Enshadowed

Creagh, Kelly. Enshadowed. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2012.

This novel has no awards at present.

Varen is a prisoner in his own dreams, where Edgar Allen Poe's stories come to life in gory detail.  Isobel must try and free him from his own nightmare.

Enshadowed is the second book in the Nevermore series.  Written in first person, this smart YA horror novel explores the psychological elements of horror and fear.  Defying conventional romance tropes, it is Isobel who must rescue her boyfriend from the nightmares that have taken over his consciousness.  Varen, stuck in a nightmare reminiscent of Edgar Allen Poe, must also overcome his fears and aid in his own escape.  I highly recommend this to teens and preteens who are interested in the horror genre.  It is very well written and can hold the attention of even the most jaded reader.

Sarah B, age twelve recommends: "if you love Edgar Allen Poe then this book is a no-brainer."

The Mockingbirds

Whitney, Daisy. The Mockingbirds. New York, NY: Hachette Book Group, 2010. Hardcover. ISBN 978-0-316-09053-7. $16.99.Awards: An Association of Booksellers for Children New Voices Pick for 2010A Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library 
Association;A Romantic times Best Book of 2010An NPR Best Book of 2010Chicago Public Library Best of Best Books for Teens 2010“Do you remember any of it?” she asks.
“Not really,” I say, muffled into the bed.
“Alex, not remembering a night with someone isn’t good.”
More silence.
“You kissed him, right? You made out with him, but that’s all, right?” T.S. asks anxiously, like she’s leading the witness, like she wants me to say yes.Yes, I’m dying to say. Yes, that’s all.
Alex Patrick has a problem. Alex Patrick has problems. She wakes up, naked, in a strange boys room, with no recollection of how she got there. The boy is a fellow student in the elite private school, Themis Academy. Who can she confide in? How will she deal with the whispers and accusations? Who will help her bring her rapist to justice? Will the Mockingbirds, a secret organization of Themis Academy give Alex the help she needs?

The God Box

Sanchez, Alex.  The God Box.  New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2009.  Paperback.  ISBN: 978-1-4169-0900-2. US $9.99

What if you had a secret you thought you could never tell?

In Abilene Texas, a town where life consists of school, football, and church, a new student just arrived. Manuel’s arrival and his open declaration of his sexuality attract the attention of Paul, a devout Christian who is struggling with his own sexuality. Paul had previously considered Christianity and homosexuality to be incompatible. Yet here was Manuel, who openly embraces his sexual orientation and his spirituality. 

Will Paul confess his feelings for Manuel? Can he overcome the conflicting emotions of desire, faith, acceptance and love?

The Rose that Grew from Concrete

Shakur, Tupac. The Rose That Grew from Concrete. New York: Pocket Books, 1999.  Print. ISBN-13: 978-0671028442. Paperback. $14.93

This young adult poetry collection was written by Tupac Amaru Shakur covers a wide range of subjects, from the realities of government assistance to tributees to Marilyn Monroe. In the tradition of E.E. Cummings, Tupac forgoes traditional rhyme schemes, punctuation and spelling. Many of the poems include ideograms and revisions such as line outs and scribbles. The book includes a forward by the poet Nikki Giovanni and a preface by his mother, Afeni Shakur. The handwritten poems exhibit a range of emotion that would have been lost in a traditional typed font.

I would recommend this book for adolescents who exhibit a love of modern rap/hip-hop as a gateway to poetry. The unusual format and inventive word play provide a unique way of looking at poetry as a form of lyrics. The reading and comprehension level for this book is for early to mid teens.

The Outsiders

Hinton, S. E.  The Outsiders.  Puffin: New York, 1997.  ISBN-13: 978-0140385724, paperback $9.99

A classic bildungsroman set in the mid nineteen sixties, the story follows Ponyboy, a teenage orphan who is a member of a local gang called the Greasers.  Ponyboy develops feelings for Cherry,  a young rich girl associated with the rival gang, the Socs.  When a fight between the Greasers and Socs turns deadly, Ponyboy and Johnny (his friend and fellow gangmember) hide out in a local church.  Johnny decides to turn himself in, but dies in a tragic accident while saving a group of children in a fire.  Ponyboy is forced to choose between his self destructive life or a life of his own choosing.

The Outsiders will remain a classic coming of age story.  It is essentially an American novel, written for younger adults.  It’s themes of class struggle, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence and gang warfare reflect the fractured culture adolescents face.  This book is essential reading for junior high level readers.  

Jacob Have I Loved

Paterson, Katherine. Jacob have I loved. New York: Avon Flare, 1980. Print.  ISBN-13: 978-0064403689, Paperback $6.99

Jacob Have I Loved is the story of Sara Louise Bradshaw, a teenage girl growing up in a perfect storm of social and emotional conflict.  World war two is taking place on foreign shores, but Louise (Wheeze) is facing a war of her own.  Growing up in a small island town, she is constantly compared to her younger, more talented sister.  Louise fights against what is expected of a young woman, dreaming of working beside her father as a waterman.  

Jacob Have I Loved is a one of those books you will want to recommend to everyone.  It draws on almost every conflict that a young adult can face: sibling, parent, family, friends, relationships, society and even nature.  It carefully explores the missteps and small victories of adolescence and the journey toward adulthood.