HARD LOVE

Wittlinger, Ellen. Hard Love. New York, NY: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1999.

ISBN: 068984154X; $8.00 US; Paperback

(Image Credit: www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/)

AWARDS/HONORS/REVIEWS

School Library Journal Best Book of 1999

Booklist Editor's Choice, 1999
Lambda Literary Award, 2000
Printz Honor Book, 2000

YALSA Quick Pick for Young Adults, 2000

YALSA Best Book for Young Adults, 2000

ANNOTATION:

John is a teenage boy, full of frustrations and anxiety, growing up with divorced parents. He struggles finding his identity, socially and sexually, as he falls hard for his lesbian friend, Marisol.

BOOKTALK:

Meet John Galardi, Jr.- A high school student who doesn't care about fitting in or making friends. In fact, let's just drop the whole "junior" thing because that is just way too lame. John would much rather write down his thoughts and produce his own zine for the world of teens to read. Unless his mom interupts to give him the cold shoulder, or his father picks him up to eat dinner in silence. He's gotta make up for those lousy fathering skills somehow. Any of this sound familiar?

Teenage life can be complicated and frustrating as it is, but how could it get worse? Well, you could fall in love with the wrong person. And that's just what John does when he meets the author of his favorite teen zine; someone not afraid to write down her emotions and desires to escape from her parents' clutches. Marisol is spunky, honest, and not to mention beautiful. Yet, there is one tiny problem; she is a lesbian.

John falls hard for the one girl he can't have; his best friend. Yet, in that friendship John discovers his own elusive sexuality, not to mention the guts to stand up to his parents and demand to be shown respect and love.

John Galardi built a wall around himself when his parents divorced and has never let his feelings surface. Marisol breaks down those barriers by helping John recognize what it means to be loved and to love in return. It might be a hard love for John, yet that love brings light into his life, and awakens his identity that was just waiting in the wings to be found.

Ever been in love? Ever struggled to find out who you are? Read about John Galardi and his journey to discovery. You will gain the courage to make those first hesitant steps.

Come on...you can do it!

THE FIRST PART LAST

Johnson, Angela. The First Part Last. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2003.

ISBN: 0689849222; $15.95 US; Hardcover

(Image credit: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/)

AWARDS/HONORS/REVIEWS

Coretta Scott King Award, 2004

Printz Award, 2004

ALA Best Books for Young Adults

ANNOTATION:

Bobby must learn to grow up the hard way when he discovers he is not only going to be a father, but also raise his daughter himself.

BOOKTALK:

Bobby has a pretty mature outlook on life for only being a teenager. He already can see that "if the world were really right, humans would live life backward and do the first part last." That way they would alreadyknow the lessons to be learned; they could go back and be smart about everything before making decisions.

How did Bobby get so smart? Well, Bobby learned to grow up quickly when his girlfriend, Nia, announced unexpectedly she was pregnant. There was adoption to think about, Nia's parents to calm down, and the future to determine in nine quick months.

In one pivotal moment Bobby's world is turned upside down. And the only thing constant is the love Bobby feels when he looks into his daughter's eyes. Feather got her name because it was like someone brushed the air with a feather when she was put in Bobby's arms. When the air is filled with love it becomes so hard to remember the bad times; it becomes hard to remember that you are struggling to find babysitters or stay awake in class.

When Bobby looks into Feather's eyes he doesn't want to forget how he got to this place. Sure, it was a mistake; a painful mistake. But it's time to teach Feather about the good things in life. Bobby wants to tell Feather about the love that brought her into this world. Bobby doesn't know what will happen tomorrow, and he knows it is not going to be easy. Yet, right now feels like heaven.

For a story about love and its often painful consequences, enter Bobby's world. You will feel the air being brushed by a feather too when you turn these pages.

LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMINSTER BOY

Schmidt, Gary. Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004.

ISBN: 0618439293; $15.00 US; Hardcover

(Image Credit: http://www.uky.edu/)

AWARDS/HONORS/REVIEWS

2005 Printz Honor Book

2005 Newbery Honor Book

2005 ALA Best Books for Young Adults

2005 ALA Notable Book for Children

Kirkus Reviews Editor Choice Award

School Library Journal Best Books of the Year-Children

ANNOTATION:

The world of a minister's son, Turner Ernest Buckminster III, is turned upside down when he meets Lizzie Bright, the granddaughter of the African-American preacher on nearby Malaga Island. Turner and Lizzie embark on a series of adventures that leave both of them changed forever.

BOOKTALK:

Life is different in Phippsburg, Maine. Every house is painted white with green shutters; people are always staring at you making sure you aren't misbehaving. Why, they don't even throw a darn baseball right! And there is all this hatred and fuss about a community of colored people that live on nearby Malaga Island.

What would you do if you were Turner Buckminster? What would you do if you hated being the son of a minister, hated being told what shirt to wear every day, and how to behave in public. I bet some of you would go crazy; crazy enough to rock the boat and befriend a colored girl named Lizzie.

Turner's world turns upside down when he meets Lizzie. He learns how to hit a Maine baseball, how to row a boat across the sea, and most importantly, break out of the mold he was in and discover who he really wants to be.

Turner stands up for what he believes in, and in doing so changes the lives of his family, and those of the town members of Phippsburg, Maine. Based on historical events, the author shows us what it means to stand up for your beliefs.

Turner "found" himself in Phippsburg, Maine. And in doing so he looked into the eye of a whale. What do you think will happen when you open this book?

WEETZIE-BAT

Block, Francesca Lia. Weetzie-Bat. NY: HarperCollins, 1989.

ISBN: 0064470687; $3.95 US; Paperback.

(Image Credit: http://www.mobipocket.com/)

AWARDS/HONORS/REVIEWS

ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults

ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

ALA Best Books for Young Adults

Parents' Choice Gold Award

ANNOTATION:

Weetzie Bat, along with friends Duck, Dirk, and My Secret Agent Lover Man, lives a life full of fantasy, magic, and adventure in Los Angeles, California.

BOOKTALK:

Life can be hard sometimes, in fact, a lot of the time. Sometimes we don't feel like we belong in our families or our circle of friends. Sometimes like Weetzie we hate high school because no one understands.

Do you ever want to escape to another world? Where everything is fun and carefree? Join Weetzie Bat as she drives around in a T-bird, making Hollywood pictures, and meeting a genie in a lamp!

Block weaves a story of pivotal issues that occur in many teenagers' lives: pregnancy, divorce, disease, and sexual exploration. Yet, instead of dwelling on the negative, Block raises dramatic issues to new heights. Weetzie says we can "choose to plug into the love current instead." We can choose to see the bad in life, or we can latch on to the good things.

Pick up Weetzie Bat and be transported to another world; a happily ever after where some things are unorthodox and crazy, yet everything is perfect.

THE OUTSIDERS

Hinton, S. E. The Outsiders. New York: Penguin Group, 1967.
ISBN: 014240733X; $10.00 US; Platinum Paperback Edition.
(Image credit: http://www.randombuzzers.com/)

AWARDS/HONORS/REVIEWS

New York Herald Tribune Best Teenage Books List, 1967

Chicago Tribue Book World Spring Book Festival Honor Book, 1967

ALA Best Young Adult Books, 1975

Massachusetts Children's Book Award, 1979

Media and Methods Maxi Award, 1975

ANNOTATION:

It's the Greasers against the Socs, in a coming-of-age story about two different classes of youth. Surrounded by violence, injustice, and the recent deaths of their parents, three brothers from the East Side try to stay true to themselves as the world paints them as outcasts. and the Socs try to beat them down.

BOOKTALK:

Darry, Sodapop, and Ponyboy; unique names for three unique boys fighting against the hard knocks of life. Darry, the oldest, is strong, hard, with "eyes that are like two pieces of pale blue-green ice." Sodapop is handsome, reckless; doesn't need to drink a lick of alcohol to have fun. And living under the shadow of his dominant brothers is Ponyboy; a dreamer who deep down inside wonders if there is a world beyond jumping at one's shadow. Is there more to life than being a Greaser and hating the West-side rich kids? Is there something beyond stealing, holding up gas stations, and being jumped when you aren't looking?

The Outsiders, written when the author was sixteen years old, paints a passionate picture of what it means to be an outsider. And who hasn't ever felt like an outsider? If you have ever felt different, alone, separated from other kids around you, this is the book to read.

Sodapop sadly witnesses the death of two friends, two pivotal members of the Greasers. Yet, through their deaths comes a new awakening and understanding that family and friends will always stand by you. You can rise above any situation life has landed you in. And happiness comes by "staying golden," finding the good in the world, and making yourself into what you want to be.