Paper Towns, by John Green

Title: Paper Towns
Author: John Green
Publish Date: September 22, 2009
Publisher: Speak/Penguin Young Readers Group
Pages: 320

Price: Paperback $9.99
ISBN: 014241493X
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Range: Young Adult

Annotation: When Margo shows up at Q's (short for Quentin's) window in the middle of the night she asks him to help in an all night, brilliant revenge scheme. Having a crush from afar for a LONG time, he goes along with it. But the next day she is missing, leaving behind her a ton of clues for him to find and decode.

Summary: When Margo Spiegelman calls for Quentin Jacobsen in the middle of the night at his window, she is spewing a plot of crazy revenge dressed like a secret agent. Margo’s always planned in a stye that's over the top, but until this point, she’s keeps the ninja behavior to herself. Quentin, aka Q, has always crushed on Margo from afar, so Q looks at the opportunity as a turn for the better. He follows her into a one night mission of revenge that takes them from ex-friend's houses to Sea World. But after their crusade, the next day at school, his love-from-afar-turned-potential has completely disappeared and his hopes are squashed! Though not so surprised (Margo has always been an riddle), Q finds himself in a mystery chalk full of clues. And, the best part is: they’re for Q!

Evaluation: John Green is a great author who created a relatable character. It speaks to the slight over thinker who longs to connect. Also, this books goes along with a handful of others that prove YA literature can be smart and complex. A highlight is the use of the poem "Song of Myself" by Walt Whitman.

Cool Websites in the Green World : John Green http://www.sparksflyup.com/index.php, Youtube http://www.youtube.com/vlogbrothers Nerdfighters http://nerdfighters.ning.com/

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Romance, Social Outcast, Issues with Runaways, Connecting with Others, Coming of Age, Parental Issues

Reason this book was chosen: I love when authors use literary references and have an all-over intelligent tone. John Green, award winning author for Looking for Alaska, creates a book that looks at relationship and coming of age in an insightful book with a plot driven by mystery to boot!

The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl, By Barry Lyga

Title: The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl

By: Barry Lyga

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

Publish Date: 2006

ISBN: 0618723927

Page #: 320

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Fiction

Age Level: Older Teen

Reader's Annotation: An outcast teen boy and a goth girl form an unlikely alliance as shelter from high school life. Donnie aka Fanboy's secret survival skill is his artistic creation of a graphic novel and not only does he tell his new and only best friend but she starts to work on it with him.

Summary: Amidst bullying and the harsh realities of high school life, Donnie copes with the drudgery of

of teenage life by working on his secret graphic novel and fantasizing about violent ways to get revenge. Donnie has one friend, Cal, a jock who shares his love of comic books. But he generally ignores him for his jock friends and sports in the school setting, and Donnie accepts this as the way things are. It isn't until Kyra sends him an instant message one night that they become friends. Kyra, a "goth" girl, is also an outsider of sorts, but she notices the bullying that Donnie is subjected to daily and she sends him her notice. From her screen name, Donnie isn't sure who he is talking to but when they meet up after school Donnie is shocked to find the pale skinned, lip pierced Kyra who isn't afraid to speak her mind or speak up for herself. From here they become friends, sharing opinions and things in common. Donnie ends up sharing his ultimate secret with Kyra and she ends up changing Donnie, if not helping him figure out who he really is.

Evaluation: Fanboy and Gothgirl is realistic and oftentimes funny. It is a one of a kind book that not only outcast like comic book nerds and goth girls can relate to, but also to the rest of us who know (or remember) all to well what if feels like to be "that" kid.

Bibliotherapeitic Usefulness: Bullying, Friendship, Art, Graphic Novels, Growing Up

Reason this book was chosen: In the light of recent school violence like Columbine and copy-cats since then, a sensitive reader may be somewhat bothered by the casual way in Donnie talks about violence. But I think it is important to realize that their is a general reality that is a teenage boy's inner dialogue and then there is the psychopath that is a murderer. This distinguishing factor is crucial in approaching this novel. There is a realism here that sets this book apart and above all others and it is this quality that makes it speak to me and other fans of the book. I would hate to see the reader or a parent get lost in a generalization because this book is a gem and in actuality its honesty is what makes it so.

Extras: Author Website http://fanboyandgothgirl.com/

Shattering Glass, by Gail Giles

Title: Shattering Glass

Author: Gail Giles

Publish Date: August 2003

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Pages: 224pp

ISBN: 0689858000

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction/Suspense

Age Range: 13 and up

Price: $7.99

Annotation: When Rob, the charismatic king of popularity in his the senior class, turns the school nerd into Prince Charming, his actions lead to unexpected violence.

Summary: Fat, clumsy Simon Glass is a total nerd and a loser. Until Rob Haynes showed up in his life, Simon is the brunt of teasing from almost everyone. Rob, a transfer with personality and charm, takes over the school easily and he has plans for Simon. Rob is setting out to make Simon a popular Prom King from his clumsy current state and Rob knows he can do it. And he does do it. Simon rises and rises on the high school popularity charts, but as he does he gets more and more confident and more and more devious and dark. As things get stickier and secrets are revealed this experiment turns deadly.

Evaluation: Once again, Gail makes the suspense and horror totally plausible and again I found myself paging through this book rapidly, stopping only now and then to mouth the words "wow" to myself. I love her perspective and I loved the tone of Shattering Glass.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Issues with Violence, Bullying, Family Issue, Friends, Incest,

Manipulation, Sexual Content, Sexual Abuse, Murder, Nerds, Peer pressure, Popularity, relationships, Violence

Reason this book was chosen: I have actually seen this agenda play out in school of turning someone from nerd to cool and was intrigued by the idea of a book about it. Also knowing the style of Giles and hearing about end I was knew that no matter what it would be a great read.