Category Archives: Mature Readers

Guy books: “Grasshopper Jungle”

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith Austin Szerba loves history and so has decided to record the events at the end of the world, events that he has participated in along with his best friend Robby and his girlfriend Shann. While … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Mature Readers, Sci-Fi/Futuristic, Young Adult Literature | Tagged Andrew Smith, book reviews, Grasshopper Jungle, guy books, sci-fi, science fiction, Teen Issues, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

Have a Listen: “Feed”

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

Feed by M. T. Anderson “Everyone is supersmart now. You can look things up automatic, like science and history, like if you want to know which battles of the Civil War George Washington fought in and shit.” I know … Continue reading →

Posted in Environmental Issues, Family Problems, Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Mature Readers, Sci-Fi/Futuristic, Young Adult Literature | Tagged Feed, future dystopia, M. T. Anderson, science fiction, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

Realistic Romance/Guy Books: “The Spectacular Now”

Posted on April 21, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp “’Beauty’s all around me right here. It’s not in a textbook. It’s not in an equation.’” This is Sutter Keely’s mantra. He lives in the spectacular now. As he says, “’I was never … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Mature Readers, Movie Tie-In, Romance, Young Adult Literature | Tagged alcoholics, family problems, movie tie-in, nerds, romance, Spectacular Now, Tim Tharp, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

“The Miseducation of Cameron Post”

Posted on March 5, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth Cameron Post and Irene Klauson have always been best friends. They do everything together including all those things they shouldn’t do, like shoplift. And there’s always been an edge to their … Continue reading →

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Faith-Based/Religious Element, Family Problems, Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Mature Readers, Over 375 pages, Young Adult Literature | Tagged accidents, coming of age, conversion therapy, death, friendship, fundamentalism (religion), gay youth, GLBT, GLBTQ, grief, guilt, lesbians, Montana, orphans | Leave a comment

“How to Lose Everything”

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

How to Lose Everything: A Mostly True Story by Philipp Mattheis Sam, Eric, Schulz, and Jonathan are four friends living in a surburb of Munich, Germany. They mostly hang out at the skateboard park, a group of lost boys, adrift. … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Controversial Issue/Debate, Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Mature Readers, Young Adult Literature | Tagged abandoned houses, conduct of life, drugs, ethics, friendship, Germany, hi-low reading, high school students, Read 180, teenage boys, theft, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

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 basketball, book reviews, bullying, child abuse, child-parent relationships, children of alcoholics, soccer, sports, YA fiction, YA literature | 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 book reviews, bullying, high school students, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

Summer Reading: Books into Movies

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

When we think of summer reading, we think of books we choose because we like them—books for fun. In the past I’ve read long lists of YA books over the summer and have encouraged you to read some of them … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Fable/Fairy Tale/Fantasy, Fiction, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Mature Readers, Movie Tie-In, Romance, Sci-Fi/Futuristic, Supernatural, Young Adult Literature | Tagged movie tie-in, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

Summer Reading: Bullying Books

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

Summer Reading One of my reading goals this summer is to read and select some books about bullying—both the cyber sort and the in-person attacks. I hope to recommend two bully-themed books per month in the 2013-14 school year. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Human Rights Issues, Mature Readers, Read 180, Young Adult Literature | Tagged bullying, cyberbullying, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

“Ashes”

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

Ashes by Ilsa Bick (first in a trilogy) Alex, seventeen and traveling alone in the Michigan wilderness, is on a mission to bid her goodbyes to the world. She has a brain tumor that appears unstoppable, even with experimental … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Fiction, Mature Readers, Over 375 pages, Romance, Sci-Fi/Futuristic, Young Adult Literature | Tagged Ashes trilogy, future dystopia, Ilsa Bick, science fiction, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment