The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Chbosky, S. (1999). The perks of being a wallflower.  New York:  Pocket Books.

I read this book when it was first released; I was a freshman in high school. It seems like forever ago. I know there was a new movie released, and I enjoyed the book then. So I decided to read it again.

I cannot believe I read this book at that age. I know it's classified as a young adult novel, but it contains some very adult themes. There are a lot of references to sex, suicide and drugs. And not just in passing. The protagonist is a freshman in high school and explicitly describes his experiences.  I think it's a great book for individual reading, but I don't see Perks ever being used in my classroom.  Then again, it's not meant to be used in a classroom. I'm just the type of teacher that doesn't like discussing certain issues with my students.

Love You Forever

Munsh, R. (1987).  Love you forever.  Toronto:  Firefly.

I received this book at a baby shower for Brody.  I honestly had never heard of the book.  But now I can't read this book without tears coming to my eyes.  The book tells the story of the relationship between a mother and son beginning with his life and ending with hers.  I love some of the descriptions of the boy as he grows:  "He had strange friends and he wore strange clothes and he listened to strange music."  Something I can definitely relate to with teaching high school.

House of the Scorpion

Farmer, N. (2002).  House of the Scorpion. New York:  Atheneum.

I read this book for my graduate class. I was not too thrilled about it. Sadly, sometimes I'm one of those people who judges a book by its cover and its title, literally. But, like a good student, I read the book. After a few chapters, it was so hard to our or down.

The Diary of a Young Girl

Frank, A. (1997). The diary of a young girl.  New York:  Bantam.

Anne Frank is a name known throughout the world.  She was not an extraordinary girl, nor did she really live an extraordinary life.  Yet, her diary has been published in countless languages and been read by a large audience.

When Jessie Came Across the Sea

Hest, A. (1997). When Jessie came across the sea. Cambridge, MA:  Candlewick Press.

What would you do if you were told that you were leaving your home to live with a woman you had never met in a country you had never seen?  That's what happens to a young thirteen year-old girl, named Jessie, in When Jessie Came Across the Sea.

Jessie lives with her grandmother in a poor Jewish village.  The rabbi in the village is given a ticket to America and decides that Jessie will travel to New York City and live with his sister-in-law.  Jessie travels on a boat to Ellis Island and meets a young boy named Lou.  Not long after Jessie arrives in New York, she learns English and becomes a success in a dress shop.  One day Jessie receives a letter from her grandmother.  What happens to Jessie's grandmother?  What happens to Lou?  Find out in Amy Hest's wonderful picture book, When Jessie Came Across the Sea.

Imitate the Tiger

Cheripko, J. (1996). Imitate the tiger. Honesdale, PA:  Bell Books.

Jan Cheripko is a high school English teacher who has won several awards with his book, Imitate the Tiger.

The protagonist and narrator of the novel, Christ Serbo, is a high school football player and is considered an at-risk teenager.  Most of the novel is told in a flashback as journal entries.  Chris is an alcoholic and gets sent to a rehabilitation school.  In his journal, Chris writes about what led him to his downward spiral.