The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Author: John Boyne

Publisher: David Fickling Books

Publish Date (Reprint): October 23, 2007

Summary: Bruno and his family moved to a new home in a new town, far away from his friends.  Bruno is very bored in his new home and begins wandering around the home.  He stumbles onto a concentration camp where he meets a boy in striped pajamas.  A friendship begins to blossom as the two compare lives and realize they are very different from each other.

AR Book Points: 7

Source: www.arbookfind.com

Age Range: 9th grade and up

Quality: This book is very tragic and might be hard for some students to understand. If used properly the book can introduce the atrocities of WWII and concentration camps.   

Life Connections

• Death
• Understanding history - WWII, concentration camps
• Friends in unlikely places

The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game

Author: Michael Lewis

Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company

Publish Date (Reprint): September 17, 2007

Summary: A depiction of the life of Michael Oher, #74 of the Baltimore Ravens.  Oher's childhood was unlike many children's lives.  At the age of 13, Michael does not know his real name, his father or how to read or write.  Through miracles performed by members of his community and adopted family Michael learns how to read and write and is eventually granted a scholarship to Ol Miss.  Through determination, hard work and a little bit of luck, Michael Oher is drafted into the NFL.  

AR Book Points: 19

Awards: Alex Award/Honor

Source: www.arbookfind.com

Age Range: 9th grade and up

Quality: This book provides a look into an American child whose life is unlike most, but identical to those in his neighborhood and surrounding areas.  Michael Oher is essentially homeless and is given many opportunities to help him succeed.  His community and family love him and help him succeed.  Children will identify with this because Michael is a real character in a real situation and overcomes the things that could potentially hold him back.  

Life Connections

• Life is not easy
• Helping others succeed can bring happiness to both you and the recipient. 
• Understanding determination
• Understanding different life situations

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Publish Date: February 28, 2012

Summary: One choice can transform you. Beatrice Prior's society is divided into five factions—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). Beatrice must choose between staying with her Abnegation family and transferring factions. Her choice will shock her community and herself. But the newly christened Tris also has a secret, one she's determined to keep hidden, because in this world, what makes you different makes you dangerous.

Award/Source: Georgia Peach Award, Buxtehuder Bulle, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, An ALA Notable Children’s Book for Older Readers, West Australian Young Readers’ Book Award and many, many more.

Age Range: Teenagers

Quality: This book is possibly one of the best books for a teenager to read.  Teaching young readers the importance of family, the importance of society and to stand up for something they believe in. 

Life Connections:

• Friends are important to succeed in life
• Anyone can be a hero
• Women are just as capable as men

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Author: Suzanne Collins

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publish Date: September 1, 2009

Summary: In a dark vision of the near future, a terrifying reality TV show is taking place. Twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear in a live event called the Hunger Games. There is only one rule: kill or be killed. When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her sister's place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.

Award/Source: Georgia Peach Award, Buxtehuder Bulle, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, An ALA Notable Children’s Book for Older Readers, West Australian Young Readers’ Book Award and many, many more.

Age Range: Teenagers

Quality: This book is possibly one of the best books for a teenager to read.  Teaching young readers the importance of family, the importance of society and to stand up for something they believe in. 

Life Connections

· Anyone can be a hero

· It is important to stand up to those who are hurting you and your community

· Family is an integral part of life

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Author and Illustrator: Maurice Sendak

Publisher: HarperCollins (50th Anniversary edition)

Publish Date: December 26, 2012

Summary: After being sent to be early without his supper one night, Max begins an adventure of monstrous proportions. The adventure begins in his room when a forest begins to emerge and monsters appear. Max is named the kind of the monsters and a wild rumpus begins.

Source: Spring 2014 116B Syllabus

Recommended grade: K-2

My suggested age range: any age is appropriate, from infant to adult

Awards: George C. Stone Center for Children’s Books Recognition of Merit Award, Indies Choice Book Award for Picture Book Hall of Fame

Quality: Everyone has hard days and it takes awhile to figure out a way to get over and/or change them.  I wish there was more of a resolution in Alexander overcoming his bad day, but I know the children would identify with some of the situations that Alexander experiences. The repetition would also appeal to children and adults alike.

Life Connections:

· Introducing new places: Australia

· Bad days happen to everyone

· It’s easy to get wrapped up in a bad day which can make it into a terrible day.

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Author: E.B. White

Illustrator: Garth Williams

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publish Date (reprint): April 10, 2012 

Summary: “Terrific”, “Radiant”, “Some pig”. Words inscribed in a spider’s web to describe a pig. Wilbur was the runt of his litter and was deemed too small to be of any good use on the farm.  Saved by an eight year old girl from being killed at a young age, Wilbur learns from his best friend Charlotte (a spider) and other animals on the farm that he is “some pig” and worth more than just bacon.

Source: Spring 2014 116B Syllabus

Recommended grade: 3rd and up

My suggested age range: any age is appropriate, from infant to adult

Awards: Newbery Honor, George C. Stone Center for Children’s Books Recognition of Merit Award, Massachusetts Children’s Book Award, Laura Ingalls Wilder Award

Quality: For many children who are introduced to this book it is a foreign idea of living on a 

farm.  The appeal would be the obscurity of non-domestic animals, animals that are usually only seen in picture books or found on the internet. 

Life Connections:

· Understanding farm life

· Understanding the life cycle

· Sticking up for friends is an important part of life.

· Sometimes sacrificing for a friend is okay

Holes by Louis Sachar

Author: Louis Sachar

Publisher: Dell Yearling

Publish Date: May 9, 2000

Summary: Stanley Yelnats has been wrongly accused of stealing a pair of shoes belonging to a famous athlete. This accusation leads to his incarceration at Camp Green Lake—a camp for boys. During his stay he

learns that even the most unlikely of people can be great friends.  coupled with flashbacks of Stanley’s ancestors and a curse against his family, Stanley and his friend Zero overcome obstacles that lead to finding a huge reward for the both of them.

Source: 116B Spring 2014 Syllabus

Age range: 12 and up

Awards: Newbery Medal, National Book Award for Young People’s Literature,  and many more.

Quality: This book would appeal to pre-teen boys because of the word usage, the nicknames and the humor involved in the story.  The seriousness of the story can be understood by this age range as well.

Life Connections:

· Actions have consequences

· Not all people are trustworthy

· Even the unlikeliest of people can become really good friends

· Anyone can be courageous

· Things do work out in the end