What Happened to Cass McBride? by Gail Giles

I first started recommending this book to students three years ago, and they have been obsessively reading it every since. I'm on my third copy of the book, and its cover is lovingly taped together in an attempt to get it through the rest of the school year.

We have all known someone like Cass McBride, the most popular girl at school whom everyone seems to hate. She is definitely at the top of the high school food chain, but only because she stomped and clawed her way there. David, on the other hand, despite his extreme intelligence and gentle nature, seems to hang onto the fringe of everyone else, with no real friends to call his own. When their paths cross and Cass publicly humiliates David, his deep rooted pain surfaces and he commits suicide.

By hanging himself in a tree.

In his front yard.

With a note safety pinned through his skin that reads: Words are teeth. And they eat me alive. Feed on my corpse instead.

Yeah, this is just the beginning folks. Because what happens next is that David's brother Kyle decides Cass needs to be punished, for without her involvement, his brother would still be alive. Kyle creates an elaborate "grave" for Cass, burying her alive, yet not killing her in an elaborate game of torture.

The entire book is told from alternating perspectives, primarily Kyle, Cass, and the lead investigator. Gail Giles craftily pulls us in, alternately making us feel pity for, and then despising all of the major players. I read this book in about a day, pressed to find out whether or not Cass would live or die.

Obviously, this book is intense, and not for the faint of heart. If you are a teacher, get this in the hands of your reluctant 14 year old + readers!

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

For all of you Twilighters looking to recapture the story of brooding love, I've got your book. For those of you who felt Twilight bordered on cheesy and need something a bit edgier, I've got something for you, too! Hush,Hush, a book recommended and loaned to me by a student (thanks, Chris!) is sure to be devoured by all of you!

When Nora is forced to work with Patch in Biology class, she embarks on a tumultuous relationship with him (btw-I'm wondering if high school students are now expecting to find true love in all science classes. YA authors-Isn't this setting getting a bit played out?). She starts out despising the casual manner in which he seems to be able to pick apart her mind and get to the things most sensitive to her, yet over time she finds herself secretly drawn to him against her better judgement. Things in Nora's life begin to take a turn for the dangerous, and she finds herself fearful for her own life. Regardless of the situation, Patch always seems to be connected. She wants to believe he is there to offer some sort of protection, but his dark and dangerous demeanor might suggest otherwise.

Within this typical story of teenage angst, Becca Fitzpatrick seamlessly ties in the idea of good versus evil in the form of fallen angels, although in my opinion she takes too long to do this. As readers, we know from reading the book jacket that Patch is most certainly the fallen angel described in the Prologue, but because we are reading the story through Nora's clueless eyes, the mystery seemed a bit drawn out.

Overall, this book is a quick read, and probably most relevant to those in grades 8 and up.

The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson

This title is the first in a series of books by one of my new favorite authors. The fourth one is set to be released at any time, and this is one of the few series where I have kept up on each book. The books are subtitled "A Forensic Mystery", and will be of high interest to fans of real crime and CSI.

Cameryn Mahoney is the daughter of a single father who just so happens to be the county coroner. Cameryn has aspirations of becoming a forensic scientist someday, and convinces her father to let her "job shadow" him so that she has a leg up on the competition someday.

In short time, Cameryn is involved in the investigation of a serial killer who adorns the body of his victims with the medallion of St. Christopher, earning him the title "The Christopher Killer". Cameryn accompanies her father to the scene of one of the killer's victims, and is upset to learn that it is a friend of hers. She quickly becomes involved not only in the investigation of the victims, but in tracking down the killer. The book is full of twist and turns as she puts herself into stressful, dangerous situations.

This book is a quick read, and although the protagonist is female, boys enjoy this book, too. Although the book isn't full of gore, there are enough details about some of the investigations to make some readers cringe! A subplot involves the mystery behind Cameryn's past and some dark secrets surrounding her mother. While the author wraps up the Christopher Killer aspect of the mystery, the reader is left with many questions about Cameryn, which are further explored in subsequent novels.

Gym Candy by Carl Deuker

This book is a must read for football players and fans alike. The author spends a brief period of time setting up the background to the story, and then delves right into the world of high school football. In classic Carl Deuker style, the story is a great balance of on the field action and real life drama.

The majority of the story is set during Mick Johnson's high school career. The son of a a fallen NFL star, Mick carries the burden of living the dream for both of them. Through hard work and natural ability, Mick earns a coveted spot on the varsity team. Unfortunately, he falls short with some of his goals. His overbearing father convinces him to abandon team training to work one on one with a personal trainer, who leads him down a path that begins with legal supplements and ends with anabolic steroids (hence the title of the book). As these drugs create an initial increase in Mick's performance on the field, we see things begin slipping away elsewhere, as the side effects of steroids isolate him from family and friends.

The book ends with a surprising twist, and I applaud the author for not taking the easy, obvious way out. This is a popular title among my sports loving guy students, but as a football fan, I loved it, too! If you like this book, be sure to check out all of Carl Deuker's other titles---they are all outstanding!

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

This book has been a favorite in my classroom for two years now. Since the first time I book talked it, I don't think it's been on the shelf, and every student who has read it has obsessively devoured it!

The exposition is intriguing, and the story never lets up from then on out. High school student Clay Jensen returns home from school one day to find a mysterious package at his front door. When he opens the package, he finds a number of cassette tapes and instructions. He plays the first tape and is shocked to hear the voice of Hannah Baker, a former crush who committed suicide the previous week. We learn that prior to her death, Hannah recorded detailed tapes outlining the "thirteen reasons why" she decided to end her life. She states that those in possession of the tapes are one of those reasons. It is Hannah's ultimate wish that those involved come face to face with their roles in her life. Each recipient must listen to the tapes until they hear their own story, as well as the next person on the tape. After that, he/she may continue to listen or stop. The important thing is that the tapes are delivered to the next person on the list. Hannah has entrusted someone in the community with a second set of the tapes, and instructs this person to make them public should the chain stop. This is essential, as they contain many very dark secrets of some very unlikely high school students.

The story is told in alternating points of view. We hear Clay's reaction to each of the stories, and wait in anticipation to hear his role in the story. Alternately, we hear Hannah's voice from beyond tell her very real, very painful, and very surprising story. Because of this dual perspective, both boys and girls could relate and enjoy the story.

I think this book is so important for many reasons, but mostly because it shows readers not only the effects of their actions, but of their inactions. There were so many heartbreaking moments when bystanders chose to allow Hannah to suffer alone. It also shows that sometimes it is the most unlikely person who is suffering, as Hannah is a beautiful, intelligent student at her high school.

Although I knew from the start that Hannah would end her life, I found myself pleading with her to make an alternate decision right down to the very last page.

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

I am a huge fan of pretty much everything Anderson has ever written. She has the ability to truly the capture the voice of every protagonist, and every story she tells is different. This book didn't let me down, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a tense, dramatic read.

In Anderson's newest book, she tackles the topic of eating disorders. I often find that authors write about this topic in a trite, formulaic manner that is far from the experience that many actually have. Luckily, Anderson spent a lot of time doing her research, and it shows.

We meet our protagonist Lia just after she learns of the death of her friend Cassie. Cassie was found dead in a hotel room, and the details surrounding her death unfold throughout the book. Lia & Cassie had been best friends since childhood, but the relationship took a competitive and disturbing twist as the girls entered puberty. Both girls developed eating disorders, and encouraged one another in the pursuit of being thin.

At one point, the friendship broke off, and each girl is left to deal on her own. While Lia took steps towards recovery, Cassie continued her demise. Regardless, Cassie still obviously held Lia dear to her heart, as we learn she attempted to call her 33 times on the night she died. As the story unfolds, we discover the events surrounding and ultimate cause of Cassie's death. The main storyline follows Lia as the guilt of not being able to save her friend triggers a relapse. We watch helplessly as she begins taking herself, not unknowingly, down the same dangerous path her friend traveled, and it's not clear until the final pages whether or not her story will end differently.

This story pulled me in emotionally from the beginning. Although it is not "uplifting", there are definite lessons to be learned. The text can become complicated, especially since it becomes increasingly difficult to discover what is reality, and what is a figment of Lia's deteriorating mental state. I really, really recommend this book!

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

This is a great read for those of you who love a good, old-fashioned ghost story. Although several elements of the story have been "done" before, that's one of the things that pulled me in. It reminded me of scary movies I watched, books I read, and stories we told when I was in middle school. A little bit of nostalgia goes a long way :)

Our main character Alexis is attempting to get through her typical high school existence as painlessly as possible. She's not exactly an "It" girl, and does her best to avoid the drama created by the cheerleaders who rule. At home, her parents are distant at best, and she's growing increasingly worried about her younger sister, Kasey.

Even though Kasey is thirteen years old, she develops a strange obsession with dolls (which, in my personal opinion, are usually creepy anyway). Kasey is behaving strangely in other ways, too, and she is becoming increasingly violent. During these episodes, she uses out-of-date language and her eyes turn from blue to green. After they occur, Kasey has no memory of them. Additionally, the house is changing. There are strange noises, cold air, and unexplained events, all of which add to the creepy mood.

Alexis begins by making excuses for her sister, but ultimately can't when her behavior becomes life threatening. The author does a great job of leading the reader down a twisting road to a climactic and dramatic ending. Special note: although the book's protagonist is female, male readers shouldn't shy away from this one! It is in no way girly, I promise!

Reality Check by Peter Abrahams

We meet our protagonist, Cody Laredo, as he is finishing his sophomore year of high school. He has every reason to be thrilled: he's dating a beautiful girl, and he (barely) passed all of his classes, making him eligible to return to his spot as the school's varsity quarterback. Football is truly the only reason he even goes to school, and he sees it as his ticket out of town and onto bigger and better things.

Life slowly starts to unravel when the rich father of his girlfriend Clea determines her only chance of making it into an Ivy League school is to get out of their small town. He abruptly enrolls her in a prestigious boarding school in Vermont, and suddenly she seems to be out of Cody's life. As the new school year begins, he puts all of his focus into football. Things are going well until Cody sustains a season ending injury. He slips into a depression and begins skipping school. His single father barely notices and doesn't object when Cody eventually drops out to get a job.

The real story begins when Cody spots a headline in a local newspaper: Clea is missing. An accomplished equestrian, she took her horse onto the snowy trails, but only the horse returned. Although they broke up when she moved, Cody still has strong feelings for Clea and drives cross-country to help with the search. Cody's only clue is a letter he received from Clea, mailed the day she went missing. He knows that the letter contains clue to where she is and what happened.

Cody soon learns that football isn't the only thing he's good at; as he enters a new world of secrets, money, and lies, he becomes quite the investigator. This is a novel where nothing is as it seems. I found myself constantly questioning the motives of everyone involved, and it is not until the final pages when we find out who is good, who is bad, and whether or not Clea is alive.

Peter Abrahams is a well-known author of both YA and adult books. This is the first book of his I've read. It's a classic mystery and a very quick read full of lots of twists and turns. I highly recommend this book to both male and female young adult readers, especially those who love a fast plot. Although the main character is male, the general premise reminded me of Alane Ferguson's Christopher Killer series. I have a lot of former students waiting on the next book in that one (due out October 15!), so check this out in the meantime. Although Abrahams doesn't leave loose ends, he could definitely create a series around Cody.

Day of Tears by Julius Lester

I have a confession to make: sometimes historical fiction bores me. Yes, it's true. I actually enjoy history, but when I'm reading historical fiction, I often feel I'm reading the same story told in the same way. I have found this to be especially true when I'm reading about the Holocaust or slavery within the United States.

So when I spotted Day of Tears in the bookstore some time back, I decided I just wasn't willing to invest money into a hardback book about slavery. I figured it would probably not hold my interest, and it probably wouldn't be much different than so many other YA books on the topic. Cut me some slack-I'm living on a teacher's salary, and I buy my classroom books out of pocket. Needless to say, after finishing this 176 page, paperback book while on a road trip, I was kicking myself for not getting it sooner.

Julius Lester is an accomplished writer who has written much about the history of slavery in this country. He was approached by his publisher to research and write about "The Weeping Time", a period of which he was previously unaware. I, too, was unaware of this event, but I'm grateful to learn more about it through Lester's unique and captivating storytelling.

On March 2 and 3, 1859, the largest slave auction ever to take place in the country was held on the Georgia plantation of Pierce Butler. Butler had been married to English actress Fanny Kemble, who ironically was an abolitionist. At the time of their marriage, Butler assured her he owned no slaves; once arriving at her new husband's home she discoverd otherwise and sought to educate the slaves in the hopes of turning over the plantation to them. It was her belief that since they were the reason for its success, they should own it. Pierce felt otherwise, and after having two daughters the couple divorced. Fanny returned to England, and her ex-husband made sure their daughters had limited contact with her. Eventually, because of his poor card playing skills, Butler was forced to sell off several of his properties, and most of his most valuable assets: his slaves. In all, he sold nearly 440 men, women, and children, many of whom he had grown up with from childhood. History reports that for the two days the auction took place, the sky sent unrentlentless sheets of rain to the Earth. Many felt that this was no ordinary rain, but "God's tears", thus earning it the name "The Weeping Time".

The author skillfully weaves the above backstory throughout the book, but the heart of the novel centers around the two days of the auction. The novel is described as being "a novel in dialogue", and it takes on an almost playlike format, as the characters give alternating, monologue-like perspectives of their experience on the days of the auction. Although brief, this is one of the most powerful books on the topic I have ever read. Although students in sixth and seventh grade could read and comprehend the book, I think the format, rich figurative language, and intensity lends itself to readers in grades eight and up.

I use Sharon Draper's Copper Sun in my classroom, and I think this book would be an outstanding companion novel for that. Anyone with an interest in the history of our country should pick this up. For those who aren't interested in history, this novel will be a pleasant surprise. Everyone needs to read this one!

Deadly Little Secrets by Laurie Faria Stolarz

So many of my students were hooked on Stolarz's Blue is for Nightmares series (ps-Black is for Beginnings is to be released in September in graphic novel format), so I was thrilled when she released this book. It is the first in a new series, with the second book to be released November 10. Laurie apparently has more hours in her day than the rest of us.

Although I was annoyed by the first chapter, I grew to really love this book. To sum up chapter one, our main character, Camelia, drops her earring as she walks across the parking lot of her high school. A car comes racing towards her, but she is suddenly shoved out of the way by a mystery boy. The real mystery begins when the boy places his hand on Camelia's stomach. An almost electric shock passes between them, and his face grows serious as he seems to be "connecting" with her in some way. This introduction seemed just a little too familiar to me (can I get an "Amen!" Twilight folks?), and although the supernatural comes into play the text remained vampire free.

Camelia soon learns that her mystery savior is Ben Carter, a new student with a serious past. In his old hometown, he was rumored to be responsible for the death of his girlfriend who fell to her death from a cliff. Although the charges were dropped, the consensus of most is that he was guilty. Against the advice of her two best friends, Camelia can't help but to be intrigued by Ben, and consequently pursues him.

A second plot line is created as we learn someone is stalking Camelia. She begins receiving various gifts with notes that grow increasingly threatening. At one point she even comes home to discover someone has broken into her room and scrawled a horrible message on her mirror. As a reader I had several suspects (including Ben) in mind until the very end.

I enjoyed the author's use of alternating perspectives. Some chapters are told from Camelia's first person accounts, while others are from the creepy journal of her stalker. Through these journals we realize just how crazy this stalker is, and just how much danger Camelia faces.

Readers who have enjoyed Twilight, Blue is for Nightmares, or any teen suspense book/movie should pick up this book! It is a fast read that will leave you wanting the second book now!

The Death of Jayson Porter by Jaime Adoff

It's been awhile...life has been crazy, and I haven't had much time to sit at the computer and type. I have a stack of books that need to be reviewed before school starts and life really gets out of control.

About a year ago I was at a writing competition with a student and the keynote speaker was an author named Jaime Adoff. He is from Yellow Springs, and is the son of author Virginia Hamilton and poet Arnold Adoff. He was a very engaging speaker, and immediately after his presentation I bought several of his books. Unfortunately, they sat on my shelf for the last year (I have a book buying problem). The good news is I finally remembered it, devoured it in a few hours, and LOVED it!

Adoff has chosen an interesting plot structure that hooks you from page one. The story begins as Jayson describes the experience of plummeting towards the ground after jumping off of a building in a suicide attempt:

I am a bullet screaming to the ground. The air rushing past me, so fast I can't breathe. I am gasping. The sound--like a 747 taking off in my eardrums. Getting louder and louder.
The ground getting closer and closer. This is supposed to get rid of my pain, get rid of it forever.This is my cure. It HURTS. It wasn't supposed to hurt. I was supposed to go unconscious. I haven't passed out yet, and it hurts. It hurts 'cause I can't breathe. My chest collapsing against itself, squeezing all my insides OUT. Squeezing everything. The building an upside-down blur, balconies racing past me (Adoff 5-6).

Adoff then goes back in time and takes us through some of the events that have led Jayson to the decision to end his life. We learn about his physically and mentally abusive, drug addicted mother with whom he lives, his deadbeat dad who flits in and out of his life, his struggles as a biracial student in a predominately white school on a scholarship. Jayson tries to keep his head up, but each time he seems to take a step forward life takes another drastic turn and throws him two steps back. After several particularly horrific events, he finally follows through on the suicide attempt he's seen playing in his head for months. He survives, but his problems are far from being solved. His parents are still the same people, his environment is still the same, and he must now deal with additional mental, emotional, and physical hardships.

This book is not necessarily uplifting, but I will say the author leaves the reader with a sense of hope in the final pages. Adoff's words are deliberately and beautifully written in a style that seems to be a reflection of both of his parents: part prose, part poetry. I highly recommend this book for males and females who like intense story lines and well-developed characters.

Need by Carrie Jones

OK, I know I'm going to get destroyed for this, but I'm just going to say it: I'm sick of Twilight. There. It's out there. I'm really happy a series was created that got so many people to read, but I'm over it! Unlike Miss Karson, I just couldn't get into it. Bella was just too wimpy for me, each book was about 200 pages too long....I'm going to stop now before you all kill me.

My point is...many of my students can't seem to find anything that compares to the Twilight series. Edward is just soooo dreamy, and sparkly, and....perfect. If you are in this boat, please read Need by Carrie Jones. As I was reading it, I couldn't help but notice some parallels between the stories, yet it wasn't in a way that seemed like it was plagiarism, namely because there's not a vampire in sight. Let me explain.

As we meet our main character Zara, she is headed from her home in sunny Charleston to live with her Gram in chilly Maine (Forks, anyone?). Her mother has sent her to try to snap her out of the depression she fell into after the death of her stepfather. Her Gram (loved her, BTW) is a spunky character who brings a lot of life to the story. After starting at school, she meets a hunky guy Nick who just seems different from other guys (ahem, Edward, ahem), and who seems to take an immediate interest in Zara.

The author creates a creepy mood immediately by introducing us to a strange man who seems to be stalking Zara. She saw him outside the window just before her father's heart attack, at the airport, and now outside of her school. Who is this creepy man, and what does he want with her? Does he have anything to do with the boy who just went missing? Is he connected with the string of kidnappings that occurred years before?

We also quickly learn that the people in this town are not exactly what they seem. The author introduces wares and pixies in such a believable way. Yes, pixies, and we aren't talking Tinkerbell kids. These pixies are power hungry killers! (Dun dun dun!) Zara and her friends set out on a quest to learn more about the Pixie King so that he may be defeated. Although I wasn't completely satisfied by the ending, it is well worth the read. The author expects to have the sequel out in December, and promises at least a third book after that.

I can't wait to hear what you guys think about this one!

Wake by Lisa McMann

Janie is a not-so-typical seventeen-year-old girl. While her friends are worried about dates and other typical teen problems, Janie's issues are much bigger. First, she is being raised by her single mother who can barely take care of herself. In between cleaning the house, working to pay the bills, and trying to maintain the grades necessary to get her out of her current environment, Janie is attempting to understand a very inconvenient power she has: falling into other people's dreams.

This strange skill has been present for as long as she can remember. Anytime someone nearby falls asleep, whether it's on the bus, at a slumber party, or in class, Janie is sucked into their dreams. Sometimes these trips border on humorous, such as the recurring nightmare of the school's jock, who always falls asleep in class and dreams he's naked on the football field. Other times she witnesses the nightmares of those she's surrounded by. The more violent the dream, the more exhausting the experience is for Jamie. For anyone who is around at the time, Janie's physical reaction mirrors a seizure, and when she finally wakes up, she is mentally and physically drained.

Up until this point, her ability has been more of a nuisance than anything else. She avoids slumber parties (it's just too exhausting to witness all of the dreams all night), long bus rides, and any other situation where someone might fall asleep. Things take a turn towards the dangerous when Janie has an episode in her car. While sitting at a light, Janie is sucked into the violent and demented dream of someone sleeping in a nearby house. At this point, Janie becomes a participant instead of simply an observer, and she realizes that sometimes dreams become reality.

This book was a really quick read. It was part mystery, part supernatural, and part suspense. Although the main character is a girl, it is definitely not a girly book!

PS: If you enjoy this book, check out the sequel: Fade. In the second novel, Janie's powers are put to the test when she must help police investigate a possible predator. After receiving an anonymous tip, the force is fairly certain that he is a teacher at school. Janie must intentionally put herself into the dreams of others to see if she can learn anything about the suspect and victims. We also learn a lot more about Janie's gift, and the irreversible damage it could be causing her.

Welcome!

Wooo! You found me!

I have spent the last eight years teaching language arts in a small town in Ohio. Several years ago my best friend/coworker/coffee addict/omelet maker extraordinaire Karson Reed and I began combining our classes for monthly book talks. During these talks, we each took turns recommending a total of twelve books to our kids. We also cracked jokes, acted things out, and were basically shameless in our presentation. We did our best to find the best new books for our kids, and we loved the fact that so many kids got excited about reading...not always the top priority for the fourteen year old crowd!

Karson moved to North Carolina (thanks a lot Chad Reed), but we each continued to book talk in our separate schools. We both found that we missed hearing about the books the other was reading, so we decided a blog would be a great way to keep each other (and everyone else) current on what we are reading. Although nothing can replace our comedy routine when we're together (at least we think we're funny), this is the next best thing.

Please check out both of our blogs frequently for the latest in YA literature! Karson and I have very different tastes in what we read, so between us we cover quite a bit. If you read one of the books mentioned, please feel free to leave your honest opinion. I always tell my students, "I didn't write the book, so it won't hurt my feelings if you hate it." Knowing what's well received helps us to find more great stuff!

Happy reading!

Meghan
aka Mrs. Philpot