In addition to their current struggles, three teenagers Grace, Maya, and Joaquin have dealt with their adoptions to different families for a lifetime. A discovery opens the opportunity for the three of them to meet for the first time. While the initial encounter forms a familial bond, each sibling must determine the extent of trusting the others. This particularly becomes apparent with their feelings towards finding their birthmother.
Image from www.goodreads.com/book/photo/33830437-far-from-the-tree
0 Comments
Since the February & March months are short in a high school educational season, the CHS library will be integrating Black & Women's History month activities. Take a look at the following book recommendations from the current Animoto video.
Small towns rise and fall on the accolades on the shoulders of a few. Due to the trying economy, Beartown's existence rests of the success of the Junior Beartown Hockey club. The team will bring in new revenue, jobs, and prosperity with a new training facility when the wins the national championships.
However, as the old saying goes, "The mighty will rise and fall." On the eve of the final, star player Kevin Eradht is arrested for rape of the General Manager's daughter Maya. The Beartown spirit of the residents from parents, coaches, players, friends, and community members comes through for better and for worse as they each come to terms with the fallout and legal implications of the night in question. Image from www.goodreads.com/book/photo/33413128-beartown As a high school outcast, the only way Simon gets respect (or at least fear) is by posting nefarious student scandals on a blog post called "All about that". Four students will become impacted by Simon's future actions: Brownye- a Valedictorian front runner whose uncovered deed will ruin her chances towards Yale University admission Cooper-a star baseball player's double life exposure will damage his sterling reputation Addy-a Homecoming princess will lose the love of her life if he finds out about her one mistake Nate-a troublemaker whose life will become a lot worse if the way he financially supports his troubled family comes to light The five of them find themselves in detention after a cell phone prank. During this time, the supervising teacher leaves the room to assist with an accident at the school parking lot. The students are left alone in the room. Before they leave, Simon has a seizure and dies after swallowing a cup of water with a peanut allergen placed inside. Now, the four survivors are suspects in Simon's murder. Is one of them lying to cover his/her tracks? More becomes revealed as these four students, who rarely interacted prior to the date in question, join forces to uncover the truth of Simon's demise. Image from As a young girl, Aly Raisman was transfixed by the video of the Magnificant Seven at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. From that point forward, Aly pursued her Olympic Dream. She overcame incredible odds, with a few beyond her control, to win 6 Olympic medals at 2 Olympic Games.
Anonio Iturbe chronicles fictionalized account of Dita Kruass, a teenaged Czech girl along with her parents, forced to endure the horrors of the Auschwitz Nazi death camp. Unlike other prisoners, Dita's September 1943 is unique with 500 adults and children placed in Unit #31. Even though education is forbidden, numerous teachers instruct the youngsters, pretending to organize games instead of lesson plans. Dita becomes the librarian who repairs and sneaks the 8 available, yet dilapidated books to those hungry hope beyond food. Other notable characters emerge such as Freddy Hirsh, a young German Jew sports organizer, considered an inspirational leader by many in the camp. Viktor Pestak, a Romanian Nazi plotting an escape with Renee, a young Jewish girl he has fallen in love with and her mother. Rudi Rosenberg, the camp registrar who does his best to stay out of the fray until compelled to fight back.
While the inhabitants eek out an existenece, the following question remains. Why would do many, particularly children be allowed to survive? As time progresses, the insidious rationale becomes painfully clear. Dita and those around her must decide how to respond to their terrible fate. Image from www.goodreads.com/book/photo/31145052-the-librarian-of-auschwitz Aza's thoughts of bacteria consuming her body anytime she performs any necessary biological functions consume her. However, she does her best to assume a normal teenage existenc.. Her life takes an unexpected turn when an $100,000 reward to uncover the mystery of multi billionaire Russlel Pickett becomes the rage of the town. Aza, along with her best friend Daisy, join forces to uncover the truth. However, their quest faces complications as Aza's relationship blossoms with Pickett's son Davis. These life changes, coupled with Aza's mental illness creates unbearable havoc for her and those around her.
Cover from www.goodreads.com/book/photo/35504431-turtles-all-the-way-down Khizr Khan rose to prominence after his powerful tribute to his late son Humayan at the 2016 Democratic Convention. He reminds us of true American exceptionalism through his narration of his childhood as the eldest son of a Pakistani farmer to a successful American lawyer & part of a Gold Star family.
Image located at www.goodreads.com/book/photo/34400038-an-american-family Roxanne Gay chronicles her life long struggle with body image and weight in her autobiographical account. Like many before Gay, food serves as a comfort for traumatic pain and becomes the enemy with a betraying body. Obese people not only endure the physical difficulties of an ever growing body, but also face the shaming and ridicule of an overly judgemental public.
Image located at www.goodreads.com/book/photo/22813605-hunger Justyce McCalister begins the "Martin Project", letters to Martin Luther King, during his Senior Year at Brasleton Preparatory School with outside awareness of the issues facing the African American community. However, that changes as the year progresses with painful and catostrophic losses over racial confrontations with his classmates and the police.
Justyce must determine the right course to take- path towards "resistance" or "exceptionalism". Perhaps, both... Will the Martin letters be instrumental in Justyce's search for answers? Image from www.goodreads.com/book/photo/24974996-dear-martinJustyce McCalister begins the "Martin Project", letters to Martin Luther King, during his Senior Year at Brasleton Preparatory School with outside awareness of the issues facing the African American community. However, that changes as the year progresses with painful and catostrophic losses over racial confrontations with his classmates and the police. Justyce must determine the right course to take- path towards "resistance" or "exceptionalism". Perhaps, both... Will the Martin letters be instrumental in Justyce's search for answers? Julia has always struggled as the rebellious daughter of Mexican immigrants. Julia wants a better life than the mundane struggles she witnesses from her parents and older sister Olga. Julia's situation worsens after Olga's death. Julia stresses with the academic & social demands as a high school junior while navigating the moods of her grief stricken parents. She reaches a breaking point once she uncovers a shocking truth about her "perfect sister". Will her life long dream of living on her own as a successful writer be compromised?
Regardless of sexual orientation, Silvera narrates a stream of concscious coming of age story through Griffin, the main character. Griffin experiences losses in both past and present accounts of Silvera's story. Griffin falls in love with his best friend Theo and eventually loses him to another guy Jackson. While Griffin grieves the end of his love story, he confronts the emptiness of Theo's drowning a year later. As Griffin comes to terms with Theo's death, he must address this aching question. What memories of Griffin and Theo's relationship count in the long term?
Image from www.goodreads.com/book/photo/25014114-history-is-all-you-left-me This is where it ends parallels with Jodi Picoult's Nineteen minutes where a Tyler, disinfranchized male student shoots his fellow classmates. Nijkamp characterizes groups of students withclose association with Tyler who confront the horror of his horrific action in various ways. Image from www.goodreads.com/book/photo/24529123-this-is-where-it-ends As a little girl, Dooa Al Zanel lived a sheltered life in a small Syrian community. As Dooa grew older, she overcame her shyness after being uprooted from homes several times. When Dooa became a teenager, Dooa found her voice protesting the Assad regime. Unfortunately, her family tale proved to be no different than millions of other Syrians-forced immigration to parts unknown due to the unconscionable violence. As Syrian refugees in Egypt , the Al Zanels' living conditions depended on political winds. Dooa eventually would confront her greatest fears when she and her fiance Bassam depended on untrustworthy smugglers through a perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea towards freedom in Europe once the turmoil in Egypt became too great.
Image located at www.goodreads.com/book/photo/30078650-a-hope-more-powerful-than-the-sea Follow Louisa's story after the climatic Me Before You 2 years later. After surviving her own death defying accident, Louisa navigates through old & new relationships. Each relationship from her family members, to a long lost daughter, to overbearing & difficult boss, to a new love interest, pose different challenges for her.
Image located at www.goodreads.com/book/photo/25041504-after-you Ann Brashares continues with the journeys of Bridget, Lena, Tibby, and Carmen in the adult version of Sisterhood of Traveling Pants. As they approach 30, the 4 lifelong friends are leading separate lives away from each other. When a planned reunion in Greece turns array, the women's lives unravel with each questioning their current life course.
Image from www.goodreads.com/book/photo/9461872-sisterhood-everlasting In this suspenseful conclusion to Wolf by wolf, Yael quickly discovers her faiulueIn this suspenseful conclusion of Wolf by Wolf, Yael quickly discovers her failure in assassinating Hitler. While attempting to protect the Nazi resistance while on the run, Yael finds she must rely on Luka and Felix, the boys she betrayed in the Axis bike race. Despite his anger, Luka finds himself drawn to Yael's humanity and deep hidden hatred for the Nazi. On the other hand, Felix's outrage towards Yael's impersonation of his sister Adele and determination to protect his family leads him towards a sinister path.
Image located www.goodreads.com/book/photo/26864835-blood-for-blood |
AuthorI am Ms. April Geltch, CJUSD Librarian & advisor of the Yellowjacket Literate Book Club. YA Book Sites 50 Young Adult Book Blogs 100 Awesome Social Sites for Bookworms Ms. Geltch's 2009-12 Books of the Year: The Early Years Ms. Geltch's 2013 Books of the Year Ms. Geltch's 2014 Top Ten Books of the Year Ms. Geltch's 2015 Books of the Year Ms. Geltch's 2016 Books of the Year Ms. Geltch's Favorite Books 2017 Ms. Geltch's Reading Possibilities 2018 Ms. Geltch's YA Literature Recreational Reading Guide Nearby Libraries
Chaffey College Library Colton Public Library CSUSB Library Los Angeles County Public Library Riverside County Public Library RCC Library San Bernardino County Public Library UCR Library University of Redlands Library Valley Community College Library Categories
All
Archives
October 2020
|