Divergent
by Veronica Roth
I loved this book!
It is the first book in a trilogy, which usually leads to the kids reading more books to get the whole story. It is set in Chicago, so the students like it because they know where it is and some of them are familiar with the landscape described in the book.
It is set in a dystopian society, which is a fancy way of saying it is a place where people are usually unhappy and/or afraid because they are not treated fairly. In this society people live in five different groups, each with its own main virtue or characteristic (Peacefulness, Courage, Truth, Intelligence or Selflessness). When teens reach the age of 16 they have to choose which faction they want to join, which is where they will live the rest of their lives. Beatrice “Tris” Prior goes against the norm during her choosing. She discovers a secret that could result in her death or change the world as she knows it.
This novel is action-packed and leaves you wanting more. The good news is the series is complete and there are two more books available. The bad news is the third book has a gut-wrenching ending. Some of the students and I have read the final book and agree we did not care for the ending at all. However, I still think the series was worth reading and enjoyed the first movie, which came out in March 2014. If your child is a fan of The Hunger Games series, this is a good pick for them.
Legend
by Marie Lu
This is another dystopian book, but this one is set on the west coast. The Republic was once part of the United States, but is now at war with its neighbors and keeps its citizens separated in districts, which are divided along economic status. Two teenagers from opposite ends of the spectrum are on a collision course which will change their lives.
Day was born in the slums and is considered an outlaw by the Republic, even though all he is doing is trying to help his family and others survive (kind of a modern day Robin Hood). June is from one of the wealthiest districts and is being groomed for a place of power in the ruling party. When Day is blamed for June’s brother’s death, she vows to avenge him and is sent to use her training and skills to catch the elusive Day. When they finally meet they start to discover the truth about their government, which sets them on a new path.
This is the first book in a trilogy. All three books have now been released, so this is a good series for those who do not wish to wait. While I liked the Divergent series more, I enjoyed reading about Day and June and would still recommend this series. The books are smaller than the Divergent series, so this would be a good pick for students who do not like books that are “too big”. Once again, fans of The Hunger Games series will probably enjoy this book.
Wonder
by R. J. Palacio
Some people consider this an anti-bullying book. While it certainly contains that message, I consider it a book more about acceptance and friendship.
Auggie is a fifth grader who has been homeschooled his entire life and is getting ready to attend school for the first time. I always ask our students to stop and think about that when I am introducing this book. Most of us started going to school in kindergarten. No one knew what was going on, but that was okay because we were all in the same boat. Some of us have moved into new schools as we got older and know how intimidating it can be to try and fit in. Now imagine attending school for the first time as a fifth grader, with people you do not know and you possess a facial deformity that has made people scream and run away. That is what Auggie is facing. He spent a lot of his earlier years hiding under a toy astronaut helmet so he did not have to deal with the responses his face caused.
People can be mean. Parts of this book made me so angry and disappointed in humanity I had to put it down and take a few breaths before diving back in. The really sad part is, I knew the responses and actions of some people were realistic. Luckily, in this novel, not everyone is mean. Some people rise above and are just genuinely good. I wanted to be friends with some of the characters, just because they were such great people. Auggie learns a lot during this book. I like to think I did, too.
This is a must read book. It made me cry at times, but it is not a depressing book. This one does not have to be purchased for your student. Buy it for yourself, read it, then give it to your child. Once you have read it, it needs to be shared with others. Seriously, go buy this book.
Deadline
by Chris Crutcher
I tell kids all the time that I do not like sad books or movies. I want to be entertained, not depressed. I most definitely do not like books where characters die, especially kids, and have been known to stop reading a book in the middle and put it back on the shelf.
This book made me change my mind.
You are told right from the beginning that Ben, the main character of this book, is going to die. Ben is eighteen and a high school senior when he goes to the doctor for his school physical and finds out he has a pretty much untreatable form of cancer. Ben then makes two decisions – 1) He is not going to seek treatment (which will just make him feel worse) and 2) He is not going to tell anyone, including his family (which he can do because he is 18 and the doctor cannot legally tell anyone). Ben is basically told he has a year to live and he decides to make the most of it, doing things he never would have done before. This book chronicles his senior year and how Ben’s decisions affect him and impact others.
I liked this book a lot. It made me rethink me stance on “sad” books. It is a YA (Young Adult) book and geared towards mature readers, so if you (or your kid) is not ready for that you might wait to get this one when they are in high school. It mentions some mature themes - death, teenage pregnancy, dealing with difficult teachers, alcoholism, but that is not what this book is about. It is also not really a book about death, even though we know the main character is going to die from the beginning of the book. To me, this is a book about living and how one young man chooses to do so in the time he is given.
by Veronica Roth
I loved this book!
It is the first book in a trilogy, which usually leads to the kids reading more books to get the whole story. It is set in Chicago, so the students like it because they know where it is and some of them are familiar with the landscape described in the book.
It is set in a dystopian society, which is a fancy way of saying it is a place where people are usually unhappy and/or afraid because they are not treated fairly. In this society people live in five different groups, each with its own main virtue or characteristic (Peacefulness, Courage, Truth, Intelligence or Selflessness). When teens reach the age of 16 they have to choose which faction they want to join, which is where they will live the rest of their lives. Beatrice “Tris” Prior goes against the norm during her choosing. She discovers a secret that could result in her death or change the world as she knows it.
This novel is action-packed and leaves you wanting more. The good news is the series is complete and there are two more books available. The bad news is the third book has a gut-wrenching ending. Some of the students and I have read the final book and agree we did not care for the ending at all. However, I still think the series was worth reading and enjoyed the first movie, which came out in March 2014. If your child is a fan of The Hunger Games series, this is a good pick for them.
Legend
by Marie Lu
This is another dystopian book, but this one is set on the west coast. The Republic was once part of the United States, but is now at war with its neighbors and keeps its citizens separated in districts, which are divided along economic status. Two teenagers from opposite ends of the spectrum are on a collision course which will change their lives.
Day was born in the slums and is considered an outlaw by the Republic, even though all he is doing is trying to help his family and others survive (kind of a modern day Robin Hood). June is from one of the wealthiest districts and is being groomed for a place of power in the ruling party. When Day is blamed for June’s brother’s death, she vows to avenge him and is sent to use her training and skills to catch the elusive Day. When they finally meet they start to discover the truth about their government, which sets them on a new path.
This is the first book in a trilogy. All three books have now been released, so this is a good series for those who do not wish to wait. While I liked the Divergent series more, I enjoyed reading about Day and June and would still recommend this series. The books are smaller than the Divergent series, so this would be a good pick for students who do not like books that are “too big”. Once again, fans of The Hunger Games series will probably enjoy this book.
Wonder
by R. J. Palacio
Some people consider this an anti-bullying book. While it certainly contains that message, I consider it a book more about acceptance and friendship.
Auggie is a fifth grader who has been homeschooled his entire life and is getting ready to attend school for the first time. I always ask our students to stop and think about that when I am introducing this book. Most of us started going to school in kindergarten. No one knew what was going on, but that was okay because we were all in the same boat. Some of us have moved into new schools as we got older and know how intimidating it can be to try and fit in. Now imagine attending school for the first time as a fifth grader, with people you do not know and you possess a facial deformity that has made people scream and run away. That is what Auggie is facing. He spent a lot of his earlier years hiding under a toy astronaut helmet so he did not have to deal with the responses his face caused.
People can be mean. Parts of this book made me so angry and disappointed in humanity I had to put it down and take a few breaths before diving back in. The really sad part is, I knew the responses and actions of some people were realistic. Luckily, in this novel, not everyone is mean. Some people rise above and are just genuinely good. I wanted to be friends with some of the characters, just because they were such great people. Auggie learns a lot during this book. I like to think I did, too.
This is a must read book. It made me cry at times, but it is not a depressing book. This one does not have to be purchased for your student. Buy it for yourself, read it, then give it to your child. Once you have read it, it needs to be shared with others. Seriously, go buy this book.
Deadline
by Chris Crutcher
I tell kids all the time that I do not like sad books or movies. I want to be entertained, not depressed. I most definitely do not like books where characters die, especially kids, and have been known to stop reading a book in the middle and put it back on the shelf.
This book made me change my mind.
You are told right from the beginning that Ben, the main character of this book, is going to die. Ben is eighteen and a high school senior when he goes to the doctor for his school physical and finds out he has a pretty much untreatable form of cancer. Ben then makes two decisions – 1) He is not going to seek treatment (which will just make him feel worse) and 2) He is not going to tell anyone, including his family (which he can do because he is 18 and the doctor cannot legally tell anyone). Ben is basically told he has a year to live and he decides to make the most of it, doing things he never would have done before. This book chronicles his senior year and how Ben’s decisions affect him and impact others.
I liked this book a lot. It made me rethink me stance on “sad” books. It is a YA (Young Adult) book and geared towards mature readers, so if you (or your kid) is not ready for that you might wait to get this one when they are in high school. It mentions some mature themes - death, teenage pregnancy, dealing with difficult teachers, alcoholism, but that is not what this book is about. It is also not really a book about death, even though we know the main character is going to die from the beginning of the book. To me, this is a book about living and how one young man chooses to do so in the time he is given.