Shiver

Stiefvater, M.  (2009).  Shiver.  NY:  Scholastic.
Grace is a teenage girl in love with Sam, the wolf who saved her when she was eleven.  Sam takes on human form for three months in the summer and returns to a wolf the other nine months.  As Grace learns more about the wolf world, she is determined to find a cure for Sam before he becomes a wolf forever.  Later she is bitten and in danger of turning into a wolf.  There may be a possible cure of a meningitis injection, but Olivia refuses the cure.  This is due to the fear that it could harm her, and she wants to be a wolf with Sam. Sam attempts to take the injection, but half way through he turns back into a wolf and runs away. This first book of the trilogy ends with Sam returning to Grace in human form.  I think this would be ideal for teaching plot summary and conflict.  There are many examples of man-vs-man and inner conflict.  For example, Grace and Sam both struggled internally of whether they should or should not try the cure.  The plot of this novel is a good example of  Havighurst's theory that adolescents need to learn how to get along with peers. The characters had to work together to experiment with the meningitis cure.  Their relationships were also slightly altered when once a character became a part time wolf altering his or her personality which in return affects external relationships.

Persepolis

Sartrapi, M.  (2004).  Persepolis.  NY:  Pantheon.
Marjane Satrapi's, the intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-grandaughter of one Iran's last emperors, shares her memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.  Satrapi tells the story in black and white comic strips from ages six to fourteen years that saw the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq.  In the end (1994) she says her tearful goodbyes and leaves Iran forever. I found this book to be a strong read for teenagers 14 and up.  One of the major strengths of this book is that the author took serious topics and issues of her life and wrote it in such funny yet heartbreaking manner that I couldn't help but be entertained.  I also think the visual images of the comic strip would be beneficial to young readers who struggle with reading.  Good autobiography should use many of the techniques of fiction to draw the reader into the life story of the subject (Lesesne 2003).  This is evident in Persepolis for the memoir has strong character development, plot structure, dialogue and many other components that good fictional novel would also contain.

The Surrender Tree

Engle, M.  (2008).  The surrender tree.  NY:  Holt.
Engle tells the story of Cuba's troubled past of wars and slavery through a powerful narrative free verse.  Rosa, a nurse throughout three wars in Cuba, was continuously hiding from Cuban leadership who wanted her dead. One of the major strengths of this book is that teenagers ages 13 and up will be inspired by the strength of ordinary people. For example, many people thought Rosa was a witch or had magical powers. In reality, she was just an ordinary person with the knowledge and love to heal others. The clear short lines of the varying characters of the past enticed me to continue reading to see what would happen next. This is also a great poetry book because it effectively uses figurative language and imagery to help readers create mental images. For example, there was one point when Engle not only described how the hideout caves looked but went on to describe the unpleasant smells as well. The word choice made me feel I was actually there in the book experiencing the events with the characters.

Eleanor and Park (Printz Honor 2015)

Rowell, R.  (2013).  Eleanor and Park.  NY:
Eleanor, a poor teenage girl with several little siblings and an abusive dad, meets and falls in love with Park, a middle class biracial (Asian/White) teenage boy with a little brother and a dad obsessed with TaeKwando.  They meet on a school bus on Eleanor's first day of school.  In the beginning of the romance, they are too embarrassed to go public with their feelings, but this ends when Park attacks Steve who is talking about Eleanor. Their relationship grows as Eleanor tries to cope with her home life.  Eventually, it is unbearable and with the help of Park and his father, she runs away to live with her aunt and uncle.  In the end, she finally writes a letter to Park to declare her love. I would recommend this book for teenagers 14 to 16 years old.  One of the lessons I would teach with this book would be the use of dialogue. There is a great deal of dialogue which makes this a quick yet interesting read.  This fictional novel shows that readers are more alike than they are different.  Even though Eleanor and Park came from two completely different households, they still share some of the same social issues such as being accepted and loved by a parent as well as their peers at school.

Brain Camp Great Graphic Novel for Teens for 2014

Kim, S.  (2010).  Brain Camp.  NY:  First Second.
Artistic Jenna and delinquent Lucas unexpectedly find themselves at  invitation-only Camp Fielding.  Soon after their arrival, they discover there are disappearances and all of the other kids are turning into mindless brainy zombies.  At the climax of the novel, they realize the camp directors are responsible, with the permission from their parents. I could not believe their own parents would do this!Combining humor and horror this graphic novel is great for teenagers 14 and up.  If students enjoy this book, I  would suggest the "Goosebump" novels, for they have the same horror science fiction tone.  I found the pictures to be just as detailed and informative as the actual dialogue.  One important component for a good fantasy book is that there is a universal theme (Lesesne 2003).  For example, in real life parents will not be giving their child intelligence serum to make them smarter. However, the theme of living up to parent expectations and the pressure placed on the parents to have a successful child are very real.

The Crazy Horse Electric Game

Crutcher, C.  (1987).  The crazy horse electric game.  NY:  Harper Tempest.  Willie, a top highschool athlete in Montana, flees to Oakland, California after a water skiing accident leaves him physically disabled and depressed.  On his journey, he is attacked by an Asian gang, but is rescued and taken in by a pimp named "Lacey".  He ends up staying there for two years, attending a small inner city school, receiving physical therapy, and forming strong relationships with peers and adults who mentor him.   He takes a trip home to Montana and realizes there have been major changes within the two years. Willie realizes Coho, Montana does not feel like home anymore because he still feels crippled. With this realization, he packs his bags and returns to Oakland.  I believe the greatest strength of this book is that it addresses adolescent themes such as divorce, drugs, mental and physical handicaps and gang violence in such a manner that a teenager from any time era can relate. One of the main characteristics of a good back is character development.  Crutcher portrayed Willie as a dynamic character who changed and was enlightened throughout the plot of the story. He was no longer the star athlete taking his abilities for granted.  Willie also had several archetypes. They were the wise adult mentors that helped him heal physically as well as mentally and emotionally.

Schooled

Korman, G.  (2008).  Schooled.  NY:  Hyperion Paperbacks.
Naive Cap Anderson has lived on the hippie commune with his grandmother and homeschool teacher all of his life until she is hurt and placed in the hospital.  He then is sent to live with a social worker and sent to a public middle school.  Because of his innocence, he becomes the butt of many practical jokes.  However, his unusual hippie reaction, eventually wins most of the students to his side making him one of the most popular kids in school.  In the end, he returns to his hippie commune to discover he is more comfortable in his new life at C Average Middle School. His grandmother sells the commune for 17 million dollars allowing Cap to continue going to school at his new middle school.  This is a great book for students ages 12 to 15. I loved Korman's blended moments  of comedy and   reflection.  This would be a great book for teaching point of view, for Korman shifts the point of view from Cap to different characters in the book. A great novel provides young adult readers with insight into their own worlds (Lesesne 2003 p.78).  Although the average student can not relate to living in a compound, they can connect with the idea that anyone can fit in no matter the person.