Dear readers,

I am a sucker for adolescent fiction. Like my movie selections, my book selections are ones in which there is growth, hope, and change that arises out of a realistic struggle. So as I find books that I like, I’m going to recommend them as I read them. Here are a few recent selections:

Riding Invisible by Sandra Alonzo and Nathan Huang. This is about a Latino youth who runs away from home because his brother has been diagnosed with conduct disorder, and the main character is fed up with the threats and the violence.

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan. This is an extremely well-written fiction that will appeal to gay youth. Also by David Levithan: Love is the Higher Law. This is a book about three friends coming together in the wake of 9/11 and trying to make sense of the disaster.

Forever Changes by Brendan Halpin. This is a local story about a girl with Cystic Fibrosis who is really good at math- coming to terms witih her illness and death.

Lost it by Kristen Tracy. This book was fun and engaging, and I was immediately pulled in. It is about high schooler who loses her virginity, and what she recognizes about this particular aspect of growing up that is significant to her.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. This was a book I coudn’t put down when I first read it. I won’t say much about it, because saying too much might ruin it. (Also a movie).

Dancing in Red Shoes Will Kill You by Dorian Cirrone. I read this book some time ago but I really enjoyed the portrayal of challenges, both political and personal, about what it’s like to be a dancer with big breasts.

Quaking by Kathryn Erskine. An interesting portrayal of healing and peace/ advocacy within the Quaker community.

Carolyn Mackler is one of my hands down favorites and I would recommend anything by her. Her books include: The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things, Vegan Virgin Valentine, Love and Other Four Letter Words, Guyaholic, and her most recent book, Tangled. (I don’t remember books being this good when I was in high school!)

Falling by Doug Wilhelm. This is about a boy who was really, really good at basketball and then stopped playing. And the girl who wanted to find out why. Also by Doug Wilhelm is The Revealers, which is a fascinating read about being bullied in middle school. What I really loved about this book is that it is very much a sort of qualititive research project (much like my dissertation!) in which a small group of targeted middle-schoolers become social scientists and change their experience by making public the stories of victimized students.

Nothing but the truth (and a few white lies) by Justina Chen Headley. This is about a 1/2 white 1/2 Taiwanese girl who is struggling with bi-racial identity.

Shug by Jenny Han. An endearing story of growing up when you are 12 years old.