Rules of Survival, By Nancy Werlin

Title:The Rules of Survival

Author: Nancy Werlin

Publish Date: September 2006

Publisher: Penguin Group

Pages: 272pp

ISBN: 0803730012

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Range: 12 and up

Price: $16.14

Annotation: Matthew is the eldest of three siblings (both sisters) and the son of a manic, out of control, abusive mother. The story unfolds of their story in a letter to his sister about their mother and their lives during that time.

Summary: Matthew, Callie and Emmy live with their crazy, manic (actually unbearable) mother Nikki. They grew up knowing that their mother could crack in rage at anytime, or take them on a manic rollercoaster of over the top fancies like theme parks and obsessive love interests. Tip-toeing around her was a way of life, just as was dealing with her in her insane moments. When Matt and Callie meet a man named Murdock, their mother sinks her fancy into him and for a while they live happily. When the house of cards comes crumbling down, so do the children's hopes of help from Murdock. Matt is foiled at the hopes of his savoir falling through. And seeing Murdock wash his hands of their mothers dashes him even further. Will Murdock be able to help them at all, what about their father? Can anybody help them escape the life that seems so grim and hopeless. And will their mother crack and explode beyond anything they ever dreamed of if they actually stand up to her?

Evaluation: This book is so intense, I don't even know how she wrote it without going crazy. Reading it was so hard I can't even find words to express the rage and sorrow I felt being in that world. Helpless and frustrated and screaming inside were common place while reading it. Werlin's writing allows you to really be in the moment and the cover art is the best metaphor for a scenario like this that I have ever seen.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Child Abuse, Children having to be the parents, Standing up to your abuser, Strength, Hope, Asking for help, Siblings Alliances

Reason this book was chosen: Because it was just exactly how it really it. Horrible. You can't not include something that powerful, even if it's horrible. If it wasn't horrible it wouldn't be honest, right?

Website: http://www.nancywerlin.com/

It's a Kind of Funny Story, by Ned Vizzini

Title: It's a Kind of Funny Story
Author: Ned Vizzini
Publish Date: April 3, 2007
Publisher:Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 448 pages
ISBN:0142401757
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Fiction
Age Range:Young Adult
Price: $8.99

Annotation: After being accepted into a prestigious high school in Manhattan the pressure mounts and Craig becomes increasingly depressed. He checks himself into a facility after calling a suicide prevention line and he finally begins to understand himself and his talents.

Summary: Like many determined NYC teens, Craig sees being accepted into Manhattan's Executive Pre-Professional High School as the one way all exclusive ticket to the success he dreams of. Craig studies excessively to get in and that the beginning of his life spinning out of control. Once he is in he begins to feel the pressure and begins to see himself as average and maybe even not capable of being as successful as he see himself in his head. He get seriously depressed. He stops eating and sleeping and even ends up almost killing himself under the weight of the depression. The breakdown winds him up in an institution where he meets all sorts of people and begins the upward climb to rehabilitation and facing what's really crippling him.

Evaluation: I have a special place for this book. Something about the character's relatable sadness and they way he comes back from it was awesome. I heard this was being made into a movie and I can see why. You can tell it's authentic and comes from actual experience which makes it all the more endearing.

Also a realistic view of the increasing pressures of school and success in todays world.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Returning from the brink of suicide. There is a point to picking up that phone and calling for help. It's not pointless.

Reason this book was chosen: There are more teens then we think that go through recovery institutions for many things like depression, drugs, or suicide and I think its refreshing to read a story with humor and pathos and it gives hope to those with crippling depression. Sometimes a little spark is all it takes to keep fighting.

Orange, by Benjamin

By: Benjamin

Publisher: Tokyopop

Publish Date: February 10, 2009

ISBN: 1427814635

Page #: 144 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Manga

Age Level: Older Teen

Series Titles: Orange (To date only one Volume has been released.)

Reader's Annotation: Orange stands at the edge of life contemplating suicide when a mysterious man talks her down. Unfortunately, her second chance is shattered just weeks later.

Summary: Don't be fooled by the vivid colors in Orange. It is the dark story of a nihilistic teen dealing with depression and angst and the urge to end it all. Contrastingly this dark story line the color reminds us of how bright things burn inside us, especially in teens. Yet, at the same time, when depressed, we tend to see the world, metaphorically speaking, in black and white. The use of color is breathtaking and the topic is of interest to many teens who struggle with depression and thoughts of suicide.

Evaluation: The story may fall short but the art makes up for it threefold. Personally, manga readers and non-manga readers alike will enjoy this visual feast. But, the subject is really intense, and artistically, Benjamin created a gorgeous triumph in the Chinese Manga.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Suicide, Self-Expression, Depression, Art as Therapy

Orange on Tokyopop Website: http://www.tokyopop.com/product/2685/Orange/1

Read Tokyopop Manga Online Here: http://www.tokyopop.com/manga/read_tokyopop_titles/browse