Category Archives: Fiction

Bullying Books: “The Beckoners”

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

The Beckoners by Carrie Mac  Everyone calls April “Dog.”  She’s been bullied all through high school. From being forced to eat a whole box of dog biscuits and retching in the hallway to being beaten within an inch of her … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith-Based/Religious Element, Family Problems, Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Read 180, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Horror! “Monstrumologist”

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey  Another entry in the true horror category, The Monstrumologist starts with the gruesome discovery by a grave robber of a partially-eaten corpse around which is wrapped another corpse of a human-like creature.  The grave robber, … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Over 375 pages, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Horror! “Scowler”

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

Scowler is a great October read, one in a YA branch of the true horror family. So—this is NOT your love triangle with some supernatural creatures thrown in ala Twilight and its progeny. Scowler is Dark. Scowler  is Disturbing. After … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , | Leave a comment

Historical Fiction: “Code Name Verity”

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein  This is a must-read for teens. And for adults. It’s no more only a ‘teen book’ than The Book Thief is a ‘teen book.’ Never mind how the publisher describes it. Read it. Since … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Fiction, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Human Rights Issues, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Adult Books for Teens: “The Silver Linings Playbook”

Posted on August 22, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick  Pat Peoples seems like the sweetest man on earth, but for some reason he’s coming home from a mental institution to live with his parents—in his mid-thirties—and he completely loses it when he … Continue reading →

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Bullying Books: “Reason to Breathe”

Posted on August 21, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

     Reason to Breathe, by Rebecca Donovan I was talking to another teacher at Chaffey High, Mrs. Vanderbeck (who used to work at Colony as well), about the bullying books I was reading this year. She told me about one … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Mature Readers, Sports, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bullying Books: “Some Girls Are”

Posted on August 15, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers   Regina has bullied other girls all through high school. She’s popular. She’s Anna’s best friend. And Anna is the queen bee of the Hallowell High, calling all the shots, deciding who’s in and who’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Mature Readers, Uncategorized, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

“This is What Happy Looks Like”

Posted on August 14, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

_ This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith   I’ve already said that I needed to walk away from the bullying books for a couple of weeks. With school starting, I wanted to read something upbeat. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Over 375 pages, Romance, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Adult Books for Teens: “The Signal”

Posted on August 12, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

       The Signal by Ron Carlson I needed a little break from reading those ‘bullying books’ and wanted to read an adult book. So I decided to go for The Signal because I knew Ron Carlson to be an excellent … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Family Problems, Fiction, Romance | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments