Extra Credit: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York, NY: Hatchett Book Group, 2009.

Annotation: Being a teenager is hard in any culture. Can you imagine growing up in two cultures, where you are hardly excepted in either, because you made the hardest decision of your life? Junior decided to leave the reservation to go to an all white school. Everyone hated him for it, including his best friend. Junior thought he had a lot to prove and he did. All while trying to grow up and find himself, he goes through so many tragedies that it's hard to imagine, but he continues to keep on and knows that something will eventually happen for him.

Justification: This is one of the best books that I've read in a very long time. The conversational tone of the author promotes an easy and engaging read. I enjoyed that the narrator shared his "drawings" to show his feelings and how he deals with life in general. It seems that his sharing his drawings and comic books, shows a piece of himself and shows that he is willing to be vulnerable in order to share his story, and I really appreciate it! The conversational tone also makes this book so much more relatable and emotional. It was hysterically funny in parts and extremely heart wrenching in others; which is real life, sometimes you just have to laugh or you'll never survive.

I absolutely nominate this book!! Reading this book has changed my first nominee (although I still love Looking for Alaska). Although there is heart break, there is so much learning and growing and laughter in this book, and it makes me think of my own life: there have been tragedies, but the only way to get through it, is to know who you are, appreciate the things you have, and lean on the people you love.

Genre Categories: Humor, Coming of Age, Multi-Cultural

#10 Just Ask Iris

Frank, Lucy. Just Ask Iris. New York, NY: Aladdin Paperbacks, 2001.

Annotation: How are you supposed to save the world, as a woman, without a bra? Iris moves with her family into a new home, without their father. As the summer progresses, she becomes painstakingly aware of her need for a bra. Iris dedicates her summer to coming up with clever schemes in order to provide the funds for her bra purchase. In the meantime, she makes a few friends, a few enemies and saves the world, maybe not the whole world, but some people's world.

Justification: Frank makes this novel easy to read because of it's conversational tone, and realistic experiences. It was funny to read about a girl growing up with a brother in the city, and how everyone notices how badly she needs a bra. This is so embarrassing to her and her brother, that she needs to spend every opportunity working towards obtaining her first bra, because her mother is unable to take her. In the process of creating opportunities for her business, Just Ask Iris, she creates friends, and becomes familiar with who she is, and the kinds of things that are important to her. She makes friends in the building, and even saves the resident cat lady, whom everyone was afraid of. Iris took the chance to help her, by putting herself on the line, along with other tenants and became the resident hero. Who would have thought the need for a bra would help to save your fellow residents, and create a summer that you would never forget?

I would nominate this book, because it's funny and easy to relate to. Everyone has been in that awkward time of puberty and your body is changing, but no one wants to talk about it. I commend Frank on making this obvious and so funny to read about!

Genre Categories: Coming of Age, Humor, Multi-Cultural

# 9 The Kids Are All Right

Welch, Diana; Welch, Liz. The Kids Are All Right. United States: Harmony Books, 2009.

Annotation: There are two sides to every story; in this case there are four sides. The Welch children recall their childhood growing up, the good, the bad and the ugly. They take you on this ride of emotions with them, and it is irresistible to not feel what they feel. Everyone has a different story, and it was important for these siblings to each have their own chance to tell what they remembered from their hard lives growing up.

Justification for Nomination: This memoir is deep. It made me relive feelings from my childhood, and feelings I felt that were so deep and unavoidable when my mom passed away. This book made me cry and it made me laugh. When I was reading it, it made me think of my life, and revisit some things that happened with my brothers when I was younger, and made me revaluate situations that I encountered as a young adult, now as an adult. This memoir looks at four children and how they grew up. The best part of this book, is that everything is looked upon by each of the four children, and told from their perspective; like they all talk about remembering when their father passed away and how each of them dealt with such a loss and how they all tried to get through. This was so touching to me, because I related to it on such a deep level. There are four different narrators, and they each have a different style of telling their version. Having this dynamic group makes this memoir even more relatable and emotional, because I was able to identify with at least one of the narrators, and their outlook on their life and happenings growing up.

I would absolutely recommend this, like I said, it is very deep and emotional, so be ready to be able to objectively look at your childhood, and a life and relationships with your siblings.

Genre Category: Memoir, coming of age, ALEX

#8 Native Son

Wright, Richard. Native Son. New York, NY: Harper & Brothers, 1940.

Annotation: Bigger Thomas gets a new job driving for a white family. While a night out, the boss's daughter gets drunk with her boyfriend, and Bigger tries to care for her. Scared of what the consequences will be for being seen with a white girl, he makes a wrong decision and kills her and his life changes forever.

Justification for Nomination: Although this book was written in 1940, it looks at race issues that are still prevalent today, and it addresses them head on, without sparing anyone or anything! Richard Wright, examines the life of an African American male trying to make ends meet, and trying to be the best he can. Once he gets a job with a white family - the family is involved in the "betterment" of African Americans, so they think they are doing Bigger a favor by giving him work. So many young adults can identify with what is going on with Bigger: he is trying to take care of his own business and get a job and take care of his family all while trying to grow as a person and be accepted by society. Bigger was so afraid to be alone with a white girl, although he was trying to help her, he kills her by accident. He denies what happened and goes on the run. Race plays a huge part in this book, because he knows that things could have been different for him if he was different.

I nominate this book because, it addresses rights and wrongs with issues that are still happening today. Young adults know of things happening like this today, because of the news. So giving young adults the opportunity to learn about the main character and be able to relate to him can possibly prevent things like this from happening in life.

Genre Category: Banned/Censored, coming of age, realistic/edgy.

#7 Hard Love

Wittlinger, Ellen. Hard Love. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999.

Annotation: After his parent's divorce, John has no feelings left; his mother refuses to touch him or look at him, his dad is busy conquering women to even notice him. Believing he is incapable of emotions, he finds the strongest emotion: love. Although it is a hard and very unlikely love, John falls for someone who may not have the same feelings and could easily break his heart, but he is finally able to feel -- something.

Justification for Nomination: Wittlinger's portrayal of an adolescent boy looking to find himself, is exact. It seems that every young person goes through this type of heartache and self discovery. He does a lot of writing, and eventually writes his feelings in a "zine" a homemade magazine and starts to find friends, other than Brian. The style of this novel is very interesting. There are many poems and song lyrics throughout, and most of them are hand written, making you feel that the characters actually had written the page, which is something I haven't seen in other novels. At the beginning of each chapter the text is slanted, and easily grabs your attention. I think it also shows that the narrator's continued perspective of uncertainty and confusion in his journey of self discovery and search for feelings. The journey the main character goes through is so important, because it describes all the emotions that most teens go through: the feelings they have toward their parents and the needs to be self sufficient, the importance of friendship and finding love, either platonic or romantic both are important in life. And love is always the hardest emotion no matter what age you are.

I recommend this book because love is hard and this book shows how important love is and that everyone needs it, even though it can easily destroy you, in seconds; it's worth every second.

Genre Category: Coming of Age, Romance