American Born Chinese – Gene Luen Yang

 
Yang, Gene Luen. (2006). American Born Chinese. New York: First Second.
Recommendation source: Classmates from LSC 531, book promotions project
Awards: 2007 Printz award
Reading level: Grade 7+
Brief summary: American Born Chinese tells the story of Jin Wang, a Chinese-American boy trying to fit in at his predominantly white school. Intelligent,
creative, and extremely funny, this book will [...]

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Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott – Russell Freedman

Freedman, Russell. (2006). Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. New York: Holiday House.
Recommendation source: 2007 YALSA Best Books for Young Adults nominee
Reading level: Grades 5-7
Scholarly review: (School Library Journal) Freedman begins this outstanding history by reminding his audience that the injustices of racial segregation did not happen that long ago in the [...]

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Quinceañera: Celebrating Fifteen – Elizabeth King

King, Elizabeth. (1998). Quinceañera: Celebrating Fifteen. New York: Dutton.
Recommendation source: www.amazon.com
Reading level: Grades 5-8
Brief summary: Like a bat mitzvah or a sweet-16 party, the quinceanera is a coming-of-age ritual, and it takes place in the context of a Latina’s family and church. Its origins come from Aztec and Mexican customs transmuted through Spanish and Latino [...]

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Hole in My Life – Jack Gantos

Gantos, Jack (2002). Hole in My Life. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Recommendation source:
Awards: 2002 National Book Award Finalist, 2002 Printz Award
Reading level: Grade 7+
Brief summary: In this memoir, Jack Gantos gives the reader a glimpse into his life as a wannabe writer. He had difficulty finding inspiration and ultimately made some bad decisions which [...]

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Riding the Bus with my Sister – Rachel Simon

Simon, Rachel. (2002). Riding the Bus With My Sister: A True Life Journey. New York: Plume.
Recommendation source: A Rosie O’Donell recommended book.
Reading level: Grade 9+
Brief summary: Rachel Simon’s sister Beth is a spirited woman who lives intensely and often joyfully. Beth, who has mental retardation, spends her days riding the buses in her Pennsylvania city. [...]

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Monster – Walter Dean Myers

 
Myers, Walter Dean. (2004). Monster. New York: Amistad.
Recommendation source: Required reading for the course.
Awards: 200 National Book Award Finalist, 2000 Coretta Scott King Honor, 2000 Printz Award
Reading level: Grade 7+
Scholarly review: (School Library Journal) Steve Harmon, 16, is accused of serving as a lookout for a robbery of a Harlem drugstore. The owner was shot [...]

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A Step from Heaven – An Na

Na, An.  (2003). A Step from Heaven. New York: Puffin.
Recommendation source: Required reading for the course.
Awards: 2002 Printz award for young adult literature
Reading level: Grade 8+
Brief summary: Young Ju is an immigrant from Korea.  She and her family move to California and she struggles with being both and Asian-American as well as retaining her Korean [...]

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In the Time of the Butterflies – Julia Alvarez

 Alvarez, Julia (1995). In the Time of the Butterflies. New York: Plume.
Recommendation source: Required reading for the course.
Reading level: Grade 9+
Brief summary: Four sisters from the Dominican Republic are growing up in a time of revolution.  María Teresa, Patria, Dede and Minerva all take part in sharing the historical story of the Mirabel sisters through [...]

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Hidden Roots – Joseph Bruchac

 Bruchac, Joseph. (2006). Hidden Roots. New York: Scholastic Paperbacks.
Recommendation source: Required reading for the course.
Reading level: Grades 5-9
Brief summary: Eleven-year-old Sonny and his mother can’t predict his father’s sudden abusive rages. Jake’s anger only gets worse after long days at the paper mill — and when Uncle Louis appears. Louis seems to show up when [...]

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Left Behind – Tim LeHaye & Jerry Jenkins

LeHaye, Tim, & Jenkins, Jerry. (2000). Left Behind.  Wheaton, IL: Tyndale.
Recommendation source: Required reading for the course.
Reading level: Grade 9+
Brief summary: Late one night, millions of people disappear leaving their belongings as the only traces that they were ever there to begin with.  Rayford Steele lost much of his family in the disappearances and is [...]

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The Secret Life of Bees – Sue Monk Kidd

Kidd, Sue Monk. (2003). The Secret Life of Bees. New York: Penguin Books
Recommendation source: Required reading for the course.
Reading level: Grade 7+
Brief summary: Lily is a young girl who just can’t stand her life at home. She runs away to a town a few hours away and discovers three sisters who teach her about [...]

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The Bluest Eye – Toni Morrison

Morrison, Toni. (2005). The Bluest Eye. New York: Plume.
Recommendation source: Required reading for the course.
Reading level: Grade 9+
Brief summary: The Breedloves have a reputation in town. No one likes them and everyone lets them know it. Follow Pecola Breedlove as she goes through things that no young girl should ever have to experience.
Librarian’s [...]

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Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – J. K. Rowling

Rowling, J.K. (2004). Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. London: Bloomsbury.
Recommendation source: Required reading for the course.
Reading level: All ages
Brief summary: Harry Potter, a young boy, is thrust into a world of witchcraft and wizardry that he never knew existed. Join him in a serious of adventures as he finds out that there is a [...]

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