The Fault in Our Stars

Green, J. (2012). The fault in our stars. NY: Penguin Books.
Hazel Grace Lancaster, a sixteen year old with terminal cancer, is attending a cancer support group when she meets Agustus Waters, who is there supporting their mutual friend, Isaac. They catch each other's eye and soon become friends that talk to each other about everything. They hang out and discuss their experiences with cancer. Hazel has thyroid cancer that has spread to her lungs and Agustus had osteosarcoma, but has been cancer free since the amputation. Hazel shares her favorite book, An Imperial Affliction, and they obsess about how the book ends midsentence not giving the reader any closure. Agustus tracks down the author's assistant, Lidewij, and begins e-mail correspondence with Peter Van Houten. He invites Hazel to Amsterdam. So, Agustus uses his wish to take her to meet the author. However, the meeting doesn't go as planned and they leave in utter disappointment. Agustus reveals his cancer is back and that he wants Isaac and Hazel to give his eulogies. He dies eight days later. This is a great book for those 14 years and above. It deals with cancer, young love, and death. Although both main characters have cancer, the cancer isn't the story. The story is beautiful, funny, and heartbreaking. It shows us that cancer can affect anyone.
Green gives us a twist to Hazel's conflict. She's conflicted about entering into a relationship with Agustus because she feels she will hurt him if her illness worsens or she dies. However, it is Agustus who dies first and leaves Hazel heartbroken.

Wolf Children: Ame & Yuki

Hosoda, M. (2014). Wolf Children: Ame &

Yuki. NY: Yen Press.

Hana, a university student, falls in love with an intriguing man who turns out to be half-wolf. She accepts him as he is and they have two children, Ame and Yuki. However, their happiness is short lives when her husband is killed. Hana is left to raise two half-wolves or to hide them from society. She moves them to the country where they were free to be children or wolves. Yuki starts longing to assimilate into the human race and enter a school with children her age while Ame longs to live as a wolf and see the world through the eyes of the animals. This is a good graphic novel for those 13-18 years old. It is a manga therefore it was created in Japan and translated to English in 2014. I recommend this graphic novel to anyone who is in the mood for a family book with kids looking to find their identity. Hosoda demonstrates Havighurst's task that "adolescents have to adapt to their physical bodies." He takes the two half-wolf children and follows them as they are both trying to figure out how to live with the two identities within themselves (human and wolf) and to accept themselves and each other.

The Pregnancy Project

Rodriguez, G. & Glatzer, J. (2012). The

pregnancy project: A memoir. NY: Simon

& Schuster.

Gaby Rodriguez is a seventeen year old high school senior. She was raised by a single mother, who along with her older siblings were all teen parents. So, everyone expected that she would be one too since she was a young Latina living in near poverty. Gaby was in the top five percent of her graduating class and participated in extra curricular activities. For her independent, year-long project, she faked her own pregnancy. Gaby got to experience firsthand how difficult it is physically, socially, and emotionally to be pregnancy and in high school. This is a terrific book for teens 14-17 years. It's a great read for anyone who is sexually active while in middle or high school. It will allow them to get a girl's firsthand perspective on how hard it can be being a pregnant teen in school. This project made national news and was even made into film. Rodriguez does a wonderful job of showing how strong stereotyping can be. Once she revealed she was "pregnant" no one cared how hard she had worked in school. Teachers, family, friends, and student body whispered and talked behind her back saying she had thrown her life away or how her family should be used to teen moms. Rodriguez says teens need to be provided with resources to help avoid getting pregnant and to lend support if it does occur.

Rapture Practice

Hartzler, A. (2012). Rapture Practice: A true

story about growing up gay in an

Evangelical family. NY: Little, Brown and

Company.

Aaron Hartzler and his entire family are extremely strict, devout Christians. They believe Heaven is a real place and they believe in the Rapture, that Jesus is coming back. As a child he was thrilled by that idea, but as he turns sixteen, he's hoping Jesus will hold off until he has had a chance to "live". Soon Aaron begins to question everything as he comes to term with his sexuality and attempts to manage his parents' expectations. He turns rebellion by watching non-parent approved movies, non-Christian music, alcohol, and even some backseat groping with girls. He struggles to reconcile his upbringing and family beliefs with what he discovered his junior and senior years in high school. This is a great book for teens 14-17 years. It deals with religion, but does not solely focus on the Rapture. It has rebellion and finding of sexual identity. Hartzler's memoir is an excellent read. He does a remarkable job of looking at two sides on an issue without judging. His parents were extremely devout Christians while he experimented with some no so Christian activities. As Havighurst says, "adolescents must develop morals and values". Aaron questions what he has believed for sixteen years and begins to form his own truths.

Help for the Haunted

Searles, J. (2013). Help for the haunted. NY:

William Morrow.

Thirteen year old Sylvie Mason has been struggling with her parents' murders for nearly a year. It was a late night in snowy February when her parents received a call and headed out to an old church. Late night calls weren't unusual as her parents helped haunted souls find peace. Sylvie fell asleep waiting for her parents only to be awakened by the sound of gunshots. She is now in the care of her older sister, Rose. Sylvie is in search of what really happened to her parents that fateful night. The story moves back and forth in time as she comes closer to the truth, but in the process she uncovers secrets from her family's past that have haunted them for years. This is a great book for anyone who likes murder mysteries. Although Searles takes us back and forth in time, it is quite easy to follow along. I would recommend this book for older teens. Searles does a phenomenal job with the character of Sylvie. She is desperate to find the answers to her parents' murders. This turns this murder mystery into a coming of age novel that will keep you guessing until the conclusion.

Eleanor & Park

Rowell, R. (2013). Eleanor & Park. NY: St.

Martin's Griffin.

It's 1986 and Park Shridan is a half-Korean boy who tries not to bring attention to himself. That is, until Eleanor Douglas gets on the bus with her bright red hair. They don't really associate with each other until they realize they share common interests in comics and music. Soon they become inseparable.
Although this is a love story, there is more serious content within it.   Eleanor has to deal with bullying at school because she's chubby, the way she dresses, and her red hair. She must also deal with abuse at home. Her step-father is physically abusive to her mother and she constantly hears it. She lives in fear that he might kill her. With that in mind, I feel it is more appropriate for 13-17 year olds. If you like this book, try reading The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.
Rowell's style for Eleanor & Park is to write in both Eleanor's and Park's point of view. This gives her the ability to switch between what both characters are feeling. She also gives us their background contrasting one from the other. As the characters come together, their interaction becomes closer - going from each character have their own chapter or multiple pages to switching them after each sentence.

Everything Leads to You

LaCour, N. (2014). Everything leads to you.

NY: Speak.

Emi Price is just out of high school and has been recruited to work on a new low-budget film. While looking for props at an estate sale of a famous movie star, Emi and Charlotte, her best friend, discover a letter from the actor to his daughter. They decide to track her down, but discover she is deceased. However, her daughter, Ava, has led a difficult life. Emi begins to fall for Ava.
This book displays the passion of a young woman. It is great for young women with dreams and aspirations. Although Emi is a lesbian, it doesn't make the story. I would recommend this book for anyone 14-17 years old.
Havighurst says that "adolescents should find a vocation." Emi has just graduated high school and is already starting her career. She is a talented young production designer who is starting to find her way in the Hollywood film world. She is passionate and confident in her abilities.