Friday Night Lights

Pate, J., Berg, P., & Piznarski, M. (2005). Friday Night Lights. DVD, Universal Studios.

ISBN: 1417011416

Classification: movie, nonfiction

Genre: nonfiction

Age Level: 9th-12th grade

Subjects: fiction, friends, movie, poverty, prejudice, sports

Viewer's Annotation:

Friday Night Lights documents the incredible 1988 football season for the Permian Panthers from Odessa, Texas.

Summary: This movie is based on the book Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, a Dream by H.G. Bissinger. The book and movie both chronicle the 1988 football team of Permian High, in Odessa, Texas. Odessa is a town that revolves around high school football and the boys on the team carried the hopes and expectations of the whole town. The 1988 Permian Panthers made it all the way to the state finals where they narrowly lost to a rival team. Though the movie and the book center around the football team, the issues of racism and poverty are prevalent. The movie also forces one to ask what happens to a town that takes their football too seriously.

Reviews / Awards:

Movies for Guys Review

Author Info:
IMDB page

Potential Hotspots:

drinking, implied sex, family violence, swearing

Watchalikes:

• Dead Poets Society
  
• Hooisers
  

Why it belongs in a YA collection:
This is a great sports action movie with a book and TV series tie in. Viewers who pick it up for the sports will also be treated to a solid message about hard work and what it really means to be a winner.

Other:

This would be a great candidate for a book-movie club.

Trailer:

Evaluation:

4.5 stars

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

Tan, S. (2007). The Arrival. (p. 128). Arthur A. Levine Books.

ISBN: 1590785002

Classification: graphic novel, fiction

Genre: urban fantasy

Age Level: 9th -12th grade

Subjects: graphic novel, family, fantasy, immigration, magic

Reader's Annotation: A father leaves his family for a foreign land in hopes of creating a better life.

Summary: The Arrival is an immigration story. The protagonist leaves his family behind to forge a better life for them in a strange, downright fantastical, new land. There are no words in this story, only a foreign alphabet, which gives the reader an idea of what it would be like to struggle in a place where you didn't speak the language. The protagonist finds a job in a massive factory and begins to make new friends though he obviously misses his family very much. Through the sepia toned pictures that seem to come from an old family album, the reader understands how much struggling goes into setting up a life in a new place.

Reviews / Awards:

New York Times Review

• 2007 The Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards: Picture Book of the Year
• 2007 New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, Community Relations Commission Award
• 2008 Hugo Award Nominated for Best Related Book

Author Info:

Shaun Tan's Webpage

Potential Hotspots:

--

Readalikes:

• Woolvs in the Sitee by Margaret Wild
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
  

Why it belongs in a YA collection:
This immigration story is one that will be familiar to most readers but it is told in a way that is unlike any other book. Tan's graphic novel is a stunning example of visual storytelling, and thus a fantastic choice for reluctant readers. There is nothing "easy" about this rich and complex story, but the lack of words makes it perfect for those who struggle with reading.

Other:

The illustrations in this graphic novel are incredible. They are rich with detail and frequently appear more like photographs than like drawings. Readers will be able to enjoy them again and again.

Evaluation:

5 stars

Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks

Jinks, C. (2007). Evil Genius. (Unabridged, 13 discs). Listening Library.

ISBN: 9780739350829

Classification: audio book, fiction

Genre: fantasy

Age Level: 10th-12th grade

Subjects: audiobook, fantasy, fiction, friends, crime, computers

Reader's Annotation: Cadel Piggot is a child genius who attends a special school designed to create criminals.

Summary: Cadel Piggot has always been fascinated by computers. He can get past alarm systems, hack into bank computers, and get his entire eighth grade class flunked. He's a child prodigy. He comes under the tutelage of Thaddeus Roth, who eventually tells Cadel his real father is criminal mastermind Dr. Darkkon. Moreover, Dr. Darkkon has funded (from prison) a school called The Axis Institute and Thaddeus gets Cadel enrolled. The Axis Institute is a school for future criminals, with classes such as Forgery, Infiltration, and Disguise. Cadel is an able student, but he begins to realize that all is not as it seems at the Axis Institute. It's possible that everything he believed about Thaddeus and Dr. Darkkon has been a lie. Can he escape to live his own life?

Reviews / Awards:

School Library Journal Review

Author Info:
Catherine Jinks' website

Potential Hotspots:

violence, advocacy of criminal actions

Readalikes:

• Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
  
• H.I.V.E.: Higher Institute of Villainous Education by Mark Walden
  

Why it belongs in a YA collection: The idea of a school for genius criminals will be appealing to teen readers, for the vicarioius thrill. The action that develops as Cadel tries to escape the Axis Institute will keep readers turning pages until the very end. The book takes awhile to unfold, so it is not for the reluctant reader.


Other:

This entire story is set in Sydney, and the audiobook was a nice way to enjoy the Australian accents.

Evaluation:

3.5 stars

Extras by Scott Westerfeld

Westerfeld, S. (2007). Extras. (p. 432). Simon Pulse.

ISBN: 1416951172

Classification: book, fiction

Genre: science fiction

Age Level: 9th-12th grade

Subjects:distopia, love story, scifi, series, siblings

Reader's Annotation: Aya Fuse posts a huge story to boost her popularity and gets more than she bargains for.

Summary: This fourth book in the Uglies series takes place a few years after Tally Youngblood's mindrain saved the world from pretty stupidity. Now, much of world is run on an economy based on fame. Most everyone strives to increase their popularity, measured by a "face-rank." Aya Fuse is fifteen, and a kicker, someone who publishes stories to the feed in hopes of increasing her face rank. She follows the Sly Girls, a group interested in daredevil stunts and staying out of the public eye. They stumble upon the biggest story since the fall of the mindrain. But the story is so big, Aya will need the help of the most famous person of all, Tally Youngblood, to keep her out of trouble.

Reviews / Awards:

Uglies, the first book of the series was chosen by YALSA as a "Best Book for Young Adults" in 2006
New York Times Review

Author Info:
Scott Westerfeld's Website

Potential Hotspots:

distopia, some fighting (no one is killed)

Readalikes:

• Feed by M.T. Anderson
  
• Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
  

Why it belongs in a YA collection:
This recreational read is part of the Uglies series, and will be much requested by readers if it is not part of a collection.

Other:

I liked this book more than I thought I would, as the fourth book in a planned trilogy, I thought it might be a bit superfluous. My favorite character was Moggle the hovercam.

Evaluation:

3.5 stars

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway

Benway, R. (2008). Audrey, Wait! (p. 320). Razorbill.

ISBN: 159514191X

Classification:book, fiction

Genre: realistic fiction

Age Level: 10th-12th grade

Subjects:family, friends, identity, love story, music, prejudice

Reader's Annotation: Audrey becomes inadvertently famous when her exboyfriend writes a smash hit song about their breakup.

Summary:
Audrey breaks up with her boyfriend Evan who happens to be the lead singer for a band that's really not going anywhere. Evan writes a song about their breakup, "Audrey, Wait!," that becomes a smash hit. Pretty soon, paparazzi are following Audrey everywhere and her reputation is, well, shall we say, tarnished? She's just trying to get past Evan, hang out at concerts with her friends, and perhaps spend some time with her shy, rule obsessed coworker at the Scooper Dooper. Things get out of hand.

Reviews / Awards:

CosmoGirl Review

Author Info:
Robin Benway's blog

Potential Hotspots:

sex, drinking, smoking pot

Readalikes:

• Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
  
• Amazing Grace by Megan Shully
  

Why it belongs in a YA collection:
This is a light-hearted read that would be a great choice for teens summer reading. While most teens will realize the plot is far fetched, it's still a pleasant voyeuristic tale. Personally, I now never go to the local Coldstone Creamery without thinking of Audrey.

Other:

Official Audrey, Wait! Website

Evaluation:

4 stars

Slam! by Nick Hornby

Hornby, N. (2007). Slam. (Unabridged., 8 dics). Penguin Audio.

ISBN: 0143142836

Classification: audio book, fiction

Genre: realistic fiction

Age Level: 10th-12th grade

Subjects: audiobook, coming of age, family, fiction, love story, pregnancy

Reader's Annotation: Sam's life is pretty straight-forward, with school and skating, his mom and his friends...until his girlfriend gets a positive result on a pregnancy test.

Summary: Sam is a skater, a skate boarder, not an ice skater. He's got his life pretty well organized. He's going to finish high school, then go to University to study graphic design. When he needs advice he turns to a poster Tony Hawk, which replies in excerpts from his biography which Sam has read repeatedly. Then Sam's girlfriend gets pregnant. Sam is going to be a teen father. That's the one thing his mother didn't want for him, given that she had Sam at a very young age. Sam and his girlfriend negotiate the rocky waters of teen parenthood with a little help from a Tony Hawk poster and occasional time traveling visions Sam has when he's sleeping.

Reviews / Awards:

New York Times Review

Author Info:
Nick Hornby's website

Potential Hotspots:

teen sex, pregnancy, swearing

Readalikes:

• First Part Last by Angela Johnson
  
• Hanging on to Max by Margaret Bechard
  

Why it belongs in a YA collection:
Nick Hornby is a well known adult author, yet Sam is such an authentic teen, YA readers will not question Hornby's ability to write for teens. Though this is something of a cautionary tale, teens will not feel bogged down by the message. Sam has a supportive family and friends, and so does Alicia, his girlfriend. The story focuses more on the choices the characters make than on the "don't get pregnant!!" message.

Other:

Because Hornby and all the characters in this story are British, I particularly enjoyed listening to it as an audiobook.

Evaluation:

4.5 stars

The Braid by Helen Frost

Frost, H. (2006). The Braid. (p. 92). Frances Foster Books.

ISBN: 0374309620

Classification: book, fiction

Genre: historical fiction

Age Level: 9th -12th grade

Subjects: celtic, historical fiction, immigration, love story, novel in verse, siblings

Reader's Annotation: Two sisters are separated by the Atlantic Ocean when some of the family immigrates to from Scotland to Canada.

Summary: A family is separated as some immigrate from Scotland to Cape Breton and some remain behind. Sarah, the eldest child, decides to stay with her Grandmother in their homeland. She falls in love with Murdo, but they are also separated. Jeannie, her mother, and the baby of the family survive the sea voyage and must create a new life in a strange land. Jeannie tries her best to follow the example Sarah has always set for her. Their stories are told through alternating verses, interspersed with what the author describes as "praise verses." The words themselves fit together in a braid, or a knot, modeled after Celtic knot patterns.

Reviews / Awards:

Starred review in both School Library Journal and Booklist.

Reviews from Amazon

Author Info:
Helen Frost's Website

Potential Hotspots:

starvation, teenage pregnancy

Readalikes:

• Hush: An Irish Princess' Tale by Donna Jo Napoli
• Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell

Why it belongs in a YA collection:
The unique structure of this novel in verse combined with the historical information make this a great book to offer to teens who might need convincing they'd enjoy verse or historical fiction.

Other:

The amazing structure of this novel wasn't clear to me until I read the author's note at the end. It's truly a puzzle made out of words, mindboggling, when I considered it in retrospect.

Evaluation:

5 stars

Woolvs in the Sittee by Margaret Wild and Anne Spudvilas

Wild, M., & Spudvilas, A. (2007). Woolvs in the Sitee. (p. 40). Boyds Mills Press - Front Street imprint.

ISBN: 1590785002

Classification: graphic novel, fiction

Genre: urban fantasy

Age Level: 9th -12th grade

Subjects: distopia, scary, urban fantasy

Reader's Annotation: A boy is living alone in a basement, afraid to go outside where the woolvs rule the sitee.

Summary: This is the story of a boy living, seemingly, in a post-apocalyptic world. We don't know much about him, except that his family is gone and he lives in the basement of his building, all alone except for the neighbor upstairs, Missus Radinski. Things may have been bad for quite awhile, as the narrator spells entirely phonetically, as though he's never been to school. He is terrified of the "woolvs," though as the reader, we're never given to know what the "woolvs" are. This is a short, haunting story, with beautifully dark illustrations, that leave the reader to interpret what happens to the characters after the book closes.

Reviews / Awards:

• 2007 Shortlisted for CBC Book of the Year - Picture Book
• 2007 Shortlisted for ABPA Book Design Awards - Picture Book
• 2006 Winner of the Aurealis Award - Children's Book

Author Info:

• Anne Spudvilla's Webpage
• Margaret Wild's Wikipedia page
  

Potential Hotspots:

implied violence

Readalikes:

• The Arrival by Shaun Tan
• The Wall by Peter Sis
  

Why it belongs in a YA collection:
This graphic novel is a great example of a story that leaves a lot of decisions in the hands of the reader. It would also be a good demonstration of a character's voice, as the narrator has a distinct way of conveying his message.

Other:

Really amazing illustrations. This reminds me of the first time I read the short story "The Lady or the Tiger" and felt completely cheated by the story, because there was no definite ending. This would be a great example of a book that leaves the reader to draw their own conclusions.

Evaluation:

4.5 stars

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Marr, M. (2008). Wicked Lovely. (p. 352). HarperTeen.

ISBN: 9780061214660

Classification: book, fiction

Age Level: 9th -12th grade

Genre: urban fantasy

Subjects: faerie, fantasy, fiction, love story, urban fantasy

Reader's Annotation: Though she has spent her whole life avoiding their notice, Aislinn has somehow caught the attention of the faerie folk and now her life is no longer her own.

Summary: Aislinn can see faeries but has spent her whole life pretending they are invisible. Her grandmother, who can also see them, taught her that the only way to avoid the capricious nature of the faeries is to never, never draw their attention. This works well until faeries, from the royal court no less, start following Aislinn. She has been chosen by the Summer King. From that instant, she is no longer entirely mortal. She can become one of the immortal Summer Girls, free and easy. Alternately, she may choose to take the test ordained by the Summer King and Winter Queen. If she passes, she becomes the immortal Summer Queen and saves both faerie and human-kind from destruction. If she fails, she will be trapped helping the Summer King until he can find the next potential Queen. The only thing that's not an option is remaining human, with her Grams and her best friend turned maybe-boyfriend . . . unless she can outsmart the faerie folk.

Reviews:

from publisher's website

Author Info:

Melissa Marr's website

Melissa Marr's blog

Potential Hotspots:

implied sex, some violence, mention of drinking and drugs

Readalikes:

• Tithe, Valiant, and Ironside, by Holly Black
• The Blue Girl by Charles de Lint
• A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
  

Why it belongs in a YA collection:

This is a great recreational read for patrons who have finished with Twilight or Libba Bray's book and need something new to read.

Other:

I enjoyed this book! It would work especially well for anyone already familiar with the idea of faeries and their dark sides.

Evaluation:

3.5 stars