Ruby Holler By Sharon Creech

Book Type: Young Adult

Rating: A+

Recommended For: Anyone who likes a feel-good story.

Genre: drama

Themes: Orphans, Relationships, Wilderness Living

Main Characters: Teenage brother and sister/ Older husband and Wife

Annotation: Sharon Creech is one of my favorite authors of all time and this is one of my favorite reads. While a brother and sister are planning their escape from a dead-end orphanage, an elderly husband and wife discuss leaving their cabin for a condo in the city. The four lives come together to create a touching story about love, acceptance and family.

Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson

Book Type: Young Adult

Rating: A+

Recommended For: Older Teens and up

Genre: Real Life Drama

Themes: High School/Rape/Art

Main Character: Female

Annotation: Despite the fact that I despise stories that include a rape, I loved this book. Not only is the rape NOT discussed in full detail, it is handled in an appropriate manner, but it is discussed throughout the book. Laurie Anderson does a superb job using humor to lighten the mood of this book. My mom shares my loathing of rape books and she too thought this was a great read. I would allow my younger teens to read this book only after I had read it myself and was able to discuss the issues with them. Once again, believe me when I say that this book isn't full of doom and gloom but is a sweet story of how a young girl faces ridicule at school after calling the cops at the last big drinking party. No one else knows what happened to her at the party and she must come to terms with her problems alone.

The White Giraffe By Lauren St. John

Book Type: Young Adult

Rating: B

Recommended For: All Ages Grade 3+

Genre: Fantasy/Drama

Themes: Africa/ Orphans /Endangered Animals/Family

Main Character: Female

Annotation: After the death of her parents a young girl struggles to adjust to life on her Grandmother's wildlife refuge in Africa. She hears tales of a mystical white giraffe and begins to question the probability that the animal may actually exist. This tale was a bit far fetched for my taste. It was an OK read but it wouldn't be on my top list of recommendations.

Eleven By Patricia Reilly Giff

Book Type: Young Adult

Rating: A

Recommended: Anyone/ Any age

Genre: Drama/Mystery

Themes: Quest for Identity/Family/Wood Carving

Main Character: Male with supporting Female

Annotation: After discovering he once had a different last name, a young boy secretly searches for answers to who he is and where he came from. My only disappointment in this book was that the cover lead me to believe it would be more suspenseful than it actually was.

Other Books By Patricia Reilly Giff: Pictures of Hollis Woods A+ (One of my favorites!)

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian By Sherman Alexie

Book Type: Young Adult

Rating: A+ if you took out all the JUNK! But because there is so much crud I have to give it an F. This book would have been great if you left out the crude language and sexuality. It is bad...R rating bad. I wouldn't let my teen read this book which is sad since it was good otherwise. Anyone have Clear Play for novels?

Recommended For: No one

Genre: Drama

Themes: Current Native American traditions/Life on and off the Reservation for an Indian teen/Basketball

Main Character: Male

Annotation: A young Native American wants more for his life than is offered on the Spokane Indian Reservation. This book depicts his ups and downs as he breaks all rules and begins to attend the white school miles away from the Rez.

Notes From the Midnight Driver By Jordan Sonnenblick

Book Type: Young Adult

Rating: A+

Recommended For: Anyone/Any age 4th grade +

Genre: Drama

Themes: Life Lessons/Music

Main Character: Male with Female supporting character

Annotation: After taking his mother's car for a drunken joy ride a young man is given service hours with a cranky old man in a nearby nursing home. I put off reading this one because of the cover...a lawn gnome, really? But I shouldn't have judged this book by it's cover...it is now on my list of favorites. Very good.