Just one more....

"Middle School is Worse than Meatloaf: A Year told Through Stuff", by Jennifer Holm, tells the story of Ginny's 7th Grade year. It reminds me somewhat of the "Ordeal by Cheque" in our textbook. To follow the story you must look at and read all the artifacts --like a scrapbook. Check your school library to see if it's there. You can read it in about 30 minutes and, I think, you just might find a "window" into a 7th grade girl's adolescent mind!

Copper Sun, by Sharon Draper

Copper Sun, by Sharon Draper is one of those books that may not be easy to read, but should be read. The main character is Amari, stolen from her home in Africa after watching her parents and brother be murdered. She is taken to America in a slave ship. The conditions on the slave ship bring about the death of many of the other captives. When she arrives in America, she is bought by a plantation owner as a present for his sixteen year old son. Amari, who is fifteen at the time, learns how cruel life can be but manages to survive and become a strong person. After escaping with a white girl her age, who is an indentured slave, and the young son of one of the slaves on the plantation, the three manage to reach Fort Mose, a Spanish settlement in Florida that welcomes slaves and gives them freedom. The book is recommended for 9th grade and up because it has graphic details of how slaves were treated. The theme of the book is one of hope and being able to survive life's hardships. Of course, man's inhumanity to man is evident in the book. The setting of the book is pre-civil war when America was still a colony of England.

Twilight

After talking to librarians and other people who know what middle/high school students are reading, I found that Stephanie Myer's Twilight Series is all the rage right now. Well, being the curious person I am, I decided I might try this series. I can understand the appeal to adolescent girls--love, at a distance, and the most wonderful male ever. You have to get past the vampire stuff, but the story is kind of like a romance novel without the sex. At one point, the kids go to a beach party where they talk and take walks on the beach--no drinking, drugs, or other X-rated activities. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of wishful thinking, but most of it is imagination. Haven't decided if I want to read the other 3 books in the series (and a 4th in January). Because I'm not an adolescent girl anymore, I prefer stories with a little more depth. The story did grab me from the first page and keep my attention until the last page. I just had to find out if Edward would continue to love Bella from a safe distance or give in and suck her blood. If you want to know, you will just have to read the book--or ask any middle/high school girl.

Wimpy Kid--continued

The sequel to Dairy of a Wimpy Kid! If you go to Barnes & Noble, these books are piled to the ceiling (well, almost) in the kid's section. The author, Jeff Kinney, has a new book coming out in January, which you can pre-order. If you know any young adolescents, this would make a great Christmas present! (You might buy one for a parent of a YA!)

A Very Interesting Read...

My grandson, Gavin, introduced me to this book last weekend. I laughed and laughed. For some of you, the book may be a little to close to home because you deal with kids like this everyday. I think it may be considered a "graphic novel" but kids are reading it and reading it! Adults are portrayed from an early adolescent point of view. I am considering making this book required reading for the Adolescent Development course next spring!