The Best 368 Colleges by The Princeton Review

Princeton Review, 2008. The Best 368 Colleges. New York: Random House.

Classification: Non-Fiction

Genre: NonFiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: College, High School 

Reader's Annotation

This guide by the Princeton Review examines colleges based on their admissions, student body, life on campus, and a number of other factors that will best help students find the right college for them. 

Summary

This remains one of the standard introductions to the college search process. It covers a wide variety of schools. Its greatest strength is its detail involved in the text. The authors and editors actually go to the schools and meet students in person. Entries contain paragraph information on campus life, the students, academics and popular majors, admissions, freshman profiles, deadlines, other schools attendees might have looked at, and financial facts. It has a good name, an easy-to-read format and it can make the college selection process a little more manageable for students uncertain about their options. 

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ismael Beah

Beah, Ismael (2008). A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. New York, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 

ISBN: 9780374531263

240 pages

Classification: NonFiction

Genre: Memoir

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: War, Soldiers, Death, Family, Relationships, Grief

Reader's Annotation

Ismael Beah tells his true account of growing up, surviving, and fighting in Sierra Leone as a soldier during a brutal civil war. 

Summary

At the tender age of 12, Ismael Beah becomes swept up in the civil war in Sierra Leone. He loses his family, is completely alone in the world, and he is recruited in the army. The chilling tale of how he becomes a trained soldier, learns to shoot an AK-47, and becomes a warrior to survive. Reading the boy's transformation from an innocent boy who loves American hip-hop and reading Shakespeare to a casual murderer is horrifying and gruesome. At the age of 15, he is finally brought to a rehabilitation center and he begins a life as a child advocate, but the truly gripping part of the story is the account of his life as a soldier- how he gets wrapped up and consumed by the violence, and how his existence is measured by war. 

Notes

The validity of the account based on the dates mentioned as well as some shooting incidents, was questioned, and Ismael Beah responded by releasing this statement.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Pearson, Mary E. (2008). The Adoration of Jenna Fox. New York, New York: Henry Holt and Co. 

ISBN: 9780805076684

272 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Science Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Identity, High School, Relationships, Family, Future, Surgery

Reader's Annotation

Seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox wakes up from a year-long coma caused by a terrible accident unsure of who she is and who she used to be, and as she slowly gains her memoies back, she has more and more questions about who she was and what happened to her. 

Summary

Jenna Fox has been told that is her name. She has been told that she's seventeen years old and that she was in a coma for a year after a terrible accident. But in spite of the questions answered by her friends and family and the home movies she watches of herself before the accident, there are some lingering questions. Why are people treating her so strangely? What really happened on the night of the accident? Why do her arms and legs not feel, look, or move the way they used to? As she slowly starts to remember pieces of her life before the accident, she questions even these memories, and she wonders what she can trust, how she can know who she is and, most importantly- who is Jenna Fox? 

Notes

This has some similar themes to Scott Westerfeld's Uglies Trilogy. Readers who enjoyed this book may want to look into the series. It is equally thought-provoking about what makes you who you are, and how identity is formed.

Awards

A Book Sense "Top Ten" Summer Pick

Other Information

Adoration of Jenna Fox Website

Author Information

Mary Pearson's Website

Three Little Words: A Memoir by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

Rhodes-Courter, Ashley (2008). Three Little Words: A Memoir. New York, New York: Atheneum Press. 

ISBN: 9781416948063

320 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Memoir

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Adoption, Family, Isolation, Love, Relationships

Reader's Annotation

This is the true story of Ashley Rhodes-Courter's journey over nine years and fourteen foster homes as she tries to find love, security, and herself among insurmountable obstacles. 

Summary

Ashley Rhodes-Courter entered the foster care system at the age of three, and over the course of nine years, she was juggled from one foster home to another, 14 in all. The horrors described as she moves from one caseworker to another, one home to another, and one school to another as she endures abusive foster families and horrific living conditions would be appalling enough in a fiction tale. Knowing that she truly endured all of this, however, makes her tale even more poignant and heartbreaking. Although it mostly sheds light on a broken foster care system, it also shows that there is a litght at the end of the tunnel, and that there is a way out for those who are determined enough and strong enough not to be beaten down by the system. 

Notes

She tells her story in clear language that will make any teen instantly relate to her story, as far removed from their own lives as it may be. The fact that she not only made it through all of this, but managed to thrive, is a testimony to her courage and strenth of will. 

Other Information

Readers who enjoyed this memoir may also want to check out Dave Pelzer's A Child Called It for its similarly remarkable true tale of abuse and dysfunctional family relationships. 

Author Information

Ashley Rhodes-Courter's Website

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

Maguire, Gregory (1996). Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. New York, New York: Regan Books 

ISBN: 9780739468975

409 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 17-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Fairy-tale, Love, Deception, War, Relationships, Family

Reader's Annotation

Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West, is not necessarily the evil woman portrayed in The Wizard of Oz, but perhaps a misunderstood witch who cares too much as she tries to right the ills in her world. 

Summary

Elphaba  is the product of her mother's illicit relationship with a traveling salesman and owes her green skin to her mother's use of an elixir sold by the same man. Her deformity makes her hideous to those around her, and when her beautiful younger sister is born without the use of her legs, Elphaba becomes responsible for her as well. She eventually goes off to college and becomes the roommate of Galinda, a popular young witch desperate to be successful and well-liked by everyone. Galinda is both drawn to and jealous of the power Elphaba has. When Elphaba learns that the Wizard of Oz is a corrupt man changing talking, intelligent Animals into mindless beasts, she sets herself in opposition to him and the mainstream, but despite her best efforts, everything seems to go wrong. Characters from The Wizard of Oz make brief appearances, but the focus is on social issues, religion, and politics. It often is very dark and not all readers will find satisfaction with the ending. 

Notes

Fans of the musical Wicked seeking the same happy, inverted fairy tale, might be disappointed by the dark tone of this book. Just to be clear, although the musical was adapted from this book, the two are very different in tone and treatment of characters. This is also not a children's book- it handles adult subjects of sex, love, and politics in a somewhat unforgiving manner that doesn't shy away from the darkness. I would recommend this more strongly for older teens. 

Awards

Other Information

This is part of the Wicked Years Series, as of yet including Wicked, Son of a Witch, and A Lion Among Men. Readers who enjoy Wicked may enjoy following the aftermath of Elphaba's actions. Other reimagined fairy tales include Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, Mirror Mirror, and Lost. 

Author Information

Gregory Maguire's Website

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

McCarthy, Cormac (2006). The Road. New York, New York: Knopf Books

ISBN: 9780307472120

304 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Science Fiction

Age Level: 17-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Dystopia, Family, Relationships, Death, War, 

Reader's Annotation

In a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by nuclear annihilation, a man and his son walk down a road and rely on each other for survival against the nearly insurmountable odds in the forms of gangs of cannibals, starvation, and a loss of hope.

Summary

An unnamed man and his son are walking through a ravaged wasteland. The boy's mother died in the calamity, as did most of society. Those who are left must fight each other for scarce resources, and these limitations have brought out the worst in human nature. The boy and his father must battle against gangs of roving cannibals, starvation, and as they try to find hope and the meaning of life in a world where all life and humanity has been destroyed. The distortion of good and evil, and the questions this raises about human society, are compelling and dangerous- it forces readers to ask questions that may perhaps be better left unasked as it takes the reader into the darkest parts of the human psyche. 

Notes

This book can be incredibly bleak and depressing, and its all-too believable account of a post-apocalyptic world may leave some running for a happier book to follow up after finishing this one. It has been recommended for older teens for its stark portrayal of life and death, love and survival, but it is nonetheless a heart-wrenching tale of paternal love in a world where good and evil have lost their meaning. 

Awards

2006 Pulitzer Prize for Literature

2007 National Book Critic's Circle Award Finalist

New York Times Notable Book

2007 James Tait Memorial Prize

2007 Quill Book Award

Other Information

This book is currently being made into a film starring Viggo Mortensen, to be released in 2009. You can find information on the film here. Readers taken in by his style and bleak examination of human nature may be interested in his other novels, particularly No Country for Old Men, recently made into an Oscar winning film. 

Author Information

Website of the Cormac McCarthy Society

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

Roach, Mary (2004). Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers. New York, New York: W.W. Norton & Company. 

ISBN: 9780393324822

304 pages

Classification: NonFiction

Genre: NonFiction

Age Level: 17-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Death, Cadavers, Life, Death

Reader's Annotation

Mary Roach takes an oddly humorous approach to the true story of what happens to the body after death including medical inquiry, criminal investigation, and other strange things. 

Summary

In this book, Mary Roach seeks to determine exactly what happens to the body after death. It takes a historical approach to what has happened to cadavers in the past as it examines what happens to bodies today. It delves into how bodies are used for scientific experiments and how they have furthered our knowledge of the body's systems, how bodies can be used in criminal investigations, their use in crash tests of automobiles, and other strange adventures after death. It is humorous at the right moments to keep the topic from being overwhelmingly dark and depressing, and it is an engaging read that helps uncover a topic rarely talked about in society or at the dinner table. 

Notes

There can be graphic descriptions in here that are not for the faint-of-heart (or stomach), which is why it is recommended for older teens. Those with a strong stomach will enjoy the whole book; others should read with caution as they discover what, exactly, happens to the body after death.

Awards

New York Times Bestseller

Amazon.com 2003 Editor's Choice Book

Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers book

A Borders Original Voices Book

Winner of Elle Reader's Prize

Other Information

Readers who enjoy the thorough research and handling of Stiff might want to explore Spook, which examines the afterlife, and Bonk, which explores the intersection of science and sex. As with Stiff, these are recommended for older teens with maturity to handle difficult subject matter. 

Author Information

Mary Roach's Website

Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande

Brande, Robin (2007). Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature. New York, New York: Knopf Books. 

IBSN: 9780440240303

272 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Religion, Evolution, High School, Popularity, Science

Reader's Annotation

Mena is starting the school year as an outcast in school and among her friends for having blown the whistle on a religious campaign to reform a supposedly gay schoolmate and then later for speaking out when the unit on evolution comes up in science class and she takes a stand against her former church and friends. 

Summary

Although the reveal is slow, it is clear that Mena starts the school year as an outcast. It gradually becomes clear that she blew the whistle on a campaign by her former youth group for persecuting a supposedly gay classmate, trying to reform him. This results in a lawsuit against several members of her church and leaves her with no friends and many questions about her identity at the beginning of high school. She feels that they were the ones who did wrong, but she is being punished for speaking out, and this goes against her inner moral compass as she tries to reconcile the past with her religion. She finds an ally in her biology lab partner, a genius who likes her for who she is. When the topic of evolution comes up in biology and her former church friends take a stand against it and the teacher, Mena must decide where she stands. She tries to reconcile religion and evolution, and comes up with biblical support for her biology teacher that leaves her none-too-popular with her former church crowd, but she finds support in a new circle of friends as she tries to earn back her parents respect and 

Notes

For anyone who has ever wondered about the issue of religion and evolution, this book presents a logical argument that answers as many questions as it creates. The character of Mena is immensely likable not only because she is an outcast but because, among a group of friends who claim to be religious but act in decidedly un-Christian ways, Mena's refreshing adherence to her inner morality is a breath of fresh air. She is easy to relate to and as she struggles with right and wrong, religion and science, the reader is carried along as well. 

Awards

2007 Book Sense Children's Pick

ALA Best Books for Young Adults 2008

2008 Selected Audiobooks for Young Adults

2008 Thumbs Up! Award

Author Information

Robin Brande's Website

Flight by Sherman Alexie

Alexie, Sherman (2007). Flight. New York, New York: Grove Press

ISBN: 9780802170378

208 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Violence, Time Travel, Indian, Identity

Reader's Annotation

Zits is a half-Indian, half-Irish boy with no family who is bounced from one foster family to another until, after a brief time in jail, he is about to commit an atrocious act when he suddenly travels back in tim to other moments of horror in the past that make him question his own actions in the present.

Summary

From the beginning of this novel, it is easy to empathize strongly with the character of Zits while simultaneously become horrified at the way others have treated this outcast and how he has decided to lash out at society. He was orphaned at the age of six when his mother died (he never knew his father), and after getting kicked out of his aunt's house for setting fire to her boyfriend (he had cause), he is bounced around from one foster home to another and countless schools along the way. The slow destruction of his humanity is evident in this narration, and the precipice is reached when, after running away from a foster home and a brief stay in jail, he is about to commit an atrocious act he would never be able to undo when he finds himself thrown back in time. He is forced to witness other acts of horror and terror that force him to examine himself and what he is truly capable of, and ultimately make him reconsider his action in the present. 

Notes

This can be graphic and unsettling at times. It handles violence, death, and sexual encounters with frankness and honesty that avoids deep emotional exploration, leaving that for the reader to contemplate. This book should be read with the understanding that it requires a certain level of emotional maturity to take in. 

Other Information

Readers who enjoy Alexie's style may want to also look at his Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. 

Author Information

Sherman Alexie's Website

Geography Club by Brent Hartinger

Hartinger, Brent (2004). Geography Club. New York, New York: Harper Teen. 

ISBN: 9780060012236

240 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: High School, Sexuality, Popularity, Outcast, Relationships

Reader's Annotation

Russel is convinced he's the only gay student at GoodKind High until he discovers others who are in the closet, and together they found the Geography Club- but will this be the answer to their problems, or the cause of new ones? 

Summary

16-year-old Russel Middlebrook is a typical high school sophomore plagued by insecurity and self-doubt, but with a huge secret: he's gay. He doesn't want to be an outcast so he hides this aspect of himself. Then he learns that his online chat buddy is also a student at his school, but is in the closet so the members of his baseball team will not treat him any differently. Russel joins the baseball team, too, to be closer to him, and over the course of the year, they discover other students who, like them, are different but afraid of being known as such. Together, they form a Geography Club where they discuss their problems and issues, but rather than make everything better, this brings up new problems altogether. 

Notes

This is a brilliant novel that sheds some light on what it means to be gay and in high school. Fear of others, fear of being outed, and fear of not being accepted all come together in this novel that is more than just about a group of gay students- it's about the high school experience as a whole. This novel explores the ins and outs of the high school world, and although sexuality is the key to the fears of this group, it could just as easily be about any number of other marks of "otherness". This is a book about what it means to be on the outside and it explores why one group of teens don't want to acknowledge any difference between themselves and their peers. 

Awards

Book Sense 76 Pick

Banned Books Book Sense Top Ten Pick

USA Today "Great High School Book"

Children's Book Award "Notable Book"

2003 Lambda Literary Award Finalist

IRA "Notable Book"

ALA "Popular Paperback"

New York Public Library "Book for the Teen Age"

Booklist "Top Ten Best First YA Novel"

Author Information

Brent Hartinger's Website

I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

Zusak, Markus (2006). I am the Messenger. New York, New York: Knopf Books.

ISBN: 9780375836671

368 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Mystery

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Crime, Outcast, Relationships, Robbery, Failure, Life

Reader's Annotation

Ed is a 19-year old loser whose life changes after he inadvertently stops a bank robbery and a mysterious person begins sending him on missions. 

Summary

Ed Kennedy is, by society's standards, a complete loser. He is an underage cabdriver, he lives in a shack, he can't play cards to save his life, and his love life is nonexistent. Still, he manages to live a fairly simple life and get by just fine until one day he becomes an accidental hero by stopping a bank robbery. That's when he starts getting cards in the mail that tell him where to go and when. With so little to lose, and a desire to know who is sending these messages to him, Ed goes on these missions where he changes other peoples' lives- and, in the process, his own. 

Notes

Although the ending isn't completely satisfying- there isn't enough clarification about events- this is a great book for the characters it presents. Each person is uniquely described and they seem to jump off the page, and that's what really allows readers to dive into the book. They, too, will wonder who is sending these messages and how things will turn out for Ed. 

Awards

Michael L. Printz Honor

Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book

Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year-Children

Children's Book Council Book of the Year Award (Australia)

Other Information

Author Information

Markus Zusak Website

Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Pfeffer, Susan Beth (2007). Life as We Knew It. New York, New York: Harcourt Books. 

ISBN: 9780152061548

360 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Science Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Meteors, Future, Dystopia, Catastrophe, Family

Reader's Annotation

When an asteroid hits the moon and pushes it closer to Earth, the result is disastrous for everyone including 16-year-old Miranda and her family as they struggle to get by with little food, states closing borders, and a swiftly approaching winter that could prove fatal to those she loves. 

Summary

This story takes place in Pennsylvania and focuses on the story of 16-year-old Miranda before catastrophe strikes. She is a normal teen, concerned with school, friends, and boys, until reports of an asteroid striking the moon become more and more frequent. When this happens, the moon is pushed closer to Earth and there are tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions that kill  millions of people and destroy vast portions of Earth. In the United States, supermarkets run out of food, gas prices rise astronomically and limits are imposed, and states are closing their entrances. She, her family, and her friends struggle to cope with the new world they find themselves living in as they are now focused solely on survival through the winter. 

Notes

Throughout this story, the problems of being a teen are told, and this is the strength of the narrative. Even in the face of disaster, petty fights with her mother occur, and that realism seeps through this narrative, drawing the reader in deeper and deeper. 

Awards

2007 Best Books for Young Adults

Andre Norton Award Finalist

Quill Awards Finalist

Hal Clement Award Finalist

Other Information

Readers who enjoy this book should also look into Pfeffer's The Dead and the Gone, which follows the same premise as this book but shifts locations to New York City and follows 17-year-old Alex Morales. 

Author Information

Susan Beth Pfeffer's Website

The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Pfeffer, Susan Beth (2008). The Dead and the Gone. New York, New York: Harcourt Books. 

ISBN: 9780152063110

336 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Science Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Dystopia, Future, Climate, Asteroid, Family, Relationships

Reader's Annotation

In New York City, Alex Morales struggles to keep his younger sisters alive and together after an asteroid crashed into the moon, creating disasters around the world that make the thought of any future survival difficult to believe. 

Summary

This is a companion novel to Pfeffer's Life as We Knew It (2007), and in this novel, we are transported to New York City to see the devastating effects the asteroid crashing into the moon has created. 17-year-old Alex Morales' parents both disappeared in the disasters that followed the crash, leaving him to protect his two younger sisters. As food gets scarce and people around them begin to get desperate, Alex wonders how he will be able to survive, let alone take care of his younger sisters as well. 

Notes

Although it takes place during an incredible disaster, the emphasis in this story is really on the people- in this case, Alex Morales and his love for his little sisters. The lengths he is willing to go to ensure that they will survive and stay together are heartwrenching. 

Author Information

Susan Beth Pfeffer's Website

Peeps by Scott Westerfeld

Westerfeld, Scott (2005). Peeps. New York, New York: Razorbill

ISBN: 9781595140838

336 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Science Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Vampires, Parasites, Future, Science Fiction

Reader's Annotation

19-year-old Cal moves to New York from Texas and when he loses his virginity, he acquires a disease that leaves him with night vision, superhuman strength, and a craving for lots of protein, and as he tracks down the woman who infected him, he suspects a greater danger may be lurking in the city. 

Summary

Cal moves from Texas to New York City, and on his first night in the big city, he contracts an STD that leaves him parasite-positive, or "peep". When presented in full form, peeps are cannibals that hide in darkness and prey upon unsuspecting victims. Cal, however, has a more controlled form of the illness that leaves him with great night vision, superhuman strength, and a craving for lots of protein. After contracting the disease, he joins an underground agency that seeks to track down others of his kind. The more he delves into the mystery, the more he unfolds as he realizes that there may be something even worse than peeps in the city. 

Notes

Fans of Westerfeld's Uglies Trilogy or even Meyer's Twilight Saga will enjoy this take on vampire fiction. It presents an interesting take on vampire legend and does quite a bit explaining how and why parasite-positives exist in society. The mix of medicine and mystery creates a thriller that teens will pick up and not want to put down. 

Author Information

Scott Westerfeld's Website

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Westerfeld, Scott (2005). Uglies. New York, New York: Simon Pulse. 

ISBN: 9780689865381

448 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Surgery, Popularity, Outcast, Future, Dystopia, Relationships

Reader's Annotation

In a futuristic society where, at the age of 16, everyone becomes a "Pretty", Tally Youngblood wants nothing more than to undergo surgery herself, until she meets Shay and a fringe society and explores the idea that she might be okay just the way she is. 

Summary

Tally Youngblood is like any other teenager- she is filled with doubts and insecurities about herself, and she is desperate to be beautiful- but in this society, that wish is granted to everyone at the age of 16. Her best friend and almost everyone she knows is already in Pretty Town, partying all day and having fun being beautiful, while she has been left behind in UglyTown to wait for her 16th birthday. Before that date, however, she meets Shay, a young girl who plans on running away and joining a fringe society that accepts individuals who don't want to undergo this transformation. As Tally is pulled into this idea, she is forced to examine society and the ideals she has been forced from birth to believe and she begins to question everything. 

Notes

Although there is a strong femal protagonist in this book, it is highly readable for guys or girls. The underlying commentary on our current society's values is intriguing because Westerfeld has taken it to the next level, where everyone is beautiful and happy. This asks the question: at what cost does this perfect society exist? 

Other Information

This is the first book in the Uglies Trilogy. Those interested in the fate of Tally Youngblood, Shay, and their friends, should check out Pretties, Specials, and Extras. 

Author Information

Scott Westerfeld's Website

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld

Westerfeld, Scott (2005). Pretties. New York, New York: Simon Pulse. 

ISBN: 9780689865398

384 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Surgery, Dystopia, Future, Relationships, Popularity

Reader's Annotation

Tally Youngblood is now one of the "Pretties", but although she has gained beauty, she wonders if maybe she has lost something else, and she continues to battle against the rules of society.

 

Summary

This is the sequel to Westerfeld's Uglies, and is the second of four books in the series. At the start of the book, Tally Youngblood has been made into a Pretty against her wishes, but she can't seem to recall any of her problems with being a Pretty- or any of her friends in the Smoke, either. It seems that becoming a Pretty has some side-effects that people might get angry about if they find out about them. After a former friend from New Smoke delivers two pills, Tally begins to continue her battle against society. With the help of her new boyfriend, Zane, who wants to stay alert and aware at all times, they and their friends try to find a way out of Pretty Town and a way to return to who they used to be. 

Notes

This is the second book in the trilogy, and although it continues to focus on Tally Youngblood, guys and girls alike will relate to the characters in the story. They are fearless, brave, and their determination to expose the problems with society will win the heart of any readers. 

Author Information

Scott Westerfeld's Website

Specials by Scott Westerfeld

Westerfeld, Scott (2007). Specials. New York, New York: Simon Pulse. 

ISBN: 9781416947950

400 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Dystopia, Surgery, Relationships, Popularity, Future

Reader's Annotation

After being captured by her former friend, Tally Youngblood has been made into a "Special"- a pretty with incredible strength, intelligence, and reflexes- but with all of society being policed by the Specials, who will police them? 

Summary

Again, Tally Youngblood has been forced to turn against her former ideals. With a new surgery that has made her super-tough, super-strong, and super-cold, she has become what she formerly despised: a Special. She and the other special group of Specials, "Cutters", stay especially sharp and fearless by cutting themselves to focus and maintain clarity. They are seeking to find and destroy New Smoke, but in the process, they realize that, as before, there might be something terribly wrong with their world, and it is up to them to make it change. Tally stays a Special as long as she is sure Zane is safe, and ends up following him to New Smoke, but it is nothing like what they had thought, and this forces them all to realize that they must put an end to the Specials, once and for all. 

Notes

This is the gripping conclusion to the Uglies Trilogy that will have readers turning page after page, unable to put this fast-paced novel down. Tally must yet again face her past and try to forge a future in a world that doesn't seem to accept people for who they are. Now that she is one of the Specials, normal rules don't apply, and she is amazed to find out what she- and other Specials- are truly capable of. Readers who enjoy this book should explore Uglies, Pretties, and Extras, also by Scott Westerfeld. 

Author Information

Scott Westerfeld's Website

Extras by Scott Westerfeld

Westerfeld, Scott (2007). Extras. New York, New York: Simon Pulse. 

ISBN: 9781416951172

432 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Science Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Popularity, Fame, Identity, Surgery, Relationships, Family

Reader's Annotation

The aftermath of Tally Youngblood's take down of the Uglies/Pretties/Specials regime has left what was once Japan with a new currency, popularity, and Aya Fuse is determined to become famous at any price. 

Summary

It has been a few years since Tally Youngblood took down the social structure dividing everyone into Uglies, Pretties, and Specials, and society has been left to reorganize itself. In what was once known as Japan, Aya Fuse lives in near obscurity. According to her parents, she's too young to undergo surgery, so she's stuck with an ugly face and she's doomed to be a nobody with a famous brother. That's when she discovers a clique of girls who do crazy stunts, and despite their wishes to remain unknown, she plans to kick their story and become famous through them- until they all discover something that is bigger than that. There could be a greater danger that they stumble upon, and when Aya kicks the story, she's launched into incredible fame- and incredible danger, taking those closest to her with her for a thrilling adventure they never expected. 

Notes

Although there is a strong female protagonist, readers of both genders will be drawn into this story of action, adventure, and a futuristic society. It is full of adventure, misunderstandings, and a future that might hit a little too close to home.  

Other Information

This is the fourth book in The Uglies Trilogy. Those who enjoyed this book should read Uglies, Pretties, and Specials to learn the full backstory to the society and better understand the protagonist of this novel. 

Author Information

Scott Westerfeld's Website

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Gaiman, Neil (2003). Stardust. New York, New York: Avon.

ISBN: 9780380804559

288 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Romance, Fantasy, Relationships, Identity, Magic

Reader's Annotation

Tristran Thorn, in love with the most beautiful girl in town, goes on a quest across the boundaries of his world to bring back a fallen star to prove his love, and on the way he learns a thing or two about love, life, and his mysterious past. 

Summary

Tristran Thorn lives in the town of Wall, England, and he lives a fairly mundane life at that. He is in love with the most beautiful girl in town who barely pauses to notice him, but if he goes beyond the wall and into the land of Faerie to retrieve a fallen star and prove his love for her, she will accept his hand in marriage. He sets out on this quest and has help along the way from talking animals, gnomes, and magic trees as he avoids evil witches and a power struggle he inadvertently becomes the center of in his quest to find the star. It is an engaging fairy tale with just enough light-heartedness to pull of what would otherwise be an unbelievable romantic tale. 

Notes

This was originally created as a "story book with pictures" to be published by DC Comics. Once Charles Vess came onboard to do illustrations, it was released in 1997 as a four-issue miniseries, after which it was then released into single book format. In 1999 Gaiman decided to release the book as a conventional novel without illustrations, and that is the version reviewed here. 

Other Information

This was made into a movie starring Claire Danes and Robert DeNiro. Information on the film can be found here. 

Author Information

Neil Gaiman's Website

Tangerine by Edward Bloor

Bloor, Edward (2006). Tangerine. New York, New York: Harcourt Paperbacks. 

ISBN: 9780152057800

324 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Blindness, Family, Relationships, Soccer, Identity

Reader's Annotation

This tells the story of 13-year-old Paul Fisher who is legally blind but plays soccer nonetheless, and his ability to see beyond what is visible with the human eye lead him to some conclusions about what is happening in Tangerine- and in his family as well. 

Summary

Paul Fisher is a thirteen-year-old boy who is legally blind. The story told by kids is that it occurred because he stared for too long at an eclipse. He loves to play soccer and, despite his blindness, is able to see much more about people than they realize. When he is unable to play soccer due to an insurance policy issue, he is further deflated until he finds a way to get back into the game, and he suddenly finds that he can be cool. Meanwhile, things in Tangerine are not going very well with vandalism, roberry, and termites causing problems. Paul eventually comes to realize that not everything about his perfect older brother is true, and this leads to some startling revelations of his own about how he became blind in the first place and who his brother truly is. 

Awards

1998 ALA Top Ten Books for Young Adults

1998 Edgar Allan Poe Award nominee

1997 American Booksellers Association Pick of the List

1997 New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing

Other Information

Author Information

Edward Bloor's Website