Code Name Verity

Wein, E. (2012). Code name Verity. New York: Hyperion. Julie, whose code name is Verity, is a secret agent for the allies stationed in England. Maddie, code name Kittyhawk, is one of the few female pilots. They meet at an England base and instantly become good friends. Maddie volunteers to take Julie to occupied France one night for a job, but their small plane is fired upon. Both girls are separated as Julie parachutes to her destination and Maddie struggles to make a hard landing. Maddie survives; however, because she is Jewish, she is hidden in a barn of a French family in the resistance army. Julie, on the other hand, is not so lucky. She is taken captive by the S S. She is taken to a Chateau used by the Gestapo as a prison for detention, interrogation, torture, and execution. She is given paper, pen and two weeks to tell SS-Hauptsturmführer von Linden everything she knows about the British War Effort. The first part of the story is told by Verity. It reads like a journal in which she shares the story of her best friend Maddie and discloses warfare information. The second section is told by Maddie, in her pilot notebook, just after her plane has crashed. This historical fiction novel is excellent for students to read in history class. Teachers can use it to show students what prisoners of war have to endure.

My Friend Dahmer: A Graphic Novel

Backderf, D. (2012). My friend Dahmer: A graphic novel. New York: Abrams ComicArts. This book is told by Derf Backderf in the form of a graphic novel, featuring his recollections of his friend Jeffery Dahmer before he became a serial killer. Dahmer was never popular; he was shy, and an outcast. Growing up Dahmer’s parents fought all the time and never paid attention to him. His father was a chemist and his mother was a housewife hooked on depression medication and often had episodes due to all the medication she took. As a young boy Dahmer was obsessed with picking up road kill and trying to dissolve his finds in acid. He later progressed to killing animals and dismembering their bodies. At the age of 15, Dahmer realized that he was gay and fantasized about dead men’s corpses. In order to suppress his feelings he became an alcoholic. He continued going to school to get away from his home life. After graduation, his parents got a divorce and his mother left with his younger brother. Dahmer was left alone in his childhood home and succumbed to his dark desires and became a killer. This graphic novel is an easy read and very easy to follow. The novel’s strengths are the detailed illustrations and the detailed accounts of Dahmer’s journey to becoming a cold blooded killer.

Annie On My Mind

Garden, N. (1982). Annie on my mind. New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux. Liza Winthrop and Annie Kenyon are from two different socioeconomic worlds. Liza attends a private school, Foster Academy, while Annie attends an overcrowded public school. The girls meet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and after spending time together they realize they have a lot in common and consequently fall in love. While house-sitting for two Foster Academy teachers, who are also lesbians, Liza and Annie get caught making love and Liza gets in trouble with Foster Academy’s administrators. Liza is required to face a review committee in order to determine if she will be allowed to stay at Foster. Ultimately it is decided that Liza did nothing wrong. This modern realistic fiction novel deals with a lesbian relationship which was formerly considered a taboo subject to write about. Librarians can promote this book as part of a celebration during Banned Books Week, challenging students to read books that have been frequently challenged. This novel is recommended for students ages 12-17.

Andre the Giant: Life and Legend

Brown, B. (2014). Andre the Giant: Life and legend. New York: First Second. Andre Roussimoff was born in France with a rare condition known as acromegaly in which the patient produces too much growth hormone. This condition can be painful and lead to an early death. Andre the Giant was seen as a freak to many, but was greatly loved in the wrestling community. He led a life of glamour with a successful career, but spent much of his life in emotional and physical pain. He lived in physical pain due to his condition, but his emotional pained stemmed from the way people made fun of his great stature. At one point in his life he was over 7 feet tall and weighed 500 pounds. Andre the Giant died in his sleep in 1993 in Paris France at the age of 47. Not only is graphic novel full of interesting facts about Andre the Giant, but it is also filled with wrestling jargon. Brown’s passion, admiration, and knowledge of wrestling can clearly be recognized throughout this novel. Students who love wrestling will love this graphic novel about one of wrestling’s greatest legends. This graphic novel is recommended for students in 9th grade and up.

Grasshopper Jungle

Smith, A. (2014). Grasshopper jungle: A history. New York: Dutton Books. Sixteen- year- old Austin Szerba lives in Ealing Iowa, but doesn’t live a regular life. He is sexually confused and is stressed out about it all the time. Austin is in love with his best friend Robby, and he is also in love with his girlfriend Shann. Austin knows he wants to have sex with his girlfriend, but he also fantasizes about experimenting with Robby. Things get even weirder when the boys accidentally unleash a dangerous virus, the Contained MI Plague Strain 412 E. The virus creates an unstoppable army of deadly six-foot-tall praying mantises who only want to eat humans and have sex. This science fiction novel will captivate readers as Austin chronicles the end of the world. This apocalyptic novel is recommended for ages 14 and up due to sexual content and language.

American Born Chinese

Yang, G. (2006). American born Chinese. New York: Square Fish. Written in the form of a graphic novel, American Born Chinese intertwines the life of three characters who all want to fit in and go to great lengths to do so. Jin Wang is the only American-Chinese student at his new school, but he wants to be American because he has fallen in love with an American girl. Danny is a popular athletic teen with the perfect life until his Chinese cousin Chin-Kee arrives from China. Chin-Kee is the typical stereotypical Chinese student and ruins Danny’s cool reputation. The Monkey King has ruled for thousands of years and is ready to live with the Gods, but is deemed unworthy because of his thoughtless actions. He must rely on a total stranger to help lead him to salvation. This graphic novel is a quick read, and is perfect for reluctant readers. The colorful and beautiful illustrations will captivate readers and help readers understand the story. The facial expressions on the characters help give readers a deeper understanding of the story. The strength of the story is its graphic novel format.

The Chocolate War

Cormier, R. (1974). The chocolate war. New York: Dell Laurel-Leaf. Jerry Renault is a freshman at Trinity High School, an all-boys Catholic school. After suffering the loss of his mother he feels lost and struggles to find himself. He is inspired by a poster that says, “Do I dare disturb the universe?” Jerry then becomes part of the Vigils, a secret student society, and is instructed by their leader Archie not to participate in the school’s annual chocolate sales for 10 days. After the 10 days, inspired by the quote on his poster, Jerry decides to refuse to sell the chocolates. The Vigils didn’t like Jerry’s decision so they began to torment him. Eventually Archie sets up a fight between Jerry and the toughest boy at school Emile. Unfortunately, Jerry gets beaten up and hurt very badly so he is taken away in an ambulance. Although the novel is set in a Catholic school, students today can relate with Jerry and his decision not to sell the fundraiser chocolates. Teachers can use this novel to teach theme and character development. Students who enjoyed reading The Chocolate War will want to read the sequel Beyond the Chocolate War.

Hunted: Spirit Animals Book 2

Stiefvater, M. (2014). Hunted: Spirit animals book 2. New York: Scholastic. In the second installment of the Spirit Animals series, Erdas is still in danger of being overtaken by the Devourer. Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan must learn to strengthen their bonds with their spirit animals in order to defeat the evil forces trying to overtake Erdas. The Devourer has a special interest in the young heroes because they have summoned four of the Great Beasts: Briggan the Wolf, Jhi the giant panda, Essix the falcon, and Uraza the leopard who were responsible for capturing the Devourer long ago. Now the Devourer and his followers are creating secret bile that forces a bond between humans and spirit animals. This bond gives humans extra abilities that will strengthen his forces. The four heroes although they are merely children must risk their lives in order to collect the Great Beasts’ talismans in order to defeat the Devourer. Rumfuss the Boar proves to be an incredibly difficult beast to face in order to get his talisman, but the young heroes show strength and courage as they achieve what seems impossible. With the talisman in their possession Conor is torn between his quest and his family’s safety. This quick read will have students wanting to read more. The novel’s strength lies in the young heroes’ character traits and the cliff hanger ending. Readers who want to know what becomes of Meilin after her decision need to read Blood Ties: Spirit Animals Book 3.

Speak

Anderson, L. (2006). Speak. New York: Penguin Group. In this dark modern realistic fiction novel Melinda Sordino, a ninth grade student, is brutally raped at an end of summer party right before she starts high school. At the time of the rape, Melinda couldn’t find a way to speak up or call out for help, so she called 911. When the police arrive the party goers get in trouble for underage drinking. Not knowing about Melinda’s rape, the students label her a snitch and she becomes a social outcast who loses all her friends and consequently goes mute. She spends her entire ninth grade year dealing with her rape until she eventually finds her voice that she lost as a result of her trauma to reveal that the popular upperclassman Andy Evans is her rapist. Anderson’s writing transcends the pages of the novel as readers feel Melinda’s emotional pain as she tries to cope with being raped. Melinda’s quiet suffering is the novel’s strength as readers root for Melinda to find her voice and tell the truth. This novel is recommended for young adult readers in grades 8 and up.

Monster

Myers, W. (1999). Monster. New York: HarperCollins. Steve Harmon, is a sixteen-year-old black teenager, on trial facing the possibility of life in prison. He is facing murder charges after he is accused of acting as the lookout for the delinquents who robbed a Harlem drugstore and killed the owner. The novel is written from Steve’s point of view in the form of a screenplay and journal entries, which will captivate readers immediately. This dark modern realistic fiction not only deals with murder, but also highlights the dangerous horrors that inmates face in prison like physical violence and sexual advances. This novel is recommended for students in grades 7-12 and can be used as a resource for teachers who work with at risk students. It can also serve as a learning tool for students to realize that the choices we make in life can have serious consequences.

We Were Liars

Lockhart, E. (2013). We were liars. New York: Delacorte Press. Seventeen-year-old Cadence Sinclair Eastman lives a privileged life as a member of the esteemed Sinclair family. Although she is surrounded by luxury she is miserable and sick. After her accident on the private family island in Beechwood, the summer she was 15, Cadence gets mind numbing migraines and can’t remember how she hit her head or ended up in the water alone. Two years later she returns to Beechwood to try to piece her memory back, but she doesn’t understand why no one wants to talk about the accident. The only comfort she finds is that her cousins Johnny and Mirren and her love Gat are waiting for her at Beechwood. As Cadence pieces her memories together she finds out the awful truth of that fateful night full of tears, regret, fire, and death. This mystery will captivate readers from the very beginning until the twisted unexpected end of the novel. The plot is definitely the novel’s developmental strength and will keep readers engaged and entertained.

The Knife of Never Letting Go

Ness, P. (2008). The knife of never letting go. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press. Todd Hewitt has lived in Prentisstown his whole life and he is about to turn 13, which means he will finally become a man. Living in Prentisstown, Todd has learned to deal with the Noise coming from the men. The Noise causes everyone to be able to hear each other’s thoughts. One day Todd and his dog Manchee stumble upon complete silence, which is impossible in Prentisstown. Todd discovers the silence belongs to a girl, Viola, which is also impossible because Prentisstown doesn’t have any women. Finding Viola changes Todd’s life forever as they run away and in the process Todd learns that his entire life has been a lie. Prentisstown holds many dark secrets, and now Mayor Prentiss is hunting down Todd for escaping. As Todd and Viola try to reach safety they experience immense pain and heartbreak. This science fiction novel portrays life in a dystopian society, with Mayor Prentiss as the totalitarian leader. The voice of each character and their drive to fulfill their desires is the novel’s major strength. The detailed description throughout the novel of the characters and their hardships is also a big strength of the novel. Readers who want to know what has become of Todd and Viola following the climatic end of The Knife of Never Letting Go need to read The Ask and the Answer.

Freak Show

St. James, J. (2007). Freak show. New York: Dutton Children's Books. Billy Bloom is not your typical high school senior. In fact according to the students at Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy there is nothing typical or acceptable about Billy the drag queen. Billy is proud of whom he is, but the ultra-rich and ultra-conservative students are not ready to accept someone like Billy. He soon becomes the target of all the hate brewing at Eisenhower Academy until Billy befriends the most popular athlete Flip Kelly. Billy then shocks the school even further when he decides to run for homecoming queen. After announcing to the media his plans for homecoming, Billy finds a platform for teaching the students and the community about tolerance for the LGBT community. St. James’ use of Billy’s voice, point of view and humor are the novel’s strengths. Freak Show is a fiction story about sexual orientation featuring a transgender student and is therefore classified as a modern realistic fiction novel.

Antsy Does Time

Shusterman, N. (2008). Antsy does time. New York: Dutton Children's Books. Anthony Bonano better known as Antsy is a regular high school freshmen until he sees a balloon wrangler at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade die. Not only does he see a man fall to his death, but at that same moment his classmate Gunnar Ümalaut tells him he is dying of Pulmonary Monoxic Systemia and only has six months to live. Antsy decides to donate a month of his life to Gunnar and then all of a sudden everyone wants to donate months to Gunnar in order to lift his spirit in his time of illness and need. The only problem is that Gunnar is not really sick much less dying. Gunnar is facing a lot of family problems and instead of facing the situation he decides to proclaim that he is dying. When Antsy finds out the truth he must decide whether to come clean or allow Gunner to enjoy the attention he is getting from his classmates. This quick read is great for reluctant readers, who will enjoy the easy to follow plot of the story and can read the book quickly. Teachers can use this book to teach character traits and character analysis in an English Language Arts classroom.

Eleanor & Park

Rowell, R. (2013). Eleanor & Park. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin. This love story will resonate to readers as they remember their first love. Eleanor & Park takes place within a span of a school year and follows 16-year-olds Eleanor Douglas and Park Sheridan. Complete opposites, Park is half Korean and always tries to lay low in school by being quiet and reading comic books, while Eleanor has fire engine red hair and dresses differently in order to standout and fight reform and stereotypes. New to the school, Eleanor is an instant target especially on the school bus, so Park grudgingly lets her sit by him on the bus. A slow friendship quietly blooms as Park notices Eleanor reading his comic books over his shoulder. Through their secret friendship they find they have a lot in common and before they even realize they have fallen in love. They share a love so strong that they fight to defend it against the kids in school, Park’s parents, and Eleanor’s abusive stepfather. Even though they are immensely in love, Eleanor and Park realize that a first love never lasts. This modern realistic fiction novel is recommended for students ages 14-17 because it features young emerging love and sexual awakening, which is suitable for young adult readers.

Ball Don't Lie

Pena, M. (2005). Ball don't lie. New York: Random House. Travis Reichard aka Sticky has lived a tough life as a foster kid and doesn’t really feel at home anywhere. He is used to being in and out of foster homes and his only constant “home” is the Lincoln Rec where he plays basketball and feels free. Sticky has very vague memories of his mom “Baby” and has spent most of his life blocking out the trauma of how he found her dead. Living life on the rough streets Sticky must decide who he will become. He knows he is destined to be a great basketball player and must leave his troubled past behind in order to get into college and show the world he can be a basketball legend. This dark modern realistic fiction novel gives students a clear picture of the street violence, homelessness, poverty, and despair that Sticky had to endure in order to find his true self. De La Pena’s use of raw language further exemplifies why this novel is a riveting dark modern realistic fiction. High schools teachers will enjoy discussing this novel with their students as a tool to teach perseverance and determination.

Lawn Boy

Paulsen, G. (2007). Lawn boy. New York: Wendy Lamb Books. The narrator is a 12-year-old boy who finds himself wondering how he is going to get money to pay for a new inner tube for his old bike. His parents are broke so he can’t ask them for money and he is only a boy so he definitely doesn’t have any money. Then for his birthday his grandmother gives him his grandfather’s old riding mower. With a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work he finds himself a summer job mowing lawns. He can’t keep up with the work, so with the help of a neighbor, stockbroker Arnold Howell, Lawn Boy begins his own lawn mowing business. Soon he earns a lot of money so Arnold helps him invest. Before he knows it, Lawn Boy becomes rich and even owns a boxer. This novel is categorized as a quick read because it has a straightforward plot that is easy to follow and can be read very quickly. This novel is an excellent way for teachers to teach students about stocks, investments, and savings. If you loved Lawn Boy then make sure to read its follow-up novel Lawn Boy Returns.

I Hunt Killers

Lyga, B. (2012). I hunt killers. New York: Little, Brown and Company. Jasper Dent is the son of the notorious serial killer Billy Dent. Jasper’s childhood was anything but average because Billy thought it necessary to teach his son how to become a serial killer. Billy involved Jasper in his crime scenes as he taught his son how to be the perfect killer without leaving any traces. From a very young age, it became Jasper’s duty to learn from his father and to help maintain his “trophy” room that housed a keepsake from every victim. After Billy is sent to prison, Jasper spends his time trying to be a normal high school senior until another serial killer invades Lobo’s Nod. Jasper must prove to everyone that he is not the killer they expect him to be. Lyga’s detailed descriptions and character development of Billy Dent help solidify this novel as a psychological thriller. Students who loved I Hunt Killers will want to continue to follow Jasper’s quest for redemption by reading the next installment in the series called Game.

Scowler

Kraus, D. (2013). Scowler. New York: Delacorte Press. This horror novel features 19- year-old Ry Burke whose only wish is to forget the awful physical and emotional abuse inflicted upon his family by his father, Marvin Burke. Even though his father is in prison now for his awful crimes, Ry along with his mother Jo Beth and sister Sarah are trying to put their lives back together while living on the dying family farm. Just when they were about to escape the farm and all its horrific memories, a meteorite hits the farm and unleashes a fury on the entire family. Thanks to a meteor hitting the prison where Marvin was he is able to escape and find his family to get the revenge he has been waiting for. Marvin’s sole purpose of surviving prison is to destroy his family and Ry must find a way to survive and save his mother and sister. Ry’s best defense against Marvin is to bring back his imaginary childhood allies Mr. Furrington, Jesus Christ, and Scowler. This novel is recommended for students ages 14 and up who love horror. Kraus’ character development in this novel takes readers into a world of pure fear, hate, revenge, and confusing hallucinations.

Please Ignore Vera Dietz

King, A. (2010). Please ignore Vera Dietz. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. Vera Dietz has been in love with her best friend Charlie Kahn since they were four years old. Their whole life they had been inseparable, until their senior year when Jenny Flick and the rest of the Detentionheads ruined it all. Vera had kept Charlie’s secrets all her life, but now it is up to her to reveal his secrets in order to clear his name and help everyone find peace after his tragic death. Vera feels that if she had spoken up that awful night then maybe Charlie wouldn’t be dead. Months before dying Charlie betrayed Vera and broke her heart and part of her still hates him for that. Vera’s journey to the truth will also lead her to some of Charlie’s other secrets including the way he really felt about her. This novel meets several of elements of dark modern realistic fiction. Violence is portrayed in the novel as readers follow Jenny Flick and her buddies as they bully and torment Vera and other kids at school. Drug abuse is also very prominent in the novel. There is also the grief that Vera has to deal with throughout the novel as she tries to deal with Charlie’s death. This novel is an excellent tool to teach teens about the dangers of drug abuse and the importance of choosing good friends.

Invisible

Hautman, P. (2005). Invisible. Waterville, Maine: Thorndike Press. Douglas (Dougie) Hanson is considered weird by many. Girls at his school find him disgusting, the boys at his school beat him up, and his parents send him to therapy. The only person who truly accepts him is his best friend Andy Morrow, the popular football player that is loved by everyone. Dougie and Andy have no secrets for each other and can talk about anything except what happened at the Tuttle place. As Dougie tries to handle all the pain he has been hiding he retreats to his basement as he obsessively builds his model train and railroad. The more he tries to push away the secret he is hiding the more this secret threatens to destroy his grip on reality. Dougie’s immense grief and character development makes this novel a perfect example of dark modern realistic fiction. This novel is recommended for students ages 12-17.

It's Perfectly Normal: A Book About Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health

Harris, R., & Emberley, M. (1994). It's perfectly normal: A book about changing bodies, growing up, sex, and sexual health. Cambridge, Mass: Candlewick Press. This non-fiction book covers a range of topics from puberty, sexual health, abortion, birth control, internet safety, etc. Geared toward adolescents and their parents this book discusses the questions that teens are often embarrassed to ask or parents are too embarrassed to answer. Throughout the book teens are able to see non-threatening pictures of all shapes and sizes to illustrate that it is normal to look different and it is important for everyone to accept their bodies. The book also illustrates the changes that will take place as teens grow from adolescents to adults. This book also features a confident bird and a nervous bee to add comic relief to sensitive topics, but always using facts. This book is for students 10 years of age and older. Students who enjoyed this book should also read It’s So Amazing!: A Book About Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families.

The Fault In Our Stars

Green, J. (2012). The fault in our stars. New York: Dutton Books. Seventeen-year-old Hazel Grace Lancaster reluctantly attends the support group meetings for kids with cancer. She is terminally ill and finds the meetings a waste of time until she meets Augustus Waters at one of the meetings. Together they find friendship, love, and an ability to cope with death as Augustus’s cancer returns. Hazel spent her days thinking about how her death would affect others, but with Augustus she learns that she has to live her life to the fullest until death comes to silence the pain. The Fault In Our Stars has frequently been confused as modern realistic fiction because it involves a romantic love story, but doesn’t meet the criteria because Hazel and Augustus are not able to live happily ever after. It does meet the criteria of dark modern realistic fiction because it deals with grief. The characters experience death by cancer and the suffering it causes. Students who enjoyed this novel will enjoy reading the true story of Esther Grace Earl in her book This Star Won't Go Out: The Life and Words of Esther Grace Earl. Esther’s life was Green’s inspiration for The Fault In Our Stars.

Paper Towns

Green, J. (2008). Paper towns. New York: Dutton Books. Quentin Jacobsen has always been in love with Margo Roth Spiegelman since she moved next door to him when they were two years old. He has always been attracted to her beauty and adventurous nature. The problem is Quentin has always admired her from afar because she has a boyfriend and is one of the most popular girls in school. Betrayed by her cheating boyfriend and her so-called friends, Margo enlists Jacob in her plan for revenge. After their all night wild adventure Jacob is sure that he can once again be close to Margo like when they were little. When he returns to school he finds out that Margo is missing. All Quentin finds are clues that Margo has left behind. Can Quentin find her before it is too late? Paper Towns is a perfect example of a mystery. It is a puzzling mystery that has no murder and it catches the reader’s attention from the beginning and doesn’t let go until the mystery is solved. This novel is recommended for students who are 14 years and older.

Looking for Alaska: A Novel

Green, J. (2005). Looking for Alaska: A novel. New York: Dutton Children's Books. Miles Halter is tired of living his safe and boring life. At home he has no life and no friends. He wants to know what it feels like to live life and have adventures. Fascinated by famous last words and biographies he seeks to find what the poet François Rabelais called “The Great Perhaps.” Miles decides to leave home for Culver Creek, the same boarding school that his dad attended. There he will find friends, adventure, love, and “The Great Perhaps.” Miles finds that Alaska Young is funny, moody, adventurous, and messed-up, but he loves her. Her adventurous and complicated life will leave Miles with many questions when Alaska unexpectedly dies in an accident. Along with his friends Miles will have to navigate the labyrinth of suffering we call life in search of answers that will help them piece together Alaska’s last moments before death. Looking for Alaska can be classified as dark modern realistic fiction because it deals with grief and suicide. The importance of life is a lesson that can be learned from reading this book. As we navigate life we are always looking for clear cut answers to our problems especially teenagers, but sometimes there aren’t any specific answers and life is too precious to be cut short. Instead we need to value what we have and not dwell on the past and our mistakes.

Period 8

Crutcher, C. (2013). Period 8. New York: Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins. Paul Baum aka Paulie Bomb is a popular athletic senior at Heller High. Not only is Paulie popular, but he is also honest and he can’t tell lies. So he decides to confess to his girlfriend Hannah his mistake, which alters their relationship as they put their trust on someone they shouldn’t. All the students in Period 8 including Paulie and Hannah use the class as a way to be honest and real. No topic is off limits and the only rule is that you have to be honest and true with what you share. That class was supposed to be a safe haven, but it wasn’t. Unknowingly, they were sharing their secrets and being manipulated by someone they trusted in that class and things get even more complicated when a girl from Period 8 disappears. Crutcher combines several elements of dark modern realistic fiction in his novel such as violence, anger, revenge, and even elements of an exciting mystery. His novel has fast action, plenty of suspense, and a clear cut conclusion which are the novel’s major strengths.

Etiquette & Espionage

Carriger, G. (2013). Etiquette & espionage. New York: Little, Brown and Company. When the adventurous 14-year-old Sophronia Temminnick is sent to Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality she is outraged. Her mother is tired of her antics and hopes that the school will teach Sophronia how to curtsy and be a proper lady, but she has no idea what really goes on at Mademoiselle Geraldine’s. Sophronia soon learns that not only will she be learning etiquette, but she will also be learning the fine art of espionage. Life at the academy becomes dangerous as Sophronia and her friends race to find a communication device that can save their school from the evil enemies that are threatening to destroy it. This science fiction novel can best be categorized in the subcategory of steampunk. Carriger develops the characters in a Victorian era with robots and machinery and adds a twist of supernatural by adding vampires and werewolves to the mix. If you want to continue following Sophronia on her adventures read the follow-up novel Curtsies & Conspiracies.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

Black, H. (2013). The coldest girl in Coldtown. New York: Little, Brown and Company. Seventeen- year- old Tana had no idea that her friend Lance’s party would change her life forever. When she wakes up from what she thought was a drunken party she finds all of her friends have been massacred except for her ex-boyfriend and a strange new boy with ruby red eyes. Tana lives in a world in which vampires exist in walled cities known as Coldtowns and now she must go there to find a way to save herself and the only other two survivors of the deadly party. Although this novel might be considered by some as fantasy because it involves vampires which are supernatural creatures, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is science fiction. Black’s descriptions of how vampires are born and how to cure and kill them throughout the novel solidify it as a science fiction novel. Students who enjoyed The Coldest Girl in Coldtown will also enjoy reading Darkness Before Dawn by J.A. London.

Feed

Anderson, M. (2002). Feed . Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press. Titus and his friends had no idea that their Spring Break trip to the moon would change their lives forever. Things were going great for Titus after he met a beautiful girl named Violet. They never imagined that their trip would be ruined when they went to a club, and were attacked by a hacker who infected their feeds. Titus lives in a world in which humans rely on internet feeds implanted directly into their brains. Without feeds their minds are blank. Unfortunately, Violet’s feed was severely damaged by the hacker and Titus must decide if he wants to love a girl who fights her feed, questions everything Titus has ever known, and is slowly dying. This science fiction novel gives readers an insight on what the future is like and the crash of society due to a dependence of technology. Feed is recommended for ages 14 and older. Feed also gives young adult readers a glimpse at cyberpunk fiction because it deals with hackers, advanced technologies, and social breakdown.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian.New York: Little, Brown and Company. Fourteen- year-old Arnold Spirit better known as Junior on the Reservation (the rez) was born with too much water in his brain and as a result he is considered to have a disability. He is often the target of bullies young and old living on the rez. Junior is very smart and is tired of living surrounded by the alcoholism and depression plaguing the tribe in Wellpinit. Junior makes a bold move as he transfers to a rich all white high school in Reardan. He faces daily struggles as his tribe considers him a traitor and his new classmates consider him a stereotypical Native American. Junior must find a balance between his new life in Reardan and his life on the rez as he sets out to prove that he has a bright future ahead of him. This novel is recommended for students who are in grades 7-10 and focuses on cultural diversity featuring a Native American as the main character.