Walters, Eric. Juice. Orca Books, 2005. ISBN 9781551433516.
Plot Summary
Moose is the star of the football team. When Coach Reeves retires he is replaced by Coach Barnes and his assistant, Tony. They arrive with a tough new training program and soon it become clear they will do anything to get the team to win. This includes mixing drinks that are laced with anabolic steroids. Moose and his teammates improve their performances but it comes at a cost. When Coach Reeves' secret is revealed, Moose and his teammates much decide what is wrong and what is right and how far they are willing to go to be the best.
Critical Evaluation
Juice is a story about the high school sports and steroid use. The book is written with a simple plot and straightforward approach which makes it an easy read especially for teen boys who are reluctant readers. They will be drawn in by the sports theme and competitive action. Moose is the popular player who all the other boys look up to. He is a character that can be found in any school in America which makes him easy to relate to. Juice is not the most complicated story as far as plot and character development so keep in mind that it would make a great addition to any collection trying to include books for the reluctant reader.
Reader's Annotation
After a new football coach arrives at their school, the football team struggles with using steroids to compete.
About the Author
Eric Walters was born in Toronto in 1957. In his many roles as parent, teacher, social worker, youth sports coach and writer he is in constant contact with children and young adults. He draws from these experiences and feels that this helps him to capture the realistic interaction between young people - the conflicts, tensions, stresses and interests that make up their lives. Walter's novels have won more than 80 awards including eleven separate children's choice awards. He is the only three time winner of both the Ontario Library Association Silver Birch and Red Maple Awards - in which over 125,000 students participate and vote for the winners.
Genre/Subgenre
Contemporary Life/ Sports
Curriculum Ties
Health Education
Booktalking Ideas
1) How far would you go in order to win a game?
2) Is being part of team more important than doing the right thing?
3) If you knew a trusted adult was doing something illegal would you tell someone?
Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 13+
Reluctant readers
Challenge Issues
Steroid use
Challenge defense ideas
-Become familiar with the book and its content.
-Refer to the collection development policy of the library, see http://sfpl.org/pdf/about/policies/collection-development-plan.pdf
-Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Juice-Orca-Soundings-Eric-Walters/dp/1551433516
-Try to get reviews of the book from teens who have read it.
Why Included in Titles Selected
Reluctant readers; books for teenage boys
Sunday, December 5, 2010
49. Eat Fresh Food: Awesome Recipes for Teen Chefs by Rozanne Gold
Gold, Rozanne. Eat fresh food: Awesome Recipes for Teen Chefs. Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2009. ISBN 9781599902821
Summary
Rozanne Gold's book is a healthy guide to cooking delicious food using fresh ingredients.
Chapters include:
1) Bread, Butter & Breakfast
2) Bowls: Soups & Pasta
3) Sandwiches, Burgers & Pizza
4) Salads, Big & Small
5) Dinner Specials with Vegetables
6) Side Dishes
7) Desserts & Drinks
Gold also includes a list of menus for special occasions such as Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and Father's Day.
Critical Evaluation
This book is full of wonderful recipes that are easy for teens to create. Gold discusses nutrition, information about organic food, equipment, and safety. Her recipes are created with the aspiring teen chef in mind although adults will likely find them fun also. Highlights include a carrot-ginger-tomato soup and pasta primavera with jade zucchini sauce. This is a useful book to include in public and school libraries especially schools with health education and/or home economics classes.
Reader's Annotation
Learn to cook fun and healthy recipes using fresh ingredients with recipes by award-winning chef, Rozanne Gold.
About the Author
Rozanne Gold, renowned chef, author and international food and restaurant consultant, began her career at age 23 as first chef to New York Mayor Ed Koch. Considered one of the most prominent women in the food world, she is a four-time winner of the prestigious James Beard Award and winner of the IACP/Julia Child Cookbook Award.
The author of 11 acclaimed cookbooks, Ms. Gold has been the entertaining columnist for Bon Appetit magazine. She has written and produced stories for The New York Times (her work can be found on the Op-Ed page, the Dining Section, and Sunday Magazine), and has written for Oprah, Gourmet, Cooking Light, More, FoodArts, Modern Maturity and The Montessori Magazine.
Genre
Contemporary Nonfiction
Curriculum Ties
Home economics
Health
Booktalking Ideas
1) How important is it to learn healthy eating habits at an early age?
2) Can you think of ways to incorporate these healthy meals into everyday family meals?
3) Would you consider a career as a chef after trying out these recipes?
Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 13+
Challenge Issues
None
Why Included in Titles Selected
Healthy eating alternatives for teenagers.
Summary
Rozanne Gold's book is a healthy guide to cooking delicious food using fresh ingredients.
Chapters include:
1) Bread, Butter & Breakfast
2) Bowls: Soups & Pasta
3) Sandwiches, Burgers & Pizza
4) Salads, Big & Small
5) Dinner Specials with Vegetables
6) Side Dishes
7) Desserts & Drinks
Gold also includes a list of menus for special occasions such as Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and Father's Day.
Critical Evaluation
This book is full of wonderful recipes that are easy for teens to create. Gold discusses nutrition, information about organic food, equipment, and safety. Her recipes are created with the aspiring teen chef in mind although adults will likely find them fun also. Highlights include a carrot-ginger-tomato soup and pasta primavera with jade zucchini sauce. This is a useful book to include in public and school libraries especially schools with health education and/or home economics classes.
Reader's Annotation
Learn to cook fun and healthy recipes using fresh ingredients with recipes by award-winning chef, Rozanne Gold.
About the Author
Rozanne Gold, renowned chef, author and international food and restaurant consultant, began her career at age 23 as first chef to New York Mayor Ed Koch. Considered one of the most prominent women in the food world, she is a four-time winner of the prestigious James Beard Award and winner of the IACP/Julia Child Cookbook Award.
The author of 11 acclaimed cookbooks, Ms. Gold has been the entertaining columnist for Bon Appetit magazine. She has written and produced stories for The New York Times (her work can be found on the Op-Ed page, the Dining Section, and Sunday Magazine), and has written for Oprah, Gourmet, Cooking Light, More, FoodArts, Modern Maturity and The Montessori Magazine.
Genre
Contemporary Nonfiction
Curriculum Ties
Home economics
Health
Booktalking Ideas
1) How important is it to learn healthy eating habits at an early age?
2) Can you think of ways to incorporate these healthy meals into everyday family meals?
3) Would you consider a career as a chef after trying out these recipes?
Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 13+
Challenge Issues
None
Why Included in Titles Selected
Healthy eating alternatives for teenagers.
48. Along for the Ride: A Novel by Sarah Dessen
Dessen, Sarah. Along for the Ride: A Novel. Viking, 2009. ISBN 9780670011940.
Plot Summary
Auden is a talented and intellectually gifted girl, but somewhat of a loner. Her parents are divorced and she finds herself struggling especially with insomnia. Her mother is overbearing and judgemental. Auden decides to accept her stepmother, Heidi's, invitation to stay with her, her father, and baby half-sister, Thisbe, in the town of Colby. The summer at her father's beach house isn't as calm as Auden thinks it will be. Heidi is stressed out over her baby and Auden's father is too busy writing a novel to pay attention to his family. Frustrated, Auden wanders onto a beach frequented by other teens. There she meets a boy named Jake and they surprisingly end up kissing. Soon the small town kids are confronting her about the kiss. Auden already feels like an outsider and this makes everything even worse until she meets another outsider named Eli. Eli is also an insomniac. They end up hanging out together and helping each other deal with their pasts and look forward to their futures.
Critical Evaluation
The book is a truthful portrayal of young Auden's journey to find a place to belong and in the process learn to love. Parent's may be concerned about the underage drinking in the book, but in reality, teenagers drink and the book neither supports it nor condemns it. Fans of other Sarah Dessen novels like, Lock and Key and Just Listen, will enjoy Along for the Ride.
Reader's Annotation
Auden goes to live her father and stepmother the summer before college. She has many "first" experiences and learns to deal with her dysfunctional family.
About the Author
Sarah Dessen grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and attended UNC-Chapel Hill, graduating with highest honors in Creative Writing. She is the author of several novels, including Someone Like You, Just Listen and Along for the Ride.
A motion picture based on her first two books, entitled How to Deal, was released in 2003. Her tenth novel,What Happened to Goodbye, will be published in May 2011. She lives in North Carolina.
Genre/ Subgenre
Contemporary Life/ Coming of Age, Romance
Curriculum Ties
Sociology
Booktalking Ideas
1) How does divorce change the lives of families?
2) Is divorce always a bad thing, or are there good things about it?
3) How does the saying "don't judge a book by its cover" pertain to the story?
Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 14+
Challenge Issues
Underage drinking
Language
Challenge defense ideas
-Become familiar with the book and its content.
-Refer to the collection development policy of the library, see
http://sfpl.org/pdf/about/policies/collection-development-plan.pdf
-Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Along-Ride-Sarah-Dessen/dp/0670011940/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292215029&sr=1-1
Why Included in Titles Selected
Popular author with teenage girls
Plot Summary
Auden is a talented and intellectually gifted girl, but somewhat of a loner. Her parents are divorced and she finds herself struggling especially with insomnia. Her mother is overbearing and judgemental. Auden decides to accept her stepmother, Heidi's, invitation to stay with her, her father, and baby half-sister, Thisbe, in the town of Colby. The summer at her father's beach house isn't as calm as Auden thinks it will be. Heidi is stressed out over her baby and Auden's father is too busy writing a novel to pay attention to his family. Frustrated, Auden wanders onto a beach frequented by other teens. There she meets a boy named Jake and they surprisingly end up kissing. Soon the small town kids are confronting her about the kiss. Auden already feels like an outsider and this makes everything even worse until she meets another outsider named Eli. Eli is also an insomniac. They end up hanging out together and helping each other deal with their pasts and look forward to their futures.
Critical Evaluation
The book is a truthful portrayal of young Auden's journey to find a place to belong and in the process learn to love. Parent's may be concerned about the underage drinking in the book, but in reality, teenagers drink and the book neither supports it nor condemns it. Fans of other Sarah Dessen novels like, Lock and Key and Just Listen, will enjoy Along for the Ride.
Reader's Annotation
Auden goes to live her father and stepmother the summer before college. She has many "first" experiences and learns to deal with her dysfunctional family.
About the Author
Sarah Dessen grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and attended UNC-Chapel Hill, graduating with highest honors in Creative Writing. She is the author of several novels, including Someone Like You, Just Listen and Along for the Ride.
A motion picture based on her first two books, entitled How to Deal, was released in 2003. Her tenth novel,What Happened to Goodbye, will be published in May 2011. She lives in North Carolina.
Genre/ Subgenre
Contemporary Life/ Coming of Age, Romance
Curriculum Ties
Sociology
Booktalking Ideas
1) How does divorce change the lives of families?
2) Is divorce always a bad thing, or are there good things about it?
3) How does the saying "don't judge a book by its cover" pertain to the story?
Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 14+
Challenge Issues
Underage drinking
Language
Challenge defense ideas
-Become familiar with the book and its content.
-Refer to the collection development policy of the library, see
http://sfpl.org/pdf/about/policies/collection-development-plan.pdf
-Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Along-Ride-Sarah-Dessen/dp/0670011940/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292215029&sr=1-1
Why Included in Titles Selected
Popular author with teenage girls
47. Boy2Girl by Terence Blacker
Blacker, Terence. Boy2Girl. Straus and Giroux, 2004. ISBN 0312371462
Plot Summary
When Sam's mother dies he is sent to live with his Aunt and cousin Matthew in England. In order to become a trusted member of Matthew's group of friends at school, Sam is given a test. He has to dress up as a girl and if he passes he will have the friendship of the boys at his new school. There is also another reason for the test. The boys want Sam to spy on a group of girls in order to learn their secrets. Soon Sam is passing as a girl, hanging out with the girls, and even attracting one of the popular guys at school. In another plot twist, Sam's dad arrives fresh out of jail searching for his son. Sam has to decide if fitting in while hiding from his father is important enough to continue the charade.
Critical Evaluation
Boy2Girl is a funny book which takes a different approach to how kids and adults look at gender roles. Do boys have it easier than girls, or vice versa? Do adults push their ideas about gender roles on their children? Should boys talk about their feelings? The story is told from a variety of characters' points of view which at times can be confusing but not impossible to follow. This is a great book to include in a collection because of its humorous approach to questioning gender roles.
Reader's Annotation
Thirteen-year old Sam dresses up as girl and what starts as a test soon turns into an outlandish situation.
About the Author
Terence Blacker is an English author, columnist, journalist, and publisher.
Blacker became has written childrens books and mysteries for adults. His first childrens book If I Could Work was published in 1987 and his first adult novel, FIXX, won critical acclaim
Genre/ Subgenre
Contemporary Life/ Humor
Curriculum Ties
Sociology
Booktalking Ideas
1) Do you think boys and girls are treated differently by adults? Why?
2) Would you ever dress up as the opposite sex for a day if only you would know?
Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 14+
Challenge Issues
Cross dressing
Challenge defense ideas
-Become familiar with the book and its content.
-Refer to the collection development policy of the library, see http://sfpl.org/pdf/about/policies/collection-development-plan.pdf
-Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Boy2Girl-Terence-Blacker/dp/0374309264
-Try to get reviews of the book from teens who have read it.
Why Included in Titles Selected
Interesting subject matter
Plot Summary
When Sam's mother dies he is sent to live with his Aunt and cousin Matthew in England. In order to become a trusted member of Matthew's group of friends at school, Sam is given a test. He has to dress up as a girl and if he passes he will have the friendship of the boys at his new school. There is also another reason for the test. The boys want Sam to spy on a group of girls in order to learn their secrets. Soon Sam is passing as a girl, hanging out with the girls, and even attracting one of the popular guys at school. In another plot twist, Sam's dad arrives fresh out of jail searching for his son. Sam has to decide if fitting in while hiding from his father is important enough to continue the charade.
Critical Evaluation
Boy2Girl is a funny book which takes a different approach to how kids and adults look at gender roles. Do boys have it easier than girls, or vice versa? Do adults push their ideas about gender roles on their children? Should boys talk about their feelings? The story is told from a variety of characters' points of view which at times can be confusing but not impossible to follow. This is a great book to include in a collection because of its humorous approach to questioning gender roles.
Reader's Annotation
Thirteen-year old Sam dresses up as girl and what starts as a test soon turns into an outlandish situation.
About the Author
Terence Blacker is an English author, columnist, journalist, and publisher.
Blacker became has written childrens books and mysteries for adults. His first childrens book If I Could Work was published in 1987 and his first adult novel, FIXX, won critical acclaim
Genre/ Subgenre
Contemporary Life/ Humor
Curriculum Ties
Sociology
Booktalking Ideas
1) Do you think boys and girls are treated differently by adults? Why?
2) Would you ever dress up as the opposite sex for a day if only you would know?
Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 14+
Challenge Issues
Cross dressing
Challenge defense ideas
-Become familiar with the book and its content.
-Refer to the collection development policy of the library, see http://sfpl.org/pdf/about/policies/collection-development-plan.pdf
-Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Boy2Girl-Terence-Blacker/dp/0374309264
-Try to get reviews of the book from teens who have read it.
Why Included in Titles Selected
Interesting subject matter
46. Party Girl by Lynne Ewing
Ewing, Lynne. Party Girl. Random House, 1998. ISBN 0679892850.
Plot Summary
Teenagers and best friends, Kata and Ana, attend a dance when the sound of gunfire interrupts their good time. Kata survives, but Ana loses her life. It is a typical occurrence in Los Angeles. Ana becomes another victim in the endless gang wars. Kata is angry and wants revenge but is torn between getting revenge and leaving the gang life forever. Kata struggles with an uncertain future, an alcoholic mother, her friends or "homeys" who seem hopeless and resigned to living the gang life, and falling in love. Will she find her way out of the gang life or become hopeless too?
Critical Evaluation
Party Girl is written with a very specific audience in mind. Most teenagers today will never have to experience the life that the characters in the book have. For that reason a lot of teenagers might not relate to the themes. That being said, it is a book that can be used to begin discussing such things as gang violence. The story is told from Kata's point of view which makes her character easy to care about. The book is short so there isn't a lot of development for the other characters. Party Girl should be part of a collection which includes a variety of other books about gang violence in order to show different perspectives with more insight.
Reader's Annotation
Kata's best friend, Ana, is killed in a drive-by shooting. Is it too late too get out of the Los Angeles gang life?
About the Author
Lynne Ewing is an American author and screenwriter.
Her first books were Drive-By and Party Girl. Drive-By took six years to write, and Party Girl has been made into a movie called Living the Life.
Genre/ Subgenre
Issues/ Gangs
Curriculum Ties
Sociology
Booktalking Ideas
1) Discuss why you think teenagers join gangs?
2) Discuss the differences between the characters in the book with teenagers you know? What circumstances make their lives different from yours?
Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 14+
Challenge Issues
Gang violence, drinking/drug use
Challenge defense ideas
-Become familiar with the book and its content.
-Refer to the collection development policy of the library, see http://sfpl.org/pdf/about/policies/collection-development-plan.pdf
-Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Party-Knopf-Books-Lynne-Ewing/dp/037580210X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292297915&sr=1-1
-Try to get reviews of the book from teens who have read it.
Why Included in Titles Selected
I saw the title and first thought it would be a funny book along the lines of the Parker Posey movie of the same title. Instead I got a book about gangs.
Plot Summary
Teenagers and best friends, Kata and Ana, attend a dance when the sound of gunfire interrupts their good time. Kata survives, but Ana loses her life. It is a typical occurrence in Los Angeles. Ana becomes another victim in the endless gang wars. Kata is angry and wants revenge but is torn between getting revenge and leaving the gang life forever. Kata struggles with an uncertain future, an alcoholic mother, her friends or "homeys" who seem hopeless and resigned to living the gang life, and falling in love. Will she find her way out of the gang life or become hopeless too?
Critical Evaluation
Party Girl is written with a very specific audience in mind. Most teenagers today will never have to experience the life that the characters in the book have. For that reason a lot of teenagers might not relate to the themes. That being said, it is a book that can be used to begin discussing such things as gang violence. The story is told from Kata's point of view which makes her character easy to care about. The book is short so there isn't a lot of development for the other characters. Party Girl should be part of a collection which includes a variety of other books about gang violence in order to show different perspectives with more insight.
Reader's Annotation
Kata's best friend, Ana, is killed in a drive-by shooting. Is it too late too get out of the Los Angeles gang life?
About the Author
Lynne Ewing is an American author and screenwriter.
Her first books were Drive-By and Party Girl. Drive-By took six years to write, and Party Girl has been made into a movie called Living the Life.
Genre/ Subgenre
Issues/ Gangs
Curriculum Ties
Sociology
Booktalking Ideas
1) Discuss why you think teenagers join gangs?
2) Discuss the differences between the characters in the book with teenagers you know? What circumstances make their lives different from yours?
Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 14+
Challenge Issues
Gang violence, drinking/drug use
Challenge defense ideas
-Become familiar with the book and its content.
-Refer to the collection development policy of the library, see http://sfpl.org/pdf/about/policies/collection-development-plan.pdf
-Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Party-Knopf-Books-Lynne-Ewing/dp/037580210X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292297915&sr=1-1
-Try to get reviews of the book from teens who have read it.Why Included in Titles Selected
I saw the title and first thought it would be a funny book along the lines of the Parker Posey movie of the same title. Instead I got a book about gangs.
45. Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher
Crutcher, Chris. Whale Talk. Greenwillow Books, 2001. ISBN 0688180191.
Plot Summary
Cutter High School is the typical place where the jocks rule the school and the outsider misfits struggle to fit in. T.J. Jones mixed-race, smart, and athletic and he also doesn't agree with how the less popular kids are treated. He decides to put together a swim team made up of himself and a group of misfits at the suggestion of his English teacher, Mr. Simet. The team grows closer with each meet and becomes a stronger team in more ways the one. They deal with bullies like racist football player Mike Barbour who has a personal vendetta against one of the swim team members, Chris, who is developmentally disabled. All the characters have life lessons to learn, even T.J. whose story comes to a mind-blowing conclusion in a heart wrenching scene with his mentally unstable father.
Critical Evaluation
Whale Talk is a heartwarming and sometimes painful look at high school and the dynamics between the popular kids and the outsiders get played out. T.J. is the narrator and at times seems wise beyond his years but his character is one the reader will root for until the end. His ability to bring together a group of misfit kids to form a successful swim team while becoming friends and overcoming life's trials is at the heart of the story. The book deals with prejudice all many levels (racism, disability) in a way that is accessible and easy to grasp for teenagers. A great book for any collection.
Reader's Annotation
A group of high school outcasts are asked by the smart and athletic T.J. to form a swim team.
About the Author
Chris Crutcher was born on July 17, 1946 in Dayton Ohio to a WWII bomber pilot and a homemaker. Crutcher grew up in Cascade, Idaho, a logging town north of Boise.
He has been honored with dozens of awards and honors including the CLA's 2005 St. Katharine Drexel Award, Writer Magazine's 2004 Writers Who Make A Difference Award, the ALA's 2000 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, the NCTE's 1998 National Intellectual Freedom Award and the ALAN Award. And he takes great pride in landing on the ALA Freedom to Read Foundation's top ten banned books and authors lists, whenever it happens.
Genre/ Subgenre
Issues/ Outsiders
Contemporary Life/ Sports
Curriculum Ties
Sociology
Booktalking Ideas
1) Bullying is a hot topic. What types of bullying happen in the book and what would you do if you were one of the characters getting bullied?
2) Did the book change your view on who can be considered a jock or athlete?
Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 12+
Challenge Issues
Racism, bullying
Challenge defense ideas
-Become familiar with the book and its content.
-Refer to the collection development policy of the library, see http://sfpl.org/pdf/about/policies/collection-development-plan.pdf
-Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Whale-Talk-Chris-Crutcher/dp/0061771317/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292301736&sr=1-1
Why Included in Titles Selected
Recommended by a coworker
Plot Summary
Cutter High School is the typical place where the jocks rule the school and the outsider misfits struggle to fit in. T.J. Jones mixed-race, smart, and athletic and he also doesn't agree with how the less popular kids are treated. He decides to put together a swim team made up of himself and a group of misfits at the suggestion of his English teacher, Mr. Simet. The team grows closer with each meet and becomes a stronger team in more ways the one. They deal with bullies like racist football player Mike Barbour who has a personal vendetta against one of the swim team members, Chris, who is developmentally disabled. All the characters have life lessons to learn, even T.J. whose story comes to a mind-blowing conclusion in a heart wrenching scene with his mentally unstable father.
Critical Evaluation
Whale Talk is a heartwarming and sometimes painful look at high school and the dynamics between the popular kids and the outsiders get played out. T.J. is the narrator and at times seems wise beyond his years but his character is one the reader will root for until the end. His ability to bring together a group of misfit kids to form a successful swim team while becoming friends and overcoming life's trials is at the heart of the story. The book deals with prejudice all many levels (racism, disability) in a way that is accessible and easy to grasp for teenagers. A great book for any collection.
Reader's Annotation
A group of high school outcasts are asked by the smart and athletic T.J. to form a swim team.
About the Author
Chris Crutcher was born on July 17, 1946 in Dayton Ohio to a WWII bomber pilot and a homemaker. Crutcher grew up in Cascade, Idaho, a logging town north of Boise.
He has been honored with dozens of awards and honors including the CLA's 2005 St. Katharine Drexel Award, Writer Magazine's 2004 Writers Who Make A Difference Award, the ALA's 2000 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, the NCTE's 1998 National Intellectual Freedom Award and the ALAN Award. And he takes great pride in landing on the ALA Freedom to Read Foundation's top ten banned books and authors lists, whenever it happens.
Genre/ Subgenre
Issues/ Outsiders
Contemporary Life/ Sports
Curriculum Ties
Sociology
Booktalking Ideas
1) Bullying is a hot topic. What types of bullying happen in the book and what would you do if you were one of the characters getting bullied?
2) Did the book change your view on who can be considered a jock or athlete?
Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 12+
Challenge Issues
Racism, bullying
Challenge defense ideas
-Become familiar with the book and its content.
-Refer to the collection development policy of the library, see http://sfpl.org/pdf/about/policies/collection-development-plan.pdf
-Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Whale-Talk-Chris-Crutcher/dp/0061771317/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292301736&sr=1-1
Why Included in Titles Selected
Recommended by a coworker
44. Crap: How to Deal With Annoying Teachers, Bosses, Backstabbers, and Other Stuff That Stinks by Erin Elisabeth Conley, Karen Macklin, Jake Miller
Conley, Erin E. ; Macklin, Karen; Miller, Jake. Crap: How to Deal With Annoying Teachers, Bosses, Backstabbers, and Other Stuff That Stinks. Zest Books, 2009. ISBN 9780979017353.
Summary
Crap is a guide for teenagers on how to deal with the "crap", or stress, in their lives. Do your parents give you grief for the clothes you wear, or your messy room? Do friends bombard you with complaints and whining? Do your teachers pick on you? The crap in your life doesn't have to ruin your day. You just have to learn how to deal with it and get rid of it when it doesn't add value to your life.
Chapters:
1) What is crap?
2) Avoiding crap...
3) Dealing With Crap...
4) Getting Rid of Crap...
5) Breaking the Stank Cycle...
Critical Evaluation
Teenagers will most likely be drawn to the book because of its title and parents may want their kids to avoid it for the same reason. What is great about this book is that it is actually a useful tool, a kind of self-help for teens. The authors give advice on how to deal with the stressful situation that teens may encounter in their lives. Is your teacher annoying? Well, you have to just deal with it because that teacher is the one giving you the grade. Did you break your leg right before tryouts? That is "crap" you couldn't help so you have to deal with it and think of the next step. The book is lighthearted and humorous while giving really great advice to make teenagers better people.
Reader's Annotation
A humorous guide for teens on how to deal with the things in life that annoy them.
About the Author
Erin Elisabeth Conley is a published author of young adult books. Published credits of Erin Elisabeth Conley include Kiss: A Girl's Guide to Puckering Up (PSST! Series), Uncool: A Girl's Guide to Misfitting In (PSST! Series), Crush: A Girl's Guide to Being Crazy in Love (PSST! Series), and Dumped: A Girl's Guide to Happiness After Heartbreak.
Karen Macklin is a writer and editor who grew up in New York and now resides most of the year in San Francisco. Her work spans a wide variety of forms from journalism and essay to plays, poetry, and creative nonfiction. She also teaches yoga and writing, and explores the world through photography.
Jake Miller is a writer who lives in Boston, Massachusetts. He has contributed essays, articles, and reviews to such publications as The New York Times. Miller's also wrote Decoding Mom: Making Sense of Her Moods, Her Methods, and Her Madness.
Genre
Nonfiction Humor
Curriculum Ties
N/A
Booktalking Ideas
1) How can you use the advice in the book to deal with the "crap" or stressful situations in your every day life?
Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 13+
Reluctant readers
Challenge Issues
Use of the word "crap"
Challenge defense ideas
-Read and become familiar with the book.
-"Crap" is used as a term to refer to stresses that teenagers go through.
-ALA pick for reluctant readers
-Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_87?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=crap+how+to+deal+with+annoying+teachers+bosses+backstabbers+and+other+stuff+that+stinks&sprefix=crap+how+to+deal+with+annoying+teachers+bosses+backstabbers+and+other+stuff+that+stinks
Why Included in Titles Selected
ALA pick for reluctant readers
Summary
Crap is a guide for teenagers on how to deal with the "crap", or stress, in their lives. Do your parents give you grief for the clothes you wear, or your messy room? Do friends bombard you with complaints and whining? Do your teachers pick on you? The crap in your life doesn't have to ruin your day. You just have to learn how to deal with it and get rid of it when it doesn't add value to your life.
Chapters:
1) What is crap?
2) Avoiding crap...
3) Dealing With Crap...
4) Getting Rid of Crap...
5) Breaking the Stank Cycle...
Critical Evaluation
Teenagers will most likely be drawn to the book because of its title and parents may want their kids to avoid it for the same reason. What is great about this book is that it is actually a useful tool, a kind of self-help for teens. The authors give advice on how to deal with the stressful situation that teens may encounter in their lives. Is your teacher annoying? Well, you have to just deal with it because that teacher is the one giving you the grade. Did you break your leg right before tryouts? That is "crap" you couldn't help so you have to deal with it and think of the next step. The book is lighthearted and humorous while giving really great advice to make teenagers better people.
Reader's Annotation
A humorous guide for teens on how to deal with the things in life that annoy them.
About the Author
Erin Elisabeth Conley is a published author of young adult books. Published credits of Erin Elisabeth Conley include Kiss: A Girl's Guide to Puckering Up (PSST! Series), Uncool: A Girl's Guide to Misfitting In (PSST! Series), Crush: A Girl's Guide to Being Crazy in Love (PSST! Series), and Dumped: A Girl's Guide to Happiness After Heartbreak.
Karen Macklin is a writer and editor who grew up in New York and now resides most of the year in San Francisco. Her work spans a wide variety of forms from journalism and essay to plays, poetry, and creative nonfiction. She also teaches yoga and writing, and explores the world through photography.
Jake Miller is a writer who lives in Boston, Massachusetts. He has contributed essays, articles, and reviews to such publications as The New York Times. Miller's also wrote Decoding Mom: Making Sense of Her Moods, Her Methods, and Her Madness.
Genre
Nonfiction Humor
Curriculum Ties
N/A
Booktalking Ideas
1) How can you use the advice in the book to deal with the "crap" or stressful situations in your every day life?
Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 13+
Reluctant readers
Challenge Issues
Use of the word "crap"
Challenge defense ideas
-Read and become familiar with the book.
-"Crap" is used as a term to refer to stresses that teenagers go through.
-ALA pick for reluctant readers
-Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_87?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=crap+how+to+deal+with+annoying+teachers+bosses+backstabbers+and+other+stuff+that+stinks&sprefix=crap+how+to+deal+with+annoying+teachers+bosses+backstabbers+and+other+stuff+that+stinks
Why Included in Titles Selected
ALA pick for reluctant readers
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