The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon

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Haddon, Mark. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. New York: Doubleday, 2003. Print.


Annotation:  Christopher Shields an autistic 15 year old is accused of killing his neighbor's dog leading him to try to solve the mystery.  He uncovers more than he expected in his search.


Booktalk: 
Fifteen year old Christopher finds his neighbor's dog Wellington dead on her front lawn at seven minutes after midnight. He decides he must find the killer because he liked Wellington and "when someone gets murdered you have to find out who did it so that they can be punished". Christopher is autistic. He is fascinated by prime numbers and is supremely logical but to him human emotion is utterly incomprehensible. The novel is a first person account of Christopher's investigation which will open old wounds and expose secrets. It offers a portrayal of a mind that experiences the world in pure logic, an engrossing tale of mystery, lies and the chaos of life among illogical beings.


2004 Boeke Prize Winer
2003 Whitebread Book of the Year

Haunted by Meg Cabot

Cabot, Meg. Haunted: A Tale of the Mediator. New York: Harper Collins, 2003. Print.

Annotation:  Susannah has a gift, she helps ghosts move on to whatever is next but her latest ghost is not co-operating. She has to help him to move on and fast so that she can deal with her boy drama and try to keep her curious friends in the dark about her talent for talking to the dead.

Booktalk:

Susannah Simon is a Mediator, she is a go-between for the living and the dead.  Her job is to help the dead move on to the next stage.  While dealing with the dead she is also juggling a major crush on Jesse the boy who haunts her house and a handsome, rich boy with an air of danger who has the hots for her.  On top of the boy drama she is stuck dealing with an angry ghost who won't leave,  a pair of too tight Jimmy Choo's, and bad hair.  Haunted by Meg Cabot, fabulous fashions, guys and ghosts.   

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Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis:The Story of a Childhood. New York: Pantheon, 2003. Print.


Annotation:  The semi-autobiographical graphic novel of Marjane Satrapi's childhood in Iran.  It shows all the good and the bad of being stuck in the middle of all the fighting.

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Booktalk:

Persepolis is the tale of one girl's childhood in Iran from 1980 until 1984.  In the aftermath of the Islamic Revolution Mari is a member of a wealthy and educated family living under Islamic rule.  Satrapi offers an insider's view of Iran in the early '80's.  This graphic novel is at once funny and heartbreaking.  It is a portrait of open rebellion and the small quiet rebellions that takes place under the guise of conformity. 

Winner of the Angouleme Coup de Coeur Award
Winner 2004 ALA Alex AwardWinner YALSA Best Books for Young AdultsWinner Booklist Editor's Choice for Young AdultsWinner New York Public Library Books for the Teen AgeWinner School Library Journal Adult Books for Young Adults 

Interview with the author about the movie made from both Persepolis books.  

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr

Coerr, Eleanor. Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1977. Print.
Annotation: Sadako Sasaki is sick with cancer, she is trying to fold a thousand paper cranes, if she does her wish to get well will come true.

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Booktalk:
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes is the true story of Sadako Sasaki, hero of the children of Japan.  Sadako became a symbol of strength and peace because of her courage in facing death.  Sadako died of leukemia as an effect of radiation from the atomic bomb dropped on the city of Hiroshima.  This short book is her story which serves as a story of all of the many children that died as a result of the bombing.

Breathless by Lurlene McDaniel

McDaniel, Lurlene. Breathless. New York: Delacorte Press, 2009. Print.

Annotation:  This story told from multiple points of view is about how far people will go someone they love.

Booktalk:
Travis has it all. He is a champion diver, popular at school, has a girlfriend, Darla, who he loves, a loyal best friend Cooper and a kid sister, Emily, who he likes to hang out with.  An accident sets in motion a chain of events that none of them could predict.  Loyalty, friendship and love will be tested.  Travis will ask all of them for the unthinkable.  The question will leave you Breathless.

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Rooftop by Paul Volponi

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Volponi, Paul. Rooftop. New York: Penguin Group, 2006. Print.

Annotation:  Clay is the only one who knows what really happened on the roof the night his cousin Addison was killed.  There are people all around who want Clay to tell it their way, he needs to decide if he should tell the truth or what people want to hear.

Booktalk:
Clay got caught smoking pot so his parents send him to Daytop, a drug treatment program that replaces school.  While there he meets back up with a cousin who he lost touch with. Clay and his cousin Addison bond instantly.  But tragedy strikes and Addison is shot dead by police on a rooftop with Clay next to him.  Clay is left with the pain of his cousin's death and the fire storm of politics that Addison's death triggers.  It is up to Clay to figure out what is right and to make the choice between truth and lies.

ALA Best Book Young Adult
ALA Quick Pick Award
New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic, 2008. Print.


Annotation:  Katness Everdeen has to fight for her life in a televised game she is forced to play.  She doesn't know who to trust and what plans her partner has.  


Booktalk:
Would you kill someone? Could you kill someone? Could you kill the person sitting next to you? The Hunger Games, twenty-four enter, one leaves. Countryman against countryman; neighbor against neighbor. Some enter for glory, most because they are poor and unlucky. Katness Everdeen enters out of love. What will it take for Katness to leave The Games? The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. May the odds be ever in your favor.


Winner of 2008 Cybils in the Young Adult Category
Publisher's Weekly Best Book of the Year 2008
New York Time Notable Children's Book of 2008
ALA Top Ten Books for Young Adults
2009 Children's Choice Book Award
YALSA Teen's Top Ten 2009
New York Public Library "Stuff for the Teen Age" List 2009
Kirkus Best Book of 2008
Horn Book Fanfare
School Library Journal Best Books of 2008
Booklist Editors' Choice 2008

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