Andre the Giant by Box Brown

Brown, B. (2014). Andre the giant. New York: FirstSecond.
Andre Roussimoff is known as  a heroic pro-wrestling figure. He was a normal guy who'd been dealt an extraordinary hand in life. At his peak, he weighed 500 pounds and stood nearly seven and a half feet tall. But the huge stature that made his fame also signed his death warrant. This graphic novel is a quick read for all students, but especially for boys and struggling readers.  It talks about Andre's life in France  and then America.  He drank a lot and had a one night stand which produced a daughter.  he was not sure that he was the father type.  When his doctor told him what would become of him, he thought of nothing but drinking and wrestling.

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

Bacigalupi, P. (2010). Ship breaker. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
In America's Gulf Coast region, where grounded oil tankers are being broken down for parts, Nailer, a teenage boy, works the light crew, scavenging for copper wiring just to make quota--and hopefully live to see another day. But when, by luck or chance, he discovers an exquisite clipper ship beached during a recent hurricane, Nailer faces the most important decision of his life: Strip the ship for all it's worth or rescue its lone survivor, a beautiful and wealthy girl who could lead him to a better life.  This realistic fiction novel is good for ages 12-18 especially for those who live in South Texas with the oil boom going on at this time.  This can show what it is like(sort of) in the oil field business.

Mexican White Boy by Matt de la Pena

de la Pena, M. (2008). Mexican white boy. New York: Delacorte.
Danny's tall and skinny.  Even though he’s not built, his arms are long enough to give his pitch a power so fierce any college scout would sign him on the spot. Ninety-five mile an hour fastball, but the boy’s not even on a team. Every time he gets up on the mound he loses it. But at his private school, they don’t expect much else from him. Danny’ s brown. Half-Mexican brown. And growing up in San Diego that close to the border means everyone else knows exactly who he is before he even opens his mouth. Before they find out he can’t speak Spanish, and before they realize his mom has blond hair and blue eyes, they’ve got him pegged. But it works the other way too. And Danny’s convinced it’s his whiteness that sent his father back to Mexico. That’s why he’s spending the summer with his dad’s family. Only, to find , that he may just have to face the demons he refuses to see--the demons that are right in front of his face. And open up to a friendship he never saw coming.
Set in the alleys and on the ball fields of San Diego County, Mexican Whiteboy is a story of friendship, acceptance, and the struggle to find your identity in a world of definitions.

My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf

 Backderf, D. (2012). My friend Dahmer. New York: Abrams.
My Friend Dahmer is considered a short read that young adults, especially reluctant readers, will enjoy reading.  This is a graphic novel that boys in particular would like to read.  Jeffrey Dahmer was a very disturbed young man.  He started out by putting any and all animals into acid ( alive or dead) because he was interested  in what the insides looked like. When his father leaves the family, his mother leaves the state and takes his younger brother with her.  His drinking and closing himself off to the rest of the world, his psychotic behavior takes over and he picks up a hitchhiker and his killing and mutilation begins.  The last meeting that Dahmer had with his friend he told his friend about going back to his car.  The friend believes that the dismembered body of the young hitchhiker was probably in the back of Dahmer's car.

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing Traitor to the Nation by M. T. Anderson

Anderson, M. (2008). The astonishing life of Octavian Nothing traitor to the nation. Cambridge, Mass. Candlewick Press.
Fearing a death sentence, Octavian and his tutor, Dr. Trefusis, escape through rising tides and pouring rain to find shelter in British-occupied Boston. Sundered from all he knows — the College of Lucidity, the rebel cause — Octavian hopes to find safe harbor. Instead, he is soon to learn of Lord Dunmore's proclamation offering freedom to slaves who join the counterrevolutionary forces. As Octavian's experiences in the Revolutionary War explode around him,  he is thrust into intense battles and is tantalized by elusive visions of  liberty.  This is the second book of the series, The Kingdom on the Waves.

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Aveyard, V. (2015). Red Queen. New York: HarperTeen.
The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.
Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of
those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control. But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?  A book that you may want to read after this one is The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows.  It is about a princess spy.

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Lu, M. (2014). The young elites. New York: G.P Putnam's Sons.
Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever.  A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation.  Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings.  Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was.  Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune.  But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.  Teren Santoro works for the king.  As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all. Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen. Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.  The second book in the series is The Rose Society and the third book is untitled.

Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by A. S. King

King, A.(2014). Glory O'Brien's history of the future. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
This is a story about freedom, friendship. and destiny. It is a story about a girl, Glory O'Brien.  When she was 4 years old, her mother committed suicide by putting her head in the oven.  She is now 18 years old and getting ready to graduate from high school.  The week before she and her best friend, Ellie, drink some bat juice.  They begin to see into people's futures just by looking at their faces.  Glory records everything that she sees hoping that her notes will somehow make a difference.  Glory finds out about why her mother killed herself and that puts her relationship with her best friend Ellie in jeopardy. Ellie throws Glory a graduation party and then Glory helps Ellie get away from her controlling mother. Other YA books by A. S. King are Reality Boy, Ask the Passengers, and Everybody Sees the Ants.

Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen

Paulsen, G. (2010). Woods Runner. New York: Random House Children's Books.
This novel is a historical fiction novel about the American Revolution. Samuel is a thirteen year old boy who loves to hunt. When he went into the woods, he felt like he did not belong there.  He had heard stories about the men who went into the woods to hunt and simply vanished.  The war comes to Samuel and his family when the British soldiers and the Iroquois savagely attack and take his parents prisoner.  Samuel followed the tracks of his parents and as he walked he found more and more cabins burned to the ground.  Was it the British or was it the Iroquois?  Attacked by the Indians, Samuel was rescued by John Cooper "Coop" .  With the help of Coop, Samuel continued to search for his parents.  He stayed with a family and then began on his search again.  Finally, he found his parents and they tried to get back to Philadelphia.  His parents stayed in Philadelphia and helped the children, but Samuel went back to where he was comfortable- the country.  This would be good to learn about the travesties of the American Revolution.

Undivided by Neal Shusterman

Shusterman, N. (2014). Undivided. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Teens control the fate of America in the fourth and final book in the  Unwind dystology . Proactive Citizenry, the company that created Cam from the parts of unwound teens, has a plan: to mass produce rewound teens like Cam for military purposes. And below the surface of that horror lies another shocking level of intrigue: Proactive Citizenry has been suppressing technology that could make unwinding completely unnecessary. As Conner, Risa, and Lev uncover these startling secrets, enraged teens begin to march on Washington to demand justice and a better future. But more trouble is brewing. Starkey’s group of storked teens is growing more powerful and militant with each new recruit. And if they have their way, they’ll burn the harvest camps to the ground and put every adult in them before a firing squad—which could destroy any chance America has for a peaceful future.  The first three novels UnWind, UnWholly, and UnSouled  before this one are good reads.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater

Steifvater, M. (2011). The scorpio races. New York: Scholastic Press.
It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die. At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them. Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen. Puck lives on a small island with her two brothers. Their parents were killed by the water horses or capaill uisce. Sean befriends her and when she enters the race with her regular horse, Sean and his horse lose to protect Puck and her horse.  She wins and saves her house. The series, The Wolves of Mercy Falls, about a girl who falls in love with a werewolf is a great read as well.

Angry Management by Chris Crutcher

Crutcher, C. (2009). Angry management. New York: HarperCollins Children's Books.
This realistic fiction novel has three stories in one.  Mr. Nak has an anger management group of misfit teenagers. Sarah  Byrnes and Angus  Bethune, both 18 years old.  Angus takes Sarah on a date and tells her all about his parents, both being gay. Sarah tells Angus about her abusive father, and how he held her face over the hot pot bellied stove and that is how she got her  scars.  Angus decides to help her find her mother, who lives in Reno. When they get there, she finds that her mother has replaced her with another daughter, also named Sarah. Novella number 2 is about Montana Wild.  She is a high school student who is adopted.  Her little sister, also adopted, is very hard to handle.  Montana tries to get her parents to keep her little sister, but the parents do not listen.  They give her back.  She tells her parents that she is going as well.  Novella number 3 was the one that I really liked.  It is about Marcus James, a very smart, very gay, black high school senior.  The members of the football team put a pink noose on his locker.  He comes to class with the noose around his neck.  Everyone in authority is appalled by the behavior.  No one admits it, but the student body and James know who did it. The superintendent brings all together for an assembly to discuss the hate crime. James just wants it to go away.  Matt Miller, a member of the football team, tells the whole assembly who was involved with the noose incident.  After, James and Matt forgive each other.  James is going to the lake to swim.  He puts a flag around his waist, so that boats will see him.  Matt is also at the lake.  He calls 9-1-1 because a terrible accident occurs.  James is murdered by the football players who are on a boat.  Matt finds out the truth and goes to James' grandfather's house and talks to him about James. This would be good to teach about diversity and tolerance.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Wein, E. (2012). Code name Verity. New York: Hyperion.
That's what you do to enemy agents. It's what we do to enemy agents. But I look at all the dark and twisted roads ahead and cooperation is the easy way out. Possibly the only way out for a girl caught red-handed doing dirty work like mine - and I will do anything, anything to avoid SS-Hauptsturmführer von Linden interrogating me again. He has said that I can have as much paper as I need. All I have to do is cough up everything I can remember about the British War Effort. And I'm going to. But the story of how I came to be here starts with my friend Maddie. She is the pilot who flew me into France - an Allied Invasion of Two.  We are a sensational team.  What happens to spies is that they shoot them.  Maddie grew up with her grandparents and was a very good mechanic. She learned to fly when she fell in love with Dympna who was an avid pilot. After joining the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, Maddie became friends with Julia who was a British spy. They were flying on a mission when the tail was hit and Julia parachuted out.  She was captured by the Gestapo. After crash landing, Maddie stayed with the Resistance.  The Gestapo wanted Julia to give them information by torturing her, but all she did was write about her friendship with Maddie. The French Resistance heard that the prisoners were being moved, but they had no way of helping Julia escape.  So that Julia would not be tortured any more, Maddie shot her friend.  Julia's mother then received the letters that both girls wrote.  This World War II novel is about sacrifice, friendship, and trust.  The follow up book to Code Name Verity is Rose Under Fire.

Freak Show by St. James

St. James,J. (2007). Freak show. New York: Dutton.
Billy Bloom is gay, but it's mostly theoretical, as he hasn't had much experience. When he has to move to Florida, he can't believe his bad luck. His new school is a mix of bible belles, amberzombies, and football heroes -- none of which are exactly his type. In this realistic fiction novel, Billy like to dress in drag until his mother found out and shipped him off to Florida to live with his dad. When he starts school there, he is bullied and when the teacher leaves the room, he is beaten into a coma.  One student, Flip, befriends Billy and they are inseparable.  Billy falls for Flip and slowly Flip is falling for Billy.  But, when Billy tries to kiss Flip, Flip gets scared and runs away.  Billy becomes depressed.  He decides to fight back by running for homecoming queen.  He wants to draw awareness to gays everywhere.  even though he does not win, he draws support from a lot of the students.  Flip returns to Billy and decides that his happiness  is more important than his popularity.  A book that would be good to read if you like this one is David Inside Out by Lee Bantle.  David, a high school senior, is on the track team.  He begins to have feelings for a teammate, Sean.  Things are not good and he tries to hide it by getting a girlfriend, until Sean begins to have feelings for him.

Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith

Smith. A. (2014). Grasshopper jungle: A history. New York: Dutton. 
This is a science fiction novel. Austin Szcerba, his best friend Robby, and his girlfriend, Shann.  Austin is not sure about his sexual orientation.  He is a horny, sixteen year old boy,who is stuck alone with  Robby .  They get physical by kissing each other.  People are dying and Austin, Robby, and Shann are trying to survive any way that they can. The insects are killing everything in sight and it is up to Austin to propagate the human race.  A book that can be recommended is Noggin by John Corey Whaley.  It is about Travis Coates- alive once, then not. Now he is alive again. That is it!

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Ness, P. (2008) . The knife of never letting go. Cambridge, Mass: Candlewick Press.
Todd and his dog, Manchee, stumble across a place of silence in the town where everyone can hear everyone's thoughts.  They have found in Prentisstown something terrible has been hidden.  It is so horrible, that Todd and Manchee, must run away from the secrets. But it is hard to run and hide when everyone can hear your thoughts. This is book one in the Chaos Walking series.  It is a coming of age novel, along with being a science fiction adventure, and a dystopic thriller.  Books # 2+3 are The Ask and the Answer and Monsters of Men.  Ages 14 and up will enjoy this series.

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

Myers, W. (1999). Monster. New York: HarperCollins.
Monster is about  seventeen year old Steve Harmon.  He is awaiting  trial for a robbery/ murder of a drug store employee.  They are trying to see if he was involved or if he was even there.  They produced one witness but she did not like what she saw.  The state could not prove that Steve was even at the drugstore.  He had a love of movies and he made a movie of the trial.  The book is more like a movie script.  This could be a lesson in diversity and culture differences.  In today's society, it would be a good idea to understand cultural diversity.  It would be a good classroom discussion about social issues and racism.

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Lyga, B. (2012). I hunt killers. New York: Little, Brown.
Jasper, Jazz, Dent is a likeable teenager.  No one knows that his father is a convicted serial killer.  When a murder happens, Jazz helps the police with working the crime.  He realizes that it is the work of a serial killer when another body is found.  As he helps the police he wonders if he is more like his father than he hopes. Jazz and his friends, Howie and Connie, are cut and tied up.  The serial killer is caught when Howie and Connie rescue Jazz.  As the story ends, Jazz finds out that his father has escaped and is a part of the crimes.  This is book #1 of the I Hunt Killers trilogy.  The other two books in the series are Game and Blood of My Blood.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Lockhart, E. (2014). We were liars. New York: Delacorte.
We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel. Cousins Cadence, Mirren, and Johnny spend their summers with their families and a friend, Gat, on a small, private island. At 15, Cady is found in a tshirt and a head injury, with no memory of what happened.  No one discusses it with her and the summers go by.  When she is 17, the truth comes back to haunt her.  The four of them burnt down the main house on the island and the other three, Mirren, Johnny, and Gat were killed in the fire. The intended audience is 15years and older.  This was a wonderful book.  I read it in a couple of hours!

Scowler by Daniel Kraus

Kraus, D. (2013). Scowler. New York: Delacorte.
Scowler is  dark and  modern realistic fiction.  It is a psychological thriller that has terror and suspense due to a sociopathic husband and father.  Ry and his mother and sister are trying to keep the family farm running since Ry's father went to prison when Ry was nine years old.  One day a meteorite landed on the farm and one landed near the prison which helped his father to escape. He comes back to the farm to teach his family a lesson.  Ry brings his three childhood personalities back to protect him,  his mother, and his sister.  Another harrowing thriller is Black Helicopters by Blythe Woolston.  It is about a teenage girl, a survivalist childhood, and now a bomb strapped to her chest.

Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

 Carriger, G. (2013).  Etiquette & Espionage. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
Etiquette & Espionage is a steampunk novel.  Steampunk is a novel written in the past with futuristic steam machines.  Sophronia is a fourteen-year old who is giving her mother fits.  She would rather be a tomboy than learn the proper manners of young ladies. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle
Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.  Once she arrives, she learns quickly that this is not the finishing school that her mother thinks it is. They not only learn the fine arts of proper manners, but they also learn about death, diversion, and espionage. This book is appropriate for 13 years old and up.  This is the first book in the Finishing School series.  Books 2+3, Curtsies & Conspiracies and Waistcoats & Weaponry are the follow-up books to this series.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Black, H. (2013). The coldest girl in Coldtown. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
Tana wakes up in a bathtub after an all night party to find that everyone is dead except for her ex-boyfriend, Aidan.  They help a chained up boy who seems to be in trouble.  They are headed to a coldtown where once you arrive you never leave.  Tana has a crush on the mysterious chained up boy.  He wants to go to the coldtown with them to meet up with an old friend.  Once they arrive, they realize that he is really looking for an enemy.  While there, Tana is bitten and tries to keep from becoming a full fledged vampire. 
This vampire story which is in the science fiction genre has a major strength.  It is a well written story that keeps you involved in it page by page.  It keeps you on the edge of your seat.  I could not put it down, nor could I turn the pages fast enough.

Feed by M. T. Anderson

Anderson, M. (2002). Feed. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.
In this science fiction novel, Titus and his friends have computers in their brains.  They thought they were taking a spring break to the moon, but some hackers made them end up in the hospital with their minds becoming empty. He meets Violet, who wants to fight the feed, so she can categorize human thoughts and desires. They finally understand what is happening to them and they try to make it stop. This is a classic science fiction novel and could be used by teachers to show what technology can do to society and humans. Too much of it can cause problems in society.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Anderson, L. (1999). Speak . New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.
Melinda was very depressed because she was an outcast at school.  There was a summer party that  someone called the police while there.  Everyone has found out that she is the one who called the police.  As she gets more depressed, a new girl arrives and they become fast friends.  When her depression becomes unbearable, their relationship ends.  Melinda becomes friends with her science lab partner and things are starting to look up.  She finally gets up the nerve to tell what really happened at the summer party.  She was raped and the boy who raped her was finally arrested.  The school finds out the truth of why she called the police.  This novel is  dark, modern, and realistic fiction because it deals with depression after a traumatic experience.  If this book is enjoyed, then Many Stones by Carolyn Coman would be another book to read.  It is about a girl who goes to South Africa to volunteer at a school and is murdered. 

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

Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. New York: Little, Brown.
Bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.  Junior was born with water on the brain.  Everyone on the reservation made fun of him.  He left the reservation and went to an all white high school.  When Junior left, he became much more of an outcast with the reservation, and the all white school.  He was eventually accepted by the school.  This novel is a semi-autobiographical and realistic fiction.  The intended audience is 12-years old and up.

Invisible by Pete Hautman

,Hautman, P. (2005). Invisible. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Douglas and Andy are best friends.  They talk about everything.  Except what happened three years ago at the Tuttle place.  Andy seems to get blamed for everything, especially the bomb threat at school.  When he is confronted, he rats out his best friend, Andy. They send him to the doctor who gets him to remember that Andy is dead.  He died three years ago in a fire  at the Tuttle place.  Andy is so guilty about him dying, that he sets the house on fire, so he can join Andy.  A lesson that can be learned from this book is that friendship is the best thing in the world.  Friends will die for each other to retrieve what is important to the relationship.

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

Harris, R. (1994). It's perfectly normal: A book about changing bodies, growing up, sex, and sexual health.  Cambridge, Mass: Candlewick Press.
This non-fiction book answers questions that children have about birth control, puberty, sex, sexual diseases.  There are six major divisions in the book: What is Sex, Our Bodies, Puberty, Families and Babies, Decisions, and Staying Healthy.  It discusses what happens to our bodies as we mature and grow.  It also discusses the different kinds of love between the different kinds of people. The major strength of this book is that the children are getting accurate information and not from friends and people who do not have the correct information about growing up.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Green, J. (2005). Looking for Alaska: A novel. New York: Dutton Children's Books.
Miles leaves home to go to a quirky boarding school.  He meets a group of friends who do everything together.  In the group is Alaska.  She is moody and funny and independent. Miles falls for her and in one of her moods, she dies in a car accident.  The group tries to  figure out what happens to Alaska from the time she left the group and when she died. This is a realistic novel. Teachers could find this valuable for their classes to discuss friendship and honor and being there for each other.

Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden

Garden, N. (1982). Annie on my mind. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.
This groundbreaking book is the story of two teenagers whose friendship blossoms into love and who, despite pressures from family and school that threaten their relationship, promise to be true to each other and their feelings.  Liza is a senior at a private school.  On a trip to a museum, Liza meets Annie and begins to have feelings for her.  While they try to keep their relationship a secret, they mistakenly find out that two of Liza's teachers are gay.  When the girls are caught by another member of the school board, they are brought in front of the administration at the private school and Liza is told that she could be removed as the senior class president.  She is not, but the teachers lose their jobs because it is a private school. The administrators say that the teachers have a negative influence on Liza and Annie.  Liza feels bad about them losing their jobs and puts distance between her and Annie.  As the time grows longer that they are apart, Liza's feelings for Annie grow stronger, and she realizes that she is in love with her. If  this realistic fiction book is one that people enjoy reading then they may like Dare Truth or Promise by Paula Boock. Willa and Louie could not be more different.  Opposites attract and they fall in love.  All of their plans and family are put into question.

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

Cormier, R. (1974). The chocolate war: A novel. New York: Delacorte. Jerry Renault ponders the question on the poster in his locker: Do I dare disturb the universe? Refusing to sell chocolates in the annual Trinity school fund-raiser may not seem like a radical thing to do. But when Jerry challenges a secret school society called The Vigils, his defiant act turns into an all-out war. Now the only question is: Who will survive? Jerry believes that his "prank" should not be a Prank.  He does not want to sell the chocolate and gets bullied by the instructor.  The novel ends with Jerry getting beaten to a pulp.  The Chocolate War would be a great lesson in bullying.  Discussing with the students how conforming and not conforming can become a negative in society. First published in 1974, Robert Cormier's groundbreaking novel, an unflinching portrait of corruption and cruelty, has become a modern dark, realistic fiction classic.