Monster - Walter Dean Myers

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Myers, Walter Dean. (2001). Monster. Topeka Bindery.

A drugstore robbery goes wrong. Steve is accused of the crime; and a witness places him at the scene. Yet, Steve, a good, trustworthy student, says that he was not there. Was he telling the truth? Is Steve guilty?

What constitutes guilt? That is the question asked in this award-winning book, which captures the horrors that are inflicted upon young, poor, African Americans, when they are trapped in an adult prison. The book also does an excellent job of expressing how a sensitive kid would react to those horrors.

Ultimately, the reader is left to ponder whether life can ever be the same, after a person has been accused of committing a horrible crime.

Will anyone trust Steve again? Is Steve a Monster?

Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist

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Cohn, Rachel & Leviathan, David. (2006). Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist. Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Written in alternating chapters by Rachel Cohn and David Leviathan— as Nick and Nora

Both Nick and Nora have had bad luck in the relationship department. Not very optimistic that night, they just happen to show up at a busy club in NYC. Gradually, they begin to merge into the quagmire of feelings that typify the ending of one bad relationship and the easing into another.

In the title, the word “playlist” seems to allude to music; and on many levels, this is a musical read.

Because of the ingenious parallel writing, the reader first experiences a pounding, pulsating, head-banging rhythm—not unlike that in a mosh pit. On page one, Nick describes himself as “. . . the clockwork. I am the one who takes this thing called music and lines it up with this thing called time. I am the ticking. I am the pulsing. . . “

The voices banter back and forth; and the reader is absorbed by the new relationship’s whirlwind ride, that threatens to spin out of control.

All-in-all, Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist is more than a group of words. It is a rock concert of raw emotions.

Warning: This book employs graphic language and references to sexuality. It is not recommended for younger teens.

Skellig - David Almond

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Almond, David. (1999). Skellig. Delacorte Press.

In terms of page length, Skellig is short; and it is also easy to read. Yet, nothing else is simple about this book.

In seeking to understand who or what Skellig is, one might begin by comparing Almond to another great British author, 19th century William Blake, whose work is often referenced in this book.

Skellig can be read lightly and enjoyed; yet, it can be considered much more deeply--from a philosophical level. It is up to the reader to decide what this book really means.

Dig deeply; and dig out the treasure. Who is Skellig? Or What?

Coraline - Neil Gaiman

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Gaiman, Neil. (2002). Coraline. Harper Collins.

Coraline is at a junction in her life. No longer is she a young child; yet, she is really not grown. She is trapped, often behind a brick wall, considering whether to leave naive childhood or whether to pass into what seemed to be a masked, button-eyed, blind, insensitive, and monstrous maturity.

Typical of Neil Gaiman, Coraline is creepy—a dark, creepy little tale. If you like ghostly stories, you’ll like this one.

Coraline was released as a movie in 2008. Have you seen the movie? Read the book; watch the movie; and say which you think is best. An animated version of the book is scheduled to be released in 2009. Look at the Wikipedia article and get the scoop on Coraline.

The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien

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Tolkien, J. R. R. (1997). The Hobbit: Or There and Back and Again. Houghton Mifflin Company.

Sixtieth Anniversary Edition, with Illustrations by Alan Lee.

The designers of video games must have read The Hobbit. Almost like the Legend of Zelda, this masterpiece leads the reader through a series of adventures—one after another—climaxing with the slaying of the dragon, who had hoarded Hobbit treasure deep in his fiery cave. Along the way, Bilbo Baggins becomes a stronger, braver, and wiser Hobbit. Ultimately, he becomes the cornerstone of the tales that actually followed, in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

The Hobbit has always been considered a masterpiece; but now, with the making of the long-anticipated movie, one should be especially eager to read this treasure.

Type the words “Hobbit Movie” into a Google search; and check out all of the movie buzz.

The Rose and the Beast - Francesca Lia Block

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Block, Francesca Lia. (2001). The Rose and the Beast: Fairy Tales Retold. Harper Collins.

The Rose and the Beast is an anthology of separate stories that are loosely based upon familiar Fairy Tales. Yet, they are told from a contemporary standpoint; and most of them have a surprising twist at the end.

For instance, the story titled “Snow” is about 7 midgets who work together on a ranch, where they rear a young girl, who was abandoned in their care.

If this were the traditional Fairy Tale, a handsome prince would happen along; kiss the young maiden; and carry her off into the sunset.

Yet, “Snow” is not that same, old tale.

Other Tales are developed in similar ways. “Wolf” is loosely based on Little Red Riding Hood; but in this story, Grandma does not live in the medieval forest. “She lives off the highway on this dirt road surrounded by cactus and other plants.” (p. 119).

Block’s writing is excellent throughout this book, which often deals with painful parts of contemporary culture. “Wolf” deals with sexual abuse. Another of the stories deals with drug addiction. All in all, this is a collection of magical, twice-told tales.

Kissing the Witch - Emma Donoghue

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Donoghue, Emma. (1999). Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins. Harperteen.

At first glance, Kissing the Witch appears to be a simple anthology of fairy-like tales. Upon deeper reading, it becomes clear that the separate stories are fragments—or different points of viewing one continuous thread. The way that the fragments are woven together is brilliant.

Early, the reader is aware that there are continual suggestions of tales that he/she has heard since childhood. Hints are dropped here and there; and they glimmer beneath the surface of the text. The images are repeatedly revisited; and the reader is invited to gather them and piece them into any of several possible interpretations.

Reading the book is like following behind Hansel and Gretel -- picking up the strewn clues and seeking the the messages, hidden along the paths. The plot twists and turns at a dizzying rate of speed. It weaves an intricate and passionate tapestry that celebrates and empowers woman in her universal quest to know and befriend all of the complex voices within herself.

This book contains graphic situations and is recommended for older, more mature teens.