Showing posts with label high school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label high school. Show all posts

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. 

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

Levithan, David (2005). Boy Meets Boy. New York, New York: Knopf Books. 
ISBN: 9780375832994
192 pages

Classification: Fiction
Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 15-19
Stars: 4 stars
Subjects: Gender, Sexuality, Relationships, High School, Tolerance


Reader's Annotation
In an idealized high school where sexuality is not considered an issue, Paul, a sophomore, believes he has found love with Noah, but he makes a mistake that may cost him his relationship

Summary
Paul is a high school sophomore whose school is in an idealized world where cliques, gender, and sexuality have a completely different meaning. Although parents and adults have different views, the teens in this world don't see each other in typical gay/straight, jock/nerd, popular/unpopular dichotomies. Rather, they live in a world where everything has blended and people are simply judged for themselves, rather than any labels society might place on them. Paul thinks he has found love in the form of Noah, but he ends up making a mistake that might mean the end of their relationship, so he seeks counsel among his friends. Not everything is ideal in this high school world- there are still domineering boyfriends, conservative parents, and the typical problems of lovelorn teenagers that hint at an underlying darkness to the teen world without ever collapsing under the weight of its problems. 

Notes
Although this novel notably presents a fictional world, it will leave teens wondering why tolerance isn't this simple, and why the world is so categorical and unforgiving in its definitions of relationships, gender, and sexuality. By cutting through these issues, individual characters are able to shine, and the strength of their problems comes through in this well-crafted story of love, life, and high school. 

Awards
Booklist Starred Review
School Library Journal Starred Review
2003 Lambda Literary Award

Other Information
Fans of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (book or movie) might recognize David Levithan's humorous style and interesting take on love and life. 

Author Information

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
Author Information

Prep: A Novel by Curtis Sittenfeld

Sittenfeld, Curtis (2005). Prep. New York, New York: Random House. 
ISBN: 9780812972351
448 pages

Classification: Fiction
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 15-19
Stars: 3 stars
Subjects: Popularity, High School, Cliques, Relationships, Sex


Reader's Annotation
Lee Fiora, a fourteen-year-old, leaves her hometown of South Bend, Indiana for Boston's prestigious Ault School, not realizing the difficulties that lie ahead of her, including dealing with the disadvantages of not being wealthy, trying to fit in, a secret relationship, and difficulties with teachers and other students as she both tries to fit in and loathes the person she must become to do so. 

Summary
Female readers will immediately be taken in by 14-year-old Lee Fiora's account of her years at Boston's prestigious Ault School. She left her hometwon of South Bend, Indiana, without fully explaining to her friends or family why she so desperately wanted to get away. When she arrives at Ault, however, her low family income, self-doubt, and behavior immediately mark her as an outsider. She works hard to conform to the standards set by other students, but constantly finds herself on the outside, scorning other outsiders as well. She struggles with her roommates, her teachers, and her peers are carefully described in this narrative. Her dissatisfaction with Ault leads her to take action and causes her to be a public pariah scorned by all, leaving her to wonder if she did what she did because of what was wrong with Ault or what was wrong with her.
 
Notes
Readers familiar with books or TV shows such as Gossip Girl or The Clique will recognize familiar sterotypes of high school life. In this case, everything is exaggerated because in addition to going to school together, they also live together, and this brings with it a new set of issues. Younger and older readers will find a familiar voice in Lee Fiora as she explores her own insecurities and her identity as she struggles with fitting in, relationships, and school. 

Awards
New York Times "10 Best Books of 2005" 
Nominated for UK's Orange Prize

Other Information
There are rumors that this may find its way onto the big screen, although whether or not that will happen anytime soon is unclear. Sittenfeld has since published two further books, The Man of My Dreams and American Wife, both of which have strong female protagonists who explore their own identity as they make their way in the world. 

Author Information

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

The Clique by Lisi Harrison

Harrison, Lisi (2004). The Clique. New York, New York: Poppy. 
ISBN: 9780316155779
220 pages

Classification: Fiction
Genre: Chick-Lit
Age Level: 15-17
Stars: 3 stars
Subjects: Popularity, Cliques, School, Relationships


Reader's Annotation

Summary
Claire Lyons is in seventh grade and when her parents move from Florida to Westchester County, NY, her family stays with Mr. Lyons' old friend who has a daughter the same age as Claire. Claire doesn't have the right clothes, the right attitude, or the right background, so Massie, a queen-bee in the making, decides to make her a target of her clique's pranks from the more innocuous insults to the cruel pranks. Claire doesn't know how to respond to any of this, and when she attempts to defend herself, the tormenting gets worse. This novel is filled with designer references and trendy spots that readers will identify with, but it will also seriously date the series and make it merely humorous to read in years to come. 

Notes
For readers looking for a more satisfying depiction of high school life, Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld might be an interesting choice. Younger female readers are the target audience, and with a direct-to-DVD movie released earlier this year, the series as a whole will be likely to gain in popularity, however short-lived it might be. 

Other Information
This is the first book in a series of at least 9 books that describe the adventures and insults of this particular clique. It can be horrifying and gruesome at times, but ultimately it lacks the punch held by other novels, and the redemption that you wish would happen never seems to arrive.

Author Information

Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson

Anderson, Laurie Halse (2006). Prom. New York, New York: Puffin. 
ISBN: 9780142405703
224 pages

Classification: Fiction
Genre: Chick-Lit
Age Level: 15-19
Stars: 4 stars
Subjects: Prom, High School, Relationships, Identity


Reader's Annotation
Ashley is a high school senior who doesn't care about school or prom until the new math teacher steals the prom money and Ashley finds herself trying to save prom so her best friend will have the night she always wanted. 

Summary
Ashley is a normal high school senior who can't wait to finish school (if she manages to graduate), move into an apartment with her boyfriend TJ, and start real life. She doesn't care about school functions, and declares that she couldn't care less about prom. When the new math teacher makes off with the prom money, however, Ashley's best friend Natalia drags her on to the prom committee. Ashley realizes she's capable of more than she thought as she manages to save prom for herself, her best friend, and she creates a night she'll never forget. 

Notes
This is notably lighter than either Twisted or Speak, but it still has strong characters that make this book utterly readable and enjoyable. Girls will likely relate to it more because it is told from a female's point of view. 

Author Information

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

Lockhart, E. (2008). The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. New York, New York: Hyperion. 
ISBN: 9780786838189
352 pages

Classification: Fiction
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 15-19
Stars: 5 stars
Subjects: Mystery, Adventure, High School, Relationships, Gender


Reader's Annotation
This novel tells the story of Frankie Landau-Banks' transformation from a perfect, straight-A student and a lovely young girl to a criminal mastermind who refuses to let boys tell her what she can and cannot do. 

Summary
Frankie Landau-Banks goes from geek to chic to brilliant criminal mastermind in this story. She was once a shy debate club member who knew she was intelligent but didn't have the courage to stand up for herself. With the passing of a year, she acquired a great figure, a gorgeous senior boyfriend, and a full awareness of her intelligence and wit. When she learns that her boyfriend is a member of a secret club that refuses her admittance on the basis of her gender, she decides to show them a thing or two about what she's really capable of. 

Notes
Girls will find this book hilarious, smart, and funny, and will likely feel empowered by this story of a smart, edgy female who isn't afraid to stand up for who she is and all that she is capable of. 

Awards
2008 National Book Award for Young People's Literature Finalist

Author Information

What Happened to Lani Garver by Carol Plum-Ucci

Plum-Ucci, Carol (2002). What Happened to Lani Garver. New York, New York: Harcourt Press. 
ISBN: 9780152050887
336 pages

Classification: Fiction
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 15-19
Stars: 5 stars
Subjects: Death, Leukemia, Alcohol, Gender, High School, Cliques


Reader's Annotation
Claire, who missed a year of high school because of a battle with leukemia, is well aware that her hometown of Hackett scorns outsiders, and she dismisses parts of herself that don't fit in: her fears that her leukemia may have returned, her obsession with her guitar and writing dark lyrics, and her eating disorder- until the mysterious boy(?) Lani Garver enters town and forces her to examine her life. 

Summary
Claire McKenzie is desperate to fit in and not stand out from the crowd. After missing her junior year of high school because of a battle with leukemia, she is more determined than ever to hide the parts of herself that would be "acceptable" in her small hometown of Hackett Island. She doesn't tell anyone about her fears that her leukemia has returned, or about her love of the guitar and dark lyrics, or her eating disorder. With all of the secrets she has to hide to maintain the appearance of normal, it is no wonder she is immediately drawn to the strange figure of Lani Garver, an androgynous figure who immediately becomes a target of the small town's hostility for his otherness. Her friendship with him displeases her cheerleader friends and the popular boys in the school. Lani, however, forces her to be honest with herself and he helps her confrong her inner demons and examine her life as she wonders if he might just be an angel sent to help her. When the school's bullies begin to escalate their attacks, its more than Lani who might suffer at the hands of the "fish frat". 

Notes
This novel skips along at a quick pace, and although it is laced with somewhat unbelievable events and characters, the skill of the writing is great enough to overcome any deficiencies in plot. Readers will be pulled along with Claire as she tries to unravel the mystery of Lani Garver. 

Awards
2005 Most Popular Paperback List, American Library Association, honoree
2005 Young Readers Choice Awards, Pacific Northwest Library Association; nominee
2003 Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults, Young Adult Library Services Association; honoree, 
2002 Michael L. Printz Award, Young Adult Library Services Association; nominee
2002 Amazon #1 Editors’ Choice in Young Adult Literature; winner
2002 Best Books for Young Adults, American Library Association; honoree
2002 Featured Books:  YM Magazine, September Issue
2002 Best Books:  Seventeen Magazine, September Issue
2002 Starred Review, Booklist, October Issue


Author Information

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Anderson, Laurie Halse (1999). New York, New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux. 
ISBN: 9780142407325
224 pages

Classification: Fiction
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 15-19
Stars: 5 stars
Subjects: Rape, Alcohol, High School, Cliques, Relationships, Outcast


Reader's Annotation
Melinda Sordino, a high school freshman, is an outcast for having busted up an end-of-summer bash, but there is a dark secret she is keeping from everyone- how will she find the courage to speak? 

Summary
Melinda Sordino starts high school as an outcast for having called the police on a great summer party that resulted in a number of students being arrested or otherwise in trouble. Nobody stops to ask her why she called the police, however, and this inability to tell her story gets progressively worse as she fails to find her place within high school except as an outcast. Her family is distant and they don't seem to know what to do to help her, so although they are well-meaning, their lack of attention forces her to further withdraw into herself. With the help of an art class, she begins to find a way to express herself, but it isn't until she thinks what happened to her might happen to a former friend that she is able to fully confront what happened to her at that summer party and find the courage to speak. 

Notes
This is a raw, gripping story. It will likely resonate more strongly with girls because of the leading female's voice throughout the story, but anyone who has been through high school will recognize the cliques, the peer pressure, and the misery associated with being on the outside. Also available in Audiobook. Translated into Catalan, Chinese, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Serbian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, and Thai. 

Awards

ALA Best Book for Young Adults

ALA Top-10 Best Book for Young Adults

ALA Quick Pick for Young Adults

Edgar Allan Poe Award finalist

IRA Young Adult Choice

Junior Library Guild Selection

Michael L. Printz Honor Book (American Library Association)

National Book Award Finalist

New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age

New York Times Bestseller List

SCBWI Golden Kite Award

YALSA Popular Paperback for Young Adults

Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award runner-up

California Young Reader Medal nominee

Black-Eyed Susan Book Award nominee (Maryland)

Garden State Teen Book Award (New Jersey)

Iowa Teen Book Award nominee

Heartland Award (Kansas)

Kentucky Bluegrass Award

Maud Hart Lovelace Youth Reading Award nominee (Minnesota)

Teen Three Apples Award nominee (New York)

2005 New York Reads Together Book

Carolyn W. Field Award (Pennsylvania)

Pennsyvania Young Readers Choice Young Adult List

Rhode Island Teen Book Award nominee

South Carolina Young Adult Book Award

Volunteer State Young Adult Book Award (Tennessee)

Tayshas High School Reading List (Texas)

Evergreen Young Adult Book Award (Washington)

Booklist Editors’ Choice

School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon Book

Fanfare, The Horn Book’s Honor List

Los Angeles Times Award finalist

Publishers Weekly Bestseller





Other Information
This was also made into a TV film starring Kristen Stewart (fans will recognize her as Bella from the Twilight series). Information can be found here or, for purchase here

Author Information

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

Anderson, Laurie Halse (2007). New York: New York: Viking Juvenile Press. 
ISBN: 0670061018
272 pages

Classification: Fiction
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 15-19
Stars: 5 stars
Subjects: High School, Crime, Popularity, Relationships, Alcohol, Abusive Home


Reader's Annotation
After a summer of community service, Tyler Miller starts his senior year with a body that gets the attention of Bethany Millbury, his social and economic opposite, and things are looking up… but as with everything else in Tyler's life, happiness is short-lived and he soon finds himself accused of a crime he didn't commit. 

Summary
Tyler Miller had been a nobody- he didn't play sports, he wasn't rich, and he spent most of his time playing video games  -until he sprayed graffiti over his school. He was forced to do community service over the summer and so he entered senior year with a chiseled new body that got the attention of Bethany Miller, a rich social queen bee who is his opposite on many levels. Her brother is his nemesis, and her father is his father's boss. So when he rejects her drunken advances at a party and then nude pictures of Bethany start circulating, and Tyler is facing charges again. He finds no support from his home life or from people at school, and he starts circling the drain, wondering how to get out of the mess he didn't create. 

Notes
This is a book that can be rather dark at times, and the resolution isn't totally satisfying, but overall, it presents a realistic portrayal of high school life for those who are on the outside. 

Awards
ALA Best Book for Young Adults 2008
ALA Quick Pick for Young Adults 2008
International Reading Association TOp Ten of 2007
New York Public Library Best Books for the Teen Age
New York Times Bestseller List
Tayshas High School Reading List 2008 (Texas)
Heartland Award Nominee (Kansas)
Georgia Peach Book Award Nominee
Thumbs Up! Award Nominee (Michigan)
Amazon Editor's 2007 Pick for Teens
Borders YA Book Club Pick
Starred Review, KLIATT
Starred Review, Kirkus

Other Information
Readers who enjoyed the realism of Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak will find that this book has similar resonance. It hits at some dark issues without shying away from the darkness, which can be somewhat scary. Ultimately, there is resolution within this story. It is also available in audiobook. 

Author Information

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Meyer, Stephenie (2006). New Moon. New York, New York: Little, Brown and Company. 
ISBN: 9780316024969
608 pages

Classification: Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Age Level: 15-19
Stars: 4 stars
Subjects: Vampires, Werewolves, High School, Desertion, Relationships, Family


Reader's Annotation
Isabella "Bella" Swan deals with the repercussions of her interactions with another group of vampires with her father when Edward Cullen, her vampire boyfriend, leaves her and she must face high school alone. 

Summary
Shortly after this book begins, Bella finds herself in danger again by vampires. Edward Cullen, her vampire boyfriend, feels that it is his presence that has endangered her once again, so he leaves in an effort to remove any destructive presence in her life. This doesn't have the effect that he desired, as Bella seems to be a magnet for disaster. In his absence, Bella turns to her friend Jacob Black, who, as it turns out, is going through a lot of problems on his own caused by the presence of the vampires. As he undergoes a transformation and seems to be deserting her as well, Bella strives to find balance in her life and continues to face any danger head-on. 

Notes
The Bella and Edward story gets a twist when Edward leaves Bella. The strife and heartache at the center of this novel show Meyer's writing talent- she handles this very well, better than the lovey-dovey take on Bella and Edward's relationship. The conclusion is somewhat less satisfying, as it appears that all of the characters refuse to use any common sense- or verify facts before leaping to conclusions. Still, this is a quick read that has action and drama mixed together nicely. Readers will especially enjoy the growth (both literal and figurative) that Jacob Black undergoes through this novel as he asserts himself as a contender for Bella's heart. 

Awards
New York Times Bestseller

Other Information
The movie Twilight was a domestic and international success, and it looks like the sequel will be following in its cinematic footsteps. Currently slated for release in 2010, New Moon will keep stars Kristen Stewart as Bella and Robert Pattinson as Edward in this film. 

Author Information

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Meyer, Stephenie (2007). Eclipse. New York, New York: Little, Brown, and Company. 
ISBN: 9780316160209
640 pages

Classification: Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Age Level: 15-19
Stars: 4 stars
Subjects: Werewolves, Vampires, High School, Relationships, Family



Reader's Annotation
Isabella "Bella" Swan finds herself caught between Jacob Black, a werewolf and her best friend who wants to be something more, and Edward Cullen, a vampire who is the love of her life, as she fights for her life with them by her side. 

Summary
This is the third book of the Twilight Saga and it finds Bella dealing with the repercussions of Edward's departure in New Moon. In his absence, she had turned to Jacob Black, and she realizes that, although she doesn't love him in the same way she loves Edward, there is a strong bond between them that isn't likely to be shaken. Bella needs to determine where this leaves her relationship with Edward, since Jacob and Edward, as werewolf and vampire, are mortal enemies. In the meanwhile, Jacob is dealing with issues associated with being part of a pack, and readers get to see more of the wolves in this book.

Notes
This book is heavy on action and emotional drama. Bella is caught in a love triangle, and although she is hopeless as ever, the dynamic between Jacob and Edward allows Meyer to really have some fun with the writing. It's not always believable, but this is an enjoyable book nonetheless and quite possibly the strongest of the series. 

Awards
New York Times Bestseller

Other Information
After the success of Twilight the movie, it looks like the other books in the series may find their way into production as well. New Moon is tentatively listed for release in 2010, so Eclipse could be on its way, too. There is a listing for a film titled Eclipse on IMDB slated for release in 2012, but whether or not that refers to the Meyer book isn't clear: Eclipse, the movie

Author Information


Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Meyer, Stephenie (2006). Twilight. New York, New York: Little, Brown, and Company. 
ISBN: 9780316015844
544 pages

Classification: Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Age Level: 15-19
Stars: 4 stars
Subjects: High School, Vampires, Relationships, Family, Outcast



Reader's Annotation
Isabella "Bella" Swan moves from Phoenix, Arizona to Forks, Washington, where she must forge a relationship with her father, deal with a new high school and new people, and she discovers that the little town might be more interesting than she thought. 

Summary
Isabella "Bella" Swan moves from sunny Phoenix, Arizona to Forks, Washington, leaving her erratic, harebrained mother free to travel with her husband, a minor-league baseball player. This finds her living in the cloudiest place in the continental United States with a relative stranger- her father, Charlie. Starting at a new high school, and armed with typical insecurities of a teenager, she faces life in Forks. While she struggles to adapt to life in Washington, she is immediately intrigued by the Cullen family- and specifically, Edward Cullen, a mysterious figure who seems to be repulsed by her presence. As she begins to learn more about him, she realizes that there may be more to him and his family than meets the eye- and she's dying to learn more. 

Notes
This book has a quick pace and a great introduction to the characters of Bella and Edward. The plot is pushed forward quickly, and although Bella can play the part of a damsel in distress a little too convincingly at times for modern young women to truly appreciate, this is a quick, enjoyable read. 

Awards
New York Times Editor's Choice
Publisher's Weekly Best Book of the Year
ALA "Top Ten Books for Young Adults" 
ALA "Top Ten Books for Reluctant Readers"
New York Times Bestseller

Other Information
This was recently released as a movie starring Kristen Stewart as Bella and Robert Pattinson as Edward. Readers may enjoy discussing and debating the merits of the books compared to the movie. See the following for information about the movie: Twilight the Movie

Author Information