Fearless by Taylor Swift

         

Title:  Fearless   Format:  CD
ASIN:  B001EYGOEM   Artist:  Taylor Swift 
Studio:  Big Machine Records  Release Date: November 11, 2008

Artist Information:
Taylor Alison Swift was born on December 13, 1989 in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. She is a country pop singer-songwriter, musician, and actress. After the release of her debut album Taylor Swift in 2006, the Recording Industry Association of America certified it as multi-platinum. Taylor Swift earned four Grammy Awards for her second album Fearless. By 2008, Swift became the best-selling musician of the year when her albums sold a total of four million copies. Her third album, Speak Now, was released on October 25th, 2010, and sold over one million copies in its first week.

Some of Taylor's musical influences are Shania Twain, LeAnn Rimes, Tina Turner, Dolly Parton, and her maternal grandmother. Swift enjoys participating in many philanthropic endeavors. In 2007, she assisted in a campaign to protect children against online predators. She also donated $500,000 to a flood relief telethon for the victims of the May 2010 Tennessee floods.

Contents:  Fearless, Fifteen, Love Story, Hey Stephen, White Horse, You Belong With Me, Breathe, Tell Me Why, You're Not Sorry, The Way I Loved You, Forever & Always, The Best Day, Change

Music Summary:
Fearless, a county pop album, topped the Billboard 200 for eleven non-consecutive weeks, which has not happened since 2000. This studio album also had the largest opening sales week in the United States in 2008 by a female artist in all music genres, and the overall fourth largest sales among all musicians. The most popular songs on the album are "Love Story",  "White Horse", and "You Belong With Me". In fact, "You Belong With Me" was nominated for a Grammy, and it's Swift's second best-selling single. The corresponding music video directed by Roman White won the 2009 MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video. The music itself is a combination of classic country and soft rock, which has seen a resurgence in popularity in the 1990's.

Critical Evaluation: 
On the heels of country pop music's rise to popularity, Taylor Swift represents a perfect combination of the quintessential pop star and the girl-next-door. As she was a teenager when she first came onto the music scene, adolescents are enamored with her singing talent. Swift's songs take on classic country elements such as song lyrics that tell a story over a simple melody. Swift, a songwriter herself, composes songs that she says are inspired by actual life events. For instance, the song "Forever & Always" refers to her relationship with Joe Jonas, "Hey Stephen" is about a boy she once toured with, and "Fifteen" talks about her freshman year of high school. This autobiographical spin allows her audience to closely identify with much of her music. While the straightforward lyrics and melodious music are attractive to a wide crossover audience, Swift's subtle country twang help establish her as one of country music's biggest stars.


Genre: Music, County Pop

Curriculum Ties: Music Appreciation

Reading Level/Interest Age: 14 +

Challenge Issue: none

Why I chose this item: I wanted to include a female artist in my music selection, and Taylor Swift is very popular among adolescents.

 Taylor Swift's You Belong To Me

Vibes by Amy Kathleen Ryan

          

Title:  Vibes   Author:  Amy Kathleen Ryan
ISBN: 9780618995301  Pages:  249
Publisher:  Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 2008

Readers Annotation:
Even though Kristi's psychic abilities allow her to hear what people are thinking, she realizes that she still rarely gets to see the full picture.

Author Information:

Amy Kathleen Ryan attended The University of Wyoming, where she studied anthropology and Spanish. She is also a graduate of The New School, where she received her MFA. Amy is a young adult writer, with three novels credited to her name. Vibes, which is Ryan's second novel, took her four months to write. Her latest novel Glow is set to come out in September of 2011.

Amy was born in Jackson, Wyoming. Her hobbies include walking her dog and cooking, and she loves to read books and magazines. Amy currently lives in Colorado with her family. 

http://www.amykathleenryan.com/amy.php

Plot Summary:
Kristi first realized she was a psychic when she was in junior high. Kristi and her best friend Hilde Petersen used to play a game where Kristi would guess what Hilde was thinking. However, Kristi's abilities became a burden soon after, when she was the first to know that her father was unhappy and would be leaving her mother to live in Africa. By the time the girls reached high school, they were no longer friends, and Kristi became bitter as a result of feeling abandoned. Her relationship with her mother also became strained, as Kristi blamed her mother for her father's leaving.

When Kristi is grouped with Gusty Petersen for a school project, she figured her life couldn't get any worse. It didn't help that Gusty was the most handsome boy on campus, and she used to have a crush on him. All Kristi could pick up from her psychic observations of Gusty is that he thinks that she's 'sick'. However, things begin to change when Kristi and Gusty start working together, and Kristi begins to realize that although she can read people's minds, she may not really understand the whole story.

Critical Evaluation:
This realistic fiction piece, set in the present day, addresses the unique abilities of psychics. The author expertly conveys the thoughts of the main character through first person narrative. Therefore, the reader is given a unique insight into Kristi's adolescent difficulties. Kristi deals with the separation of her parents, a workaholic mother, and the idea that she is unattractive and strange. Adolescents will especially connect to her struggles as an unusual teenager. The characterization of the various personalities in the story are cleverly portrayed via Kristi's thoughts. At times, the narrative is written in italics in order to inform the reader of the main character's psychic moments. The writer utilizes excellent sensory images and descriptive prose, giving the reader a complete picture of the situation at hand. Despite the many subplots, the book concludes with a satisfying resolution, tying all the story lines together seamlessly. 

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Coming-of-age

Curriculum Ties: N/A

Booktalking Ideas: 
     1.  Kristi was born with psychic talents which she discovered in middle school. Do you have a talent that you only realized later in life?
     2.  Kristi's father left her and her mother for another woman. Do you know any parent who has abandoned their family to live with someone else?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 15+

Challenge Issue: Foul language
- Many teens use foul language, and therefore removing a book for that reason alone is not justifiable
- There are many great talking points for adolescents due to the realistic nature of the relationships in the book
- Compilation of teen reviews and the average reader reviews on Amazon.com and Goodreads.com
- Library policy

Why I chose this item: I found this book in the young adult section of my local library and thought that the plot would be a great contribution to my realistic fiction genre.

 
Vibes book trailer

 

Blushing compiled by Paul B Janeczko

        

Title:  Blushing,    Compiler:  Paul B Janeczko
ISBN: 0439530563  Pages:  95
Publisher:  Orchard Books, New York, 2004

Readers Annotation:
A comprehensive anthology of love poems written by international authors over many centuries. 

Compiler Information:

Paul B Janeczeko is a poet and collector of modern poetry. He has edited over twenty-five poetry anthologies, many of them geared to the young adult audience. Some of these complications include Very Best (Almost) Friends, Stone Beach in an Empty Park: A Collection of Urban Haiku, and A Poke in the I: A Collection of Concrete Poems.

Janeczeko grew up in New Jersey. His first and favorite book as a child was the Hardy Boys. Presently, Paul lives in Maine with his wife and daughter.

http://www.paulbjaneczko.com/bio.htm

Content/Audience: 
The poems collected range from classic to modern, with poems picked specifically with a young adult in mind. However, the range is so diverse, that the poems can relate to readers of all ages. The book is divided into five chapters, each chapter beginning with a love letter that sets the tone and theme of that section of the book. "Beginning of Love" discusses the newness and excitement of love, and includes poems such as She Was a Phantom of Delight by William Wordsworth and Shall I Compare Thee to A Summer's Day by Shakespeare. "In Love" talks about a more mature love, and includes poems such as The Passionate Shepherd to His Love by Christopher Marlowe and How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. "Alone in Love" discusses the regrets of love, and includes poems such as Separation by W.S. Merwin and Dream by Langston Hughes. "End of Love" is about the painful ending of love, and includes poems such as Neutral Tones by Thomas Hardy and Heart! We Will Forget Him by Emily Dickinson. The last chapter "Remembering Love" talks about the hope and resilience of love, and includes poems such as When You Are Old by William Butler Yeats and Love in a Life by Robert Browning.  

Genre:  Poetry - Love and Romance

Curriculum Ties:  English - Poetry

Booktalking Ideas: 
     1.  Janeczeko has collected a vast amount of love related poems, many of which are directed at his own love interest.  Have you ever written a love poem for someone else?
     2.  There are some famous Shakespeare poems included in this work, such as "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day". Do you enjoy reading Shakespeare, and do you appreciate his style of writing?

Reading Level/Interest Age:  13+

Challenge Issue:  none

Why I chose this item:  I wanted to include an anthology of poems for adolescent poetry readers. Additionally, the author is critically acclaimed, and thereby a great addition to my collection.

Pride of Baghdad by Brian K Vaughan

          

Title:  Pride of Baghdad   Author:  Brian K Vaughan     Illustrator: Niko Henricshon  
ISBN: 9781401203146   Pages:  Not paged
Publisher:  DC Comics, New York, 2006

Readers Annotation:
A pride of lions from the Baghdad Zoo are suddenly given the gift of freedom after an American air raid. Safa, Noor, Zill, and Ali encounter a new world that they find both dangerous and beautiful.

Author Information:
Brian Keller Vaughan was born in 1976, and is an American comic book and television writer. In order to do research for Pride of Baghdad, Brian joined an emergency relief team at the Baghdad Zoo in Iraq. He also visited and studied the animals at the San Diego Zoo in California. Brian has won an Eisner Award for his works Y: The Last Man and Ex Machina. Presently, Brian lives in California with his wife Ruth McKee. 

Illustrator Information: 

Niko Henrichson is a Canadian comic book artist. Henrichson did research for Pride of Baghdad by interviewing citizens, reporters, and soldiers that were involved in the Iraq War. Henrichson's debut work is a graphic novel called Barnum! He also regularly provides cover art for Marvel Comics and DC Comics. Currently, Henrichson lives in Quebec City with his wife and cat.

Plot Summary: 
The Baghdad Zoo houses over 650 animals, among them a lion habitat with a pride of four lions. The pride includes Zill, the alpha male, Safa, the elder lioness, Noor, the younger lioness, and the male cub Ali. Noor dreams of being free, with space to roam and hunt. Ali is enamored with the idea of freedom, and constantly begs Safa, who was once free, to describe a sunset in the wild.

Suddenly, their zoo is heavily hit during the American bombing of Baghdad at the start of the Iraq War, and the pride of lions are free. Immediately, the foursome discovers how difficult freedom can really be. As they search the foreign city for food, they stumble into a deadly adventure. However, throughout their difficulties, the pride is still able to find beauty and joy in their freedom.

Critical Evaluation:
Based on a true story, this graphic novel follows a pride of lions that had escaped the Baghdad Zoo during an American air raid and subsequently found and shot by American soldiers. The novel is written in English, interspersed with Arabic to lend a sense of realism to the story. To further add to the authenticity of the novel, the lions are appropriately given African names. The range of colors painted in the story portray the circumstances beautifully. Therefore, when Safa talks about her rape, the illustrator paints the pages in depressing blues and grays. Additionally, when the pride is traveling through war-torn Baghdad, the pictures take on fiery reds and oranges. Despite the fact that the main characters are animals, the illustrator effectively depicts their expressions and emotions, giving them personalities and bringing them to life. Through the stunning array of color illustrations and the straightforward narrative of the author, the reader will enjoy this compelling and heartbreaking tale.

Genre:  Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction

Curriculum Ties:  American History - Iraq War

Booktalking Ideas: 
    1.  The story of the lion's escape takes place during the recent Iraq War, which is still ongoing. Do you know any soldiers deployed in Iraq?
    2.  At the beginning of the story, Noor longs for freedom. When actually free, however, she realizes that freedom is not all that she thought it would be. Did you ever really want something, but when you got it became disappointed in what you found?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 14+

Challenge Issue: Suggestive war themes, Sexually explicit
- This graphic novel won the 2006 IGN award for best original graphic novel
- Compilation of teen reviews and the average reader reviews on Amazon.com and Goodreads.com
- Library policy

Why I chose this item:  This was an intense graphic novel, but also on the shorter side, thus appealing to teenage reluctant readers and graphic novel readers. 

Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

        

Title:  Prom and Prejudice   Author:  Elizabeth Eulberg
ISBN:  9780545240772   Pages:  227
Publisher:  Point, New York, 2011

Readers Annotation:
Scholarship student Lizzie Bennet isn't interested in the prom like most of the girls attending Longbourn Academy. When Lizzie meets the insufferable Will Darcy, she might just change her mind.

Author Information:

Eulberg attended Syracuse University and went to the Newhouse School of Public Communications. Subsequently, Elizabeth started a career in the book business in New York City. Eulberg's passions include traveling, music, and reading. Her first book she wrote is The Lonely Hearts Club, which has recently been picked up by Mandalay Pictures for the movie rights.

Elizabeth Eulberg was born and raised in Portage, Wisconsin. Currently, Elizabeth lives outside of Manhattan along with her musical instruments. Eulberg is presently working on her third novel.

www.elizabetheulberg.com

Plot Summary:
Sharing a similar plot as the classic novel Pride and Prejudice, this story is set in the present day and has a few twists. Lizzie Bennet is an only child with a best friend and roommate Jane, who goes to a very prestigious but very snotty boarding school known as Longbourn Academy. Lizzie is an extremely talented pianist, which earns her a scholarship to the prep school. However, she is mistreated by a majority of the students who seem view her as an outsider. Her only other friend in the school is the second scholarship student, Charlotte. When Charles Bingley returns to London to date Jane, Lizzie accompanies Jane unwillingly to many high-class social events. Lizzie is even more loath to go when she meets Charles' friend William Darcy, the most pretentious and egotistical boy she has ever met.

Suddenly, Jane's relationship goes sour with the kind and gentlemanly Charles, which makes Lizzie miserable. To make matters worse, Lizzie's interest in Wick goes sour, and Jane's younger sister Lydia gets into enormous trouble. As life begins to unravel, Lizzie begins to see Darcy in a different light, and the obvious question arises: Will her pride and his prejudice get in the way of their happiness?

Critical Evaluation:
Reminiscent of Pride and Prejudice, this light and fun read is perfect for Jane Austen lovers. Though the story imitates many of the characters in Jane Austen's work, Eulberg adds some of her own flavor, making the story line more interesting and appealing. The female protagonist is depicted as strong and intelligent, attracting readers who identify with a strong female lead. Although the plot is somewhat predictable, the reader is still taken on a journey highlighting the intense ups and downs of adolescence. The author also includes bullying in the narrative, which can be appreciated by many adolescents dealing with similar problems. Overall, this book is thoroughly enchanting.

Genre:  Romance

Curriculum Ties:  Bullying

Booktalking Ideas: 
     1.  Lizzie's idol is a famous pianist, whom she gets to see in concert and then meet backstage, as a gift from Darcy. If you met your idol, what was or what do you think the experience would be like?
     2.  Lizzie attends a very prestigious and exclusive prep school, where she is somewhat ostracized because of her scholarship status. How do you feel about this snobbish type of behavior?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 13+

Challenge Issue:  none

Why I chose this item: I loved the real Pride and Prejudice, and this book was reminiscent of that wonderful love story. To balance my collection, I chose something that was a play off of a classic work.

 
Prom and Prejudice book trailer

 

The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman

         

Title:  The Ruby in the Smoke, a Sally Lockhart Mystery   Author:  Philip Pullman

ISBN:  9780375845161  Pages: 230
Publisher:  Alfred A Knopf, New York, 2008

Readers Annotation:
Sally Lockhart is left alone in the world after her father's mysterious demise. When Sally receives a cryptic note related to her father's disappearance, she investigates the truth behind his death.

Author Information:
Pullman is the author of the critically acclaimed His Dark Materials series, and has received numerous awards for the following titles: The Golden Compass, winner of the Carnegie Medal in England, The Subtle Knife, winner of the Parent's Choice Gold Award, and The Amber Spyglass, winner of the Whitbread (Costa) Book of the Year Award. He has also written several other books for children and adolescents, including The Scarecrow and His Servant, I Was a Rat!, and Count Karlstein. In 2002, Pullman won the Eleanor Farjeon Award for children's literature.
 
Philip Pullman was born in Norwich, Norfolk UK in 1946, and was educated in England, Zimbabwe, Australia and North Wales. He became a teacher and taught at various Oxford Middle Schools and at Westminster College. Currently, Pullman lives in Oxford, England.

www.philip-pullman.com

Plot Summary:
Sally is sixteen years old, very pretty, and alone in the world. Her father has died during a shipping expedition, and she is forced to live with her unkind Aunt Caroline, and her maid Ellen. Sally receives a mysterious note regarding her father's death, and determines that there is something more to her father's demise than she first supposed. During her quest to find the truth, she meets up with the kind photographer Frederik Garland. Once she proves her worth as a bookkeeper, Frederik invites Sally to live in his home, along with his sister, and their employee Trembler.  Sally discovers the dangers of clashing with criminals, and learns the truth behind her father's old friend, Major Marchbanks. Together with her new acquaintances, Sally looks for answers surrounding her father's murder, an ancient ruby, and the 'Seven Blessings'.

Critical Evaluation:
This exciting and enthralling murder mystery takes place in Victorian England, during the 1870's. The story begins with a gripping hook, compelling the audience to read the entire mystery.  Hair-raising and thrilling, the story of The Ruby in the Smoke is a real page turner. There is a level of intricacy to the circumstances surrounding the mystery Sally sets out to solve. An added emotional layer to the story is the coming together of many lonely characters to create a pseudo-family. The female protagonist is a likeable character, showing bravery coupled with reserve. Readers also feel the difficulties Sally faces as she discovers the truth of her past. 

Genre:  Murder Mystery

Curriculum Ties:  History - Victorian England

Booktalking Ideas: 
     1.  Matthew Bedwell's life had been overrun by an addiction to opium, which directly affected his daughter. Do you know anyone who has had a dangerous addiction?
     2.  Although Sally's Aunt Caroline took her in, she does not love or care for Sally. Were you ever forced to live in a place where the head of the household did not want you there?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 13+

Challenge Issue: none

Why I chose this item:  Murder mysteries are a great addition to a YA collection, and Philip Pullman is a famous and award winning author. Therefore, I included this material in my project.

Further Series Reading: The Shadow in the North, The Tiger in the Well, The Tin Princess 

Am I Blue? edited by Marion Dane Bauer

       

Title:  Am I Blue? Coming Out from the Silence    Editor:  Marion Dane Bauer
ISBN:  0758795963   Pages:  273
Publisher:  HarperTrophy, New York, 1994

Readers Annotation:
This first ever collection of eighteen short stories address the meaning of gay and lesbian identity in the lives of adolescents. 

Editor Information:

Marion Dane Bauer was born at the edge of a small town called Oglesby in Northern Illinois. Marion attended the University of Missouri where she obtained a degree in English literature. Bauer has written many award winning children's picture books, as well as a large selection of critically acclaimed children's books and young adult books.

Marion Dane Bauer taught high school English before she became a writer. She had two children, Peter and Beth Alison, with her ex-husband Ronald Bauer. Marion currently works for Vermont College, teaching part time in a Master of Fine Arts program in Writing for Children and Young Adults.

http://www.mariondanebauer.com/about.html

Content:
Am I blue? / Bruce Coville -- We might as well all be strangers / M.E. Kerr -- Winnie and Tommy / Francesca Lia Block -- Slipping away / Jacqueline Woodson -- The honorary shepherds / Gregory Maguire -- Running / Ellen Howard -- Three Mondays in July / James Cross Giblin -- Parents' night / Nancy Garden -- Michael's little sister / C.S. Adler -- Supper / Lesleá Newman -- Holding / Lois Lowry -- Blood sister / Jane Yolen -- Hands / Jonathan London -- 50% chance of lightning / Cristina Salat -- In the tunnels / William Sleator -- Dancing backwards / Marion Dane Bauer.

Critical Evaluation:
Written by a group of notable children's and young adult authors, this anthology provides a high quality compilation of stories. Although a common theme is shared by every one of the entries, each narrative takes on its own unique viewpoint. Therefore, this variety speaks to many teenagers coming from assorted backgrounds and ideologies. Additionally, the reader is exposed to a motley of genres, including humor, fantasy, reality, and science fiction. The character selection is a great blend of different races, and the settings contain various time periods and places. Interestingly enough, many of the authors are not homosexual themselves, yet were able to write realistic and thought provoking stories dealing with the issue. Overall, the integral concept of survival and hope is apparent throughout the book.

Genre:  Varied - Comedy, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Realistic; Short story collection

Curriculum Ties: English reading - Analyze social influences of LGBTQ

Booktalking Ideas: 
     1.  The main character in the short story Am I blue? is still unsure if he is indeed gay or not, even towards the end of the story. Are you ever unsure if you fit into a category of LGBTQ? 
     2.   In We might as well all be strangers, a girl's lesbianism was surprisingly accepted by her grandmother, a Holocaust survivor . Were you ever in a situation where it took your parents longer to accept you than others?

Reading Level/Interest Age:  13+

Challenge Issue:  LGBTQ themes
- Gay-straight alliance, need more than one viewpoint, serve diverse populace, winner seven awards

- Awards include the ALA Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Award for Literature. Named to the ALA Best Books for Young Adults and ALA Recommended Books for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.
- Recommended book on the LGBTQ Round Table bibliographic list put out by the ALA.

Why I chose this item: I wanted to include a book that speaks specifically to those interested in LGBTQ themes.