Multicultural Literature

Grades: 7-12
Author: Sherman Alexie
Title: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
Copyright: 2007
Website: ShermanAlexie.com: The Official Site of Sherman Alexie (www.fallsapart.com)

Sherman Alexie, one of the most well-known Native-American authors delivers his first book for young adults, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Part semi-autobiographical, Alexie tells the story of Junior, a young Native-American boy growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. He’s a talented cartoonist who is determined to leave his troubled school on the “Rez” (the natives term for “reservation”) to attend an all-white high school where the only other Native American is the school’s “Indian” mascot. He wants a better life and is willing to sacrifice the life he knows and all of its obstacles to get there. He thinks life will be unbearable at his new school, but he’s able to make friends with all types of students, and he even finds a place on the basketball team. Both funny and heartbreaking, Alexie delivers a book that can be related to by many adolescents. Written beautifully, the book includes drawings that showcase Junior’s art.
Listen to a review of the book at: Alexie's 'Absolutely True Diary' : NPR (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14871881)

Nonfiction: Autobiography

Grades: 11 & 12
Author: Ishmael Beah
Title: A Long Way Gone
Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Copyright: 2007
Website: A Long Way Gone: memoirs of a boy soldier by Ishmael Beah Official Site (www.alongwaygone.com)

Voted as one of YALSA’s Best Books for Young Adults 2008, A Long Way Gone is not for the faint of heart. A Long Way Gone is the true story of Beah's experience as a child solider in Sierra
Leone. He was 12 years old when the civil war in Sierra Leone broke out. He was kidnapped from his family, whom he never sees again, and is recruited into the rebel army (The RTF) that has turned Sierra Leone upside down with violence and genocide. Thrust into a world of violence and drugs, Beah is forced to walk from village to village killing whomever he sees. After awhile it becomes routine; normal, and it is only after being rehabilitated by a UNICEF sponsored group that he is able to escape his horrific world and become a child again. He eventually comes to the U.S. to study and is now a spokesperson/advocate for the UN on child soldiers. As you can imagine there is a lot of objectionable content in the book: drug use, murder/death, rape, etc., but it is a story that must be told and must be read. This is a true story of immeasurable horror and suffering, which will haunt the reader for many days after it is finished.

Watch the following interview with Beah to learn more about the book: YouTube - Ishmael Beah -- Child Soldier (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K4yhPSQEzo)

Historical Fiction

Grades: 9-12
Author: Meghan Nuttall Sayres
Title: Anahita’s Woven Riddle
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers/Amulet Books
Copyright: 2006
Website: Anahita - Meghan Nuttall Sayres (http://www.meghannuttallsayres.com/adult-anthologies-poetry/anahita.html)

What would you do if you were told you had to marry someone you didn’t like? For many young girls in 19th century Iran, the possibilities of this happening were great. In Meghan Nuttall Sayres’ Anahita’s Woven Riddle, we meet Anahita, a nomadic weaver, living in Iran in the 1800’s. When Anahita is told by her father that he wants her to marry the leader of their tribe, Anahita is determined to set her own destiny. This man, the Khan who is very much older than she is, has had three wives die mysteriously. For Anahita, a life married to someone she finds repulsive is unimaginable, so she convinces her father to let her choose her future husband. She creates a contest in which suitors must guess the meaning of a riddle she weaves into her wedding carpet. Who will win Anahita’s contest, and more importantly, who will win her heart? Anahita’s decision to choose her own suitor is not one without controversy in her strict Muslim tribe, and is not one without consequence. How will Anahita’s quest for love end? Meghan Nuttall Sayres herself weaves rich information about Persian culture, Sufi poetry, romance, and adventure to create an interesting story about one determined young woman and an ancient culture who’s traditions are about to change. The book includes a Farsi dictionary and a brief history of the time period.

Realistic Fiction

Grades: 9-12
Author: Frank Portman
Title: King Dork
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2006
Website: Hi, I'm Frank. I wrote this book called King Dork (http://www.frankportman.com/index2.html)

Fourteen year-old Tom Henderson is an outsider, “pseudo-slacker”, and of course, a dork. He has one friend in the world, Sam Hellerman, who like Tom, is teased and humiliated by fellow students and faculty. Tom and Sam love music and writing songs. They invent names for rock bands they’d like to bring to life, because it’s in rock n roll that they find a refuge from their humiliating high school life. When Tom’s father dies under mysterious circumstances, he leaves behind an old copy of The Catcher in the Rye. Written in the book, are mysterious messages which Tom sets out to decipher to find out who his father really was. As he reads through the book, Tom is introduced to several connected conspiracies and mysteries involving dead people, monks, witchcraft, naked people, the Bible, girls, and rock n roll among other things. Some of the clues might solve the mystery behind Tom’s father’s death , and might also reveal to Tom the secret to attracting, as the author puts it, “semi-hot girls.” King Dork is witty, frank, and at times heart breaking. It gives a pretty accurate portrayal of high school life for the nerdy, and will keep readers entertained for hours.
Watch a humorous advertisement for the book: YouTube - King Dork (A Book by Frank Portman)(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmTKQ3CzOW0)

Modern Fantasy

Ages: 10 & Up
Author: Rick Riordan
Title: The Lightning Thief
Publisher: Miramax/Hyperion Books for Children
Copyright: 2005
Website: Rick Riordan - Percy Jackson (http://www.rickriordan.com/children.htm)

In this first installment of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, Percy Jackson is a 12 year old boy who finds out he’s a demigod—the son of Poseidon, Greek god of the sea, and a mortal woman. Percy’s best friend, Grover, leads him to Camp Half-Blood, a place where creatures from Greek mythology are real and alive in this the 21st century! At Camp Half-Blood, Percy is trained in the ways of the Greek gods and discovers more about his lineage. Because of his skill and exemplary behavior at the camp, Percy is awarded with a very important quest. He discovers that Poseidon has been accused of stealing Zeus’ lightning bolt, and a potential war between the gods is about to break out. Unless Percy can return the stolen bolt, all mankind is doomed. The story blends the modern world with Greek mythology to create a fun and fast-paced adventure. It’s in the tradition of the very popular Harry Potter series and will appeal to many fans of modern fantasy. For those looking for a new series to enjoy, this is the book for you. And, if you like this story, there are 3 more books after it!
Watch Rick Riordan talk about his inspiration for the book at: YouTube - Rick Riordan at the Decatur Book Festival Sept 1, 2007 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp8hqs9kWKk)

Retold Literature

Ages: 10 & Up
Author: Michael Buckley
Illustrator: Peter Ferguson
Title: The Sisters Grimm: The Fairy Tale Detectives
Publisher: Amulet Books for Middle Grade and Young Adults
Copyright: 2005
Website: The Sisters Grimm: by Michael Buckley : Amulet Books (www.sistersgrimm.com)

In this first installment of The Sisters Grimm Series, author Michael Buckley introduces us to two sisters, Sabrina and Daphne, who have been sent to live with their mysterious grandmother, Relda Grimm in Ferryport Landing. Soon Daphne and Sabrina learn that they are the descendants of the Brothers Grimm, the famous sibling authors who wrote many of the fairy tales we know today like “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.” Actually, Grimms’ book of fairy tales turns out to be a history book and case file of mysteries! The Three Little Pigs, the Big Bad Wolf, and Prince Charming are all alive and well; neighbors of Grandma Relda. They like to be called “Everafters” or magical folk. Sabrina and Daphne become detectives who must solve crimes that happen in Ferryport Landing. In this installment, someone has let a giant on the loose around town and it’s up to the sisters to stop him and find the Everafter who is guilty of its rampage. Could it be Jack (from Jack and the Beanstalk) who now works at the Big & Tall Store? Or, Mayor Charming who, as a prince, may want his kingdom back? Buckley reimagines traditional fairy tales into a fun and modern series guaranteed to entertain. If you like this first book, there are 5 more after it!
Learn more about Michael Buckley and his books, watch the following Q&A session with Al Roker of the Today show and a few of Buckley’s fans: Q&A with ‘Grimm’ author Michael Buckley - Al's Book Club - TODAYshow.com (http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/22246916/)

Graphic Novel

Grades: 9-12
Author/Illustrator: Marjane Satrapi
Title: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
Publisher: Pantheon
Copyright: 2003
Website: Pantheon Graphic Novels (http://www.randomhouse.com/pantheon/graphicnovels/satrapi.html)

“This is me when I was ten years old.” So begins Marjane Satrapi’s debut graphic novel Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood. Through simple, but powerful black and white pictures, a comic-strip like format, and thought-provoking prose, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran, Iran. When Satrapi was 10 her entire world as she knew it fell apart with the beginning of the Islamic Revolution. Many of the freedoms that she and her family shared were done away with like parties, wearing jewelry and jeans, and listening to one’s favorite rock bands. Perhaps the worst thing to lose was the ability to express oneself and think freely. As the years progress, Satrapi tells us of her everyday life having to live under such a restrictive government and of all the horrors she witnesses or hears about when people disobey the rules. Satrapi’s story is funny at times since we’re given an adolescent’s perspective of the world, and she showcases her budding curiosity of the events that happen around her with honesty and innocence. You might not know anything about Iran, but you’ve probably heard it spoken about on the news today. Satrapi helps us understand how Iran’s newsworthiness began and what her life was like there. It’s a story about growing up, about love and loss, and the devastating effects of war and repression. While most of us have been lucky to never have gone through what she has, we can all relate to the young girl nicknamed “Marji” as she tries to understand the world she lives in.
To learn more about Marjane Satrapi , her work as a graphic novelist, and her family’s influence, watch this video: YouTube - Marjane Satrapi: Graphic novels & her family's influence