Gossip Girl #1 (Bk. 1 in Series), Cecily Von Ziegesar

Title:Gossip Girl
Author:Cecily Von Ziegesar
Publish Date:April 1, 2002
Publisher:Poppy; 1 edition
Pages:199 pages
ISBN:0316910333
Classification:
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Range:Young Adult
Price: $7.91

Annotation: In a Manhattan upper crust Private High School being a teen takes on new meaning. Everybody has it all, plus an extra dose of dysfunction, jealously, sex, drugs, and all drama in between. And don't forget, Gossip Girl knows what you are doing. xoxo

Summary: In New York, jet-setter teens have it all, including a wealth of of problems. A narrator who spreads gossip remains unknown, while the problems keep on getting spilled. Follow super cool Serena, coming out of an expulsion and, Nate, sexy and stoned, and Blair, popular queen of their school and ex-best friend of Serena. The dish on everything is being gossiped to everyone. No secret is too precious as these spoiled and broken teens grapple with both the luxuries and the trauma of being the elite few that seems like a fairy tale on the outside.

Evaluation: This book was turned into a TV show that reigns as the most controversial teen show on TV. It's nasty (in the best way), sexual, drugs are everywhere, and the kids are so freaking spoiled it makes you feel guilty just watching it. This book (and the show for that matter) shows the downside to all the money and elite living. And it shows that even the rich have problems. The real value lies in realizing that a teen in this situation could really benefit from reading it before actually doing these things. And the bottom line is, reading it is a lot more fun then actually suffering through it!

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Gossip. Gossip. Gossip. Seem Harmless? Not so good actually...being careful what you spill is a valuable lesson.

Reason this book was chosen: The book has the effect of gossip itself once you enter it's hard to extract yourself; teens will devour this whole. The open-ended conclusion promises a follow-up. Also, it is hard to discern the book from the TV show anymore (as they are so intertwined). I liked the idea of touting a title that is just as good as the mega hit it inspired.

Website: http://www.gossipgirl.net/series/

Lush, by Natasha Friend

Title: Lush

Author: Natasha Friend

Publish Date: 2007

Publisher: Scholastic

Pages: 192

ISBN: 0439853478

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Range: Teen

Price: 7.99

Annotation: Sam is 13, has an alcoholic dad, and she is having trouble dealing the whole situation. As a result she turns to an older student for advice.

Summary: 13 year old San has a dad who is an alcoholic. When he isn't drinking he is a amazing. But under the influence he is abusive. It scares Sam and her mom is in denial. Her four year old brother is young and Sam feels she needs to protect him. What is she supposed to do with her life? Sam decides to leave an anonymous note in the Library in hopes of an older girl that she admires picks it up. With this a back and forth stream of support flowers in which Sam can express her feelings about her home life, feelings, and even about her crush on a certain boy. In the return letters, Sam is forced to face the harsh realities of life.

Evaluation: Natasha Friend has a voice for teen issues and it shows in the story line, the dialogue, and the motives that drive the characters. Growing up with an alcoholic I can relate and vouch for the authenticity of her voice. Well done, I had a lot of feelings for Sam and was hopeful when she channeled some strength.

Bibliotherapuetic Usefulness: Dealing with alcoholic parents and expressing yourself.

Reason this Book was Chosen: From my own personal experiences, I can appreciate the need for a book like this. I wish I had it when I was young.

Website: http://www.natashafriend.com/

Luna, by Julie Anne Peters

Title:Luna
Author:Julie Ann Peters
Publish Date:February 1, 2006
Publisher:Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages:256 pages
ISBN:0316011274
Classification:
Genre:
Age Range:Young Adult
Price: $7.99
Annotation: Regan is faced with the difficult nature of dealing with her transgender brother "transition" into being a girl.

Summary: Regan has always felt that her brother Liam was different. In fact, he was transgender, and actually a girl. This was never, ever an issue for Regan. But now, Liam-who now goes by Luna-has decided to transition in public. For Regan, she never had a problem keeping the secret but now she has to accept it in public. Can she do it?

Evaluation: Finely written, touching, and shows how others around react to his change. Really illustrates the way in which we support the ones we love, or should I say, the true nature of our acceptance of the ones we love. Also, this books is reads fast and easy which makes it easy to put yourself and you own feeling into the book! Very, very good.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Transitioning and Transgender Issues

Reason this book was chosen: It's an award winning book that looks at the life of an ignored medical issue and makes you think twice about all gay and lesbian people and whether or not they "have a choice."

Website: http://julieannepeters.com/files/JPYABooks.htm

The Chosen One, by Carol Lynch Williams

Title: The Chosen One

Author: Carol Lynch Williams

Publish Date: May 2009

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Pages: 224pp

IBSN: 0312555113

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Range: 12 and up

Price: $16.95

Annotation: Kyra lives with a polygamous cult on a desert compound. Kyra who is almost 14 has already been offered up to be married to a 60 year old man. A man that is her uncle no less. As Kyra grapples with her future as she is secretly discovering books and boys. Should she run away from her entire everything she knows or face her follow her fate and become a seventh wife?

Summary: Kyra, 13, grew up on a polygamist commune with her multi mothers and large list of siblings. Although she is young, in her world, 13 is a marriageable age. And to her shock she has been chosen for her Uncle who is a shocking 60 years old. After discovering a book mobile (a forbidden thing on the compound), Kyra escapes into the world of books at every chance she gets. If Kyra, A CHOSEN ONE, marries her Uncle, she will be the seventh wife, and her new found world will surely be gone. Surely she is being punished with having to wed her Uncle by God for reading these books. And that boy on the compound she likes made her punishment even worse. Didn't it? Now Kyra is beginning to feel confused but if she doesn't go along with her fate, her punishment will be brutal. But is running away an option? Can she fathom loosing her family forever?

Evaluation: This book is riveting, and even nostalgic. This is a piece of you that is a 13 year old girl experience things like first crushes, then there is another part of you that is rediscovering all those books she reads along side her. And lastly there is the part that has your heart just stopped in empathy for her. It's fascinating, horrifying, and should be more widely published. I had to search for this book! I absolutely loved it and was torn up inside for her.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Any teen that has been brought up in any extreme religion or cult will get something out of this book. And the rest of us can stop looking down at people who live on these communes cause you can see how the a child knows no other life.

Reason this book was chosen: This book is so unique and haunting. It really makes you think. And I can't imagine having gone through this and not having anybody to relate to. Having a book like this available could very well be a savior to a lost child and in turn they may not feel so one sided and isolated. Shocking.

Librarian Created Trailer! Amazing!

Cut, By Patricia McCormick

Title: Cut

Author: Patricia McCormick

Publish Date: January 2002

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.

Pages: 160pp

IBSN: 0439324599

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Range: 12 and up

Price: $16.95

Annotation: Callie is hiding a fatal secret, she a cutter. When she is found out she is sent away to an institution where she meets many different people with all sorts of issues and she begins to finally understand herself.

Summary: Callie is a 15 year old girl who is seemingly normal. But she is hiding a scary truth. She deals with her pain by cutting her own skin. When her parents find out they send her to get help. But she won't talk. Not to anyone. her parents deal with her in different, hurtful way. Her dad begins to drink and folds into his work as an escape. her mother a frantic, frail mess who is a hair short of agoraphobic. The family problems that lead to her pain in the first place need to be dealt with and until finally she begins to let go, she can't begin to heal.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: psychology of cutting a form of self-abuse, family dysfunction, therapy

Evaluation and reason this book was chosen: I loved that this was a quick read because I had trouble connecting to it. I felt like it just ok. I didn't think the writing was that sophisticated and the the plot kinda under developed or something. I was excited to read it but in the end I didn't connect. However, it is accessible and there are levels of hope and change and possibilities of being healed which is good for people who are looking for a book who aren't generally into reading 500 page novels. For that this book may really hit the spot. I have heard people say they really responded to this book so that is why I included it.