The Fault in our Stars

Green, John. (2012). The fault in our stars.  NY: Penguin Random.  This book is about a girl named Hazle Grace Lancaster .  Hazle's mother decides that she is depressed and she needs to go to a support group to help her cope with her illness.  Hazle has cancer.  She meets a guy at her support group who has, Osteosarcoma his name is Gus Waters.  Hazle and Gus begins a great friendship.  Gus loves Hazle, but Hazle doesn’t want to hurt him because she knows she is terminally ill.  Hazle loves this novel called An Imperial Affliction by Peter Van Houten.  Hazle wants to meet the author of this book.  Boyfriend, Gus arranges contact with Peter Van Houten. Peter invites them to go to Amsterdam to see him but the doctors and her parents are against it.  Finally they approve her to go to Amsterdam.  She meets the writer and realizes that the author is not willing to reveal to her about the ending. Gus her boyfriend is strong for her, but she soon finds out he is dying of cancer.  She stays strong and positive but Gus dies and she speaks at his funeral.  This is great emotional love story.  The story teaches us about love and life itself.  It is sad knowing that you have young people dealing with illnesses and having to find truth and love.  Havighurst’s Theory of Developmental Task; Adolescents undergo changing relationships with parents.   Her relationship with her parents is changing as she grows up.  She wants her parents to have a life after her and she realizes that her mom is going to college.  She is very happy about this.

Janis Joplin

Angel, A. (2010). Janis joplin: Rise up singing. NY: Amulet.  

This book is about Janis Joplin, she is the influential figures in rock-and-roll history. Her story is told in detailed about a young girl who struggles with rules and a singer who works hard on her career.  Janis Joplin was born in 1943 and died 1970 at the age of 27.  The book includes photos and quotes from friends and band mates.  I loved this story because, I really enjoy reading about someone’s life.  Janis Joplin is a true icon because of the things she accomplished with a short time on earth.  Havighurst's theory about adolescents must develop morals and values.  Havighurst states that you can reject some and gain others.    

The Tequila Worm

Canales, V. (2005). The tequila worm. NY: Wendy Lamb Books/Random House

A young Mexican American girl named Sophia will learn that her roots and being true to yourself is so important in life. Sophia is a very smart girl who works hard and gets into the top schools.   Sophia wants to live the good life away from heritage.   Sophia dad tells her she will understand one day how important your heritage is.  She soon realizes that family is everything through her trials and tribulations.  This is a great story to show how we can really find the true meaning of family. This book could be a great resource for teachers to expose students to different culture and tradition.  The recommendation age for this book is 14-18. Students can apply this text to their own lives, and ask themselves what sacrifices they are willing to make to in order to improve their lives. Havighurst’s says that teens need to learn how to get along with peers.  Sophia had to accept others differences and learn how to work cooperatively. 

The Chocolate War

Cormier, R. (1974). The chocolate war. NY: Delacorte.

Jerry Renault has been challenged by a gang that runs the school not to sell chocolates in the annual chocolate drive. Jerry decides to rebel against the gang and decides  to sell the chocolate.   In the end Jerry must decide to sell the chocolate because in the words of T. S. Elliot, “disturb the universe”.  This decision will cost him dearly. Jerry becomes in a hero because he stands up against the gang.  I really enjoyed this book, because it took something so juvenile, like selling chocolates and turned into a cause to stand up to something.  Kohlberg’s preconventional is modeled in this book because of the conflict of doing right and wrong. 

Annie On My Mind

Garden, N. (1982). Annie on my mind. NY: FSG.  The story is about high school senior Liza, who falls in deeply love with Annie, whose school is as rough as Liza's is sheltered. Not only does Liza have to come to terms with her own feelings, but she also has to deal with the reactions of her parents and her school's administration.  This book was published in 1982 and it was initially well received, but in 1993 it was burned in Kansas City and removed from school libraries in several districts.  It was part of a First Amendment lawsuit when a group of teenagers fought to have the book put back into the library.  Havighurst’s adolescents have to adapt to their physical bodies and must define their appropriate sex roles.  Because the Liza and Annie are exploring the development of sex roles.

It's Perfectly Normal

Harris, R. (2009). It’s perfectly normal. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press.  This is an informational book about changing bodies, growing up, and sexual health. The book explains body parts for both males and females.  It also explains about sexual behaviors among male and female.  It also explains about having babies.   The book has a lot of illustrations to help aid the reader.   This book is a controversial book because of its topic. I feel this book might be suitable for ages 15 -18.  It says ages 10 and up but I feel like it should be for an older audience.  This is a book that explores physical development. According to Havighurst's  adolescents have to adapt to their physical bodies and this book explains that.  

Monster

Myers, W. D. (1999). Monster. NY: Harper

A sixteen year old boy named Steve Harmon is on trial for murder after he is accused as acting as a lookout during a robbery.  Steve is an aspiring filmmaker who records his events in a screenplay format. Steve tells the story from his point of view.  The end of the story Steve is found not guilty.  This is a great story because it shows how someone can be smart and talented, but get mixed up with the wrong crowd.  This is great for ages 13 and up.  This book can teach your students about making decisions that are wrong and the consequences of the decisions.  It really makes you think about life and choices we make. Havighurst developmental task of morals and values.  Steve has to examine his moral values.   

The Knife of Never Letting Go

Ness, P. (2008). The knife of never letting go. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press. Todd Hewitt is a young boy who lives in a town where all the females are dead and he is the only boy living.  Todd can hear everyone’s thoughts and they can hear his.  Todd has a dog that can talk named Manchee.  Todd finds out about a secret and he is running with his dog and he meets a girl. Viola and Todd learn the secret that the town has been having.  Once he finds out the secret, he then understands the lies and deceit of the town Prentisstown.   This is the first book in the series so I do recommend reading the other series.  This is a great suspenseful book, that will really have you thinking.  It is full of adventures.  Havinghurst's theory of developing morals and values is something Todd had to face.  

Persepolis

Sartrapi, M. (2004). Persepolis. NY: Pantheon.  This book is about a young girl named Mary Jane living in Iran.  Mary Jane saw a lot as a little girl living in a world of turmoil.  Mainly this book is part 1 of 2.  This book mainly deals with Mary Jane being a young girl seeing different things that an average young girl in America wouldn't witness.  The author depicts the political war in Iran during 1979.  Mary Jane is religious and thinks she is last prophet sent by God.  Mary Jane rebels a lot at school and she is soon sent to Austria to go to school.  This is where part 2 of the series will start.  This is a great historical fiction for high school age students.   Teachers can use the text for historical purposes.  Mary Jane had conventional morality because she followed right or wrong.  But after all the turmoil she became more postconventional in her moral beliefs.  

Winger

Smith, A. (2013). Winger. NY: Simon & Schuster.  Ryan Dean West is a fourteen-year-old junior at a boarding school for rich kids in the Pacific Northwest. He’s living in Opportunity Hall, the dorm for troublemakers, and rooming with the biggest bully on the rugby team. And he’s madly in love with his best friend Annie, who thinks of him as a little boy.  This book really shines about those glory days of being a teenager. Trying to make friends and fitting in.  Being in love or having that first crush.  It was a great book that was well written to attract young readers.  This book would be for ages 13-18 years old.  The deals with a lot of developmental issues that are present in Havighurst's Theories.  Adoloscents having to adapt to their physical bodies is just one of the many theories that are present in this book.  

Leviathan

Westerfield, Scott (2009). Leviathan.NY: Simon & Schuster.

During World War I,Aleksandar Ferdinand, a Clanker, and Deryn Sharp, a Darwinist, are on opposite sides of the war. But midway through this book their paths cross and things began to get interesting.  Alek is a very passive and Deryn is an aggressive character. They both fought for what they believe in and they were passionate in with they believe in. They do not trust each other at first, but they soon start finding a trust.  I really liked the character Deryn, she was very bold and humorous. This book can teach young readers that we all believe in different causes but we can still have commonalities.   This book is for both boys and girls between the ages 12 and up.  Kohlberg’s postconventional fits this story.  There was conflict of right and wrong. Great book.  

Code Name Verity

Wein, Elizabeth. (2012). Code name Verity. NY: Egmont.

Two women became best of friends, one is a spy named Julie and the other is a pilot named Maddie.  The first part of the book is told from Julie’s point of view and the last part of the book is told from Maddie’s point of view. They both have an operation to do that didn’t go so well and Julie is captured and Maddie is hiding in a barn with a French family. Julie has to write about everything she knows, but instead she writes about her best friend.  Julie’s character is very strong as she stands up to the soldiers by mouthing off to them.   Although Julie writes about herself being a coward, she is really a brave person.  Julie and Maddie’s path cross again and Maddie kills Julie.  This a good book for high school age students that are studying about Hitler and during that time frame.  Some content of the story is can be disturbing, but it is something that really happen.  Maddie experience postconventional level or moral development when she kills her best friend Julie. 

Looking For Alaska

Green, J. (2005). Looking for Alaska. NY: Dutton Miles Green attends a private school and learns the importance of human existence.  Miles learns about philosophy and the natures of love and loyalty. Miles began to make meaningful friendships at the school.  He particularly starts having an interest in a girl named Alaska.  Alaska sets up a prank on a group of boys that hurt Miles when he first got to the school.  They hacked into computers to send failing notifications home to parents.  Alaska then dies in a terrible accident.  Miles and his friends fall into depression and started to question her death.  Finally Miles came to grips with her death.  They pulled a final prank worth of Alaska.  I would recommend this book to ages 14-18.  It was a book that dealt with death and the painfulness of death.  Havighurst’s Theory of Development negotiation, compromise and working cooperatively in groups fits this book.  Miles had to come to know friendship he had to compromise and work effectively in groups. 

The Surrender Tree

Engle, M. (2008). The surrender tree. NY: Holt

The surrender tree is a verse novel based on the actual events and actual historical figures in the Cuban struggle for independence.  The poems are told by Rosa and other people in Rosa’s life.   Rosa is a nurse that helps during Cuba’s three wars for independence.  She helped not only Cuban rebels but also the Spanish soldiers.  I really enjoyed reading the different poems in this book.  It left you feeling a sense of hope and hopelessness.  This book has a chronology that puts history in order.  This is a great tool for teachers to use to teach historical fiction and poetry. This book goes through a lot of emotional development. 

Speak

Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. NY: Penguin Melinda Sordino begins her freshman year at, with a heavy secret weighing on her. Melinda's only friend is Heather, a new student, who tries to get Melinda involved in her schemes to gain popularity. Melinda new secret is that she was raped by Andy Evans over the summer before her 9th grade year. She finally overcome her fears and shares her secret through her painting in Art class. This is a great book that young adults can connect to, it has a lot of emotions and unanswered questions. I would say this book is good for ages 13-18, especially young girls. It would be great for a teacher to use this story to reach out to young people that have gone through this turmoil.  Melinda had to learn to get along with her peers and her peers have to accept her, this is Havighurst's theory of developmental.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. NY: Little Brown

Junior believes in order to get a good education he must leave the reservation and attend a school where he is definitely in the minority.  Junior has to travel far to go to the school he wants.   He does not fit in at all.  Junior has some losses while he tries to figure out this school thing.  Junior decides to be himself and he does make friends.  I really like this book, it teaches that you have to sacrifice sometimes to get the things that you want.  This book is great for teenagers ages 13 and up.  This is a great way to teach students how to become independent and to really learn how to sacrifice.  This books make you think about family and commitment.  Havighurst's theory 

Library Wars

Yumi, Kiiro.(2008). Library Wars. Tokyo: Viz Media.  Atsushi and Idu Kasahara work together to protect thier printed materials, libraries.  The government form a group to help them.  Iku always dreamed of being on the Library Defense force.  This graphic novel  was very fun to read. The characters are very likable.   The age group for this book is 12 years old and up. This a book about good and evil, like most superhero books are.  The good person fighting against evil.  That is why this book is good for younger audience.  We all as humans like books like these where the hero comes out on top.  This book follows Kohlberg's conventional morality code.

Last Night I Sang to the Monster

Saenz, Benjamin(2009). Last night I sang to the monster. TX: Cinco Puntos Press.  Zach is a high school alcoholic who was found on the side of the road.  The problem is he does not remember how he got there.  Zach is conflicting with monsters inside.  He meets different roommates while he is in rehab and they help him sort out his monsters.  I like that he realizes that God gives him a second chance to happiness.  The major strength of this book is that the main character sorts out his problems and comes out on top.  I really enjoyed this book, some parts were a little steep for young teens.  I recommend a mature teen audience for this particular book.

Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes

Crutcher, Chris (2003). Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. NY: Harper Teens.  Sarah Byrnes is young girl with burns on her face and she is friends with Mobey who is overweight.  They are both targeted for bullying.  Mobey goes to see Sarah in a psyc ward to try to get her to talk.  Sarah finds out that she was burned by her father.  Mobey gets Sarah to stay with a teacher, Ms. Lemry. They start looking for the family to bring charges against him for the crime of scolding his daughter.  This is a great book because it covers so many issues that families are having today. I felt very sad reading this book, knowing that young people are going through this pain and anguish This book is for mature audience such as high school students.  This is a great book for not only the teachers to read but for counselors as well.  According to Havighurst’s adolecscents undergo changing relationships with parents.  Sarah goes through a lot of changes with both parents.  

Eleanor and Park

Rowell, Rainbow (2013). Eleanor and park. NY: St. Martin’s Press.  This is a love story about Eleanor and Park.  Eleanor is a young girl who is subject to a domestic violent home.  She is what the school shames and ridicules.  Park is popular and everyone loves him.  One day they both meet on the bus and Park realizes she has more in common with him and becomes attracted to him.  Eleanor is receiving nasty threats against her, she dismisses them thinking it was from Tina her enemy.  These threats came from her father, so she decides that she has to run away from home, because her mother will not take up for her.  So Eleanor and Park have to end this great love relationship, so that Eleanor can be safe and happy.  This book has great topics to discuss with teens, such as privilege and poverty.  The intended audience for this book is between 16 and up because of the strong language.  This book fits Havighurst’s Theory of Developmental Task that adolescents need to learn how to get along with peers and adolescents undergo changing relationships with parents.

Extras

Westerfield, Scott (2007). Extras. NY: Simon and Schuster Publishing.  Aya Fuse a fifteen-year-old Japanese girl whose one ambition in life is to be popular by “kicking” an interesting story about something important  Aya becomes part of the Sly Girls, these girls seem to be ordinary, but they live on the wild side.  She thinks she is doing the right thing but she needs help from her eight friends.  They start to unravel the truth behind the metal shortage and try to save themselves.   This book is part of the “Uglies”.  The intended audience for this book is 13 and up.  This book would probably interest boys more than girls.  This fits Havighurst’s theory of adolescents need to learn how to get along with peers.  

Reality Boy

King, A.S. (2013). Reality Boy. NY: Little Brown.

Gerald Faust was 5 years old when cameras came into his home for a reality show called “Network Nanny”.   12 years later, Gerald feels angry and is raging with hatred because of this reality show.  Gerald has to sort through what is true reality about his family. Gerald’s family is very dysfunctional.  Gerald meets a girl at his job named Hannah.  Hannah and Gerald  finally feels some type of connection that he feels that is true and not fake.  I feel that young adults will feel a great connection to this book because of the realness and trueness.  I feel this book is for a mature audience because of the mature content in the book.  Havighurst theory is that adolescents must define their appropriate sex roles.  Gerald is negotiating the expectations of what it means to be a young man in today’s society.

Pretty Dead

Block, Francesca lia (2009). Pretty Dead. NY: Harper Collins.  Charlotte Emerson is a vampire living in a perfect world. Everything is perfect in her world.  She lives a life of the rich and famous.  Until one day her nail breaks and she knows she is headed towards the human direction.  She realizes she only wants to love Jared and if that cost her immortality, so be it. This is a great short read book.  It appeals to young girls and boys between the ages of 15-18.  Adults might enjoy this book as well, especially if they like vampire stories.  This book is a great love story and being true to yourself.  In Havighurst’s theories is that teenagers have to adapt to their physical bodies. 

The Game of Sunken Places

Anderson, M.T. (2004). The Game of Sunken Places. NY: Scholastic Press. Brian and Gregory are friends that are totally opposite.  They visited an old mansion that is owned by Gregory’s uncle, Uncle Max.  Uncle Max carries on like an aristocrat.  The boys set off a game named Game of the Sunken Places.  As they play the game they meet other people like Prudance, Gregory’s cousin and a troll named Kalgrash.  They play the game together and try to get through the board game. If the boys lose the game, it will be the end of troll’s existence.  Brian gets strangled by a character from the game.  The character is pulled away out of the game.  This book reminds me of Jumanji, the movie and book.  It gave a feeling of fun and excitement as Brian went through his adventures.   It  was a great mystical fiction for ages 12 and up.  The book had great humor in it.  The boys went through conventional moral development.  They knew right from wrong.  

Midwinter Blood

Sedgewick, Marcus. (2013). Midwinter Blood. NY: Roaring Book Press.  Eric Seven in 2073 visits an island where no one ages and no one is born.  Eric is a young journalist and when he arrives at the island know one knows he has arrived.  A young woman named Merle and an old man named Tor seems to be familiar to Eric, which is odd because they have never met. Eric becomes very relaxed on this island and they keep giving him tea.  The book goes back in time and tell the previous life of Eric and Merle. There are 5 stories in the plot of this book.  The Archaeologist is a about a group of archaeologist who wants to make something of themselves; The Airman who travels far from home; The painter who has not painted in years; The unquiet grave is about a ghost; vampire is when two siblings are seperated by a vampire.  This book is a gothic love story that interwines other stories going back and forth in time.  This story covers Kohlberg's social development of postconventional level of moral development.  Eric and Merle are recognizing that laws and social rules conflict.

Juvie Three

Gordon, Korman(2008). The Juvie Three. NY: Hyperion Books

Douglas Healy is running an experimental halfway house, where he wants to give three boys a chance.  These three boys, Gecko, Terence, and Arjay have spent time in juvenile detention centers.  These go wrong when Terence tries to leave the halfway house and Healy ends up hitting his head and loses consciousness.  The boys take him a hospital and then he loses his memory.  Healy is then transported to a psychiatric hospital, so the boys know that they have to break him out.  The boys broke Mr. Healy out of the psych ward and Mr. Healy regained his memory.  I thought this was great story for ages 12 and up.  It had great moral principles to the story. As a teacher this is a great book to use to teach about moral values.   Kohlberg’s moral development of postconventional is a most of the story.  Because laws and social rules conflict throughout the reading of this story. 

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

 Angleberger, Tom (2010). The strange case of origami yoda. NY: Amulet Books.  Dwight talks to his classmates through a puppet. This puppet is very funny and precise. Some classmates falls in love with the puppet, while others are not too fond of it. Is the Origami puppet real or fake that is the question that some classmates ask. One student writes a case file on the puppet. This book would definitely appeal to boys around the age of 8-12. It had a lot of humor, which I know kids will love. Havighurst’t theory of developmental task is throughout this book. Since this book is about middle school aged boys dealing with issues like girls and socialism.  Havighurst says that adolescents need to develop an easy relationship with the opposite sex.  

The Odyssey

Hinds, Gareth (2011). The Odyssey. NY: Candlewick Press.This is the classic tale of Odysseus, King of Ithaca trying to return home. Challenges get in his way such as man-eating monsters, sirens, sorceresses, and high winds.  Odysseus needs all his strength to make it home to get married and get his kingdom back.  This graphic novel is a great way to tell Homer’s Epic.  This would appeal to ages 13 years and up.  As a teacher this is a great way to teach this Homer’s Epic through a graphic novel.  Graphic novel seems to captivate younger audiences. 

The Book Thief

The Book Thief

Zusak, Markus(2005). A book thief. NY: Random House.

Liesel and her brother are taken to their foster parents by train by their mother.  Liesel brother Werner dies. Other people in Liesel’s
 life dies and she holds Hitler responsible. She is really fond of her foster father and the mayor’s wife.   She starts stealing books and sharing them with neighbors and friends.  She dies at the end of the book.  This book was too much about death.  I feel the intended audience for this book is 15 and up.  This is a good book for teachers to use because of the time period.  The story took place during World War II, Germany.  This could be a great way to expand on that time period because the book does showcase some great events.   This book follows Kohlberg’s post conventional development, because laws and rules conflict in this story. Liesel is stealing books, but she loves to read which is a good thing but it is bad because she stills. 

Linger

Stiefvater, Maggie (2010) Linger. NY: Scholastic Press.

Sam Roth is an eighteen-year-old werewolf. Sam has a girlfriend name Grace who has been bitten as a child but never turned.  Sam is committed to finding a cure of werewolfism.  Grace’s parents rebels against Sam and Grace’s relationship, so Grace moves in with Sam.  Grace and Sam figured that Grace will die because she never turns into a werewolf. Another werewolf re-infects Grace and she turns immediately into a werewolf.  Now Sam wants to be a werewolf again, so that he can be with his love.  The recommendation age for this book is 16-18.  The lessons from this book in my opinion is that we all have to change and when we do sometimes we have to let go of things that is common to us.  Havigurst’s theory of developmental task is that teens undergo changing relationships with parents and a need to develop an easy relationship with the opposite sex.  Grace had to undergo changes with her parents.  Adolescents have to adapt to their physical bodies as well.