High School Reads!

 by Ibi Aanu Zoboi Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse Amal Shahid is an aspiring artist and a poet, even though he isn't getting a lot of encouragement from the teachers at his arts high school.  One night he is in the wrong place at the wrong time.  He gets into a fight that leaves one boy in a coma.  Amal is convicted and sent to prison, despite the fact that he is innocent.  It will take all that he has to survive his new reality.  A prison sentence is not hw he wants his story to end.  He will need to turn to his art and poetry to find hope for a better tomorrow.

 by Elizabeth Acevedo Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse Camino Rios lives in the Dominican Republic.  Yahaira Rios lives in New York City.  Neither one knows of the others existence, but they both learn on the same day that their father has died in a plane crash.  Their lives have no changed forever and as they begin to learn more about their father, it becomes clear that the two will have to meet even if they aren't sure they want to.  Their father's wish was to be buried in the Dominican Republic and even though Yahaira's mother has said they will never go there, Yahaira decides that she has to see her father home and meet the sister she never knew she had.

by Laurie Halse Anderson Genre:  Memoir, Novel in Verse Laurie Halse Anderson's life changed forever at the age of 13 when she was raped by a boy she trusted.  She turned her pain and struggles into words by first writing Speak which was followed by other novels.  Shout is Anderson's real life story about who she is and how she recovered from the rape and other traumatic events of her childhood.  This book allows her voice and the power of her words to be fully heard.  This book is about hope for anyone who has ever felt lost.

by Elizabeth Acevedo Lexile:  800 Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse Xiomara and her Twin are growing up in New York.  They are trying hard to live up to their parents' expectations for them, but as a result, neither of them can be honest about who they are and what they believe in.  Xiomara especially is struggling to get along with Mami, who spends all her time at work or at church.  She finds escape by writing poems in her journal. Poems that until now, no one else has seen.  But lately, this boy, Aman, in her science class, is showing interest in getting to know her better.  She knows she is not allowed to date, but she is curious about him and wants to get to know him better.  Lying to her parents doesn't feel right, but how else is Xiomara supposed to experience life outside of school, her apartment, or her church?

by Jason Reynolds Lexile:  720 Genre: Fantasy, Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse Will's older brother Shawn is dead.  Shot and killed in the street.  Will knows only 3 rules that have taught him how to respond.  No crying.  No Snitching.  Revenge.  So Will takes his brother's gun and steps onto the elevator.  He is going to find the guy who shot his brother and take revenge.  Little does he know, it is a long way down on this particular day, on this particular elevator.

by Ellen Hopkins Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse Ariel has lived with her dad for as long as she can remember.  As her dad tells it, her mother left them for another woman.  Ariel's dad wants to keep her all to himself, so they are constantly on the move, never living long enough in one place for her to attend much school or make friends.  Now they have settled in Sonora, CA and Ariel is looking forward to completing her sophomore year in high school. She actually has friends, the prospect of a new job, and maybe even a chance to get her driver's license and get a little independence.  But her dad is struggling with these changes and Ariel is afraid of what he'll do if she stands up to him.  All Ariel wants is the chance to have a normal life.

by Christine Heppermann Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse Addie has spent her whole life running.  Initially it was because she liked to run and was a star athlete on her school's cross country running team.  But now she is running away from things:  her boyfriend, her best friend, her opportunity to earn a college scholarship...the list continues to grow until Addie wonders if she really is still running or if she is just standing still in one place?

by Kwame Alexander Lexile:  660 Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse Nick Hall is unstoppable on the soccer field so don't even bother to try.  He and his friend Coby have big plans to get to the World Cup and show the world what awesome soccer players they are.  But then Nick's world is shattered when his parents announce that they are separating.  His mom moves to Kentucky to continue a career she had put on hold, and now nothing is the same.  Can he figure out how to successfully navigate this change in his life?

by Ellen Hopkins Lexile:  770 Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse Eden, Seth, Ginger, Whitney, and Cody are back in this sequel to Tricks .  They are all in rough shape having run away from home and discovered the harsh realities of living as teenagers on the streets of Las Vegas.  Drug use and prostitution are well on the way to shortening these young lives.  All of them are being given an opportunity to turn their lives around.  Will they be able to find the courage and strength to turn their back on their dangerous lifestyles and move beyond their pasts to healthier lifestyle choices?

by Ellen Hopkins Lexile:  590 Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse 5 teenagers from different parts of the U.S. are in crisis as they are growing up trying to find their place in the world.  What they all have in common is that they want to love and be loved.  They all struggle with making healthy lifestyle choices that will allow them to live out their dreams and reach their full potential.  Their stories seem disconnected until all 5 of their paths cross in the city of Las Vegas.  Will they be able to put their pasts behind them and move forward in new ways?

by Ellen Hopkins Lexile:  ??? Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse Fallout wraps up Kristina's story that began in Crank and continued in Glass .  Fallout is told by the three eldest of Kristina's children, none of whom have lived with their mother.  Hunter has been raised by his grandparents, Summer has bounced between foster homes and her father, and Autumn has been secretly raised by an aunt and grandfather and never knew that she had brothers and a sister. The three of them struggle with their abandonment in different ways and all are on a path that could mirror their mother's if they let it happen.  Or is their hope for a better life for Hunter, Autumn, and Summer?

by Ellen Hopkins Lexile:  600 Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse Glass continues the story of Kristina, first introduced to readers in the book, Crank .  Kristina has struggled to escape the clutches of meth, or the monster, as she calls it.  She is living with her parents and doing her best to raise her baby, Hunter.  But the monster is calling...One night she lies to her parents about going to a college fair so that she can meet up with her old friend and supplier, Rachel. Rachel is happy to get Kristina back in the party scene and soon Kristina is addicted once again.  Her mom refuses to let Kristina bring drugs into Hunter's life so she is forced out of her home until she can get clean.  Will Kristina be able to get her life back from the monster once and for all?

by Karen Hesse Lexile: ??? Genre: Historical Fiction Billie Jo is growing up in the middle of the Great Depression in the Dust Bowl of Oklahoma. Life is pretty tough - the crops aren't growing, her parents have little money, and have been unable to have more children. Billie Jo is an aspiring pianist and enjoys her making a little money playing the piano. Then, a terrible accident occurs that changes her life forever and forces her to accept many new realities.

by Ellen Hopkins Lexile:  710 Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse In this book, the sequel to Burned , Pattyn Von Stratten is trying to move on from the devastating loss of Ethan.  Now she is back home, but life is far from easy.  When she sees her father beating her sister, something inside of her snaps and she decides to take matters into her own hands.  The aftermath of her decision will change the lives of everyone in her family forever.

by Ellen Hopkins Lexile:  ??? Genre:  Realistic Fiction/Novel in Verse Kristina's family thinks she is perfect.  But lurking inside of her is "Bree", the complete opposite of what parents would think a perfect daughter is.  When Kristina gets to spend 3 weeks with her father, "Bree" emerges and takes over Kristina's life.  "Bree" chases after boys and experiments with drugs and alcohol.  Who is Kristina?  Who is Bree?  Can the two coexist or will one emerge to shape the future of a young woman?

by Ellen Hopkins Lexile:  710 Genre:  Realistic Fiction/Novel in Verse Pattyn doesn't know who she really is.  Is she the good daughter who obeys her parents and her religion or she is the wild daughter who sneaks out of the house and challenges her Bishop about their religion?  The older she gets, the more contradictions she sees - her alcoholic and abusive father treats her family terribly, but the members of her church and community, hide their eyes and pretend they don't see.  Pattyn's father decides to send her away for the summer to live with her aunt in the middle of the Nevada desert.  What he views as a punishment will change Pattyn's life in ways she could never have imagined.

by Jacqueline Woodson Lexile:  990 Genre:  Memoir/Novel in Verse Jacqueline Woodson shares her story of growing up in the '60s and '70s in both the North and the South.  The story of her childhood emerges through a collection of poems that details the struggles her family faced.  Jacqueline knew from an early age that she wanted to be a writer, but school was difficult for her and not everyone believed she could achieve.  But with the strong support of her family, she can to believe that anything is possible.