Realistic Genre "The First Part Last" by Angela Jonson

Johnson, Angela. The First Part Last. New York: Simon & Schuster for Young Readers, 2003. Print; IBNS: 9780689849237; Hardcopy Price $16.99.

Annotation

At age 16, Bobby has become a father to his newly born baby girl Feather. How will Bobby in suddenly growing up from the young man he was just a short time ago into the man he must become for the sake of his daughter. 

Awards

• As you can see from the image below, this piece has won two awards. The black and gold award (on Feather's foot) is the Coretta Scott King Award.
• The golden one above it is the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. An award recognized by the ALA (American Library Association).

Book Talk

16-year-old, Bobby would have never though that he would be a father so soon. When Feather was born, no longer was he just a kid who had ample time on his hands. He suddenly had to grow up, for both his sake, and his daughter’s. Explore Bobby’s progress as the setting shifts from “Then” and “Now.” Understand how Bobby came to become a father, and later how he began to earn it. Explore Bobby’s further maturity, and how he made choices that could not be undone. Finally, look at Bobby’s action, and see if you would have done anything differently if you could do The First Part Last.

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LGBT Genre "Tessa Masterson Will Go To Prom" by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin.

Franklin, Emily, and Brendan Halpin. Tessa Masterson Will Go To Prom. New York: Walker & Company, 2012. Print; ISBN-13: 978-08027-2345-1; Hardcopy Price $16.99. 

Annotation
When Lucas' childhood friend and crush comes out as homosexual with the Prom around the corner, he must work to overcome his personal conflicting feelings and help his friend, Tessa Masterson, go to the prom with her date.

Awards

• Won the Rainbow Project Selection from the ALA (American Library Association)

Book Talk

Picture this. You are a young man in high school who has feelings for his childhood friend. You get the courage to confess to that friend, and ask her to the prom. The problem is, when this happens, you are expecting (or hoping) she would feel the same way, only to find out not only does she not romantically interested in you, she is also a lesbian. How would you react to this news. Will you feel anger? Frustration? Humiliation? What if you were the girl? How would you feel if you suddenly had reveal this secret to the world? How will both parties fair?

Lucas and Tessa can tell you from their respective points of view. Follow these two in a story of ups and downs. Watch as they face a challenge to their friendship, their relationship with others, and their community, all this conflict leading to their high school prom. There are three things Lucas is sure of. He will find a way to overcome this revelation, deal with his own emotions, and of course, even if it is not with him, and even if others disapprove Tessa Masterson Will Go To Prom.

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Non-Fiction and Biography Genre "Mo' Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove" by Questlove and Ben Greenmen.

Questlove, and Ben Greenman. Mo' Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2013. Print; ISBN: 9781455501359; Hardcopy Price $26.00.

 Annotation

Questloves, hip-hop artists and drummer of the band Roots gives us a detailed account of his life and his own quest in the hip-hop career he loves. Explore his mind as he gives us his personal account of the music industry and how he got where he was today. 

  
Awards

• No awards won as of now

Mini Book Review

This book is a memoir of one Ahmir Khalib Thompson, or as he is known by his stage name, Questlove. It outlines the life of a famous individual in the hip-hop community. In this account of Questlove’s life, we learn about his beginning, and his mindset throughout his career. We learn about his career from his point of view, from his time as the Drummer of the band Roots, to his association with other musical artist. The autobiography tends to take a philosophical approach to prove Questlove's point, referencing other artists and even historical events that shaped the world. In his own unique way, Questlove manages to tell his life story while at the same time questions his own role in the Hip Hop genre and giving the reader something to think about as well. 

For me, I found the book to be enlightening to the hip-hop world. I would recommend this book to anyone interesting in music. In today’s modern world, we see all kinds of young men and women with the ambition to become rappers, though they do not appear to know what to do. I think this book will help them in their understanding. Not only does it give a good account on how the business works from the mind of a professional, I think it is good for them to realize the author was once a normal young adult like them. The sense that the author is able to relate with the young adult reader early on in the book allows Questlove to effectively connect with the reader. I recommend this book to music fans and any young adult interested in the music world no matter the genre. You can get a copy of this book at your local library. 

My Video Book Review

Classical Fiction Genre "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton

Hinton, S. E.. The Outsiders. New York: Viking Press, 1967. Print; ISBN: 978-0-14-038572-4; Paperback Price $9.99.

Annotation

Explore the youth culture of a group called the Greasers through the eyes of Ponyboy Curtis and their ongoing rivalry with the local rich kids, the Socs. This story takes a look Ponyboy’s life as he goes through emotional and traumatic events that will shape him into a different person from the beginning to the end of the novel.

Awards

• "New York Herald Tribune Best Teenage Books List" 1967
• "Chicago Tribune Book World Spring Book Festival Honor Book" 1967
• "Media and Methods Maxi Award" 1975
• "ALA Best Young Adult Books" 1975
• "Massachusetts Children’s Book Award" 1979

Mini Book Review 

S.E. Hinton’s book, “The Outsiders” is a classic in the way of young adult literature. It features 14-year-old Ponyboy Curtis and his social group known as the Greasers. In the book, the Greasers have a longstanding rivalry with a group of rich kids known as the Socs. After the book brings up background information of the two groups, we get in detail about Ponyboy’s life with his brothers, Darrel and Sodapop, and their gang of Greasers. Further detail is given to another primary protagonist named Johnny who prior to the events of the book was jumped by a group of Socs. Once the background information is given, the book takes a dark turn as Ponyboy and Johnny are jumped by a group of Socs and things quickly get out of hand, resulting in an event that would change Ponyboy’s life forever.

In terms of literature, this is clearly a masterpiece. Possibly one of the greatest classics in the Young Adult literature, I think it will appeal to young adults from middle school up because it brings up at one point or another issues that young adults may or may not deal with at some point in their lives. I recommend this book not only because of the fact that it is a classic and can reach out to plenty of young adults, but because of the way it causes its readers to think about their lives and the lives of those around them and brings up the question of what an outsider truly is. 
 

My Video Book Review

Historical Fiction Genre "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Print; ISBN: 978-0-375-84220-7; Paperback Price $12.99.

Annotation

            This story follows the story of Liesel and her childhood in World War II Nazi Germany. As Death narrates her life, grow to understand her and how she fights against personal struggles by becoming a book thief.

Awards

• This novel has won over 14 awards over the years. Among them include the "Notable Books for Teens Award" and the "National Jewish Book Award."

Mini Book Review

Markus Zusak’s book titled The Book Thief is a historical fiction novel that dates back to the years of World War II in Nazi Germany. Witness the struggles of  Liesel, coping with her surroundings as she becomes the adopted daughter of the kindly painter Hans Hubermann, and his aggressive wife Rosa. The story outlines Liesel’s childhood as she grew up in Nazi Germany, including the relationship with her family and childhood friend Rudy Steiner, coping with her abandonment by her parents and the death of her brother, and her own discomfort of Nazi Regime, which gets more complicated when her father hides a Jew, Max Vandenburg in the family basement. Watch as she finds a way to cope with the stresses in her life through reading and eventually stealing books. This story, told through the mouth of a personification of Death gives a detailed account of Liesel Meminger and her life as “the Book Thief.”

            Considering the narrator of the story is Death and the setting is Nazi Germany World War II, it is worth mentioning that this story may make certain people uncomfortable to say the east. This discomfort aside, the story is beautifully written with Death portraying the story in a morbidly quirky and somewhat snarky tone when needed. It should also be noted that the various themes range from morality, and coping with one’s environment which is an issue itself in today's youth. The language and the subject of the literature makes this book perfect for young adults who are interested in Historical Fiction. It is both enjoyable, and entertaining, thought its language and subject matter make it more suitable for mature young adults such as high-schoolers, and maybe some middle-schoolers. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Historical Fiction and anyone who wants to read a good drama. 

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