Tag Archives: YA literature

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 bullying, gangs, girl gangs, high school students, YA fiction, YA literature | 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 book reviews, grave robbers, horror, monsters, Monstrumologist trilogy, scary stories, YA fiction, YA literature | 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 book reviews, farms, horror, Iowa, meteorites, post traumatic stress disorder, psychopaths in fiction, PTSD, the family farm, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

Horror! “Unnatural Creatures: Stories Selected by Neil Gaiman”

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

Unnatural Creatures: Stories Selected by Neil Gaiman Lots of teens know who Neil Gaiman is. They’ve read some of his books or seen movies made from those books–Coraline, The Graveyard Book, Neverwhere. And Gaiman’s written several frightening adult … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged book reviews, horror, Neil Gaiman, scary stories, short stories, YA fiction, YA literature | 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 book reviews, espionage, fighter pilots, French Resistance, friendship, Nazis, pilots, spy stories, women air pilots, World War II, 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

“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 book reviews, romance, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

Common Core and Nonfiction: Adult Books for Teens: “The Irregulars”

Posted on August 8, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

The Irregulars: Roald Dahl and the British Spy Ring by Jennet Conant Most of us know Roald Dahl through his weirdly fun children’s stories. Even if you haven’t read those stories, you’ve probably seen some of the movies made from … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Biography/Memoir, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Non-fiction, Over 375 pages | Tagged book reviews, British Security Coordination, BSC, Common Core standards, espionage, Irregulars, Roald Dahl, spies, World War II, YA literature | Leave a comment

Bullying Books: “The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl”

Posted on August 5, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga Fanboy puts up with the bullying he receives throughout his sophomore year of high school by hanging on to a few things he regards as good: his friend Cal—a … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Romance, Young Adult Literature | Tagged book reviews, bullying, comic books, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment