High School Reads!

by S.K. Ali Lexile:  710 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Janna has 3 different kinds of people in her life:  Saints, Misfits, and Monsters and they seem to surround her at all times.  She is trying to figure out life with her family.  Her brother has moved home and her dad has moved on and started another family.  There are boys that Janna likes and one boy in particular whom she doesn't like.  Who will help her make sense of all the different people and help her figure out who she is and who she wants to become?

by Stacia Tolman Genre:  Realistic Fiction Serena and her best friend Melody are slogging their way through high school.  Neither one of them really sees the value in applying themselves.  Serena could, but chooses not too, and Melody just wants to find away out of their small town and be a famous dancer.  When both of them fail their Western Civilizations final, they and two other cheerleaders, are forced to figure out a way to retake the class and succeed.  Melody decides that the two of them should join the cheerleading squad, which makes sense for her, but is completely out of Serena's range of skills.  But they try out and join anyway and Serena decides to go all in on school and sign up for all honors classes just to prove that she can if she wants to.  Each of them has an idea of what their senior year will be like, but neither one of them is prepared for what actually happens.

by Kevin Panetta and Savanna Ganucheau Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Graphic Novel High school is over and Ari can't wait to move to Baltimore with his friends and explore whether or not their band can make it big on the music scene.  But Ari's father has other plans for him.  He needs him to help with the family bakery that is struggling to stay open.  Ari enjoyed working there as a kid, but he never planned on doing that for his life.  He decides to find a replacement - someone who wants to work in a bakery.  He finds and hires Hector who is everything that Ari is not.  Things start to change for both of them as they begin to work together.  First it's a friendship, but then is it possible it could be more than that?

by Rey Terciero and Bre Indigo Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Graphic Novel This book is Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy like you have never seen it!  If you are familiar with the Little Women story, there are elements of this story that you will recognize in this modern retelling.  However, there are also some twists and turns that readers familiar with the story won't be expecting...so be prepared!  The March girls are an exuberant bunch and are each trying to figure out who they are and where they belong in the world.

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 A.S. King Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Paranormal 5 teenagers with 5 separate lives...the Shoveler, the Freak, Loretta, CanIHelpYou, and Malcolm are all trying to figure out who they are and what their place is in their family.  All 4 have separate and unique stories and struggles.  The Shoveler doesn't fit in anywhere and he and his mom move around a lot.  The Freak has no friends and flashes from one setting to the next.  Loretta lives in a circus wagon with her pet fleas and parents who don't know how to take care of her or each other.  CanI HelpYou is busy selling weed through the drive-thru window at Arby's. Malcolm's dad is dying of cancer and Malcolm doesn't know what life will be without him. What could these 5 teenagers possibly have in common?

by Angie Thomas Lexile:  550 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Bri wants to be a famous rapper like her father was before he was killed.  She barely knew him, but has grown up in the shadow of what he could have become.  Life hasn't been easy for Bri, her mom and her brother.  Her mom is a recovering addict and there never seems to be enough money to cover the bills.  When Bri records a song about her views on life, there are people who take it and run with their own interpretations.  Bri thought that by recording a hit rap, she might be able to change her family's life for the better, but now she isn't sure what to do as school protests and gang tensions are ramping up.  Bri just wants to follow her dream.