Title Author Genre Your view of

book
Cultural
Theme(s)
Fiction or
Non-Fiction
Awards Positive Review
Perks of
Being a
Wallflower
Chobsky,
Stephen
Fiction Honest
writing, great
characters,
may resonate
with shy
readers.
Caucasian
American
Culture
Mental Illness
Gay/Lesbian
Culture
Fiction Bluegrass Award
Garden State Teen
Book Award
Volunteer State
Book Award
Booklist Review
Al Capone
Does My
Shirts
Choldenko,
Gennifer
Historical
Fiction
Main
character
relatable,
enjoyable for
male reluctant
readers.
Author does a
remarkable
job dealing
with mental
illness in
family during
the
1930s.
Criminal Culture
Mental Illness
Fiction Newbery Honor
NYPL's 100 Titles
for Reading and
Sharing School
Library Journal
Best Book of the
Year Publishers
Weekly Best Book
2004 ALA Best
Book for Young
Adults 2005 ALA
Notable Book
2005 New York
Public Library Best
Book for Teen Age
2005
California Young
Reader Medal
School Library Journal
Booklist Review
Walk Two
Moons
(audio)
Creech, Sharon Fiction Fantastic take
on realistic
fiction, family
love and
coming of
age. Many
clear and
memorable
messages for
young female
readers.
Broken Family
Mental Illness
Fiction Newberry
Award
United Kingdoms
Kirkus Review

Bucking the
Sarge
Curtis,
Christopher
Paul
Fiction Curtis is
funny and so
are his
characters
even in tough
times. Loved
the
descriptions
of Flint
Michigan and
of Luther and
Sparky.
Interesting
take on
authoritative
roles.
African
American
Culture
Fiction Golden Kite Award
(2004), ALA Best
Book for Young
Adults (2005).
Booklist Starred Review
School Library Journal
VOYA
Publishers Weekly

Keeping the
Moon

Dessen, Sarah Fiction Possible
coming of age
novel for
female pre
Caucasian
American
Culture
Fiction A School Library
Journal Best
Book of the
Kirkus Reviews
School Library Journal
starred review
teen/ teen
readers.
Dessen fans
will enjoy.
Refreshing to
read realistic
feelings from
characters.
Year
New York
Library Book for
the Teen
Age, 2000

The New York Post
An ALA Best Book for
Young Adults
and Quick Pick
International Reading
Association Young Adult
Choice, 2001
The
Graveyard
Book
(audio)
Gaiman, Neil Fantasy Remarkable
audio book
with author
narration. A
must read for
kids and
adults!
Culture of
Living vs.
Culture of the
Dead
English
Fiction Hugo Award for
best novel

School Library Journal
ALA
New York Times
Kirkus Reviews
Looking for
Alaska
Green, John Fiction Green
manages to
capture
teenage
personalities,
triumphs and
tribulations
well and with
humor.
Would make
for great use
in high school
curriculum.
High school life,
friendship, and
drugs and
alcohol.
Fiction Winner, 2006
Michael L. Printz
Award Finalist,
2005 Los Angeles
Times Book
Prize 2006 Top 10
Best Book for
Young Adults 2006
Teens Top 10
Award 2006 Quick
Pick for Reluctant
Young Adult
Readers A New
York Public Library
Book for the Teen
Age A Booklist

An ALA Best Book for
Young Adults Top 10
An ALA Quick Pick for
Reluctant Young Readers
A 2005 Booklist Editors
Choice
A Kirkus Best Book of
2005
A 2005 SLJ Best Book of
the Year
A New York Public
Library Book for the
Teen Age
Editors Choice
Pick Barnes &
Noble Discover
Great New Writers
Selection Borders
Original Voices
Selection
The Curious
Incident of the
Dog in the
Night-Time
Haddon, Mark Fiction Enjoyed
narration of
the main
character very
much and
found the title
to be relatable
to all,
especially
those who
would be
interested in a
take on social
structure and
those with
autism.
Social
Connectedness
Social
Confusion
Mental Illness

Fiction Whitbread Book of
the Year Award
New Yorker
Booklist
Publishers Weekly
School Library Journal
Jellicoe Road Marchetta,
Melina
Fiction Intriguing
take on
similarities
and difference
between
American and
Australian
high school
Australian Teen
Culture
Drug Culture

Fiction Michael L. Printz
Award
ALA Best Book for
Young
Adults
Kirkus Reviews
Best Young Adult
Book
Kirkus Starred, USA
Australian Literary
Review
perspective.
The Invention
of Hugo
Cabret
Selznick, Brian Fiction Blissfully
approachable
for a reluctant
reader; great
introduction
read into the
Steam punk
genre,
illustrations
were
captivating.
Child without
family;
searching for
family legacy.
Fiction Caldecott Award
2007 Quill Award
Winner
A New York Times Best
Illustrated Book A New
York Times
Bestseller The Quill
Award for Children's
Chapter Book An NCTE
Notable Children's Book
in the Language Arts A
Publishers Weekly Best
Book A Kirkus Reviews
Best Book A New York
Public Library Best Book
for Reading and Sharing
Star Girl Spinelli, Jerry Fiction Honest and
concise,
found this to
be a great
quick read to
satisfy upper
elementary
request for
realistic
fiction and
individuality.
High School and
Individuality of
Caucasian
American
culture
Fiction It was a New York
Times Bestseller, a
Parents Choice
Gold Award
Winner, an ALA
Top Ten Best
Books Award
winner, and a
Publishers Weekly
Best Book of the
Year
Publishers Weekly
School Library Journal
Kirkus Review

How They
Croaked: The
Awful Ends to
the Awfully
Famous
Bragg, Georgia Non-Fiction Appealing
graphically,
stylistically,
and
information-
ally. Loved
Multicultural
profiled
characters
include famous
individuals from
across the globe.
Non-Fiction Cybils Award
(Non-Fiction)
ALA Notable
Children's Book
Booklist
Kirkus
BCCB
School Library Journal
the succinct
information
for each
famous death
as well as the
additional
resources in
the back of
the book. This
title will
certainly
encourage
further
research on
behalf of the
reader.
(ALA)
IRA/CBC Young
Adults' Choice
Quick Picks for
Reluctant Young
Adult Readers
(YALSA)

The Immortal
Life of
Henrietta
Lacks
(e-book)
Skloot,
Rebecca
Non-Fiction Approachable
narrative non-
fiction title
that breaks
scientific
literature
down to a
comfortable
level. Quick
read for
middle to
older teens.
Multicultural
African
American
Culture.
Scientific
American
Culture
Caucasian
American
Culture.
Non-Fiction 2010 Chicago
Tribune Heartland
Prize for
Nonfiction, the
2010 Welcome
Trust Book Prize,
and the American
Association for the
Advancement of
Sciences Award
for Excellence in
Science Writing,
the 2011 Audie
Award for Best
Non-Fiction
Publishers Weekly
Bookmarks Magazine
Booklist
Audiobook, and a
Medical Journalists
Association Open
Book Award
A Wreath for
Emmett Till
Nelson,
Marilyn
Non-fiction Simple,
moving and
beautiful.
Written in
prose.
Requires
some topic
study prior to
reading, but
could be used
in opposite
way to
interest a
reader in the
story of
Emmett Till
or the time
period.
American Civil
Rights
Movement
African
American
Culture
Non-Fiction 2005 Boston
Globe/Horn Book
Award
Coretta Scott King
and Printz Honor
Awards
School Library Journal
Horn Book
Booklist
Kirkus
Booklinks (ALA)

The Lightning
Thief
(audio)
Riordan, Rick Fantasy Great pick for
fans of Greek
mythology
and
comparison
from book to
film.
Life among
gods, demi-gods
and mortals.
Fiction Bluebonnet Award
Nominee 2006,
Texas Library
Association Askews
Torchlight Award
(UK) Winner, 2006
Red House
Childrens Book
Award Winner
KLIATT
Childrens Literature
VOYA
School Library Journal
Kirkus
(UK), 2006
17 individual state
reading Awards
Uglies Westerfeld,
Scott
Science
Fiction
Dystopian
Great title for
a Dystopian
reader in
search of a
new series.
Interesting
take on
beauty,
individuality
and
perfection.
Dystopian
Culture
Fiction NY Times best
selling series.
School Library Journal
Kirkus Review
Breadcrumbs Ursu, Anne Fantasy Fun take on
fractured fairy
tales for the
younger
crowd. May
be enjoyed by
mystery
readers and
fans of
Sisters
Grimm series.
Caucasian
realistic culture
and fantasy
culture with
references to
fantasy and
fairytales.
Fiction Publishers Weekly
Book of the
Year School
Library Journal
Book of the Year

Wall Street Journal
Kirkus
School Library Journal
Publishers Weekly
NPR Backseat Kids
Club Book
Maus Spielgelman,
Art
Graphic Novel Very unique
and moving.
Great choice
for historical
fiction and
graphic novel
Holocaust
Survival
Fiction Pulitzer Prize School Library Journal
Maus Spielgelman,
Art
Graphic Novel Very unique
and moving.
Great choice
for historical
fiction and
graphic novel
readers.
Would read
others by this
author.
Holocaust
Survival
Fiction Pulitzer Prize School Library Journal
Bone 2: The
Great Cow
Race
Smith, Jeff Graphic Novel Great pick for
reluctant boy
readers who
enjoy
adventure and
grapic novels.
Has potential
to hook
readers on
entire series.
Fantasy Realm:
Good Vs. Evil
Fiction Eisner Award-Best
Graphic Album-
Reprint
School Library Journal
Secret Life of
Bees
(audio)
Kidd, Sue
Monk
Historical
Fiction
Lily makes
for a
wonderful
character to
help us
analyze
racism,
culture and
our history.
Her coming
of age story is
remarkable
and so are the
varied and
detailed
characters in
her life.
American
Racism;
Segregation
Fiction 2004 Book Sense
Paperback book of
the Year
Publishers Weekly
VOYA
Library Journal
School Library Journal
Kirkus

The Things
They Carried
OBrien, Tim Historical
Fiction
Moving and
heartbreaking.
Writing is
quiet and
eerie and
filled with the
horrors of
war. This title
takes in
interesting
spin into the
lives of
soldiers
returned
home.
Vietnam War
Culture;
Fiction New York Times
Best Books of the
Century
New York Times
Library Journal
School Library Journal
Hole in My
Life
Gantos, Jack Memoir Frightening,
funny and
exhilarating
a good
portion of this
memoir
teaches
students what
not to do. It
may have the
capability to
get through to
readers on the
brink
Gantos has a
literary career
Drug Culture Fiction 2003 Bank Street -
Best Children's
Book of the Year.
Publishers Weekly
VOYA
Library Journal
School Library Journal
Kirkus

to prove that
he was able to
make
something of
himself. Great
title to pull
older students
into the genre
of memoir
and biography
The Greatest:
Muhammad
Ali
Myers, Walter
Dean
Biography Appealing
biography for
reluctant boy
readers.
Informational
and fast
paced.
American
Racism;
Segregation;

Non-Fiction Literary acclaim
goes to award
winning author
Walter Dean Myers
for his career as a
writer for young
readers.
School Library Journal
Booklist
VOYA

The
Absolutely
True Story of
a Part Time
Indian
Fiction
(audio)
Alexi, Sherman Multi-Cultural
Fiction
Likable
character
struggling wit
multicultural
pressures and
family
alcoholism.
Phenomenal
audio book
narrated by
author. Book
has humorous
illustrations
as well. Grade
Native American
Issues in
Modern
America
Non-Fiction National Book
Award Winner
Booklist
Bookpage
Newsday
Publishers Weekly
VOYA
School Library Journal
Kirkus
USA Today
New York Times
Los Angeles Times


The
Absolutely
True Story of
a Part Time
Indian
Fiction
(audio)
Alexi, Sherman Multi-Cultural
Fiction
Likable
character
struggling wit
multicultural
pressures and
family
alcoholism.
Phenomenal
audio book
narrated by
author. Book
has humorous
illustrations
as well. Grade
pick for a
reluctant
reader
looking for a
new genre.
Native American
Issues in
Modern
America
Non-Fiction National Book
Award Winner
Booklist
Bookpage
Newsday
Publishers Weekly
VOYA
School Library Journal
Kirkus
USA Today
New York Times
Los Angeles Times

Hopkins,
Ellen
Crank Street Lit Intense look
at family
relationships
and drug
abuse.
Enjoyable
writing style.
Prose may be
a way to hook
readers who
want to read
about series
issues in a
poetic,
quickly paced
way.
Drug Culture Fiction 2009 Soaring Eagle
Award 2009 Green
Mountain Book
Award
Publishers Weekly
VOYA
KLIATT
School Library Journal
Kirkus