The Last Shot by Darcy Frey
ISBN: 0-684-81509-5
Frey, D. (1994). The Last Shot.  New York: TOUCHSTONE.

Plot Summary
Abraham Lincoln high school in Coney Island, New York is home to one of strongest high school basketball teams.  The boys who are chosen to play on the team are given one last shot to make something of themselves.  If they play well, and keep their grades up, they might just earn college scholarships to Division I colleges.  If their grades fall, or their SAT scores are not high enough, or their game is not good enough, they will end up living the same fate as their parents.  The students come from housing projects, living off food stamps and welfare.  Family members are unemployed, in jail, or dead.  The Last Shot looks at the 1991 basketball season and follows four members of the team.  Russell Thomas (pseudonym for Darryl Flickering), Corey Johnson, and Tchaka Shipp are seniors, while Stephon Marbury is a freshman.  The year covers their triumphs on and off the court as they struggle to earn good grades and are recruited by college coaches.  Their losses are also recorded, their failure to reach the minimum 700 SAT scores required to play college basketball, and arguments with each other and families.  An epilogue explains where the players ended up once the book finished.

Critical Evaluation

A poignant, valuable, and sometimes depressing look into the lives of star high school basketball players.  These are real students attending school in a run-down, crime-infested area of New York City.  Their dreams to play college basketball and find a way out of the ghetto are a universal dream, but the reality is much bleaker.  Though not the primary goal, Frey demonstrates how schools are failing their students.  Poor teachers, lack of proper supplies, and overcrowding lend to an atmosphere where the students do not care, the teachers do not care, and the parents do not care.  There is a sense of desperation running through the book, as the players know what is at stake.  The four boys chronicled have different strengths and reasons for wanting college scholarships, but are representative of the people who play sports to find a way out.  Sometimes cocky, sometimes unsure, sometimes vulnerable, sometimes egotistical, these boys becoming men reach out to readers.  Their failures are your failures, and their successes are your successes.  The mistakes made, the careless attitudes they may exhibit only serve to emphasize how young high school students are, and the lack of opportunity they have already experienced.  Even when future dreams become seemingly impossible, Frey makes you want the impossible for these four students, and for all other students facing the same issues and decisions. 

Reader’s Annotation
Offers an interesting look into the lives of four outstanding high school basketball stars in the 1991 season, and their prospects of playing for college.

About the Author
“Darcy Frey is the author of The Last Shot (Houghton-Mifflin, 1994), which was named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and George Divoky's Planet (forthcoming from Pantheon). He has also been a Contributing Editor for Harper's Magazine and a longtime Contributing Writer for The New York Times Magazine, for which he has written about science, medicine, technology, music, art and the environment. His essays and journalism have been anthologized in Best American Essays and Best American Science Writing. His honors include a National Magazine Award, the Livingston Award for Young Journalists and an award for public service from the Society for Professional Journalists.”

Genre
Nonfiction/Sports

Curriculum Ties
How has high school prepared/or not prepared you for what comes next

Booktalking
How has high school prepared/or not prepared you for what comes next?
Are sports a way out of poverty?

Reading Level/Interest Level
RL: 9th grade
IL: 9th grade 

Challenge Issues
Possible challenge issues include the pessimistic reality of life in the ghetto and the failure of the American education system.

In my defense file, I would include the following:
1) Library Mission Statement
2) Library Selection Policy approved by any or all of the following individuals—principal, school board, district librarian OR library manager, city council, mayor.
3) Library Bill of Rights adapted from CSLA Bill of Rights, AASL Bill of Rights and/or ALA Bill of Rights
4) Reviews, both positive and critical, from respected sources such as School Library Journal, VOYA, Booklist
5) Rationale for book inclusion for titles anticipated to be controversial, frequently challenged, or created when a book is challenged including: summary, audience, purpose, controversial issues and how they are handled
6) How the book fits within Common Core Standards or State Standards
7) Reconsideration form for challenger to complete—include a section asking which part was of particular concern, if the entire book was read, and what other similar titles are suggested instead
8) Student reviews from those who have read the book and either enjoyed or disliked the book and why.

Why Included
I felt it was important to include a non-fiction book, as well as more sports. 

Others in the Series
N/A

References
President and Fellows of Harvard College. (2013). Creative writing faculty.  Retrieved from http://english.fas.harvard.edu/programs/undergraduate/creative-writing/creative-writing-faculty.

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
ISBN: 0-618-47794-2
Bechdel, A. (2006). Fun home: A family tragicomedy. New York: Houghton Mifflin

Plot Summary
Alison Bechdel chronicles her childhood and youth growing up in rural Pennsylvania.  It also focuses on Bechdel’s relationship with her father.  The book starts with Bruce Bechdel’s obsession with renovating the family’s Victorian home.  Alison notes that his manic obsessive behavior also reflected itself in the way he treated his family.  As Alison grows older, she realizes her father is not like other fathers.  He is very concerned with her acting obviously female, to the point where he berates her for not wearing hairclips.  She describes her relationship with Bruce as being so completely opposite that they almost complemented each other.  While she thrilled in simple, clean, and mannish, Bruce was ornate, decadent, and almost frilly.  The Victorian house was all Bruce wanted.  They were constantly at odds with one another while Alison was growing up, and never agreed on anything.  A large focus is on Alison’s growing awareness of her sexuality and development.  Before Bruce commits suicide, Alison and he have a conversation where he explains some of his sexuality and past experiences.  Though not fully explored, tensions between the two dissipate somewhat.  However, Bruce’s apparent suicide a few weeks later causes Alison to question whether or not admitting she was a lesbian triggered her father’s actions.

Critical Evaluation
The story does not follow a chronological path, and events are retold as Bechdel grows older and learns more information that sheds light on previous events.  Bechdel holds nothing back, is direct, and unapologetic.  This is her life, as she has lived it, including the good, the bad, the beautiful, and the ugly, but all of it the truth.  A unique form for a memoir, the graphic novel aspect adds something extra to what is already some serious subject matter.  As with picture books, Bechdel’s graphics show, rather than tell, many of the nuances of human interaction and life.  There are moments of comedy and humor, but there are plenty of grim realizations as well.  Many famous literary works or plays are also mentioned, and similarities drawn to various family members, especially Bechdel’s parents.  These serve to illustrate a point, or make a reference others can identify with.  The artwork is also deeply inspired.  For each illustration, Bechdel first photographed herself dressed as her family, then drew each picture, and used Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator at various stages.  She also used Google Images to find period photographs of places, and hand-copied letters and journal excerpts.  The result is a carefully planned and meticulously executed story told in pictures. 

Reader’s Annotation
A memoir in graphic novel format, Fun Home is direct, unapologetic, and holds nothing back.
 
About the Author
“Since its inception in 1983, Alison Bechdel’s comic strip Dykes To Watch Out For has become a countercultural institution. The strip is syndicated in dozens of newspapers, translated into several languages and collected in a series of award-winning books. Utne magazine has listed DTWOF as “one of the greatest hits of the twentieth century.” And Comics Journal says, “Bechdel’s art distills the pleasures of Friends and The Nation; we recognize our world in it, with its sorrows and ironies.”

In addition to her comic strip, Bechdel has also done exclusive work for a slew of publications, including Ms., Slate, the Advocate, and many other newspapers, websites, comic books, and ‘zines.   In 2006, Houghton Mifflin published her graphic memoir, Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic. The bestselling coming-of-age tale has been called a “mesmerizing feat of familial resurrection” and a “rare, prime example of why graphic novels have taken over the conversation about American literature.  Bechdel lives near Burlington, Vermont.”

Genre
Memoir/Graphic novel/Adult crossover

Curriculum Ties
Literature and Writing Styles
Photography and Art Composition

Booktalking
Compare and contrast Alison's understanding of her sexuality with that of her father's.
What are some unique experiences growing up in a funeral home?

Reading Level/Interest Level
RL: N/A
IL: 10th grade and up

Challenge Issues
Possible challenge issues include homosexuality, homosexual relationships, graphic language, sexual situations, and suicide.

In my defense file, I would include the following:
1) Library Mission Statement
2) Library Selection Policy approved by any or all of the following individuals—principal, school board, district librarian OR library manager, city council, mayor.
3) Library Bill of Rights adapted from CSLA Bill of Rights, AASL Bill of Rights and/or ALA Bill of Rights
4) Reviews, both positive and critical, from respected sources such as School Library Journal, VOYA, Booklist
5) Rationale for book inclusion for titles anticipated to be controversial, frequently challenged, or created when a book is challenged including: summary, audience, purpose, controversial issues and how they are handled
6) How the book fits within Common Core Standards or State Standards
7) Reconsideration form for challenger to complete—include a section asking which part was of particular concern, if the entire book was read, and what other similar titles are suggested instead
8) Student reviews from those who have read the book and either enjoyed or disliked the book and why.

Why Included
This book hit a number of categories- graphic novel, memoir, LGBT, and crossover.  It is a controversial choice for teens, but I think it is worthwhile.

Others in the Series
N/A

References
Bechdel, A. (2013). Alison bechdel.  Retrieved from http://dykestowatchoutfor.com/alison-bechdel.

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
ISBN: 0-670-53257-6           
Hinton, S. E. (2007). The Outsiders. New York: Viking Press.

Plot Summary
Ponyboy lives with his older brothers Darrel and Sodapop after the death of their parents.  He is part of the Greasers, the poor students who find themselves up against the Socs, the popular students.  While at a movie theater, Ponyboy meets Cherry and Marcia, two Socs, and walks them home.  Their Socs boyfriends are upset and begin a fight with Ponyboy and his friends.  The girls calm down the boys and the Greasers are able to get away.  Ponyboy’s oldest brother Darrel is upset Ponyboy is home late and hits him, so Ponyboy runs away.  While walking around town he meets up with Johnny, a friend.  They wander around, but some Socs find them and nearly drown Ponyboy.  Johnny gets scared and ends up stabbing and killing one of the Socs.  They run to another Greaser who gives them money and hides them in an abandoned building.  Johnny decides to turn himself in to the police after he hears a turf war has started.  As they begin to leave, the building catches on fire with children inside.  Ponyboy and Johnny run inside to save them, and timber falls on Johnny. 

Critical Evaluation
What more can be written about a 46-year-old book that still resonates with contemporary teen readers?  Written by a teen in the 1960’s, The Outsiders delves into universal themes that adolescents’ experience – loss, isolation, bullying, and other physical and emotional challenges. It is not only the themes but the characters that readers have responded to and identified with for generations. Though a short book, the characters are instantly real and create a sense of familiarity.  No happy ending is possible with the turn of events, but the wish and hope remains.  The teenage years are tough, and Hinton make sure everyone remembers. The orphaned family of three males are almost stereotypical – Darry, the oldest, responsible one; Soda, the middle easy-going, irresponsible one; and Ponyboy, the youngest who holds the most promise to break from the neighborhood.  The tight-knit family and their friends that barely survive are damaged by an unfair world. Entering their world and their lives will break your heart.  That is why The Outsiders, one of the first realistic novels written for young adults, is a modern classic that unifies teens and anyone that was once a teen.

Reader’s Annotation
The classic story of the haves and have-nots, their altercations with each other, and the consequences for all.  Written when the author was a teenager herself.

About the Author
After writing The Outsiders as a teenager, S.E. Hinton experienced sudden fame and publicity.  Her second novel is considered to be more thought-out, and Hinton has said she was careful to write each sentence.  Four years later she published Rumble Fish, which had grown from an earlier short story.  It was received with mixed reviews, some praising, some saying Hinton would never write again.  Several years later she proved critics wrong and published again.  In 1995, after seven years of no books, Hinton released a book for young children in kindergarten.  A couple years later Hinton wrote The Puppy Sister, a fantasy written for elementary children. 

S.E. Hinton born Susan Eloise Hinton in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  She enjoyed reading, but disliked the lack of young adult novels available.  This inspired her to write The Outsiders, her first novel.  After writing The Outsiders, Hinton was quickly famous, which led to three years of writer’s block.  Hinton enjoys horseback riding, reading, and auditing classes at the university nearby.  She still writes longhand and then types her work onto a computer.  Hinton lives with her husband and they have a grown son.

Genre
Realistic Fiction/Classic

Curriculum Ties
Social Issues/Bullying

Booktalking
The Haves and the Have-Nots, has anything changed in 40 years?           

Reading Level/Interest Level
RL: 5th grade
IL: 7th grade and up

Challenge Issues
Possible challenge issues include teenagers engaging in illegal activities, such as gangs and murder.

In my defense file, I would include the following:
1) Library Mission Statement
2) Library Selection Policy approved by any or all of the following individuals—principal, school board, district librarian OR library manager, city council, mayor.
3) Library Bill of Rights adapted from CSLA Bill of Rights, AASL Bill of Rights and/or ALA Bill of Rights
4) Reviews, both positive and critical, from respected sources such as School Library Journal, VOYA, Booklist
5) Rationale for book inclusion for titles anticipated to be controversial, frequently challenged, or created when a book is challenged including: summary, audience, purpose, controversial issues and how they are handled
6) How the book fits within Common Core Standards or State Standards
7) Reconsideration form for challenger to complete—include a section asking which part was of particular concern, if the entire book was read, and what other similar titles are suggested instead
8) Student reviews from those who have read the book and either enjoyed or disliked the book and why.

Why Included
Even though it has a lower reading level, The Outsiders has become a modern classic of young adult literature, and speaks to readers of all ages.

Others in the Series
That Was Then, This Was Now (companion novel)

References
Hinton, S. E. (n.d.).  Biography.  Retrieved from http://www.sehinton.com/bio.html

Shattered by Paul Langan
ISBN: 978-0-545-45019-5
Langan, P. (2007). Shattered. New York: Scholastic.

Plot Summary
Darcy’s had a difficult several months.  Her longtime boyfriend, and first love, Hakeem moved away, her absent recovering alcoholic father returned to the family, her mother is pregnant, her grandmother died, and she was almost raped by an older boy, Brian.  When Darcy hears Hakeem is returning, her excitement is mixed with anxiety.  What will Hakeem think of her when he hears about Brian?  Their first double date with best friends Tarah and Cooper is awkward and strained, their previous closeness a thing of the past.  Tarah admits that Hakeem has a secret he needs to share, and Darcy becomes upset, blaming Tarah for keeping secrets and taking sides.  After an encounter with Anika, the girl Hakeem was seeing while away, Darcy is hurt and outraged.  At home relationships are strained as Darcy’s mother is working too many hours and her father wants to take on the potentially dangerous job of an evening cabdriver.  Darcy’s younger sister Jamee also shares that their father is drinking once again.  When their father leaves and does not come home the entire evening, the sisters fear the worst.  With an alcoholic father, a distant ex-boyfriend, and a multitude of secrets, Darcy does not know what to do, who to talk to, or what her life is going to be like tomorrow.

Critical Evaluation
This novel resumes the story of Darcy, first introduced in book # 1 and then continued in books 2, 7, and 10.  Many teens may relate to Darcy and the several challenges that leave her feeling her life has shattered.  She is facing family problems and boyfriend drama.  It appears there is no safe and calm place for Darcy since her grandmother died, and now her parents are more absorbed with their own problems than comforting Darcy.  Darcy is portrayed realistically, as a teen with good and bad moods.  She lashes out at friends and parents but later reconciles with them.  Her parents are also depicted realistically as flawed individuals and not always doing what’s best for their children.  Problems are just a little too neatly solved in the end but this doesn’t tarnish the story’s impact.  A generally happy ending also serves to be uplifting, and show that times may be difficult now, but can get better.  Darcy serves as a good role model to teen readers, particularly female teens, who see her struggles and her resolution to remain true to herself.  The writing and language are simple, specifically to attract reluctant readers.  Content may contain mature themes, such as drug addiction and difficult relationships, but also reflect current issues young adults experience.  There are only mild instances of explicit language, again, keeping within the street lit/realistic fiction genre, but at an appropriate level.

Reader’s Annotation
As Darcy struggles with the return of her recovering alcoholic father and first true boyfriend, she learns the meaning of true friends and second chances.

About the Author
Paul Langan began writing with the Bluford series after working for Townsend Press.  He has written or co-written eleven of the novels.  Many of the stories draw from his personal experiences of growing up without a father and the struggles teenagers face in high school.

Born in Philadelphia, Paul Langan moved to New Jersey with his mother as a child.  He attended public schools and held a number of unusual jobs, attendant at a horse ranch, a night-shift stockperson, and a landscaper at a mental hospital.  He attended Camden County College for a year before transferring to La Salle University.  Langan majored in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing.  During college he had a Kenyan roommate.  He travelled to his friend’s home country, worked as a prison tutor, and found his call to writing.  After graduation, Langan was hired by Townsend Press as an Assistant Editor.  He taught college English classes as well as contributing to textbooks with TP.  Langan recently finished a Master’s in Education from University of Pennsylvania and lives near Philadelphia.

Genre
Street Lit/Realistic Fiction/Social Issues

Curriculum Ties
Life Issues/Health Issues

Booktalking
Darcy has had the worst year, here’s why.
After an impossible year, who can Darcy trust and turn to?

Reading Level/Interest Level
RL: 4th grade
IL: 6th grade and up

Challenge Issues
Possible challenge issues include realistic themes with drug and alcohol abuse, and abusive relationships.

In my defense file, I would include the following:
1) Library Mission Statement
2) Library Selection Policy approved by any or all of the following individuals—principal, school board, district librarian OR library manager, city council, mayor.
3) Library Bill of Rights adapted from CSLA Bill of Rights, AASL Bill of Rights and/or ALA Bill of Rights
4) Reviews, both positive and critical, from respected sources such as School Library Journal, VOYA, Booklist
5) Rationale for book inclusion for titles anticipated to be controversial, frequently challenged, or created when a book is challenged including: summary, audience, purpose, controversial issues and how they are handled
6) How the book fits within Common Core Standards or State Standards
7) Reconsideration form for challenger to complete—include a section asking which part was of particular concern, if the entire book was read, and what other similar titles are suggested instead
8) Student reviews from those who have read the book and either enjoyed or disliked the book and why.

Why Included
The Bluford High novels are written at a lower reading level, but contain more mature subject matter.  They are particularly attractive to slower or lower-level readers who still want books about people their age.

Others in the Series
Bluford High (Books #1- 20)

References
Scholastic. (2013). Biography: Paul langan.  Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/contributor/paul-langan

The Fallen by Paul Langan
ISBN: 978-0-545-45019-5
Langan, P. (2007). Shattered. New York: Scholastic.

Plot Summary
Martin has had an impossible year.  First, his beloved younger brother is shot in a senseless drive-by.  Second, his mother moves them to a new neighborhood and new school for a fresh start.  Third, it’s the second week of school and Martin already has an enemy in Steve, a star athlete.  Fourth, he finds out the shooter was aiming for his former friend and gang member Frankie.  Fifth, Martin has just been expelled from Bluford High.  Sixth, Frankie wants to kill him.  The only bright spot in his life is Vicky, a girl in school who seems to see the real him.  However, Martin has pushed her away, afraid for her safety with Steve and Frankie in his life.  Officer Ramirez, a friend of Martin’s mother, has offered to help Martin, but can he really trust a cop?

When Martin is given the chance to speak to the superintendent about his behavior the last two weeks Martin has a choice.  Should he confess all, telling about Steve’s bullying behavior, Frankie’s threats, and the real reason behind his brother’s shooting?  Or does he play the tough guy, where nothing bothers him, and hope his silence buys his life? 

Critical Evaluation
Written for middle and high school “struggling” readers, The Bluford High series fills this role well. The Fallen is number 11 in the series and is a companion to #9.  However, it can be read as a stand-alone.  Although it examines violent situations, such as a drive-by shooting, gangs, and death, the language is less graphic when compared to other “urban lit” novels, and is appropriate for this age group.  The vocabulary is low level, in keeping with the use for “struggling” readers; the dialogue uses slang and only mild profanity.   The characters are well-developed (considering the short length of the book) and the reader will be sympathetic to Martin for all his challenges, even though some of which are self-imposed through poor choices.  This book could also be categorized as a morality tale and used to show students how to make good decisions.  Martin is faced with a difficult decision, and he carefully weighs his options.  He is portrayed as mistrusting police officers, like many in his community, and this fits within the wider narrative of the series.  Past experiences,  When he chooses to speak out it is handled realistically.

Reader’s Annotation
Forming budding gang member Martin recounts the last two weeks of his life as he stands in front of the school’s superintendent, trying to stop his expulsion.

About the Author
Paul Langan began writing with the Bluford series after working for Townsend Press.  He has written or co-written eleven of the novels.  Many of the stories draw from his personal experiences of growing up without a father and the struggles teenagers face in high school.

Born in Philadelphia, Paul Langan moved to New Jersey with his mother as a child.  He attended public schools and held a number of unusual jobs, attendant at a horse ranch, a night-shift stockperson, and a landscaper at a mental hospital.  He attended Camden County College for a year before transferring to La Salle University.  Langan majored in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing.  During college he had a Kenyan roommate.  He travelled to his friend’s home country, worked as a prison tutor, and found his call to writing.  After graduation, Langan was hired by Townsend Press as an Assistant Editor.  He taught college English classes as well as contributing to textbooks with TP.  Langan recently finished a Master’s in Education from University of Pennsylvania and lives near Philadelphia.

Genre
Street Lit/Realistic Fiction/Social Issues

Curriculum Ties
Social Issues- friendship

Booktalking
Did Martin take the right course of action?
Is Martin right to be so suspicious of police officers?

Reading Level/Interest Level
RL: 4th grade
IL: 6th grade and up

Challenge Issues
Realistic themes including bullying, gangs, and murders may be concerning to some.

In my defense file, I would include the following:
1) Library Mission Statement
2) Library Selection Policy approved by any or all of the following individuals—principal, school board, district librarian OR library manager, city council, mayor.
3) Library Bill of Rights adapted from CSLA Bill of Rights, AASL Bill of Rights and/or ALA Bill of Rights
4) Reviews, both positive and critical, from respected sources such as School Library Journal, VOYA, Booklist
5) Rationale for book inclusion for titles anticipated to be controversial, frequently challenged, or created when a book is challenged including: summary, audience, purpose, controversial issues and how they are handled
6) How the book fits within Common Core Standards or State Standards
7) Reconsideration form for challenger to complete—include a section asking which part was of particular concern, if the entire book was read, and what other similar titles are suggested instead
8) Student reviews from those who have read the book and either enjoyed or disliked the book and why.

Why Included
The Bluford High novels are written at a lower reading level, but contain more mature subject matter.  They are particularly attractive to slower or lower-level readers who still want books about people their age.

Others in the Series
Bluford High (Books #1-20)

References
Scholastic. (2013). Biography: Paul langan.  Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/contributor/paul-langan

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan
ISBN: 0-375-92400-0
Levithan, D. (2003). Boy meets boy.  New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Plot Summary
Paul has known he was gay since childhood, and his teachers and friends know it too.  He’s had a few boyfriends here and there, but when he sees Noah in a bookstore something is different.  Paul finds out they go to the same school and agree to see each other the next day.  There is also Joni, Paul’s best friend, and Tony, his other best friend.  Tony is also gay, but his ultra-conservative Christian parents are not accepting.  Kyle has not spoken to Paul in months, but suddenly decides to mend fences.  A kiss between Paul and Kyle spreads and Noah hears about it.  Afraid of being hurt again, Noah decides to distance himself from Paul.  The school dance is coming up and Tony wants to go, but knows his parents won’t let him.  Paul wants to take Noah, but Kyle wants to take Paul.  Joni has a date and new boyfriend, but no one likes him.  Paul decides he is going to get Noah back, and Kyle is going to the dance no matter what.

Critical Evaluation
Hailed as one of the first positive teen novels about gay relationships, Boy Meets Boy is a modern classic of LGBT literature.  The setting is wonderfully accepting, nearly utopic, of all sexual orientations, dressing preferences, and relationships.  Some characters, including a boy’s Christian parents, are not accepting of homosexuality, but they are the exception to the rule.  The accepting surroundings allow the characters to explore not their sexuality, but relationships with other people.  There is no need to ‘find themselves’ or struggle with ‘coming out’ because they are already free to do so.  At its heart, Boy Meets Boy is a sweet book.  There is no rampant use of crude language, sexual situations are limited to mild kissing, and relationships are honest and mean well.  Even the homophobic Christian parents act as they do because they are sincerely afraid of their son’s soul, and want him to live a good life.  Infinite Darlene is the most outwardly different character, but she lives her life as she is most comfortable, and is happy with the choices she makes.  As with other young adult novels, Paul and his friends can sometimes act more mature than their years, and speak as if they are college graduates.  However, this is a minor criticism to a book that is otherwise well-written and important for young adults who want equality and acceptance in their lives.

Reader’s Annotation
Paul has fallen in love, but a single kiss with someone else might ruin the whole relationship. 

About the Author
David Levithan’s first novel Boy Meets Boy started as a kind of Valentine’s Day present for his friends.  Levithan wrote Boy Meets Boy as a book he wished he would receive as an editor.  The gay characters in the novel are not outcasts or ostracized for being gay.  He has authored or co-authored a total of sixteen books including collaborations with Rachel Cohn and John Green.  The Lover’s Dictionary is his first book written specifically for adults, although Levithan says all his books are also for adults.

David Levithan was born in 1972, graduated from Brown University in 1994, and published his first book in 2003.  He had a happy childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.  Levithan also works at Scholastic as a publisher and editorial director and was the founding editor of PUSH.  He had edited or published many well-known authors including Suzanne Collins, Garth Nix, and Gordon Korman.  He has also edited over 100 Star Wars books.  In 2001, Levithan decided to take one photograph a day for a year, he still is.

Genre
Social Issues

Curriculum Ties
Social Issues-Gender Identity

Booktalking
What would you do to convince someone you love him?  Paul is going to find out.

Reading Level/Interest Level
RL: 5th grade
IL: 9th grade and up

Challenge Issues
Possible challenge issues include relationships, including homosexual relationships, are a major focus of the novel.

In my defense file, I would include the following:
1) Library Mission Statement
2) Library Selection Policy approved by any or all of the following individuals—principal, school board, district librarian OR library manager, city council, mayor.
3) Library Bill of Rights adapted from CSLA Bill of Rights, AASL Bill of Rights and/or ALA Bill of Rights
4) Reviews, both positive and critical, from respected sources such as School Library Journal, VOYA, Booklist
5) Rationale for book inclusion for titles anticipated to be controversial, frequently challenged, or created when a book is challenged including: summary, audience, purpose, controversial issues and how they are handled
6) How the book fits within Common Core Standards or State Standards
7) Reconsideration form for challenger to complete—include a section asking which part was of particular concern, if the entire book was read, and what other similar titles are suggested instead
8) Student reviews from those who have read the book and either enjoyed or disliked the book and why.

Why Included
I read Boy Meets Boy for class and enjoyed it.  Also felt it was important to add an LGBT novel.

Others in the Series
N/A

References
Levithan, D. (2013). You probably think this page is about me.  Retrieved from http://www.davidlevithan.com/about/

Butter by Erin Jade Lange
ISBN: 978-1-599907-802
Lange, E. J. (2012). Butter.  New York: Bloomsbury

Plot Summary
Butter is a 400lb teenager who has decided he wants to end his life.  However, Butter’s not just going to quietly die, he is going to tape himself live as he eats himself to death.  The creation of his website has unexpected consequences, as Butter becomes instantly popular the next day at school.  Suddenly, the most popular students at school are including Butter in their activities and sitting with him at lunch.  The website grows in popularity and bets are being made on what the final menu will be.  Butter is delighting in his newfound friends, as his parents become increasingly concerned with his behavior.  His only friend through all this is Anna, the girl he’s been talking to online, but who doesn’t know who he really is.  At Butter’s doctor appointment he finds out he’s lost 14lbs, a new experience.  He is pleasantly surprised, but asks his doctor if it’s possible to eat yourself to death.  During the final month of his life, Butter compiles his list, including high levels of alcohol and strawberries (he’s highly allergic).  Butter loses more weight, and realizes he enjoys having friends and a possible future.  As the end creeps closer, Butter is not so sure he wants to die, but he can’t back out now. 

Critical Evaluation
A unique and intense premise that covers hot topic issues of teenage obesity, cyberbullying, and suicide.  One cannot help but like Butter, his sense of humor and saxophone playing.  At the same time, it is difficult to understand how he became so heavy.  His parents offer little support in the way of parenting, and it is left to Butter to figure out how to manage his weight.  Nearly all characters seem to be under a cloud of haze where weight management is ignored.  Butter’s solution is shocking, but for the exception of just a handful of people, accepted and encouraged.  The notion of encouraging one to commit suicide might just be enough to force teens to take a second look at cyberbulling, and the very real consequences.  Even as Butter begins to question his plan, he is determined to go through with it in order to fulfill the wishes of the popular students.  The lack of communication between Butter and his parents is also alarming.  The first-person narrative allows readers to go inside Butter’s head, but the internal dialogue is not quite as dramatic or traumatic as one would imagine.  The last chapter is dramatic, real, and frightening.  Suicide would be too tragic, while a complete recovery too easy.  Instead, Lange leaves the decision open to Butter.  His life has been saved by someone who really does care, but it is up to Butter to decide what he wants to do with it. 

Reader’s Annotation
A 400lb teenager decides he is going to eat himself to death on New Year’s Eve, and record it live for his classmates.

About the Author
Butter is Erin Jade Lange’s first published novel.  She wrote one novel previously and describes it as a ‘big mess’ but proved she could finish a book.  Her second book, Dead Ends, is to be released later this year, and is about bullying. 

Lange grew up an only child in northern Illinois near the Mississippi River.  Growing up, Lange needed to entertain herself, and frequently turned to her imagination.  She credits this time as leading her towards writing.  Lange’s day job is as a journalist, but she enjoys her evenings writing fiction.  The real-world issues she encounters as a journalist inspire her fiction writing for teenagers.  When not writing, Lange likes trying snowboarding and playing guitar, though she’s not good at either, and planning her wedding.  She now lives in Arizona, and cannot decide between deserts and rivers.

Genre
Realistic Fiction

Curriculum Ties
Bullying

Booktalking
Alcohol, pancakes, strawberries, and butter are on Butter’s last meal menu.  What would be on yours?

Reading Level/Interest Level
RL: 6th grade
IL: 9th grade and up

Challenge Issues
Possible challenge issues include themes of suicide and bullying.

In my defense file, I would include the following:
1) Library Mission Statement
2) Library Selection Policy approved by any or all of the following individuals—principal, school board, district librarian OR library manager, city council, mayor.
3) Library Bill of Rights adapted from CSLA Bill of Rights, AASL Bill of Rights and/or ALA Bill of Rights
4) Reviews, both positive and critical, from respected sources such as School Library Journal, VOYA, Booklist
5) Rationale for book inclusion for titles anticipated to be controversial, frequently challenged, or created when a book is challenged including: summary, audience, purpose, controversial issues and how they are handled
6) How the book fits within Common Core Standards or State Standards
7) Reconsideration form for challenger to complete—include a section asking which part was of particular concern, if the entire book was read, and what other similar titles are suggested instead
8) Student reviews from those who have read the book and either enjoyed or disliked the book and why.

Why Included
I felt this was one of those controversial, but realistic teen fiction novels.  It looks at high school relationships and online bullying, though in a different sense.

Others in the Series
N/A

References
Lange, E. J. (2013). Bio.  Retrieved from http://erinlange.com/about/

24 Girls in 7 Days by Alex Bradley
ISBN: 0-525-47369-6
Bradley. A. (2005). 24 girls in 7 days. New York: Dutton Books.

Plot Summary
Jack is a senior in high school and does not have a date to prom.  He finally musters up courage to ask the girl he’s been crushing on for years.  When she accepts, then declines, Jack walks away defeated.  His two best friends have significant others, why doesn’t he?  ­­­ Then, he starts receiving odd phone calls and emails about some personal dating ad.   Natalie and Percy­­­ decided to take matters into their own hands and fix dates for him. The new goal is for Jack to date 24 girls in 7 days, and choose one to take to prom.  Between flashing girls, bossy dates, and jumping off roofs, Jack isn’t sure this dating thing is going to work.  He also keeps getting great emails from a fancy pants.  Who is this girl, because she seems perfect?  As prom creeps ever closer, ­­Jack wonders who he will choose, who fancy pants is, and how prom will turn out.  Along the way, he might learn that love and friendship are blurred, and the one for him might not be someone expected.

Critical Evaluation
An interesting premise that does not quite live up to expectations.  The girls lining up to date Jack are all slightly oddball characters fulfilling requisite teen stereotypes.  None are portrayed in such a way as to make them believable or serious contenders for Jack’s prom date.  However, their quirkiness and interactions with Jack make for some fun laughs in book that sometimes takes itself too seriously.  Jack himself could come off as a geeky loser or cocky player trying to get a date, but instead is a simply nice guy looking for an equally nice girl.  An expected best friend romance begins, sure to delight, but it is not happily ever after.  A nice twist on an unrealistic plot that so many books fall into.  The parental figures are all positive, providing support for their children, and acting as parents.  A health emergency causes all the teens to reevaluate what is important in their lives, and question the worthiness of prom speed dating.  The unlikely ending is sweet, but mushily so, with perhaps some sarcastic thoughts.  In the end, Jack does tentatively decide on a girl, but the choice is one where hands are thrown in the air and thoughts are along the line of ‘what was the point of that?”

Reader’s Annotation
Jack needs a date to prom, and quickly.  His best friends secretly come up with a harebrained idea—an online classified ad for their school newspaper.

About the Author
Alex Bradley is a pseudonym for Jeremy Jackson.  While he writes under his real name, both his young adult novels use the Bradley name.  Jackson is a versatile author, writing fiction for young adults, adult novels, three cookbooks, and a memoir.  His cookbook recipes have appeared in various newspapers and magazines, and The Cornbread Book was nominated for a James Beard Award, a cooking award.  Jackson’s first novel, Life at These Speeds was selected as a Barnes & Noble’s Discover Great New Writers book.

Jeremy Jackson was born in Ohio, grew up in Missouri, and currently lives in Iowa.  Except for attending Vassar in New York, Jackson is a lifelong Midwesterner.  His memoir concentrates on his 11th year of life growing up on a farm, and this changes he underwent.  His family had cattle, horses, sheep, chickens, ducks, and a pig and pony.  He has a sister, several years older, and was close to her growing up.  After graduating from Vassar, Jackson wrote part-time, and then returned to teach English at his alma mater.  After teaching two years, Jackson moved back to Iowa and began writing full-time.

Genre
Humor/Social Issues

Curriculum Ties
N/A

Booktalking
Meet the lovely ladies Jack is going to date this week.

Reading Level/Interest Level
RL: 5th grade
IL: 6th grade and up

Challenge Issues
I do not foresee any challenges, but I would have my Defense File ready if there was an issue.

In my defense file, I would include the following:
1) Library Mission Statement
2) Library Selection Policy approved by any or all of the following individuals—principal, school board, district librarian OR library manager, city council, mayor.
3) Library Bill of Rights adapted from CSLA Bill of Rights, AASL Bill of Rights and/or ALA Bill of Rights
4) Reviews, both positive and critical, from respected sources such as School Library Journal, VOYA, Booklist
5) Rationale for book inclusion for titles anticipated to be controversial, frequently challenged, or created when a book is challenged including: summary, audience, purpose, controversial issues and how they are handled
6) How the book fits within Common Core Standards or State Standards
7) Reconsideration form for challenger to complete—include a section asking which part was of particular concern, if the entire book was read, and what other similar titles are suggested instead
8) Student reviews from those who have read the book and either enjoyed or disliked the book and why.

Why Included
Instead of the girl dating different guys for prom, this was a guy trying to find a prom date.  I’d seen the book before, and finally decided to try it.

Others in the Series
N/A

References
Jackson, J. (2013). Jeremy jackson: In his own words.  HarperCollinsPublisher.  Retrieved from http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/24523/Jeremy_Jackson/index.aspx?authorID=24523
Jeremy Jackson (author). (2013, January 24). Retrieved April 2, 2013 from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Jackson_%28author%29

Happy Families by Tanita S. Davis
ISBN: 978-0-375-86966-2
Davis, T. (2012). Happy families. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Plot Summary
Twins Ysabel and Justin have a wonderful life.  Their parents are happily married and successful, Justin is headed to a great college after graduation, and Ysabel is a genius at art.  Their lives suddenly change when their father Christopher admits he is a transgender individual.  Christopher sometimes enjoys dressing in women’s clothing and being called Christine.  He moves across state and lives in an apartment while the twins deal with their new lives.  Justin quits debate team, breaks up with his girlfriend, and throws his five-year plan in the trash.  Ysabel stops speaking with her best friend and becomes even more immersed in their art.  Their mother then informs them that their spring break will be spent with their father.  Both are outraged and determined to have a terrible time.  The week includes attending daily counseling and therapy sessions with a transgender specialist, and attending special events with other transgender families.  As the week progresses, Justin and Ysabel find themselves asking more questions and trying to make sense of their father’s lifestyle.  Their interactions with other children of transgendered individuals are also helpful.  After a particular difficult day, Justin goes missing, and the entire family finds themselves united again as they wait for Justin’s return.

Critical Evaluation
A realistic portrayal of a family going through a major life change.  Father Christopher reveals he occasionally dresses as a woman and goes by the name Christine.  Twins Ysabel and Justin tell their story in alternating chapters as each tries to digest and absorb what has happened to their family.  Their conflicting emotions of confusion, dislike, mistrust, and love are very real.  Those in similar situations will be able to connect as the twins struggle through their feelings.  Even those looking in from the outside will feel empathy and sympathize.  The twins are understandably hurt, upset, conflicted, and angry.  They really are trying to make sense of the situation.  At the core is their underlying love for their father, just temporarily hidden.  Some typical teen behaviors including listening to loud music, forgetting a cell phone and hiding out for a bit, and angrily yelling at parents are here.  The introduction of new friends serves as a reminder of how all families are different.  The main unrealistic aspect is the span of time.  Only a week passes where Ysabel and Justin begin to come to terms with their father and his chosen lifestyle.  The timeline seems rushed as the twins shift from defiant anger to burgeoning understanding.  Also, the Ivy League intelligence of Justin and art prodigy status of Ysabel make them stand out.  Most teens are not that extraordinary.  The novel ends on an uplifting note, but explains more time is needed to heal and fully accept their new situation. 

Reader’s Annotation
Justin and Ysabel have a great life with great parents.  This suddenly changes when they discover their father is a transgender individual.

About the Author
Tanita Davis has written three novels for young adults.  Many of her characters are African American, reflecting Davis’ own ethnic background and that of her readers.  Her novel Mare’s War was a Coretta Scott King Honor Book.  Happy Families was selected for ALA’s 2013 Rainbow Project List.  Davis is an active blogger and poet, often blogging about current events or her thoughts, and then turning them into poetry.

Tanita Davis was born in San Francisco, California.  She was the youngest child for several years, but always the most talkative and a born performer.  Davis’ mother told her to write whatever she was thinking instead of singing, dancing, or storytelling around the house.  Her family moved to the suburbs when Davis was five, and adopted two younger children, making Davis the middle child.  After attending Mills College and earning an MFA, Davis moved to Scotland and began writing as she married her boyfriend and waited for him to finish his PhD.  She and her husband are back in Northern California, living close to her family.

Genre
Contemporary Realistic Fiction/Social Issues

Curriculum Ties
Social Issues-Gender Identity

Booktalking
A father admits to his family that he likes dressing as a woman, how will they deal?

Reading Level/Interest Level
RL: 5th grade
IL: 8th grade and up

Challenge Issues
Possible challenge issues include transgender and transsexual characters.

In my defense file, I would include the following:
1) Library Mission Statement
2) Library Selection Policy approved by any or all of the following individuals—principal, school board, district librarian OR library manager, city council, mayor.
3) Library Bill of Rights adapted from CSLA Bill of Rights, AASL Bill of Rights and/or ALA Bill of Rights
4) Reviews, both positive and critical, from respected sources such as School Library Journal, VOYA, Booklist
5) Rationale for book inclusion for titles anticipated to be controversial, frequently challenged, or created when a book is challenged including: summary, audience, purpose, controversial issues and how they are handled
6) How the book fits within Common Core Standards or State Standards
7) Reconsideration form for challenger to complete—include a section asking which part was of particular concern, if the entire book was read, and what other similar titles are suggested instead
8) Student reviews from those who have read the book and either enjoyed or disliked the book and why.

Why Included
This is a book I would not normally have read.  It deals with issues I am okay with in a hypothetical sense, but when presented more tangibly in a novel, made me question and rethink.

Others in the Series
N/A

References
Davis, T. (2013). Tanita s. davis. Retrieved from http://tanitasdavis.com/tanita.shtml

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
ISBN: 0-525-47881-7
Green, J. (2012). The fault in our stars. New York: Dutton Books.

Plot Summary
Hazel is probably depressed, has few friends, and a somewhat negative view of the future.  This is all rather understandable as Hazel has an incurable form of cancer and must use an oxygen tank at all times.  An experimental drug has stopped tumor growths, leaving Hazel and her parents living in a sort of limbo.  She cannot be cured, but if the drugs continue to work, Hazel will continue to live.  Hazel’s mother takes her to a Cancer Support Group where she meets Isaac and Augustus.  Augustus, a cancer survivor himself, is immediately interested in Hazel, but she is more hesitant, afraid to get involved with someone when she could die at any time.  The two share their favorite books, Augustus ends up loving An Imperial Affliction as much as Hazel, and agrees to take her to meet Peter Van Houten, the author, in Amsterdam.  Though Amsterdam is not what they expected, Hazel and Augustus make the best of their trip, admit they love each other, and agree to spend as much time together as they can.  They will stay together until death parts them.

Critical Evaluation
Green takes a difficult subject, children with cancer, and has managed to create a heart-warming book about love and life.  There are plenty of depressing moments, and death plays a heavy role, but as Hazel learns, the love was worth it in the end. 
Hazel, Augustus, and Isaac are smart, sarcastic, and great friends.  Their language and humor, however, seem rather advanced for their age.   When dealing with difficult situations, chemotherapy, cancer, and death, the three are sarcastic, ironic, humorous, and irreverent at times.  More than once the impression of 'gallows humor' being used was present.  The discussions Hazel, Augustus, and Isaac have are at times mildly esoteric and deal with stars, nature, blindness, and life after.  It is difficult to imagine actual teenagers speaking similarly.  However, these three all have cancer, and have already faced extreme difficulties in life.  The friendships between the three are also extremely positive.  These are friendships that have dealt with chemotherapy and death, petty arguments are not important.  Their frankness and 'get over it' attitudes reveal that life is not worth complaining about, but is precious enough to get up and do something about it.  Augustus and Hazel also have a healthy romantic relationship.  All three struggles with cancer are presented realistically, without being maudlin.  Of course, a book about cancer will predictably have at least one of the characters die.  Though it is not entirely unexpected, there is the hope everything will turn out alright in the end.  Make sure to have Kleenex nearby for the last few chapters, they will be needed. 

Reader’s Annotation
Hazel is a sixteen-teen-year old girl who takes college classes, loves to read, and has a new boyfriend.  She has only one problem, her incurable cancer.

About the Author
John Green was born in 1977 and raised mostly in Orlando, Florida.  While writing, Green has lived in Indiana, New York, and Illinois.  He is married and has one child.  Green attended Kenyon College and double majored in English and Religious Studies.  After college, he worked at Booklist, a magazine reviewing hundreds of books every two weeks.  During this time, Green realized that normal people wrote books, and considered writing one himself.  He credits his editor, Ilene Cooper, as one of the individuals who encouraged him most to begin writing, and see where it led.  Green says that his ideas come from realistic situations and people.

John Green has written five books all for young adults.  He won the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award and 2009 Edgar Award, and has been a finalist twice for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.  In 2007, Green and his brother Hank decided to communicate online through YouTube.  The two of them still upload videoblogs twice a week and are followed by millions of fans.  Green also uses Twitter frequently.

Genre
Contemporary Realistic Fiction/Social Issues/Romance

Curriculum Ties
Literature and favorite books
Science and Cancer

Booktalking
If you were given a Wish, what would you use it on?
Isaac has been seemingly cured of cancer, but is blind.  What kind of a trade-off is this?

Reading Level/Interest Level
RL: 7th grade
IL: 8th grade and up

Challenge Issues
Possible challenge issues include several instances of profanity and brief sexual content. 

In my defense file, I would include the following:
1) Library Mission Statement
2) Library Selection Policy approved by any or all of the following individuals—principal, school board, district librarian OR library manager, city council, mayor.
3) Library Bill of Rights adapted from CSLA Bill of Rights, AASL Bill of Rights and/or ALA Bill of Rights
4) Reviews, both positive and critical, from respected sources such as School Library Journal, VOYA, Booklist
5) Rationale for book inclusion for titles anticipated to be controversial, frequently challenged, or created when a book is challenged including: summary, audience, purpose, controversial issues and how they are handled
6) How the book fits within Common Core Standards or State Standards
7) Reconsideration form for challenger to complete—include a section asking which part was of particular concern, if the entire book was read, and what other similar titles are suggested instead
8) Student reviews from those who have read the book and either enjoyed or disliked the book and why.

Why Included
I read TFiOS for class and absolutely adored the novel!  I loved the main characters, their interactions with one another, and the way the author dealt with all their issues.

Others in the Series
N/A

References
Green, J., & Lastufka, A. (2012). John green biography faq. Retrieved from http://johngreenbooks.com/bio-contact/