Identity Crisis

Identity Crisis is a perfect example of what makes the graphic novel so great. To have these characters we've loved since childhood involved in this exciting and somewhat mature themed murder mystery might sound insane to many, but it isn't insane, it's beautiful. Green Arrow, Batman and most of all Elongated Man come to life on these pages like old friends. Just like seeing an actor or actress you love in a movie you haven't seen before, experiencing these classic characters in a bold new story adds to the excitement of the adventure. But Meltzer doesn't just cash in on our love of the most popular DC superheroes, he gives sincerity and depth to characters many of us are not familiar with, or have forgotten.

On the Fringe

On the Fringe is a book of short stories compiled by different authors. The stories do contain one central topic, youth that are considered outsiders. These outsiders face many different problems. One story focuses on hygiene problems, one is about a boy that is short, thin, and is nervous around his peers, and yet another is about an outcast who took his anger out with a gun at school. These stories did not all focus on one person; several had a cluster of individuals that were in some way or another disliked by the seemingly perfect in-crowd. The stories definitely opened our eyes to a variety of issues that neither one of us had ever imagined existed. We, as a society, tend to close our eyes to so much that are unpleasant. This book brings out that side, the one that no one wants to realize exists.

Surrender

This is a story about a young man's struggles to overcome an abusive life, and it is told in a narrative style that keeps you guessing until the very end. He has only two friends - his dog Surrender, and the unruly wild boy Finnigan, with whom he made a boyhood pact. When a series of arson attacks grips the town, Gabriel realizes how unpredictable and dangerous Finnigan is. Events begin to spiral out of control, and it becomes clear that only the most extreme measures will rid Gabriel of Finnigan for good .The split between Gabriel and Finnegan begins to grow wider with each passing day, and in the end, it becomes clear that Finnegan will no longer be content watching Gabriel's life from the sidelines. It is a mesmerizing novel full of suspense and dread.

Speak

All teens should read this book. Peer pressure does a lot of bad things: one of those things is convincing victims to feel like they have done something wrong. Speak is a fast-paced read that involves the reader emotionally from the very start. Speak is an accurate depiction of the very common existence of high school cruelty and peer pressure. Everyone should identify with most of what happens in this novel, no matter what there age is. As the reader you will get mad at the good characters as well as the bad. Every page you will turn, it will give you hop that Melinda will somehow find the strength she needs to at last reveal what had happened to her and release herself from the pain and anguish that she is living with.

Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey

This book is the journal of Tish, a student in Mrs. Dunphrey’s English class. Tish is living with a mother who is mentally ill and a brother who is eight years younger than she is. Her abusive father left a couple of years ago. Tish is originally hesitant to write anything meaningful or personal in this journal, but after she tests her teacher and makes sure that she really isn't reading the entries marked "do not read," Tish begins to let her feelings show in her writing. Through these journal entries, the reader gets the full story of Tish's life, her struggle to be the adult in her family, and her need to take care of her mom and brother. When Tish's father shows up after being gone for two years, Tish's journal entries get scarier and scarier, and it is more and more disturbing to see that she is not sharing these stories of her life with anyone who could help her.

Love That Dog

Sharon Creech is a magnificent writer. In this book “Love that Dog,” the main character Jack is having a hard time writing poetry. He thinks that it is just for girls, but when then his teacher introduces the class to famous poet Dean Myer’s writings, Jack all of a sudden has a change in heart. Read this short but well written book to see what happens to Jack

The Bad Beginning

The Bad Beginning, the first book in the "A Series of Unfortunate Events," can be classified as clever, dark, and funny. At the beginning of the book, when the author says don't keep reading if you hate bad endings, he is quite right. First the Baudelaire children get the most horrifying news from Mr. Poe, a guy who can't seem to stop coughing, that their parents died in a horrible fire. They have a fortune, but they learn the unfortunate news that they can't have it until the oldest, Violet, who is 14 becomes an adult So their lawyer, Mr. Poe, takes the three children, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny, to the horrible guardian Count Olaf who will stop at nothing to get their fortune. The three orphans seem defenseless against Count Olaf's evil plans as he traps Baby Sunny in the forbidden tower until Violet agrees to marry him. However Count Olaf seems to have underestimated these smart children.