Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Melinda Sordino made one critical mistake, and that was when she decided to be honest about a secret party that was held in a private location. While she did the right thing, her peers do not share this feeling and bully her until she questions her existence. With no friends and the torment of being raped by a peer, Melinda feels that there is no where else to turn when she tries to warn a friend who dates her attacker and is not believed. In order to get revenge for telling on his actions, the boy goes after Melinda a second time. Her miraculous rescue and constant mental anguish is a story that all teens need to read regardless of gender. This book raises awareness for victims of rape and sexual assault while giving readers the confidence to come forward if they ever experience this personally. The author did an incredible job of creating a story that could appeal to many different groups of young adults. This book not only addresses sexual assault, but it also speaks volumes about the presence of cliques and bullying. Melinda is a character that many teens could relate with as well.

 Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. New York, NY: Puffin Books.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Before reading this book, I was expecting a serious book about the everyday life on a reservation. I was beyond surprised to read the comedy and sarcasm throughout the book. In this book, Junior is a young Indian who lives on a reservation, but changes his mind about his path through adulthood since he decided not to attend their school. While it seems like he moves schools and unfortunate things keep happening along the way, he manages to still see the light in the darkest situations. I believe any teen could benefit from this book in so many ways. Junior is very admirable because he chooses between staying on the reservation with a predictable life or moving away and starting new adventures. I know that students would benefit from Junior and his optimism in even the darkest situations.

Alexie, S., & Forney, E. (2009). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. London: Little, 

                 Brown Books for Young Readers.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

In this book, Todd Hewitt is being chased by a group of men who are not happy with a secret he has uncovered about the dytopian society where he lives called Prentisstown. Before his escape, a germ was spread that allowed men's thoughts to be heard aloud. While on route to discover the new world, he meets a girl named Viola who is a survivor of a crash landing. When Viola gets hurt, Todd is forced to give up their only hope for survival in order to save her life. Because it is the first part of a series, the ending leaves the reader hoping for more. This book is great for anyone who enjoys similar books about dystopian societies like The Hunger Games and Divergent. I enjoyed the action and suspense throughout this young adult novel.

Ness, P. (2008). The knife of never letting go (Chaos walking). Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press. 

George by Alex Gino

 

This book speaks volumes for all teens who struggle with gender identity, especially if their family is like George's. She lives a secret life that she dreams of making a reality if she can secure the part of Charlotte in the school play. She feels that if her mother sees her in the play, she might respect her feelings and identity as a female. She may not have been born as a female, but her mother has difficulty accepting that she does not identify as a male. This story about a transgendered teen will give young adults a sense of understanding and comfort if they are also facing the same challenges or simply want to understand. This book is unique and important for today's society and the stereotypes being thrown around the LGBTQ community.

Gino, A. (2015). George. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. 

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

This book really provoked thought and discussion in my home after reading it. The justice system does the best effort with the facts they have and must do their best to discern the truth. Unfortunately, Steve must go to trial and hope that the facts line up to escape the jail time he may face for assisting in an armed robbery and murder. This thought-provoking screenplay has the reader hoping that King is found guilty for the murder and that Steve is not wrongly accused. While the scales are balanced at the end of the book, the words certainly take the reader on an emotional roller coaster while the case is built up. In a literature class, this book would be interesting to use for debates and scenarios.

Myers, W. D., & Myers, C. (2009). Monster. Retrieved June 22, 2016, from https://www.amazon.com/Monster-Walter-Dean-Myers-ebook/dp/B001MYJ3JM/ref=sr_1_1_twi_kin_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1469040794&sr=1-1&keywords=monster 

Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden

When Liza and Annie first lay eyes on each other, they knew instantly that there was a connection. They become inseparable friends until they discovered that their feelings were deeper than just a friendship. To make life simpler, they decide to keep their feelings a secret since their families may not understand. While suppressing their love inside, they only become courageous enough to act on their feelings after seeing two female teachers during a visit at their home. When they decide to act on their love, they are caught and are forced to face their families. They decide that no matter what the outcome may be, their love will overcome all and they will remain loyal to each other. This story would be an excellent book for teens who may be struggling with the conflict of whether to share their sexual orientation with others. It can be extremely intimidating, so this book would help students see that sometimes you must face your fears in order to be truly happy in the long run.

Garden, N. (2007). Annie on my mind (1st ed.). New York, NY: Square Fish. 

It's Perfectly Normal by Robie H. Harris

This book was written to teach older students about sexual health and relationships through maturing as an adult. This information is important for children going through puberty, but the way it is represented could become a problem if found in the wrong hands. The full color illustrations of people without clothing has become a complaint from many parents for several years. Included in the book are facts and statistics about sexually-transmitted diseases, stages of puberty, risks involved with intercourse, sexual orientation terminology, and other related information. This book is appropriate for some 4th graders but probably would be better suited for 5th grade and above. I recall having a similar book as a young teen and utilized it many times when I heard friends talking about puberty but didn't want to ask parents. I would much rather see a child reading this book to self-educate than see them wander obliviously with many questions.

Harris, R. H., & Emberley, M. (1994). It's perfectly normal: A book about changing bodies, growing up, sex, and sexual health. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press. 

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Liesel is a nine-year-old girl in Germany prior to World War II, but she does not have fortunate luck. On the way from Munich to a foster home, her brother dies on the train. When he is buried, she notices that the gravedigger has a book, so she steals it and takes it with her. She can't read, so Hans teaches her how and they read the book together. At one point in the story, they worked by cleaning houses and noticed that one of their clients had many books. The client was the mayor's wife. Once she ends the cleaning services, they start stealing her books to read. It doesn't take her long to figure out, so she begins leaving notes and paper for Liesel to read and write stories of her own. Amidst the political unrest, she is taken away without her book. When it is found many years later, she reads through it and reminisces on the difficult times as a child. This book did not peak my interest immediately because I do not typically enjoy stories with historical settings. There are many lesson to be learned by the experiences listed and hard times she must face. Written for teens and young adults, I feel that high school students would be more likely to read and enjoy the nature of this book.

2016 New York Times Young Adult Paperback Bestseller List

Zusak, M. (2006). The book thief. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf. 

Winger by Andrew Smith

Ryan Dean looks your typical boarding school kid, except he's not really at all. As a fourteen-year-old boy passed through the gifted program and living in a dorm room with a bully, it seems like life is as difficult as can be. In addition to the roommate, Ryan has a huge crush on his friend Annie, but he must change her viewpoint of him just being a little kid to being a potential boyfriend. This book is the perfect combination of comedy and emotions that makes it a challenge to put down. The unique attribute to this book is that the audience could be teen guys or girls since it is so well-balanced. Ryan shows how truly challenging it can be to grow up in more ways than one.

Smith, A. (2013). Winger. Retrieved June 2, 2016, from https://www.amazon.com/Winger-Andrew-Smith-ebook/dp/B005C78E86/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1469139643&sr=8-4