisy, has a relationship with one of her cousins, yet Rosoff makes the relationship seem so harmless. Readers find themselves hoping that the two will end up together in the end, yet the relationship should never have been made in the first place.
Rosoff reaches out to young adults with her ability to humor readers while keeping them locked into her story, yet she also targets an older crowd because of the adult issues and ability to make her story relatable to any age.
Overall I enjoyed the book because it Rosoff's writing was simple yet deep. She kept me interested in Daisy's life and I felt as if I was going on the journey with her.