Playing in Traffic by Gail Giles
This
book automatically appealed to me because of its title. One of my close friends
wrote a novel titled Freeze Tag on the
Highway, and Giles title reminded me of Brian Krans’ second book. Giles
book is about Matt who is a high school nobody. Matt’s life is transformed by a
Gothic girl named Skye when she offers him experiences he would have never
thought possible. Don Gallo’s article “The Very Best Possibilities, Part Two”
brought this book to my attention.
Harlem Summer by Walter Dean Myers
I
have always been interested in Harlem. Again, I was immediately attracted to
this book because of its title. Once I read Gallo’s description in his article
“ Summer Reading 2008,” I was hooked. In this work sixteen-year-old Mark Purvis
gets a job at a magazine and subsequently meets some of Harlem’s finest, such
as Langston Hughes and W.E.B. DuBois. This adventure story could easily be
paired with a unit on the Harlem Renaissance.
Street Love by Walter Dean Myers
I
really need to read Walter Dean Myers apparently. In “Off the Shelves” Myers
rap inspired verse novel is described as “ideal for reading aloud” (90). This
is the type of book I would love to use in the classroom. The verse also reads
like rap lyrics, which could be very appealing to students today. I could see
this novel working very well in urban areas. The book also is related to
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
because it follows a teen romance and the theme of star-crossed lovers.
Paper Towns by John Green
I’ve
been hearing all about John Green in our class, so it is only fitting I choose
one of his novels for my list. This novel follows Quentin as he is reunited
with Margo who soon disappears sparking a road trip search for her. Quentin’s
narration outlines a comical and reflective journey for love. This book will
obviously appeal to high school students. I could see this novel working very
well in any environment because of the familiar themes discussed throughout its
pages. Mark Letcher’s article “Off the Shelves” is a great resource for texts
that will appeal to high school students, and John Green’s Paper Towns seems to be one of the most interesting.
Black Duck by Janet Taylor Lisle
In
Don Gallo’s article “Rarefied Air” many gritty Young Adult novels are
discussed. The one that stuck out the most to me was Janet Taylor Lisle’s Black Duck. I was attracted to this
novel because I have always been intrigued by the Prohibition era. I would love
to teach a unit on it. I think students love the stories of the Untouchables
and Al Capone. I always enjoyed learning about the stories of that unique time
in American History. Lisle’s novel revolves around an old man in Rhode Island
and his experiences with a liquor smuggling operation when he was younger.
According to Gallo, “there are mystery, suspense, intrigue, betrayal, and a
satisfying ending” (115).
