City of Bones

YA READS:

Clare, C. (n.d.). City of bones
[digital image]. Retrieved October 30,
 2016 from http://cassandraclare.com/
shadowhunter-chronicles/the-mortal-
instruments/

Clare, C. (2007). The mortal instruments: City of bones. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books. ISBN: 978-1-4169-5507-8; $11.06 (paperback).

Have you ever looked at something, and by a trick of the light, think you’ve seen something else?  Clary Fray is at a club with her best friend Simon when she sees several beautiful teens get into an altercation.  This bizarre fight ends with the death of a boy; yet, he’s clearly not exactly a human boy since blackish liquid explodes from his body as he dies.  Clary isn’t sure if she can believe her eyes – did she really just witness the death of a demon?  City of Bones is the first book in the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, and Clary quickly learns that the world is not always as she thought it was.  Shadowhunters, runes carved into their skin for protection and power, use their abilities to fight downworlders.  Her mother is missing, and possibly in the possession of terroristic Nephilim.  Her mother’s best friend turns up with a bunch of werewolves.  Hooded figures who live in an ancient city made of crushed ashes communicate with her without ever moving their mouths.  Can Clary make sense of her new reality and save her mother before forces converge upon her to bring about her death?  And will her new mysterious guide, Jace, supply her with answers or only create more questions?  Go ahead and journey into the City of Bones!

AWARDS (according to FictionDB):

* 2009 Spectrum Award -- Novel (Finalist)
* 2011 Colorado Blue Spruce Award -- Young Adult (Nominee)

HOMEMADE TEES: Now that this book has been turned into both a movie and hit TV show, there are all kinds of options for wearing your approval of the Mortal Instruments.

ModernFanGirl. (n.d.). The mortal instruments
infernal devices [digital image]. Retrieved October 30,
2016 from https://www.etsy.com/listing/251296159/
the-mortal-instruments-infernal-devices?ref=market

< This beautiful shirt from Etsy includes some of the Shadowhunter families whose stories intertwine throughout the series.

EsotericRhythms. (n.d.). Shadowhunters
looking better in black [digital image].
Retrieved October 30, 2016 from
https://www.etsy.com/listing/463092946/
shadowhunters-looking-better-in-black?ref=market 

^ This next witty tee 

is perfect for any reader who loves the darker parts of City of Bones.  Yes... death is involved. Get your own, also at Etsy! 

WANT MORE?

Here's the trailer for the 2013 movie version:

The Fault in our Stars

YA READS:

Green, J. (n.d.). The fault in our stars
[digital image]. Retrieved October 24,
 2016 from http://www.johngreenbooks.
com/the-fault-in-our-stars

Green, J. (2012). The fault in our stars. New York: Penguin. ISBN 978-0-14-242417-9; $12.99 (paperback).

Hazel and Augustus – names that might sound like your grandparents’ best friends – are really two teenagers dealing with terminal cancer.  Sounds like a great plot for a book, right?  Well it is.  It’s a really delightful story about two people who decide that even though certain elements of their lives are out of control (like having cancer), that they will still seek to make happiness and light a part of what remains.  So Hazel and Augustus bond over their catastrophes, find ways to strengthen one another and love one another despite the inconvenience of hospital stays and oxygen tanks.  Augustus spends his Wish (like from the Make-A-Wish foundation) on a trip to Amsterdam with Hazel so that she can meet the author of her favorite book.  While the author visit does not go as planned, the two teenagers discover along the way that sometimes just a glass of champagne and a fancy dinner, or the ability to walk up a long flight of stairs is all you really need in life to be happy.  In the end, through all of the emotional ups and downs of life and love and friendship, author John Green teaches us all that while there are Faults in Our Stars, there is beauty in those constellations as well.

AWARDS according to author John Green's website:

* TIME Magazine’s #1 Fiction Book of 2012

* #1 New York Times bestseller

* #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller

* #1 Indie bestseller

* #1 USA Today Bestseller

* #1 International Bestseller

* TODAY Book Club Pick

* Editors Choice, New York Times Book Review

* Starred reviews from Booklist, SLJ, Publisher’s Weekly, Horn Book, and Kirkus

* CBC Awards, Teen Book of the Year 2013

* Book of the Year, Nickelodeon MPN Awards, Brazil

HOMEMADE TEES: there is no shortage of fangirl shirt art available for this book.  Having an awesome movie version starring two good-looking teen actors didn't hurt.  But here are some of my favorite FIOS tees:

Green, J. (n.d.). Okay? okay. pullover hoodie
[digital image]. Retrieved October 24, 2016
from https://store.dftba.com/products/
okay-okay-pullover-hoodie

This first one was designed by the author himself and is available from his website of fun gear, Don't Forget To Be Awesome. Making fun of two of their gushy friends who promise to "always... always" love each other, Gus and Hazel prefer to remind each other that sometimes, okay is enough.

Call Me Calliope. (n.d.). Stars I can't
fathom into constellations [digital image].
 Retrieved October 24, 2016 from https://society6.com/
product/stars-i-cant-fathom-into-constellations
_t-shirt#s6-2215716p15a4v104a5v17a11v49 

Then there is beautiful shirt available from Society Six that includes one of my very favorite quotes from the book.  John Green has a way with words, and really captures the teen experience - sometimes your mind really is just too scattered to be anything other than random and beautiful. 

Want more gear?  Just peruse Pinterest - it's everywhere!

WANT MORE?

If you don't want to read this book by the end of this trailer, there is nothing I can do to help you... seriously.  Read it. THEN go see the movie...

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Amazon. (n.d.). Aristotle and Dante
discover the secrets of the
universe [digital image]. Retrieved
October 24, 2016 from https://www.
amazon.com/Aristotle-Dante-Discover-
Secrets-Universe/dp/1442408936 

YA READS:

Sáenz, B.A. (2012). Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-605-53288-5; $16.50 (Perma-Bound).

Have you ever felt unsure of yourself or uncomfortable in a room full of people?  Have you ever felt like communicating with your parents is more difficult than taking a trigonometry test while blindfolded?  Have you ever kept a secret because you were afraid to admit the truth?  If so, then you will be able to commiserate with the characters in this coming of age novel.  Aristotle and Dante are both Mexican American teenagers growing up in the southwest in the 1980s, and both have their fair share of struggles.  Ari has a father who doesn’t talk much, and especially not about his experiences in Vietnam.  Ari is much like his father: emotionally closed off.  Dante, on the other hand, is an open book, but this makes others uncomfortable.  Their friendship comes to a turning point after Ari saves Dante’s life by pushing him out of the path of an out-of-control car, taking the brunt of the hit himself.  Dante realizes his true feelings for Aristotle: feelings of love.  Both boys must eventually come to terms with their own identities.  So while Dante and Aristotle attempt to Discover the Secrets of the Universe, they’ll end up discovering secrets within their own hearts as well.

AWARDS (according to Goodreads.com):

* Stonewall Book Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature (2013)

* Michael L. Printz Award Nominee (2013

* Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award Nominee for Young Adults (2015)

* Lambda Literary Award for LGBT Children's/Young Adult (2013)

* Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award (ALAN/NCTE) Nominee (2013)

* Pura Belpré Award for Narrative (2013)

HOMEMADE TEES: There are many shirts to be had in the genre of LGBTQ pride.  However, a true fan of this particular book would stick to one of Saenz's beautiful quotes - the man is, indeed, a nationally recognized poet for good reason!  This one is available at RedBubble:

Shannell C. (n.d.). All of the
mysteries of the universe
[digital image]. Retrieved October
24, 2016 from http://tinyurl.com/hhh5jnp

Steve Jobs: The man who thought different

Blumenthal, K. (2012). Steve Jobs
[digital image]. Retrieved October
9, 2016 from http://www.karenblumenthal.
com/books/yngppl/bk_stevejobs.html

YA READS:

Blumenthal, K. (2012). Steve Jobs: The man who thought different. New York: Feiwel and Friends.  ISBN: 978-1-250-01557-0; Hardcover; $16.99.

Most of America is familiar with Steve Jobs and the products he helped to create.  However, fewer people probably know the story of the man behind the incredible devices that drive thousands of people to wait in lines outside of Apple stores when a new gadget releases.  Jobs was visionary about his products, but blind to his own weaknesses.  He was enthusiastic about the ideas of others only after hurtful initial reactions of revulsion.  Furthermore, he was driven to succeed even when others discounted his contributions. Steve Jobs was not an easy person to manage or collaborate with, but can still be considered one of the greatest innovators of the twenty-first century.  Anyone reading this book will find themselves wondering what more the world might have seen had Jobs not lost his battle to cancer before his creativity ran dry.

While this book is categorized as YA, there were times as I was reading that I felt it was a bit long for some teen readers unless they were really interested in Steve Jobs individually.  Interspersed throughout the book were pictures that helped provide glimpses into Steve’s life, and little end-of-chapter summary boxes designed to look like an open tab on a Mac computer added interesting bonus information.  From an aesthetic stand-point, I wish the pictures were in color; however, the end notes are strong, with a complete time line of Jobs’ life, a thorough bibliography and notes, and a glossary and index.  All in all, the most valuable takeaway is the historical background about the development of computing technology, and the lesson about how flawed people can still provide great value to our community.  By the last few chapters, we see that his genius was vindicated and his legacy lives on. 

AWARDS (according to Karen Blumenthal's website): 

* YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award, 2013 finalist
* American Library Association Children's Notable List
* Booklist Editor's Choice list, 2012
* Junior Library Guild Selection
* Kentucky Bluegrass Award Middle School list
* Librarian's Choices, 2012
* New Jersey Garden State Teen Book Award for Nonfiction
* Texas Lone Star List

HOMEMADE TEES:

There is no shortage of people who want to claim vintage Apple products.  However, even the thrifty-Apple-loving-couch-shopper can grab fun t-shirts from a variety of locations.  Amazon sells a witty "3 Apples Changed the World" tee, and JB Originals carries a tribute to Jobs' personal motto of "Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish."

Universal Apparel. (n.d.) Three
apples changed the world [digital 
image]. Retrieved October 9, 2016 
from https://www.amazon.com/gp/
product/B00O2PR1QA/ref=pd_sim
_193_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID
=B5MK7X2EPVNBW5QN7T6J

JB. (n.d.). Stay hungry stay
foolish [digital image]. Retrieved
October 9, 2016 from http://
jboriginals.wordans.ca/t-shirt
/stay-hungry-stay-foolish-
steve-jobs-465037

WANT MORE?

Woven throughout the narrative of Blumenthal's book are excerpts from Steve Jobs' commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005.  Here is the original video footage of that speech:

All the Broken Pieces

Burg, A. (2013). All the broken
pieces [digital image]. Retrieved
October 1, 2016 from
http://www.annburg.com/books.html

YA READS:

Burg, A.E. (2009). All the broken pieces. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 978-0-545-08093-4; paperback; $6.99.

Matt Pin is a child born to a Vietnamese mother and an American father during the Vietnam War.  However, his mixed-race status is enough to put him in danger as the U.S. draws out of his native Vietnam.  Therefore, his birth mother sends him to the United States as part of Operation Babylift in hopes that he’ll find a better life in America.  Matt is adopted by a loving family and starts to find ways to deal with his past.  Piano lessons, trips to the park, meeting with veterans, and joining the school baseball team are all steps in the right direction; however, he cannot bring himself to talk about the horrors he witnessed.  Furthermore, some of his classmates and those impacted by the conflict overseas can’t quite find it in their hearts to accept Matt into their community.  One boy in particular, Rob, is especially cruel to Matt, and takes the opportunity to harass him during every baseball practice.  When the tension amongst the team reaches a breaking point, a wise coach decides to pair the players in a trust exercise.  Before the end of the practice, both Matt and Rob have to come to grips with how the war has affected them, and find common ground in finally talking about the loss of a sibling.  Told in poignant verse poetry form, All the Broken Pieces speaks truth about the power of love to overcome pain, and the importance of sharing your story to find acceptance.  After all, “Words are messy, but sometimes, words are all you’ve got to show what matters most.”

The format of this novel might be an initial turn-off to some middle school readers.  The first few pages are a bit tricky since the verse poetry form is condensed and the language about Vietnam relies heavily on symbolism and imagery.  However, for those readers willing to endure through the first thirty pages, a powerful story develops to which most kids can relate.  While the story is set in a specific historical period, the larger themes still ring true today.  It is a very difficult thing to put one’s self in someone else’s shoes.  Yet those who travel with Matt and Rob, and the other characters affected by the Vietnam War, are sure to find that out of the broken pieces, something beautiful emerges.  Recommended for grades 6-10.

AWARDS (according to author Ann Burg's website):

* ALA Best Books for Young Adults
* Booklist Best of Editor’s Choice
* 2009 Booklist Top Ten First Novels for Youth
* 2009 Booklist Top Ten Historical Fiction for Youth
* NYPL 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
* Cybils Awards Finalist
* Winner of the 2010 Jefferson Cup

Sewwhimzy. (n.d.). Super adopted shirt
[digital image]. Retrieved on October 1,
2016 from https://www.etsy.com/shop/
sewwhimzy?ref=l2-shopheader-name

HOMEMADE TEES: for other kids who have been adopted, this book will resonate with the many emotions and struggles that happen when you are a part of two families.  Show your pride in your adoption with this Superman tee, available from Etsy.

PioneerThrift. (n.d.). 1980s vintage
"good morning Vietnam" movie
title [digital image]. Retrieved on
October 1, 2016 from https://www.etsy.com/
shop/PioneerThrift?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Or, for older readers, pay homage to other Vietnam-era classics, like Robin Williams' movie Good Morning, Vietnam (vintage tee from Etsy) and Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried (tote from RedBubble).

ProfHarshman. (n.d.). Tim O'Brien,
the things they carried [digital image].
Retrieved on October 1, 2016
from https://www.redbubble.com/people/
profharshman/works/13991578-tim-obrien
-the-things-they-carried?p=tote-bag

WANT MORE? Listen to Mrs. Scott read the first few pages of this novel for her students.

The Outsiders Stays Gold

YA READS:
Hinton, S.E. (1967). The outsiders. New York: Penguin. ISBN: 0-14-240733-X; paperback; $10.00.

Ponyboy Curtis is growing up as the youngest of three brothers in what we can imagine is Tulsa, Oklahoma in the 1960s. With the death of the Curtis parents, his brother Darry is forced to raise his younger brothers, and their situation is often grim. Ponyboy is a Greaser, part of a group of boys who don’t have much money, live on the wrong side of town, and like getting into just the right amount of trouble. But a conflict with some rival Socs actually turns Ponyboy into a murder accomplice, and he and his victim-perpetrator friend Johnny must go on the run. The story follows the two as they grapple with the burden of having killed another teen, and of living a life less than what they hoped for. When their hideout location catches fire, Pony and Johnny have the chance to redeem themselves by saving some young children caught in the blaze. However, Johnny’s heroism costs him his life. Losing parents and friends, watching more violence and bad choices turn his pals into crime statistics, Ponyboy finally comes to realize that the solution is for him to “tell their side of the story, and maybe people would understand then and wouldn’t be so quick to judge.” This full circle novel is Hinton’s way of showing how teens on the fringe can mature into citizens capable of empathy and acceptance.

This novel has reached classic status after close to fifty years of publication. Adoring teen readers of both genders have discovered the delight of page after page of their stories, brought alive through these rag-tag characters. While some of the language has changed, and this novel doesn’t include the same forms of entertainment that teens enjoy today, the prevailing themes and issues are inherently the same. Cliques and divisions, the yearning to fit in and have more, the dissonance between what teens and their authority figures want – all of these motifs stand the test of time. This book should be present on the shelves of any school library or public library with teen titles. Stay gold, indeed, Ponyboy – this novel is the gold standard for classic titles. Recommended for grades 7-12.

AWARDS (According to S.E. Hinton's personal website):
* New York Herald Tribune Best Teenage Books List, 1967
* Chicago Tribune Book World Spring Book Festival Honor Book, 1967
* Media and Methods Maxi Award, 1975
* ALA Best Young Adult Books, 1975
* Massachusetts Children’s Book Award, 1979 

HOMEMADE TEES:

Most of the tees you'll see in conjunction with this book will have the classic line, "Stay Gold Ponyboy."  There are several available on Etsy.  However, a real fan might go a step further and get the tee with Dally's famous line from both the book and movie, "Let's do it for Johnny!" Either way - show your love for The Outsiders by dressing like a greaser and catching a drive-in movie.

Caribouchick. (n.d.). Yellow,
stay gold, Ponyboy
[digital image]. Retrieved October 1,
2016 from https://www.etsy.com/shop/
caribouchic?ref=l2-shopheader-name 

 

AmericanHeyday. (n.d.).
The outsiders do it for
Johnny [digital image]. Retrieved
October 1, 2016 from https://www.etsy.com/
shop/AmericanHeyday?ref=l2-shopheader-name  

Mrs. Scott - the greaser school librarian.

WANT MORE?  There's a movie!  Originally released in 1983, and then re-released in 2005 with extra footage and updated music, the film holds true to the book.  Plus, it stars many famous actors in their younger days: Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise, Diane Lane, and more!