Book Reviews

Crutcher, C. (2013). Stotan!. Greenwillow Books.

Summary

Walker, Nortie, Lion, and Jeff are students at Robert Frost High School. When their coach sets up a poster and calls for volunteers for STOTAN Week the four friends volunteer. Coach Max created a workout regimen to challenge the four boys who were the only ones that signed up. The boys were on the swim team and had goals of making it to state. Each boy has their own issues to face. Walker has to deal with a brother who is a drug addict, Nortie with standing up to his father, and Lion with losing his family. Though, Jeff has to come to terms that he is very ill. The boys take it upon themselves to honor Jeff by winning state.

Commentary

Chris Crutcher’s story covers many issues that young adults encounter while growing up. From racism, drugs, abuse, and sex the main characters have many obstacles in their way. This book can relate to numerous readers. The story takes place in the 1980s it contains realistic characters and situations. The main character Walker narrates the story through journal entries. Each character has their own challenges to meet, but they are all there for one another one things get tough. The book is a great way to demonstrate that life is not easy, but one must still push through the hard times. The book would be best for high school students.

Connections

There are many students that go through situations like the ones mentioned in the story. Though, at this age they might now know how to deal with these circumstances. Books such as these can help students go through tough times. While it teaches other empathy. Many students would not be able to comprehend how it feels to experience racists’ remarks or encountering deadly illness. Yet, this book touches on all these subjects and more.

King, A. (2013). Please ignore vera dietz. New York: Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Summary

Vera is in high school dealing with an absentee mother, closet alcoholic, and the recent passing of a friend. Vera is dealing with the loss of a friend and is debating on whether to come out with the information she knows of the event and clear her friend’s name. Charlie and Vera had been friends for the longest time though they had drifted do to certain events leading up to his death. After trying to repair her relationship with her father Vera decides to turn in the evidence she has to prove that Charlie was not the one the burned down the pet shop.

Commentary

In A.S. King’s story the main character has to deal with her regrets and her past. Vera has had trouble in her relationships with family and friends. Through the story one can see how Vera tries to mend her relationship with her father while let go of the past ones that failed. In this realistic fiction the reader can see how the main character is broken, but is not staying that way. She learns to forgive others for what they have done to her. Her friend Charlie was not kind to her on his last days, her mother abandoned her, and her father was not loving. Yet, Vera and her father managed to salvage their relationship. This young adult novel would be best for high school students.

Comments

If this book did not mention any sexual content I would recommend it for middle school ages. Struggling with family and friend relationships is very common in the life of readers. The complexity of the many relationships described in the book makes it relate to many readers. Others can relate to Charlie and how he was being pushed to do things he did not want to. I am a middle school teacher and there is a reason not many want to work with these grade levels. Students are easily influenced and make irrational decisions. I have had students do things, because they are bullied and scared to stand up for themselves.

Smith, A. (2013). Winger. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Summary

Ryan Dean West is a fourteen year old boy who has moved up a few grades. He is attending a prestigious boarding school. He is later called Winger due to his position in the rugby team. Ryan gets placed in Opportunity Hall the dorm that has the worst reputation on campus. To make things worse Ryan’s roommate is Chase a bully. Ryan develops an affair with Chase’s girlfriend Megan.  Chase likes Annie, but she is sending him mixed signals. Joey becomes a close friend to Ryan and reveals his sexual preferences. Ryan is in high school with kids that are advantages and goes through many situations kids his age encounter.

Commentary

The book will remind you how difficult it was to be a teenager. In this story the author creates character that are realist and can be seen nowadays in high schools everywhere. Just like Ryan many boys are girls crazy and they opposite. The main character adds a humorous tone to the story as he goes through the pressures, girl troubles, and puberty. The chapters are not lengthy and are accompanied by drawings that the main character created. The story would be good for high school students. The story covers teenage coming of age problems. 

Connections

In this story the main character is thrown into the lion’s den. Opportunity Hall is filled with students making careless decisions. This book makes you remember the good and the bad that come from high school. For students that are trying to be in the cool crowd and feel peer pressured by others this would be a good read. Readers that are have girl problems this would be a good book to read or with the loss of a friend.

Alexander, K. (2014). The crossover. Houghton Mifflin.

SummaryJosh and Jordan are twin brothers with a love for basketball. They are a close knit family. Their father was a professional basketball player back in his day, but for some reason left it behind. While their mother is an educator at the middle school the boys attend. The brothers are very close, but when Jordan finds a girlfriend Josh feels left behind. There is also trouble when Josh’s dad is feeling sick, but is reluctant to visit a doctor.

Commentary
Kwame Alexander as written a wonderful verse novel. The book follows the life of the main character Josh and his love for family, friendship, sportsmanship, and basketball. The other characters are also well developed. The versus are easy to comprehend and the book overall is an easy read. Each poem details the characters life, thoughts, and feelings. This is a good read for middle school students. The characters are likable and the plot is interesting. This story includes life lessons that readers will encounter in the book written in verse. 

Connections
There are many kids while growing up that dream to be a singer, actor, professional sports player and so on. This is a realistic fiction that many students will relate to. It covers topics from family, love, and friendship that students will be able to place themselves in the shoes of the characters.  It is difficult to find books in verse that will appeal to students. Though, this book with topics that are common to readers and written with catchy phrases can be a good choice for students.

Stead, R. (2009). When you reach me. Wendy Lamb Books.

Summary

Miranda Stead is living in Upper West Side, New York City. She is in 6^th grade living in an apartment with her single mother. While walking home one day a boy named Marcus beats up Miranda’s best friend Sal. Since then Sal has been distant. This causes Miranda to make new friends with Annemarie and Colin. Miranda one day starts to receive notes at random depicting future events. Sal once again encounters the boy who beat him up. In an attempt to avoid him he is almost hit by a truck. The laughing man who is a homeless person that is always around Miranda’s house saves Sal. Sadly, the laughing man does not survive. Though Miranda discovers that he was the one responsible for the notes and a time traveler.

Commentary

This fictional story will have readers intrigued throughout. It’s a mystery that keeps individuals reading. The book combines a realistic environment with fictitious events. Family, friends, sacrifice, and racism are a few concepts covered in the story. The main character Miranda goes through common issues middle school students do. The story takes place during 1979 in New York City. The book is classified for young adult readers. However, it is such a cleverly written story younger readers would enjoy it. The book has short chapters which will make this an easy read.

Connections

This story will spark reader’s imaginations. It will have them in the edge of their seat trying to solve the mystery notes. This is a book that readers of all types of ages would like. This book is based on the author’s favorite story A Wrinkle in Time and it is even mentioned in the story line. If students have enjoyed this reading they will love When You Reach Me. 

Telgemeier, R. (2016). Ghosts. Graphix.

Summary

Cat and her family have moved to northern California in order to improve the health of her little sister Maya. Maya is ill and has trouble with her respiration system due to cystic fibrosis. Cat does not want to leave her friends, but knows the move will benefit her sister. The family relocates to Bahia de la Luna were they meet Carlos their neighbor. While on a ghost tour given by Carlos, Maya gets sick and has to be hospitalized. This makes Cat feel guilty and is reluctant to talk to Carlos. During a party for Dia de los Muertos Cat meets a few ghosts and takes one to meet Maya. They both learn important lessons from those that have passed away.

Commentary

The author Raina Telgemeier’s has been able to tackle the topic of death. This graphic novel is about facing the possibility of death and enjoying life to the fullest. The one of the main character is a concern sister while the other is battling for her life. The author does a wonderful job in capturing the emotions of the characters including the ghosts. One can see the feeling of the characters as the book progresses with ease. The illustrations are filled with life and color. The author ties in the Mexican culture by featuring El Dia de los Muertos even though after researching and reading other reviews it is not portrayed as many would have liked. After researching cystic fibrosis the information given in the book seems accurate. This is a book that does not have any sexual content or inappropriate language that it would be good for middle school students.

Connections

Reading this made me remember of a girl in high school I met. She was ill, but that did not stop her from participating in extracurricular activities. She reminded me of Maya always trying to stay optimistic. These books are great for students coming into age and being able to understand more complex situations such as death. Sometimes we worry about so many things in life, but take for granted the little things. These types of books remind the reader how there are people going tough situations, but manage to look at the brighter sides of things.