Eragon

Bibliographic Information
Title: Eragon
Author: Christopher Paolini
Type of Media: text
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Copyright Date: June 25, 2003
ISBN: 978-0375826689
Genre: Fantasy
Curriculum Ties: Young writers
Reading Level: Lexile 710
Interest Age: 11-18






Plot Summary
Eragon is a farm boy who lives with his uncle and cousin in the land of Alagaesia after his mother abandoned him as a boy and no one knows who was his father. He lives a simple life when he comes across a dragon egg while hunting. Once the egg hatches he is suddenly taking care of a young dragon named Saphira who he has bonded to as her dragon rider. This sets off a chain of events which will drive him from his home into unknown lands and terrible danger. He soon realizes that the fate of Alagaesia is in his hands as he is possibly the last dragon rider who can stand up to the King and his dragon. At the age of fifteen Eragon finds himself making decisions that will affect the whole land.

Critical Evaluation
One of the most amazing things about this book is the fact that Paolini was a teenager himself when he wrote and had this story published but you would never know it based on the intriguing and adventurous fast-paced plotline that he has put together. The world that he has built is one of mystery and magic with dwarfs, elves, shades, dragons, and humans all living side by side although not peacefully since the time of the dragon riders. This book has it all to be included with the best of high fantasy.

Reader's Annotation
Once you read this book you will no longer wait for a Hogwarts letter but instead will search for your dragon's egg.

Author Biography

Christopher Paolini was born on November 17, 1983 in Southern California. He has lived most of his life in Paradise Valley, Montana with his parents and younger sister, Angela. As a child, he often wrote short stories and poems, made frequent trips to the library, and read widely. The idea of Eragon began as the daydreams of a teen. Christopher's love for the magic of stories led him to craft a novel that he would enjoy reading. The project began as a hobby, a personal challenge; he never intended it to be published. All the characters in Eragon are from Christopher's imagination except Angela the herbalist, who is loosely based on his sister. Christopher was fifteen when he wrote the first draft of Eragon. He took a second year to revise the book and then gave it to his parents to read. The family decided to self-publish the book and spent a third year preparing the manuscript for publication: copyediting, proofreading, designing a cover, typesetting the manuscript, and creating marketing materials. During this time Christopher drew the map for Eragon, as well as the dragon eye for the book cover (that now appears inside the Knopf hardcover edition). The manuscript was sent to press and the first books arrived in November 2001. The Paolini family spent the next year promoting the book at libraries, bookstores, and schools in 2002 and early 2003. In summer 2002, author Carl Hiaasen, whose stepson read a copy of the self-published book while on vacation in Montana, brought Eragon to the attention of his publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, which is part of Random House. Knopf published Eragon in August 2003. Eldest, which continues the adventures of Eragon and the dragon Saphira was published in August 2005, and in December 2006, Fox 2000 released their movie adaptation of Eragon in theaters around the world.

Christopher Paolini. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Christopher-Paolini/e/B001IGLLNK/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Book Talk Ideas

• Dragons
• Following your dreams

Possible Challenges

•  Violence

Defense File

Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out

Access to honest reviews from trusted sources

Know the awards, if any, the book has earned

Understand the material so you can explain the use of the book as a good talking point for serious and sensitive issues

A lot of times people just want their concerns heard, so make sure you listen

If they are still persistent be able to offer them a reconsideration form

 
Reason for Inclusion
This book is so well written that any fantasy reader will love slipping into the world of Alagaesia but to make it even more of a must read is the fact that the author was only 15 when he wrote the first draft. This book could be a great inspiration to many teenagers. It also won the Book Sense of the Year Award for Children's Literature.

Save the Last Dance

Bibliographic Information
Title: Save the Last Dance
Type of Media: DVD
Director: Thomas Carter
Actors: Julia Stiles, Sean Patrick Thomas
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: June 19, 2001
Curriculum Ties: Racism
Rating: PG-13








Plot Summary
This DVD is an inspiring story of someone who must rise from the ashes of a traumatic event and discovers she needs the help of another in order to do so. Sara had big dreams of becoming a ballet dancer but when her mother died she gave it all up. After having to move in with her father she enters a new school of mostly African-Americans were she struggles to fit in.
Derek is an easy going, intelligent young man with a bright future himself. When he meets Sara at school he is immediately attracted to her and once he figures out what is holding her back he is determined to help her break free and fly once again.

Critical Evaluation
This movie does a good job of showing what different lives look like and how racism still exists in society and how easily we can overcome it. As this is not the main theme of the movie it is more subtle than most others. The biggest theme is not giving up on what your dreams are even when times are difficult. We all will struggle and face adversity in different ways but we can rise above it all. This movie is sweet and encouraging and is definitely geared towards a teen crowd.

Reader's Annotation
An inspiring film that will make you want to pursue the dreams you started to think were out of reach.

Possible Challenges

• Romance
• Violence
• Alcohol and drug use

Defense File

Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out

Access to honest reviews from trusted sources

Know the awards, if any, the book has earned

Understand the material so you can explain the use of the book as a good talking point for serious and sensitive issues

A lot of times people just want their concerns heard, so make sure you listen

If they are still persistent be able to offer them a reconsideration form

 
Reason for Inclusion
This is a great movie that showcases teenagers who overcome adversity of different kinds. It is uplifting but also has a lot of the drama that teens like in movies making it an easy sell with a great lesson to be learned.

Lirael

Bibliographic Information
Title: Lirael
Author: Garth Nix
Type of Media: text
Publisher: Harper Trophy
Copyright Date: April 2002
ISBN: 978-0060005429
Genre: Fantasy
Reading Level: Lexile 950
Interest Age: 12+







Plot Summary
In this second Old Kingdom novel Nix returns to the world of the Abhorsen fourteen years after Sabriel. This time we are introduced to the Clayr where Lirael lives although she has always felt like an outsider. She was abandoned by her mother and has never known who her father is. She has grown up surrounded by the sisters of the Clayr who all have a similar look and the gift of the sight, while she has neither.  As Lirael spends her time deep within the library she stumbles upon the Disreputable Dog who quickly becomes her best friend. Meanwhile we follow the adventure of Prince Sameth, the son of Sabriel and King Touchstone, and his friend Nick who unbeknownst to them has released very dangerous magic. Read as all the storylines intertwine in this beautifully written sequel.

Critical Evaluation
A brilliantly written sequel by Nix which enlarges our view of the Old Kingdom to include new people and areas and make it seem even more real. The main focus of this book is not on Sabriel who is now a legend but on a new generation and a completely different person. Lirael does not who she is or what her purpose is and in this way, despite the fantastical land she resides in, becomes a character that we can all relate to at some point in our life. Many times the second book within a series comes up short but this is definitely not one of those cases.

Reader's Annotation
Deep within the Library of the Clayr a new adventure is beginning to take hold and this time there is a dog as the companion. Love this book!

Author Biography
Garth Nix has worked as a bookseller, book sales representative, publicist, editor, marketing consultant and literary agent. He also spent five years as a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve. A full-time writer since 2001, more than five million copies of his books have been sold around the world and his work has been translated into 40 languages. Garth's books have appeared on the bestseller lists of The New York Times, Publishers Weekly (US), The Bookseller(UK), The Australian and The Sunday Times (UK). He lives in Sydney, Australia, with his wife and two children.

Garth Nix. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Garth-Nix/e/B000AQ01XU/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Book Talk Ideas

• Belonging
• Finding one's self
• Good vs evil

Possible Challenges

• Fantasy violence
• Romance

Defense File

Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out

Access to honest reviews from trusted sources

Know the awards, if any, the book has earned

Understand the material so you can explain the use of the book as a good talking point for serious and sensitive issues

A lot of times people just want their concerns heard, so make sure you listen

If they are still persistent be able to offer them a reconsideration form

 
Reason for Inclusion
It is rare to love a sequel more than the first book but that is the case for this book which just shows how amazing it is. Garth Nix is an incredible world builder and I was ecstatic to be able to reenter the Old Kingdom in Lirael.

Sabriel

Bibliographic Information
Title: Sabriel
Author: Garth Nix
Type of Media: text
Publisher: Harper Teen
Copyright Date: August 23, 1997
ISBN: 978-0064471831
Genre: Fantasy
Reading Level: Lexile 1060
Interest Age: 14+







Plot Summary
Sabriel has grown up separated from the source of magic that runs in her veins as she attended boarding school within Ancelstierre. In the Old Kingdom she is a daughter of the abhorsen, a necromancer who, unlike other necromancers, wields bells that can send the dead where they belong. While in her final year of school Sabriel receives a message that her dad is stuck in death so she embarks on a journey to the Old Kingdom where the users of Free Magic and Charter Magic are fighting for control. Sabriel who is not ready to take over her Father's position goes on the chase of a lifetime trying to find him and bring him back to life.

Critical Evaluation
Nix does an incredible job of world building through a setting that is so different from what we know. He is able to use words like magic to paint a picture that is both beautiful and disturbing. When it comes to his characters there is no difference. He does not try to establish a heroine who has no blemishes instead he creates characters that we can all relate to because they have struggles of their own just as we do. It is no wonder that this book has kept up it's popularity for the last 20 years.

Reader's Annotation
The marriage between dark and light created by Nix is not to be missed.

Author Biography
Garth Nix has worked as a bookseller, book sales representative, publicist, editor, marketing consultant and literary agent. He also spent five years as a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve. A full-time writer since 2001, more than five million copies of his books have been sold around the world and his work has been translated into 40 languages. Garth's books have appeared on the bestseller lists of The New York Times, Publishers Weekly (US), The Bookseller(UK), The Australian and The Sunday Times (UK). He lives in Sydney, Australia, with his wife and two children.

Garth Nix. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Garth-Nix/e/B000AQ01XU/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Book Talk Ideas

• Necromancy
• Levels of death (sort of like the levels of Heaven some believe in)
• Old magic vs new

Possible Challenges

• Fantasy violence
• Lots of talk about death
• Sexual content

Defense File

Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out

Access to honest reviews from trusted sources

Know the awards, if any, the book has earned

Understand the material so you can explain the use of the book as a good talking point for serious and sensitive issues

A lot of times people just want their concerns heard, so make sure you listen

If they are still persistent be able to offer them a reconsideration form

 
Reason for InclusionThis is a darker fantasy novel that has held popularity and a following for almost two decades making it a clear choice for any collection.

Legend

Bibliographic Information
Title: Legend
Author: Marie Lu
Type of Media: text
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Copyright Date: November 29, 2011
ISBN: 978-0399256752
Genre: SciFi
Reading Level: Lexile 710
Interest Age: 12+







Plot Summary
It is 2130 AD and what use to be the United States is now split into the Republic and the Colonies who are perpetually at war with each other. Day is a 15-year old boy born into a poor family on the streets of the Republic where he has learned to fend for himself and has become the most wanted criminal within the Republic and has become a legend to the people. June is a 15-year old girl who was born into an elite family, her parents died a few years ago, and now it is just her and her brother Matius who works for the government as an officer a career that June wishes to follow him in. When Matius is suddenly murdered, Day is believed to be the killer. June sets off to revenge her family while Day is struggling to survive. Yet, as the water thickens and both characters learn more about what is happening within their country, the line between right and wrong no longer seems clear. What will become of these two characters who are destined to cross paths?

Critical Evaluation
Legend is beautifully written from the perspective of both Day and June. This duel narration helps to fill out the story as both characters are on the go, one searching for the other. Lu does an incredibly job getting into  the minds of the 15 year old characters. Their thoughts, actions, and language are all believable although extreme due to the world they live within. The development of the characters through the experiences that have as well as information they learn is that of an epic story.
Lu is definitely strong in the aspect of world building as well as character development. She easily paints a picture of a country that is far distance from what we know but close enough to place the locations in your mind and map it all out. It is incredibly interesting to look at America through the lens of a different government.

Reader's Annotation
This is the type of book that will keep you up all night long dying to know what is going to happen but desperately not wanting it to end.

Author Biography
Marie Lu is the author of the New York Times bestselling novels Legend, Prodigy, and Champion, as well as The Young Elites. She graduated from the University of Southern California and jumped into the video game industry, working for Disney Interactive Studios as a Flash artist. Now a full-time writer, she spends her spare time reading, drawing, playing Assassin's Creed, and getting stuck in traffic. She lives in Los Angeles, California (see above: traffic), with one husband, one Chihuahua mix, and two Pembroke Welsh corgis.

Marie Lu. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Marie-Lu/e/B004SRQ1WC/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Book Talk Ideas

• Future of America
• What makes right or wrong

Possible Challenges

• Violence

Defense File

Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out

Access to honest reviews from trusted sources

Know the awards, if any, the book has earned

Understand the material so you can explain the use of the book as a good talking point for serious and sensitive issues

A lot of times people just want their concerns heard, so make sure you listen

If they are still persistent be able to offer them a reconsideration form

 
Reason for InclusionThis is a thrilling dystopia set in a futuristic America with lots of adventure and a little bit of romance. It makes it to number #1 on my all time favorite dystopian list. It is also a winner of the Young Reader's Choice Award as well as the Truman Readers Award.

The False Prince

Bibliographic Information
Title: The False Prince
Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Type of Media: Audio CD
Narrator: Charlie McWade
Publisher: Scholastic Audio
Copyright Date: April 1, 2012
ISBN: 9780545391771
Genre: SciFi
Reading Level: Lexile 710
Interest Age: 10-18




Plot Summary
Sage, an orphan boy is suddenly picked up from the streets and recruited to a plan concocted by a nobleman to unify the kingdom. Connor's plan is to choose four orphan boys with some resemblance to the lost prince Jaron, train them and test them to eventually choose one to place on the throne. As the boys begin to understand what is happening a rivalry begins to unfold. Sage is left with a huge dilemma, does he play this part Connor has laid before him or is it possible he has something else up his sleeve?

Critical Evaluation
Nielsen has masterfully put together a story of decent and lies with many layers. The plotline is well planned and executed with well thought through and laid back stories which then allows for a huge plot to be built on top without it crumbling. Although the story seems to get off to a slow start the narrator makes the audio book more entertaining while you wait for the plot to pick up it's pace, which it definitely does, and once that happens you won't want to stop the recording.

Reader's Annotation
When the first boy is shot I immediately knew that this book was going to be epic.

Author Biography
Jennifer lives at the base of a very tall mountain in Northern Utah with her husband, three children, and a perpetually muddy dog. She loves the smell of rainy days, hot chocolate, and old books, preferably all at once. At one time or another she has been a high school debate coach, theater director, daycare worker, and worked at an assembly of odd jobs so insignificant they didn't even deserve job titles.

Jennifer Neilsen. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Nielsen/e/B003VJQBT6/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Book Talk Ideas

• Scheming
• World building

Possible Challenges

•  Violence

Defense File

Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out

Access to honest reviews from trusted sources

Know the awards, if any, the book has earned

Understand the material so you can explain the use of the book as a good talking point for serious and sensitive issues

A lot of times people just want their concerns heard, so make sure you listen

If they are still persistent be able to offer them a reconsideration form

 
Reason for Inclusion
The series is one of the most well thought through that I have been exposed to in the last couple of years and where would a trilogy be without the first book?

What If?

Bibliographic Information
Title: What if? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
Author: Randall Munroe
Type of Media: text
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Copyright Date: September 2, 2014
ISBN: 978-0544272996
Genre: Nonfiction
Curriculum Ties: Science
Interest Age: 14+






 Summary
 Monroe put together a compilation of wacky and random questions which he then attempts to give a real factual answer to. From questions like "what would happen if the Earth and all terrestrial objects suddenly stopped spinning, but the atmosphere retained its velocity?" to "what if I took a swim in a typical spent nuclear fuel pool?" this book tackles it all.

Critical Evaluation
This book is not written for teens but it is written in a way that screams for teens to read it.Monroe does a great job of taking very scientific topics, terms, and information and presenting it in a fun way. The language is still somewhat complicated but for older teens it is a very interesting approach to topics they would not otherwise care about. The book also contains pictures to go along with the explanations which graphically display some of the information presented. All science teachers should take a page from Monroe's book on how to take difficult topics and explain it in a goofy and fun way.

Author Biography
Randall Munroe is the author of the popular webcomic xkcd and the science question-and-answer blog What If. Randall was born in Easton, Pennsylvania and grew up outside Richmond, Virginia. After studying physics at Christopher Newport University, he got a job building robots at NASA Langley Research Center. In 2006, he left NASA to draw comics on the internet full-time, supporting himself through the sale of xkcd t-shirts, prints, posters, and books. He likes candlelight dinners and long walks on the beach. Very long walks. Lots of people say they like long walks on the beach, but then they get out on the beach and after just an hour or two, they say they're getting tired. Bring a tent. He lives in Massachusetts.

Randall Monroe. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Randall-Munroe/e/B004H66444/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Book Talk Ideas

• Fun science

Possible Challenges
 There is not any challenges to this book that I can foresee.

 Defense File

Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out

Access to honest reviews from trusted sources

Know the awards, if any, the book has earned

Understand the material so you can explain the use of the book as a good talking point for serious and sensitive issues

A lot of times people just want their concerns heard, so make sure you listen

If they are still persistent be able to offer them a reconsideration form

 
Reason for InclusionIt is hard to find ways to entice teens into learning especially when the topics are difficult to understand and this book is a fantastic tool for that.

Thirteen Reasons Why

Bibliographic Information
Title: Thirteen Reasons Why
Author: Jay Asher
Type of Media: text
Publisher: Razorbill
Copyright Date: October 18, 2007
ISBN: 978-1595141712
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Curriculum Ties: Suicide Prevention
Reading Level: Lexile 550
Interest Age: 12-18






Plot Summary
Clay Jenson is excited to find a package at his front door but upon opening is confused to discover a stack of tapes which house the recordings of Hannah Baker, a girl from school who recently committed suicide. When he starts to roll the tapes he learns that Hannah recorded these to explain to thirteen people why she killed herself and to show them the role that they all played in her death. Each person is instructed to listen through the tapes and mail them on to the next person who appears in the story after them. Clay needs to find out what he had to do with it all and where in the storyline is he, could he have made the difference between life and death for Hannah?

Critical Evaluation
Asher takes an interesting approach to this book with the narration going back and forth between the voice of Hannah through the tapes and the present situation in which Clay is thinking through everything. This makes following the story a little bit difficult when you are first getting started but to contract that the unusual writing style the language is easier as it is written in words that all teenagers would use during normal conversation, and this balances it out nicely.
Even though the topic of suicide is a difficult one to broach Asher does so in a very mature way through the voice of a teen. He was very responsible while writing this story and it has the potential to do a lot of good for young people everywhere.

Reader's Annotation
The first question that most people think when they here of someone committing suicide is why. Well this book is all about answering that question for one teenage girl. Thirteen Reasons Why is a compelling heartfelt read that you will not want to put down.

Author Biography
Except for six months in Wyoming, I've lived my entire life in California. It was during those six months in Sheridan, Wyoming that I came up with the idea for Thirteen Reasons Why I've worked at an independent bookstore, a chain bookstore, an outlet bookstore, and two public libraries. Before those jobs, I worked at a shoe store, a trophy shop, and an airline. My very first writing award earned me a free fruit smoothie every day for a year. I've won a lot of awards since then, but that one tasted the best!

Asher, J. (n.d.). Author info. Retrieved from http://jayasher.blogspot.com/p/author-info.html

Book Talk Ideas

• Mental illness
• Impacts on simple decisions
• Ripple effect

Possible Challenges

• Suicide/ Mental Illness
• Rape
• Alcohol

Defense File

Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out

Access to honest reviews from trusted sources

Know the awards, if any, the book has earned

Understand the material so you can explain the use of the book as a good talking point for serious and sensitive issues

A lot of times people just want their concerns heard, so make sure you listen

If they are still persistent be able to offer them a reconsideration form

 
Reason for Inclusion
Thirteen Reasons Why is a book full of emotion because it takes a hard look at difficult topics. Teens need books that face the subjects that adults are afraid of, this is why this book was included.

MAD

Bibliographic Information
Title: Mad
Type of Media: Magazine

Publisher: Educational Comics Inc

Genre: Satire

Curriculum Ties: Current events, Political Science

Interest Age: 14+

Critical Evaluation
This magazine is a satirical take on a wide variety of topics including politicians, movies, social issues, etc. Even though many feel like material of this sort is not educational and may not be suitable for teens this type of work is one way to get even the most reluctant readers to learn something about current issues. The material contained within this magazine are newsworthy topics that are looked at in a different light in order to grab the attention of a generation.

Reader's Annotation
This magazine is the funniest way to find out what is going on it the world.  

Book Talk Ideas
Although this item is not a book each and every edition holds very entertaining articles which would all lend to a unique "book talk" experience.

Possible Challenges
There are many items throughout the issues of this magazine that may be seen as offensive or insensitive to some people.

Defense File

• Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out
• Access to honest reviews from trusted sources
• Know the awards, if any, the book has earned
• Understand the material so you can explain the use of the book as a good talking point for serious and sensitive issues
• A lot of times people just want their concerns heard, so make sure you listen
• If they are still persistent be able to offer them a reconsideration form

Reason for Inclusion
This magazine is a useful tool for teens who do not usually read or stay up to date on the news because it is written to be amusing and funny and show a different side.

The Giver - DVD

Bibliographic Information
Title: The Giver
Type of Media: DVD
Director: Phillip Noyce
Actors: Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Brenton Thwaites, Katie Holmes, Taylor Swift
Release Date: November 25, 2014
Curriculum Ties: Compare and Contrast Book to DVD
Rating: PG-13








Plot Summary
This DVD is based on the book written by Lois Lowry and follows Jonas, a young man who lives in a society which seems perfect. After a difficult time in society's history everything is restructured. The memories of the past are all collected and only given to one person, the Receiver of Memory. When Jonas gets his assignment to become the new Receiver of Memory he begins to meet with the Giver and starts to gain all kinds of memories and knowledge that no one else has. When Jonas learns that there was a previous new Receiver of Memory chosen before him but upon receiving the information she committed suicide from not being able to handle it. He learns about the procedures of releasing that the community uses to be rid of babies who are not strong enough and elders who have passed their prime. The more memories Jonas receives the more he becomes sure that he must change it all and the only way to do that is to release the memories back to the community.

Critical Evaluation
The movie was well produced and the complicated plotline of the novel was very carefully rewritten into a script that not only made sense but portrayed the most important pieces of the story in a captivating story. The actors and actresses within this movie were well selected and all put on a fantastic show. With The Giver being a required reading for many teens this is a great DVD to have within a collection and give teens a chance to be able to work through the differences of a novel plotline and a DVD's story.

Reader's Annotation
A family friendly movie that will captivate people of all ages.

Possible Challenges
There is no material within this movie that I foresee any challenges to.

Defense File

Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out

Access to honest reviews from trusted sources

Know the awards, if any, the book has earned

Understand the material so you can explain the use of the book as a good talking point for serious and sensitive issues

A lot of times people just want their concerns heard, so make sure you listen

If they are still persistent be able to offer them a reconsideration form

 
Reason for Inclusion
This was a very well done adaptation of a classic book for teens. It is a storyline I wouldn't want anyone to miss!

Britannica for Teens

Bibliographic Information
Title: Britannica for Teens
Type of Media: Database
Curriculum Ties: History, Science, etc.
Interest Age: 12+

Critical Evaluation
The Britannica for teens, which can be accessed through many library catalogs, is an encyclopedia made for teens. You will find all of the traditional encyclopedia articles as well as images, videos, biographies, and a tool to compare countries. One of the best features of this online encyclopedia is the ability to create your own user account in which you can add items to your favorites as well as organize and rate objects. The fact that this database was made specifically for teens makes their searching experience a positive one through providing more information that people in the age group would be searching for as well as writing it in language they understand. This is a database that all students should have within their arsenal.

Ideas for Use

• Science Projects
• History Reports
• Social Studies and Current Issues

Reason for Inclusion
One of the best databases put together exclusively for teens making for a great learning tool for middle-high school students.

Learning Express Library

Bibliographic Information
Title: Learning Express Library
Type of Media: Database
Curriculum Ties: Testing, College Prep
Interest Age: 16+

Critical Evaluation
This database is by far the best for any type of test preparation and is a must know about source for all college bound students and can even help those who need to take the GED. Within this database you have the ability of creating an account which will track your progress through your online learning experience. The school center within the database also has help with mathematics, language arts, science, social studies, logic and reasoning skills, and computer programs. All areas or well organized and easy to navigate. The sheer volume of topics and depth of support are impressive.

Ideas for Use

• GED prep
• SAT and ACT prep
• AP Exam prep
• College placement exams prep
• Graduate School Exams: GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MAT, MCAT, PCAT prep
• Mathematic Skills
• English Language Art Skills
• Science Skills
• Social Studies Skills
• Logic and Reasoning Skills
• Learning Computer and Internet Basics
• Learning the Microsoft Suite Products
• Adobe Photoshop Tutorials

Reason for Inclusion
I decided to include this database in my collection because this can be a powerful tool for those who hear about it and choose to use it.

Forgive Me Leonard Peacock

Bibliographic Information
Title: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock
Author: Matthew Quick
Type of Media: Audio File
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Copyright Date: August 13, 2013
ASIN: B00E3TH2EG
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Reading Level: Lexile 980
Interest Age: 14+






Plot Summary
Leonard Peacock has come to the conclusion that life is no longer worth living and plans out the murder of his ex-best friend (Asher) and his own suicide. As Leonard internally works through all of this he discusses the four people who did mean something to him and the gifts he wants to leave behind for them. Through this dialogue we come to realize that Leonard's father is MIA and his mother hardly ever remembers she has a son. We also learn about the relationship he shared with Asher and where it went wrong six years ago which led to the isolation that Leonard now finds himself in. Quick drags us through the inner thoughts of a 16-year old boy struggling with many inner demons.

Critical Evaluation
The inner dialogue really makes this book, without it we would not get all of the details and understanding of Leonard's deep emotional hurt. Quick also does a great job with the use of Flashbacks to slowly let us in on all of the occurrences that have led Leonard to the place of planning murder and suicide. This book deals with a lot of difficult topics that are important to be covered within the YA realm. Mental illness is something that is running rampant in our teens today and books like this can help readers find people to help.

Reader's Annotation
Quick does a great job portraying a deeply disturbed young man who is screaming for help in a realistic way that will bring readers to their knees.

Author Biography

Matthew Quick is the New York Times bestselling author of The Silver Linings Playbook, which was made into an Oscar-winning film; The Good Luck of Right Now; Lover May Fail; and three young adult novels: Sorta Like a Rock Star; Boy21; and Forgive Me, Leonard  Peacock. His work has been translated into more than thirty languages, received a PEN/Hemingway Award Honorable Mention, was an LA Times Book Prize finalist, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, a #1 bestseller in Brazil, and selected by Nancy Pearl as one of Summer’s Best Books for NPR. EVERY EXQUISITE THING will be published in 2016. All of his books have been optioned for film.
Matthew spent the first few years of his life in Philadelphia before being raised just across the Delaware River in Oaklyn, New Jersey. He graduated from Collingswood High School (class of 1992) and La Salle University (class of 1996), where he double-majored in English and secondary education. He taught high school literature and film in southern New Jersey for several years, during which he coached soccer and basketball, chaperoned trips to Peru and Ecuador, initiated a pen-pal exchange with students in Namibia, and counseled troubled teens.
In 2004 Matthew made the difficult decision to leave teaching and write full time. He received his Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Goddard College in 2007 and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from La Salle University in 2013. He lives with his wife, novelist/pianist Alicia Bessette, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.\

Bio. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://matthewquickwriter.com/bio/

Book Talk Ideas

• Suicide Prevention
• Abuse
• Adults you can trust

Possible Challenges

• Abuse
• Gun Violence
• Mental Illness

Defense File

Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out

Access to honest reviews from trusted sources

Know the awards, if any, the book has earned

Understand the material so you can explain the use of the book as a good talking point for serious and sensitive issues

A lot of times people just want their concerns heard, so make sure you listen

If they are still persistent be able to offer them a reconsideration form

 
Reason for InclusionThis is a powerful book focused on mental illness in a young man which is rare to find in books. With the amount of teenagers who deal with depression and suicidal thoughts I believe books like this should be included in every collection.

Vanishing Girls

Bibliographic Information
Title: Vanishing Girls
Author: Lauren Oliver
Type of Media: text
Publisher: Harper Collins
Copyright Date: March 10, 2015
ISBN: 978-0062224101
Genre: Mystery/Thriller, Realistic Fiction
Curriculum Ties: Mental Illness
Reading Level: Lexile 890
Interest Age: 14+






Plot Summary
Dara and Nick were once the best of friends who did everything together, but when these two sisters got into a terrible car accident, Nick was left scarred and the two stopped talking. When Dara suddenly disappears on her birthday Nick starts an elaborate search to find her and another missing girl. As she digs into her sisters whereabouts and happenings the story slowly becomes more dark and disturbing until you are suddenly blind sided by the ending.

Critical Evaluation
Oliver writes a compelling dark thriller focused on two sisters who are trying to find themselves and each other after an accident changes everything. The plotline of this novel is not what it may seem but in the end it is all tied together with a bow. You will be utterly surprised and will find yourself wondering how you missed the signs. The plotline alone makes this book worth reading but it has more than that with a main character who will melt your heart. You will struggle along with her through all of the tough times, it is impossible to not get completely consumed in this thriller.

Reader's Annotation
With a story twist like no other this book will leave you breathless.

Author Biography

I was born in Queens and raised in Westchester, New York, in a small town very similar to the one depicted in Before I Fall. My parents are both literature professors, and from a very early age, my sister and I were encouraged to make up stories, draw, paint, dance around in costumes, and essentially spend much of our time living imaginatively. Our house was old and full of art and towers and towers of books, and that’s still the kind of house I like best.

I started writing as a way of extending my love of reading; when I read a book I loved, I would continue to write sequels for it (I was inadvertently a fan fic writer, before “fan fiction” was even a term!). Later on, I began working on my own stories, and keeping company with a lot of imaginary friends.

I pursued literature and philosophy at the University of Chicago, and then moved back to New York to attend NYU’s MFA program in creative writing. I simultaneously began working at Penguin Books, in a young adult division called Razorbill, and while there, I started work on Before I Fall. I left in 2009 to pursue writing full-time, and now I happily work in my pajamas every day.

I have a variety of interests apart from writing, including reading, cooking, traveling, dancing, running, and making up weird songs. Some of my favorite things are: being cozy; fires; autumn; fuzzy slippers; very high heels; great wine; dark chocolate; ketchup; pasta. Things I hate: practical shoes, liars, and bananas. I divide my time between Brooklyn, upstate New York, and various hotel rooms.

 

Oliver, L. (n.d.) Biography. Retrieved from http://www.laurenoliverbooks.com./biography.php

Book Talk Ideas

• Plot twists
• Sibling relationships

Possible Challenges

• Alcohol and drug use
• Language
• Sexual content

Defense File

Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out

Access to honest reviews from trusted sources

Know the awards, if any, the book has earned

Understand the material so you can explain the use of the book as a good talking point for serious and sensitive issues

A lot of times people just want their concerns heard, so make sure you listen

If they are still persistent be able to offer them a reconsideration form

 
Reason for InclusionI have never before read a story with a plot twist quite like this one. I applaud Oliver in this beautifully written story that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Boxers & Saints

Bibliographic Information
Title: Boxers, Saints
Author: Gene Luen Yang
Type of Media: graphic novel
Publisher: First Second
Copyright Date: September 10, 2013
ISBN: 978-1596439245
Genre: Historical Fiction
Curriculum Ties: Chinese history and culture
Interest Age: 12-18


Plot Summary
This story is split into two volumes through parallel viewpoints. In Boxers you follow the life of a Chinese peasant named Bao who lives within a village which is plundered and destroyed by outside people who claim to be missionaries. Then an uprising starts to form to fight back against the intruders so Bao chooses to join them.
Within Saints we meet, Vibiana, a Chinese girl who never had a place within society, that is until the missionaries took her in under their wing. They gave her a place to call home and people who cared for her. As the rebellion is starting to grow she is faced with the choice of fully changing to the Christian faith or abandoning the only people who have ever cared for her.

Critical Evaluation
This graphic novel is a piece of work which Yang masterfully wove together. It not only covers a difficult topic but in a way that so strongly depicts two conflicting sides of the same story. It is so rare to find a plotline which truly encompasses an entire issue because it is impossible to see all of that from one character. Yang chose to separate out the stories instead of writing them side by side because it makes the flow of the graphic novel much more friendly. Boxers and Saints are well done graphic novels with a lot of depth to them.

Reader's Annotation
Ever wondered how people who live through the exact same event can describe it so differently? Yang does a marvelous job of depicted the opposing views of two young Chinese people in this award winning graphic novel.

Author Biography
Gene Luen Yang began making comic books in the fifth grade. He has since written and drawn a number of titles. His 2006 book American Born Chinese was the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award and the first to win the American Library Association's Michael L. Printz Award. It also won an Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album - New. His 2013 two-volume graphic novel Boxers & Saints was nominated for the National Book Award and won the LA Times Book Prize. Gene currently writes Dark Horse Comics' Avatar: The Last Airbender series and DC Comics' Superman. The first volume of Secret Coders, his middle-grade graphic novel series about computer coding, illustrated by Mike Holmes, will be available September 2015.

Gene Luen Yang. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Gene-Luen-Yang/e/B001JP26JI/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Book Talk Ideas

• Chinese History
• Self Identity vs Communal
• Different viewpoints of single event

Possible Challenges

•  Violence

Defense File

Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out

Access to honest reviews from trusted sources

Know the awards, if any, the book has earned

Understand the material so you can explain the use of the book as a good talking point for serious and sensitive issues

A lot of times people just want their concerns heard, so make sure you listen

If they are still persistent be able to offer them a reconsideration form

 
Reason for Inclusion
Unique graphic novel written from two opposing viewpoints but both with characters you will love. How can both sides seem so right? This is why this story by Yang was a must include for me.

The Book Thief

Bibliographic Information
Title: The Book Thief
Author: Markus Zusak
Narrator: Allan Corduner
Type of Media: Audio CD
Publisher: Listening Library
Copyright Date: October 15, 2013
ISBN: 978-0804168434
Genre: Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Curriculum Ties: World War II
Reading Level: Lexile 730
Interest Age: 12+



Plot Summary
Death tells this story set within Nazi Germany during the heat of World War II. He introduces us to Leisel, at age nine she becomes a foster child and moves in with a German family. On the way there she steals her first item, a book. She makes friends with a young boy and together they steal small amounts of food to keep themselves fed during this difficult time. As she learns to read her desire for more books turns her stealing back in that direction and plays a large part of her story as her foster father teaches her to read and write. When her family then takes in a runaway Jew she befriends him and is changed for life. Death goes on to tell a compelling story of Leisel's life.

Critical Evaluation
The unique aspect of Death being the narrator adds an emotional touch. It reminds readers of the amount of death that was occurring at the time that this story takes place. Death had a lot of working to do and he is telling his story in a different way. The fact that he takes such an interest in a little girl and follows her through her life is an interesting spin on what we think of when we think of death, it portrays it as a friend who is waiting to hug you and help you on instead of a scary being in black robes with a scythe. This is one of the most memorable aspects of the book.
Zusak also does a great job telling the story of WWII through the perspective not usually witnessed, that of a Geman child. You are shown the innocence and struggles of those who were not even persecuted. When Leisel then meets Max, the Jewish man they shelter, you see how tender her heart is and how children view others as simply people.

Reader's Annotation
Don't miss this compelling story about WWII from the perspective of a young child living in Nazi Germany. You will fall in love with her generosity, innocence, and heart full of love.

Author Biography
Markus Zusak was born in 1975 in Sydney, Australia, the youngest of four children of immigrant German and Austrian parents. Neither parent could read or write English when they first arrived in Australia, but they wanted their children to master the language and strongly encouraged them to read and communicate in English from an early age. Zusak began writing fiction at age 16 and pursued a degree in teaching at the University of Sydney. Before becoming a professional author, Zusak worked briefly as a house painter, a janitor and a high school English teacher.

Chicago Public Library. (n.d.) Markus Zusak biography. Retrieved from http://www.chipublib.org/markus-zusak-biography/

Book Talk Ideas

• World War II
• Innocence of children
• Unique narrators

Possible Challenges

• Violence
• Graphic Imagery

Defense File

Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out

Access to honest reviews from trusted sources

Know the awards, if any, the book has earned

Understand the material so you can explain the use of the book as a good talking point for serious and sensitive issues

A lot of times people just want their concerns heard, so make sure you listen

If they are still persistent be able to offer them a reconsideration form

 
Reason for Inclusion
This is a top historical fiction book with many awards attached to it, making it an obvious choice for inclusion within my collection. The reader of the audiobook adds an additional flair to the already fantastic story which is why I chose that edition.

Etiquette & Espionage

Bibliographic Information
Title: Etiquette & Espionage
Author: Gail Carriger
Type of Media: Audio CD
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Copyright Date: October 8, 2013
ISBN: 978-0316190107
Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction, Fantasy
Reading Level: Lexile 780
Interest Age: 12-18







Plot Summary
Sophronia is a trouble maker who is always embarrassing her mother. In order to set her straight and turn her into a proper young lady Mrs. Temminnick enrolls her in a finishing school. Not just any finishing school but Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. Sophronia goes with the expectation of being miserable but before long she begins to get a feeling that things are not quite what you would expect from a finishing school. At Mademoiselle Geraldine's the girls are learning how to finish not themselves but others, it is a school built to train assassin's and spies. So when Sophronia gets tangled up in a web she will need to learn quickly who she can trust and how to be great at what she is training to do. Welcome to the first year of finishing school.

Critical Evaluation
This is another great book about female assassins but this one focuses more on the art of espionage than on killing making it a more tame read for those who want to stay away from  romance and violence. The plotline of this story is well planned out from beginning to end. Taking a page from J.K. Rowling, Carriger sets this series up to follow Sophronia's years at the finishing school following her through the challenges and adventures that seem to find her. A great theme in this book is that of friendship. Realizing that friendships can be made with people who are quite different from yourself and that what makes a friend true goes much deeper.

Reader's Annotation
A finishing school with vampire and werewolf teachers which teaches girls how to become "proper" assassins, does it get any better?

Author Biography
Gail Carriger writes to cope with being raised in obscurity by an expatriate Brit and an incurable curmudgeon. She escaped small town life and inadvertently acquired several degrees in higher learning, a fondness for cephalopods, and a chronic tea habit.
Her bestselling novels are urbane fantasies mixed with steampunk comedies of manners. They have been published in eighteen different languages, made the USA Today list multiple times, and the New York Times list thirteen times (on seven different lists). Curtsies & Conspiracies, the second in her critically acclaimed Finishing School series for young adults, debuted at #5 and Soulless Vol. III the manga at #1. She has received the Prix Julia Verlanger from French readers. Her debut novel, Soulless, won the ALA's Alex Award and was nominated for Compton Crook, Campbell, and Locus Awards. The first book in the Finishing School series, Etiquette & Espionage, won the French Elbakin Award for best YA novel in translation. And the third, Waistcoats & Weaponry won the Steampunk Chronicle's Reader's Choice Award for YA. She also recieved a 2012 Starburner award.
Her other hats (neither pith helmet nor fedora) have included tromping the globe excavating ancient cultures, torturing undergraduates with science, and writing cryptic reviews of non-fiction children's books for the Horn Book Guide.

Gail Carriger longer bio. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.gailcarriger.com/about/gails-bio

Book Talk Ideas

• Espionage
• Technology in Future

Possible Challenges
 I do not see any challenges arising for this novel

Defense File

Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out

Access to honest reviews from trusted sources

Know the awards, if any, the book has earned

Understand the material so you can explain the use of the book as a good talking point for serious and sensitive issues

A lot of times people just want their concerns heard, so make sure you listen

If they are still persistent be able to offer them a reconsideration form

 
Reason for InclusionThis is a great novel for anyone looking for a fun school based adventure series. With both girl and boy characters and really cool gadgets it can appeal to everyone.

Grave Mercy

Bibliographic Information
Title: Grave Mercy
Author: Robin LaFevers
Type of Media: text
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Copyright Date: April 3, 2012
ISBN: 978-0547628349
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Reading Level: Lexile 850
Interest Age: 14+







Plot Summary
We meet Ismae as she is forced into an abusive marriage when all of a sudden she finds a way out. She joins the convent of St. Mortain -the God of Death - where she is trained in the art of killing to be a handmaiden of death. Ismae embraces her role and for her first assignment she is sent into the very heart of Brittany. There she is tasked with protecting the Duchess so she begins to learn all about the happenings of the court and realizes things may not be as clear cut as the sisters from the convent made it seem. As Ismae's target becomes more clear her heart is telling her it is wrong. Follow along on this journey of love and murder.

Critical Evaluation
There are very few books that span different genres and this is one of the best. LaFevers takes historically accurate information to build a setting and the beginnings of a plot then throws in fantasy elements to make it much more interesting. I applaud her for how incredible this mashup turns out. The plot within this book is full of layers built upon each other and with much suspense holding it all together. With a strong setting and a plot that is new and exciting this book is a great choice for all readers.

Reader's Annotation
Any book with assassins is good in my book, throw in them all being female and working for the god of death and that makes it great!

Author Biography
Robin LaFevers was raised on a steady diet of fairy tales, Bulfinch’s mythology, and 19th century poetry. It is not surprising she grew up to be a hopeless romantic.

Though she has never trained as an assassin or joined a convent, she did attend Catholic school for three years, which instilled in her a deep fascination with sacred rituals and the concept of the Divine. She has been on a search for answers to life’s mysteries ever since.While many of those answers still elude her, she was lucky enough to find her one true love, and is living happily ever after with him in the foothills of southern California.In addition to writing about teen assassin nuns in medieval Brittany, she writes books for middle grade readers, including the Theodosia books and the Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist series

About the author. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.robinlafevers.com/about-the-author/ 

Book Talk Ideas

• Historical Fact vs. Fiction
• Assassins

Possible Challenges

• Violence
• Romance

Defense File

Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out

Access to honest reviews from trusted sources

Know the awards, if any, the book has earned

Understand the material so you can explain the use of the book as a good talking point for serious and sensitive issues

A lot of times people just want their concerns heard, so make sure you listen

If they are still persistent be able to offer them a reconsideration form

 
Reason for Inclusion
An Amazon book of the month choice and a starred review by Booklist put this on my radar. The characters and unusual plotline put it on my recommendation go to list.

Alanna the First Adventure

Bibliographic Information
Title: Alana, the First Adventure
Author: Tamora Pierce
Type of Media: text
Publisher: Atheneum
Copyright Date: September 1, 1983
ISBN: 978-0689309946
Genre: Fantasy
Reading Level: Lexile 690
Interest Age: 11-18






 
Plot Summary
Alanna lives during a time when woman could not be fighters but she desperately wants to become a knight. She concocts a plan to steal the identity of her brother in order to enroll as castle page to begin her adventure of following her dreams. She quickly discovers that even though she may be able to keep up with the boys in matters of weaponry she must control her temper and her heart to truly make it as a knight. Will she be able to stay undercover for good? Follow along as Alanna learns what it really means to be a knight and a lady.

Critical Evaluation
Pierce is an author known for writing within the fantasy world of Tortall about strong young women who have big dreams that are usually outside of what society would like them to do. Her characters struggle with very real emotional and physical desires of being a women while trying to live a life not designed for them. This struggle of wanting it all is a huge struggle for many young ladies today which makes this book a valuable part of any young adult fiction collection even though the book was written in the early 80's. The plotline of this book is somewhat predictable but that does not take away from the excitement of reading this book. It is also noteworthy that this book is written at a lower Lexile level which can make this a great choice for struggling or reluctant readers.

Reader's Annotation
Are you struggling with what your future holds or did you at one point find yourself staring at a fork in the road? That is exactly where Alanna finds herself, you will love being along for her journey.

Author Biography
Tamora Pierce was drawn to books from a young age. Raised in rural Pennsylvania, the child of a "long, proud line of hillbillies," her family never had much. "We were poor, but I didn't know it then. We had a garden where my folks grew fruit and vegetables and our water came from a well," she explains. But one thing they did have was plenty of books. So Tamora read. A self-proclaimed "geek," she devoured fantasy and science fiction novels, and by the age of 12 was mimicking her literary idols and writing her own action-packed stories. It was thanks to her father that Tamora began writing. "He heard me telling myself stories as I did dishes, and he suggested that I try to write some of them down," Pierce says. But Tamora's novels had one major difference: unlike the books she was reading, her stories featured teenaged girl warriors. "I couldn't understand this lapse of attention on the part of the writers I loved, so until I could talk them into correcting this small problem, I wrote about those girls, the fearless, bold, athletic creatures that I was not, but wanted so badly to be."
Seventeen years later, after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, a brief career in teen social work and some time spent writing for radio, Tamora Pierce held true to her childhood crusade, and published Alanna: The First Adventure, the first in a quartet about a valiant, young, female warrior. Pierce's heroine struck a chord with readers across the country and quickly earned her a loyal following. 
Pierce is now a #1 New York Times bestselling author and has written twenty-six books, including her newest, BEKA COOPER #3: Mastiff. "It's a pretty good life, if I do say so myself. Struggling along as a kid and even through my twenties, it's the kind of life I dreamed of but never believed I would get. Yet here I am, after a lot of work, a lot of worry, a lot of care for details, and a massive chunk of luck, the kind that brought me such strong friends and readers. Pretty good for a hillbilly, yes? And I never take it for granted," she says.Pierce lives in upstate New York with her husband Tim and their three cats and two birds.

Tamora Pierce (n.d.) retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Tamora%20Pierce/e/B000APBE82/ref=la_B000APBE82_pg_2?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_82%3AB000APBE82&page=2&sort=date-desc-rank&ie=UTF8&qid=1449170509

Book Talk Ideas

• Gender roles
• Following dreams
• Conflicts of desires

Possible Challenges

• Implied sexual content
• Mentions  menstruation cycle

Defense File

Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out

Access to honest reviews from trusted sources

Know the awards, if any, the book has earned

Understand the material so you can explain the use of the book as a good talking point for serious and sensitive issues

A lot of times people just want their concerns heard, so make sure you listen

If they are still persistent be able to offer them a reconsideration form

 
Reason for Inclusion
This is one of the first books within the Fantasy YA genre that focuses specifically on strong girl characters. Tamora Pierce is a must-read for all teen girls. This book also won the Margaret A. Edwards Award.