Literature for Adolescents
Reading for Fun
This section focuses on books that are fun to read and/or work as “‘imaginative rehearsals’ for the real world” because they “enable adolescents to begin wrestling those issues that remain universal in our lives” (Gallagher 66). However, these books are not the best for whole class reads which is why I put them under this label. For the edition and year section, if there is only a year present that means the edition was not applicable and/or significant. The assessment section is missing because all of these books would be assessed through the one sheet independent reading worksheet Kelly Gallagher utilizes in Readicide.
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Edition and Year: 2013
General Writing Style or Structure (GWSS): Realistic Fiction, Prose
Themes: Identity, Loss, Growing up
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Summary: Have you ever read or written fanfiction because you just love the characters of a book, tv show, or movie too much to let their story end when the writers stopped? Cath and her twin Wren certainly do, and they've always bonded over the stories of Simon Snow. But when Cath and Wren go to the same college, Wren wants to branch out while Cath wants everything to stay the same. Faced with having to handle college without Wren, Cath does what any sensible freshman would: she escapes both literally and figuratively. But what happens when she finally has to confront everything that she’s been hiding from?
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
Edition and Year: 2015
GWSS: Graphic novel, Fantasy
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Themes: Identity, Morality, Friendship, Good and Evil/Heroes and Villains
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Summary: As the back cover states, “Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism!” all await you in this book (Stevenson). The story follows Nimona, the shapeshifting sidekick of the villain, Lord Ballister Blackheart, who is out to prove that heroes, like Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin, aren’t that heroic after all. Who’s the hero and who’s the villain? Where does Nimona get her powers from? In fact, what’s up with that mysterious past of hers?
The Big Over Easy and The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde
Edition and Year: 2005 and 2006
GWSS: Detective story, Satirical
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Themes: Fiction vs. Reality
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Summary: Have you ever wondered what really happened to Humpty Dumpty? Has the fact that his murderer escaped the notice of any and all authorities kept you up at night? Or what about the missing journalist Goldy Hatchett who was last seen by the Three Bears? Well worry no longer! Detective Jack Spratt from the Nursery Crimes Division in Reading, England is on the job.
Mosquitoland by David Arnold
Edition and Year: 2015
GWSS: Realistic Fiction, Prose
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Themes: Sane v Insane, Family, Friendship, Loss
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Summary: A road trip meant to find her sick mother ends up leading Mim Malone to gain two strange travel companions while also rediscovering who she is and what it means to be sane. Read her story to figure out what exactly that vague and slightly run on sentence means.
I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver
Edition and Year: 2019
GWSS: Realistic Fiction, Prose
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Themes: Identity, Growing up, Family
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Summary: Ben, a nonbinary teen, finally decides to come out to their parents only to face every queer teen’s worst nightmare: their parents reject them whole heartedly and they get kicked out. Ben’s only refuge is with their sister who they haven’t seen in ten years, and to top it all off, they still have to finish high school.
The Prince and The Dressmaker by Jen Wang
Edition and Year: 2018
GWS: Graphic novel, Fantasy-esque
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Themes: Public v. Self, Family, Belonging, Identity, Acceptance
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Summary: Prince Sebastian has a secret life he’s hiding from everyone: at night he becomes Lady Crystallia, the queen of fashion taking the world by storm. Frances is Sebastian’s best friend as well as the designer behind his fashionable dresses—but being his secret dressmaker means she also has to keep her talent a secret and Frances dreams of one day being a famous designer. How long can she defer her dreams to protect a friend?
It's Not Like It's A Secret by Misa Sugiura
Edition and Year: 2017
GWSS: Realistic Fiction, Prose
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Themes: Secrets, Race/Ethnicity, Sexuality, Belonging, Family
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Summary: Sana Kiyohara’s life is full of secrets: that she’s bothered when her friends don’t invite her to parties, that her dad is probably having an affair, oh, and that she thinks she has a crush on her best friend, Jamie Ramierz. When these secrets come to light Sana realizes that the hard part isn’t telling the truth—it’s everything that comes after.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Edition and Year: 2017
GWSS: Realistic Fiction, Prose
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Themes: Race and Racism, Police, Gentrification, Activism, Identity, Class, Death and Loss, Family, Gender
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Summary: The difference between who 16-year-old Starr Carter has to be when she’s in the poor, mostly Black, neighborhood where she lives and who she has to be when she goes to school in the wealthy, mostly White, suburbs, is as vast as a canyon. But when you’re pulled over by the cops on your way home from a party none of that matters—all they see is that you’re Black. For Khalil, her friend who was driving, that means getting shot and dying in Starr’s arms. Khalil’s murder soon becomes national news and Starr has to decide if she’s going to come forward as the witness to the murder. As the cover flap says: “[w]hat Starr does—or does not—say could destroy her community. It could also endanger her life.”
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
Edition and Year: 2019
GWSS: Realistic Fiction, Prose with rap/lyrics written by the protagonist
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Themes: Identity, Class, Death and Loss, Race and Racism, Family, Crime, Police, Criminality
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Summary, paraphrased from the cover flap: Set in the same universe as The Hate U Give, 16-year-old Bri is juggling high school and how to get by after her mom lost her job when her first song becomes a viral sensation. Unfortunately, the media focuses more on portraying her as a menace than it does on her talent. Yet there comes a point when Bri doesn’t have the luxury of caring about that, she either makes it big now or becomes a homeless nobody. Read on to find out how Bri handles the stereotyping, the tug between a childhood crush and a potential new one, the family drama, and more.
Children of Blood and Bone Series by Tomi Adeyemi
Edition and Year: 2018 and 2019
GWSS: Fantasy, Prose, Switches between the point of views of the main characters: Amari, Inan, and Zélie
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Themes: Race and Racism, Death and Loss, Family, Identity, Power
Summary (of the first book in the series and paraphrased from the cover flap): Orïsha used to be full of magic and magic wielders, called maji, but that was before a man hellbent on destroying magic and maji became king. Now Zélie Adebola is without a mom and her people are without hope. When Zélie discovers one chance at bringing back magic and rebelling against the monarchy, she doesn’t hesitate. Along the way, Zélie gains the help of her brother, Tzain, and a rogue princess, Amari; so long as they can outwit and outrun the crown prince, Inan, then they just might be able to succeed. What could go wrong, right?