Wednesday, January 09, 2008
American Born Chinese by Gene YangThis graphic novel maps out three individual plotlines:
A Monkey King sheds his humble roots and is revered as a god.
A child of Chinese Americans struggles to fit in at school.
A popular basketball player's life is interrupted by the arrival of his cousin.
At first, these stories seem unconnected - until they converge at the end in a stroke of brilliance.
Book Talk Ideas for Middle School
Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Junior leaves his troubled school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white school. His cartoons demonstrate his struggles to fit into his new surroundings...
Boyfriend List: (15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver by E. Lockhart
Ruby Oliver's life is in crisis. She lost her best friends, her boyfriend and the respect of her peers in two weeks time. Can she turn things around?
A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban
Zoe longs for a piano, but her father buys her an organ instead. Her mother is constantly at work, her father is afraid to leave the house, and a boy from her school keeps following her home from school every day. So her life isn't perfect - or is it?
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Can Greg and his best friend Rowley survive the horrors of middle school? Can they face bullies, girls who act like aliens, and - worst of all - the 'Cheese?'
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
Alternating chapters tell the story from Juli and then Bryce's point of view. From the moment she first lays eyes on Bryce, Juli is hooked. But her efforts to get to know him all seem to backfire.
Gifted by Beth Evangelista
A trip to camp turns into a journey of discovery for this "gifted" young man.
Hidden Talents by David Lubar
Martin has a big mouth, and always manages to say just the thing to upset his father, teacher or principal - but could this be a gift?
If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period by Gennifer Choldenko
Kirsten's parents are barely speaking to each other, and her best friend has fallen under the spell of the school's queen bee. Walker is the only African American student at Kirsten's all-white private school. When Kirsten and Walker become friends and discover a secret, the results are life-changing.
The Isabel Factor by Gayle Friesen
A realistic story of friendship and coming of age.
Notes From A Liar and Her Dog by Gennifer Choldenko
It's hard to be the middle child, sandwiched between two perfect sisters. So, from time to time, Anotonia stretches the truth.
Rules by Cynthia Lord
Organized and artistically talented Catherine creates a series of rules to help her autistic younger brother.
Schooled by Gordon Korman
Capricorn Anderson is relocated from the hippie commune where he has spent all of his life and sent to public middle school.
Shug by Jenny Han
Between Mark, her best friend who seems increasingly more attractive and Jack, her arch-nemisis who keeps bugging her, 12-year-old Annemarie is feeling confused.
Stanford Wong Flunks Big-time by Lisa Yee
Stanford Wong is a talented basketball player. He doesn't want his friends to know that he failed English... or that he's being tutored by Millicent Min.
That Girl Lucy Moon by Amy Timberlake
In elementary school, everyone knew Lucy Moon, school activist. That was before she started middle school, her mother disappeared and her activist activities started to backfire...
Junior leaves his troubled school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white school. His cartoons demonstrate his struggles to fit into his new surroundings...
Boyfriend List: (15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver by E. Lockhart
Ruby Oliver's life is in crisis. She lost her best friends, her boyfriend and the respect of her peers in two weeks time. Can she turn things around?
A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban
Zoe longs for a piano, but her father buys her an organ instead. Her mother is constantly at work, her father is afraid to leave the house, and a boy from her school keeps following her home from school every day. So her life isn't perfect - or is it?
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Can Greg and his best friend Rowley survive the horrors of middle school? Can they face bullies, girls who act like aliens, and - worst of all - the 'Cheese?'
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
Alternating chapters tell the story from Juli and then Bryce's point of view. From the moment she first lays eyes on Bryce, Juli is hooked. But her efforts to get to know him all seem to backfire.
Gifted by Beth Evangelista
A trip to camp turns into a journey of discovery for this "gifted" young man.
Hidden Talents by David Lubar
Martin has a big mouth, and always manages to say just the thing to upset his father, teacher or principal - but could this be a gift?
If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period by Gennifer Choldenko
Kirsten's parents are barely speaking to each other, and her best friend has fallen under the spell of the school's queen bee. Walker is the only African American student at Kirsten's all-white private school. When Kirsten and Walker become friends and discover a secret, the results are life-changing.
The Isabel Factor by Gayle Friesen
A realistic story of friendship and coming of age.
Notes From A Liar and Her Dog by Gennifer Choldenko
It's hard to be the middle child, sandwiched between two perfect sisters. So, from time to time, Anotonia stretches the truth.
Rules by Cynthia Lord
Organized and artistically talented Catherine creates a series of rules to help her autistic younger brother.
Schooled by Gordon Korman
Capricorn Anderson is relocated from the hippie commune where he has spent all of his life and sent to public middle school.
Shug by Jenny Han
Between Mark, her best friend who seems increasingly more attractive and Jack, her arch-nemisis who keeps bugging her, 12-year-old Annemarie is feeling confused.
Stanford Wong Flunks Big-time by Lisa Yee
Stanford Wong is a talented basketball player. He doesn't want his friends to know that he failed English... or that he's being tutored by Millicent Min.
That Girl Lucy Moon by Amy Timberlake
In elementary school, everyone knew Lucy Moon, school activist. That was before she started middle school, her mother disappeared and her activist activities started to backfire...
