Category Archives: Controversial Issue/Debate

Dystopian Fiction Flow Chart

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

Happy New Year and welcome back to school! This cool “So You Loved The Hunger Games–What Should You Read Next?” flow chart was shared with me–and the link is to the Boston Public library, but they got it from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Classic Fiction, Controversial Issue/Debate, Fable/Fairy Tale/Fantasy, Family Problems, Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Movie Tie-In, Romance, Sci-Fi/Futuristic, Young Adult Literature | Tagged book reviews, Boston Public library, flow chart, future dystopia, Hunger Games readalike, infographic, Lawrence Public Library, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

“Responsible”

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

Responsible by Darlene Ryan I know everyone is focused on finals and the winter break. Study hard and then then relax with a good book over the holidays! I’m thinking about the Read 180 classes because they are the first … Continue reading →

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Young Adult Literature | Tagged bullying, hi-low reading, Orca Soundings Series, Read 180, sexual assault, sexual harrassment | Leave a comment

“Out”

Posted on December 8, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

Out by Sandra Diersch Late one night, Alex is about to pull out of a gas station parking lot when he sees shadowy figures across the lot. As he leaves, his car headlights show that the couple in the shadows … Continue reading →

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Faith-Based/Religious Element, Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Read 180, Young Adult Literature | Tagged book reviews, Catholics, gay teens, hi-low reading, homosexuality, infidelity, Read 180, religious hypocrisy, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

Veterans’ Day Reading: “The Yellow Birds”

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers “The war tried to kill us in the spring.” “Then, in summer, the war tried to kill us as the heat blanched all color from the plains.” ‘The war had killed thousands by … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Controversial Issue/Debate, Family Problems, Fiction, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Young Adult Literature | Tagged book reviews, death, death and dying, Iraq, Iraq War, post traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, U.S. army, veterans, Veterans' Day, war, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

Bullying Books: “I Swear”

Posted on September 17, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

I Swear by Lane Davis Leslie Gatlin commits suicide in the prologue to I Swear, fulfilling the wishes of a group of girl bullies, who had been urging her to kill herself. Why did these girls do this? Much as … Continue reading →

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Family Problems, Fiction, Young Adult Literature | Tagged book reviews, bullying, cyberbullying, high school students, YA fiction | Leave a comment

Adult Books for Teens: Common Core: “Creation”

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

Creation: How Science is Reinventing Life Itself by Adam Rutherford Here’s a book title that I was surprised to find is not hyperbole. Science really is creating new life forms. Rutherford doesn’t mean cloning life forms we know. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Environmental Issues, Non-fiction | Tagged Adult books for teens, biology, book reviews, Common Core standards, environment, science, synthetic biology, synthetic genetics | Leave a comment

Adult books for teens: Biography: “Until Tuesday”

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

Until Tuesday by Luis Carlos Montalvan Montalvan returned from two extended tours in Iraq a wounded warrior. Two Iraqis attempted to assassinate him because he was working hard to stop bribery and a thriving black market of US … Continue reading →

Posted in Biography/Memoir, Controversial Issue/Debate, Family Problems, Human Rights Issues, Non-fiction | Tagged Adult books for teens, autobiography, biography, book review, golden retrievers, Iraq, Iraq War, memoir, military service, PTSD, Puppies Behind Bars, service dogs, soldiers, war, Wounded Warriors | Leave a comment

Bullying Books: “Shooter”

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

Shooter by Walter Dean Myers Myers does his usual good job with a tough topic. The book opens as an investigation of a school shooting ‘last April.’ Various adults (psychologist, police personnel) interview the two best friends of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Read 180, Young Adult Literature | Tagged reluctant readers, school shootings, school violence, Walter Dean Myers, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

Orca Soundings: “Juice”

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

Juice by Eric Walters When Coach Reeves retires and Coach Barnes comes to coach football at Michael ‘Moose’s’ high school, optimism is high. Barnes has coached at Division One Central High and tells his new team that they can … Continue reading →

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Read 180, Sports, Young Adult Literature | Tagged football, football in literature, hi-low reading, Orca Soundings Series, reluctant readers, steroids | Leave a comment

Movie Tie-In: The Help

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

Movie Tie-Ins: The Help by Kathryn Stockett As I mentioned earlier, I read Worth Dying For because I wanted to try a Jack Reacher novel. If you read my post, you know I didn’t like it very much. As I … Continue reading →

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Family Problems, Fiction, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Human Rights Issues, Movie Tie-In, Multicultural, Over 375 pages | Tagged books to film, civil rights, Civil Rights Movement, Jackson_Mississippi, literature, maids, oscars | Leave a comment