Gabi, A girl in pieces by Quintero

Quintero, I. (2014). Gabi: A girl in pieces. TX: Cinco Puntos

Gabi is a nice Mexican-American girl whose senior year is filled with confusion, anger, and joy. She has two friends who are also dealing with hard issues. One is got pregnant on a date-rape. The other is a boy who wants to come out. Gabi has her own dilemmas as a she is dealing with her stubborn mother who is always telling her to “keep her eyes open and her legs closed” so she will not endure the same mistakes she did. But Gabi is determining to live her life and experience new things without her mother’s ideas of life. She has a drug addict father who can’t seem to kick the habit and is in and out of her life. But at the end she finds new hope as she graduates from high school and comes to leave home to go to her favorite college. 

Other books that of the same topics are Yaqui Delgado wants to kick your Ass and The Tequila worm. Two Hispanic inspired stories for Young adults. 

Book Trailer: Gabi A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero

The Knife of Never Letting Go a book trailer

The knife of never letting go by Patrick Ness

. Ness, P. (2008). The knife of never letting go. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press

Ted Hewitt is a boy in a town where there are only men. The women are killed off by an alien race known as the Spackle. The Spackle infected the men with a weapon that can make them read their own thoughts and even animals. Ted is surprise when he goes to hunt at the swamp where he encounters an unusual silence. Ted comes to tell his adoptive parents, Ben and Cillian of his experience in the swamp of pure silence that he never encountered before. Ted’s adoptive parents pressure him to leave the town after the town finds out about his experience in the swamp. Ted leaves and encounters a girl that came from a scouting ship. At the end Arron wants to kill Ted and ends up being killed by the girl only to be shot by one of the men. Ted is desperate to save Viola that he asked the mayor to help save her. 

The series continues when Ted is asking the men of his city to save Viola from a gun shot. But the Mayor Prestiss wants to make a New Prentiss town where he is the one who rules. All stories are filled with suspense and mystery.

It's perfectly normal By R. H. Harris for teens who have questions about sex.

Harris, R. (2009). It’s perfectly normal. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press

It’s perfectly normal

 A picture book for teens and tweens that answers all their questions they have about what is happening to their body, changes, and sexual intercourse. It touches every subject a teen would have questions, from conception and puberty to birth control and sexual transmitted diseases. Furthermore it is presented without bias to sexual orientation, politics, or religion. It gives information of puberty, masturbation, anal sex, pregnancy, relationships, and other topics are well discussed from the side of both genders. Topics such as abortion, miscarriage, adoption, contraception and LGBT, are clarified in an impartial fashion. It gives good examples on what is appropriate and consensual contact is with other people. It touches on the subject of conduct on phones, texting, computers, digital media, etc., and the potential consequences of misusing them. The final chapters include staying safe online/sexting and sexual abuse.

This book got 65% of five stars reviews from parents and people according to the Amazon review panel. A lot of the reviews come from parents that are afraid how to explain the birds and the bees to their child but don’t know where to start or what is appropriate to show and explain at such a tender age. Some parents did have some problems of it being too graphic for their teens. It was to explicit for a child who is curious about their body and sex. There are other books also similar in topic about taking about sex to your teen and they are The Care & Keeping of You 1 and Asking About Sex and Growing Up (A question and Answers Book for Boys and Girls). Both books got mix reviews from parents for its objective content and graphic pictures.

It's Perfectly Normal

Monster, a fiction story of a teen in trial for murder

Myers, W. D. (1999). Monster. NY: Harper.

 A fiction story of a boy accused of murder and on trial. He has doubts of himself that maybe he did kill the drug store owner. The story is played out as the start of the trial and fleshes out the story with flashbacks to scenes before Steve is arrested. Steve shows his emotions bout awaiting trial in prison with his view of the dynamics of jail. His fears and confusion make him think that maybe he did kill the store owner. At this price of his crime he wants out even if it means committing suicide to be free. This book gives a good view of detention center and how everybody is treated guilty or not. The book does not explain who did the crime whether he or his friend though in the eyes of the law if he participated in the crime is much guilty as the one who pull the trigger. At the end he is presume not guilty under the assumption of lack of evidence.

This book deals with moral issues that transcend human behavior. How black people are seen guilty just on the fact that they are black. It is depicted on Miss O’Brien’s behavior towards him. It also gives an inside look on what happens in the detention centers and jails with brutality, rape, and discrimination across America. It is written like a movie and some say difficult to follow or drags in some parts.

This are other reads with similar topic of racial discrimination. 

Monster Book Trailer

Annie on my mind by Nancy Garden

Garden, N. (1982). Annie on my mind. NY: FSG

A fiction story of two girls who meet at a museum and their friendship ends up growing much deeper. They try to keep it a secret from the family and friends but end up being discovered. Thou they don’t know how to start or how to go about it they find themselves having the face a lot of obstacles.

Liza is invited to attend an opening of Sally's ear-piercing business one of her classmates but much to her surprise she doesn’t deal with the fact of too much blood. When the school finds out she is ordered to see the headmistress Mrs. Poindexter in connection with Sally's ear piercing. Liza as a president of the student council was to report such incidents happening with their student body. Now Liza has to come to the Student Council committee and find what out if she will be expelled.  Then Liza and Annie exchange letters pronouncing their love for each other and their affair grows but is soon discovered and not encourage by the people around them. But they soon find encouragement from Ms. Widmer and Ms. Stevenson who advise them that people will always have opinions but that they have each other for support. In the University Liza calls Annie and they arrange to see each other during the holidays.

Other books with the same topic is The Gravity between us by Kristen Zimmer and Keeping you a secret by Julie Anne Peters. 

Annie On My Mind Trailer - Enchanted by Taylor Swift

George by Alex Gino

George by Alex Gino, a transgender story

Is a fiction novel of a boy who wants to be seen as a girl. His journey takes him to some twist and turns. His mother and brother don’t know of his secret of wanting to be a girl. But then there is the play, her teacher announces that their class play is going to be Charlotte's Web. George wants to be cast as Charlotte. The thing is that everybody sees him as a boy so he can’t try out for the part. George out of anxious comes out with a plan to play the part of Charlotte and for everyone to see him as a girl. Kelly, George best friend encourages him to try for the part that and not only that but to become a girl too. His mother can’t come to terms with the fact he wants to be seen as a girl. Then there is his brother who does come around and supports George decision to be a girl. This book deals with Transgender community and what a child who wants to come out life can be so difficult.

This book is for educational and support for the transgender and heterogender community. It helps in understanding the life of a transgender individual deals with coming out and publicly announcing his gender identity. This can bring a light to accepting the person for who they are. Another book with similar topic is Gracefully Grayson which has to do with a boy who wants to be a girl and the other is a nonfiction book called Being Jazz by Jazz Jennings with the same topic. 

El Deafo by Cece Bell

El Deafo is about a bunny that has meningitis and ends up losing her hearing and is made to wear a hearing device on her chest to hear her teacher. But her teacher forgets to turn it off so she ends up hearing more than she would like too. She encounters the dilemmas a person who has loss of hearing. Her main goal is to find a friend who accepted her difference. In order for her to deal with her awkwardness she defines her hearing aid as a superpower because she can hear what other children cannot hear and is often laughing with herself.

This book is great for children with some form of disability because she makes her Hearing Impairments as a superpower. She over comes her challenges by making light of the situation and even comical. At the end she finds hope to her loneliness by finding Martha a friend that does not care what her disability is. Cece wrote a graphic novel that is also telling the story of her youth. Other books with the same theme are Sisters, and The Dumbest Idea Ever, Lets hear it for Amigail and I am deaf.

 They are graphic novel memoirs that have a big problem but turn it around by making light of the situation and overcoming the obstacles in their way. The first graphic novel to win a Newberry Honor! 
http://www.themeasuredmom.com/childrens-books-about-disabilities/#_a5y_p=2420578

Teacher resources can be found in 

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/el-deafo#cart/cleanup

http://calvarycouponers.com/educational-toys-for-christmas-see-it-and-sign-it-sign-language-game/

Learn American Sign Language (ASL) Lesson 1

El Deafo Book Trailer

Saddest Scene of Speak (2004)

Speak movie Trailer 2004 HD Kristen Stewart

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

 Melinda is a girl starting the high school but before she starts class her friends are invited to an end of Summer party where she meets a senior and ends up raping her. She is drunk and hurt, she goes to call the police but ends up hanging up and walks away from the place before the police get there. The students resent her and ostracize her. In turn she becomes an introvert and refuses to speak. Melinda decides to tell her friend she was raped on the night of the summer party but her friend gets mad when she find  it’s her boyfriend. The senior who raped her confronts Melinda and tries to rape her that’s when the cross team comes to her rescue and stop the attack. She gets to tell her parents what happen to her and they love on her when she opens up to speak.

This book deals with Date rape one of the common things girls in high school and college has being exposed too.   Girls are taken advantage when they get drunk or strangers who may drug their drinks at parties. There may also be of relatives who take advantage of being family that the overpower themselves to abuse the girls. Girls suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder that they start to cut themselves or become anorexia/ bulimic to deal with the pain. Melinda story is an example of young girls who are going through this type of drama and the only help is by getting therapy and finding a good friend the can listen to them. This book is a good example of teenagers who look different and are reclusive. They are the ones that we need to help and not condemn. Other books that are similar to Speak are Richard D'Ambrosio's No Language But a Cry and John Marsden's So Much to Tell You. 

Topics: Teen violence, armed robbery, date rape, and murder, sexual harassment,drug/ alcohol abuse. 

Teachers resources for lesson plans or ideas to teach the subject. 

http://www.penguin.com/static/images/yr/pdf/LessonPlans_LHA.pdf

http://www.enotes.com/documents/speak-enotes-lesson-plan-83576

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Sherman Alexie

book review on "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian"

Sherman, A. (2008). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian .Maine. Thorndike Press, 2008

Junior lives in an Indian Reservation and has a birth defect that doctors didn’t think he would be mentally functioning but he surprises all because he comes to do remarkable in his new school. All though in his new school which is predominantly white he struggles but he does not give up and keeps trying to succeed. He wants out of poverty, out of the Indian reservation.

Arnold Spirit, known as Junior, an Indian who lives in the Spokane Indian Reservation but is restless and gets  in to trouble at school.  He is excited to attend High school but he notices that the books are old a tattered because they are the same books that his mom used when she attended that high school. He gets so angry that he throws the book to his geometry teacher and ends up breaking his nose. He is suspended and the teacher advises him to attend an all-white public school which he later agrees. He is teased by the students in the new school (basically all white) but comes to befriend a smart popular boy also he ends up with a girlfriend name Penelope. He comes to join the basketball team. Junior’s family resent him for wanting more in life than the Indian reservation. His best friend Rowdy from the reservation also resenting him for getting out of the reservation and wanting more out of life. In a basketball game against his best friend, the Indian, ends up winning the game but does not delight himself because he knows that the Indian life is not easy.

Junior see the effect alcohol has on the Indian reservation first of all he ends up losing his grandmother because she is run over by a drunk driver. His father‘s friend Eugene is killed in a bar over an alcohol drink. His friend Rowdy is beaten by his dad when he gets really drunk. Then his sister Mary makes a party is burn alive when she gets drunk in her trailer but was too drunk to get out. He also sees that his father gets too drunk to pick him up after school and hides for two weeks because he spends the Christmas money on alcohol. At the end his best friend Rowdy comes to play basketball with him.  Rowdy admits to Junior that he knew that he wants more to life then what the Indian reservation has to offer, and that no matter where he travels to send him postcard of the places he goes to visit. Then they both end up playing till the late of night without any one keeping score.

This book is written straight forward as a diary. There are some sexual reference and swear words that might offend some people. There is also the part when Rowdy and Junior are arguing and are accusing each other of being gay, which sounds offensive and childish behavior. The cartoons are very important in the story because they express what the main character is feeling or going though at the time. This book is loosely based on the author‘s life. 

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/absolutely-true-diary-part-time-indian-storia-teaching-guide

White	Indian
bright future	vanishing past
positive role models	family history of diabetes and cancer
hope	bone-crushing reality
Air Jordans	tennis shoes from the supermarket

https://www.tes.com/us/teacher-lessons/-the-absolutely-true-diary-of-a-part-time-indian-editable-unit-ap-style-11081717