The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Chbosky, Stephen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower. 1999. 213p. ISBN 978-0-671-02734-6. Available at FIC CHB on the library shelves.

As a freshman in high school, Charlie does not stand out. He is neither popular nor at the bottom of the social ladder. He’s smart, but not smart enough to be on honor roll. He’s not the biggest geek, clown, or any other role played by students. He’s a nobody, and he does not mind at all not being visible to the rest of the high school crowd.

Socially awkward, Charlie manages to make a few friends during a football game. He meets seniors Patrick and his sister Sam, and immediately falls hopelessly in love with Sam. Suffering from depression and low self-esteem, Charlie is not sure what his new friends see in him, but as the relationship grows Charlie begins to sail through unknown territory. He has his first date. He lives through Patrick’s intense dramas. He discovers sex, drugs, and the Rocky Horror Picture Show. But through it all, Charlie begins to immerse himself in his own life. Unfortunately, living sometimes means being front and center…

Told in the form of letter Charlie writes to an unknown narrator, this coming-of-age story will strike a cord with everyone who’s ever stood on the sidelines of life.

Poop

Davies, Nicola. Poop: A Natural History of the Unmentionable. 2004. 62p. ISBN 0-7636-2437-3. Available at 573.4 DAV on the library shelves.

Of all the elements shared by all moving creatures, defecating is the most common. Poop happens to everyone, but what do you really know about this unmentionable subject? From using feces to communicate and navigate one’s environment to eating it for nutrients, from learning history and eating habits from long ago to providing shelter, poop turns out to be extremely helpful.

In this hilariously illustrated book, discover the secrets of poop, and amaze your friends with bits of trivia on an otherwise frowned upon subject!

The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie

Stone, Tanya Lee. The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie: A Doll’s History and Her Impact on Us. 2010. 130p. ISBN 978-0-670-01187-2. Available at 688.7 STO on the library shelves.

Love her or hate her, everyone has an opinion about Barbie and her role in our society. From glamorizing sex to offering unachievable figures, this modern icon has greatly influenced boys and girls over the last fifty years.

This book, then, is the story of Barbie. She came from Ruth Handler’s imagination at a time when the only dolls on the market were baby dolls. And from her creation she became a multi-billion dollar business, the flagship for Mattel, a company started by Ruth and her husband. From clothes to mansions and cars, from changing fashion to changing roles, Barbie remains a subject to discuss, to explore, and to play with.

Jessica Darling’s It List 1: The (totally not) Guaranteed Guide to Popularity, Prettiness & Perfection

McCafferty, Megan. Jessica Darling’s It List 1: The (totally not) Guaranteed Guide to Popularity, Prettiness & Perfection. 2013. 228p. ISBN 978-0-316-24499-2. Available at FIC MCC on the library shelves.

Jessica is going to junior high, and as she readies to enter 7th grade her older sister, Bethany, shares with her the It List, which, if followed, will make Jessica the uncontested hot and popular girl at her school.

The list is simple, with four items: 1. Wear something different every day. 2. Make the Cheer Team!!!!. 3. Pick you first boyfriend wisely. and 4. Stick with the IT clique. Using this advice, Bethany was at the height of her school’s social pyramid.

Unfortunately for Jessica, her best friend Bridget became hot overnight, and is now adored by the football team. The other girls she meet (Manda, Sara and Hope), hail from a different school but also seek top social status. And her last period of the day is not Home Ec, but rather woodshop, where she is the only girl.

With her sister pushing her, and with the drama surrounding her friends and her own life, can Jessica survive the first month of junior high?

Jessica’s story continues in Jessica Darling’s It List 2: The (totally not) Guaranteed Guide to Friends, Foes, & Faux Friends. You can also read Jessica’s tale as a senior in high school in Sloppy Firsts. Another great read about attempting to become popular in high school can be found in Meg Cabot's How to Become Popular.

Afterworlds

Westerfield, Scott. Afterworlds. 2014. 599p. ISBN 1481422340. Available at FIC WES on the library shelves.

Two stories converge together into one book. Well, that’s not entirely accurate. This is the story of Darcy Patel, who is a young adult novelist. Back in November, Darcy wrote a whole book and sold it and an unwritten sequel for $150,000 a piece. In her book Afterworlds, Elizabeth was the victim of a terrorist attack and was the only survivor. She managed to slip in the Flip Side by preventing to be dead, and she met Yamaraj, a 3,000 year-old Flip Side traveller.

This book chronicles both stories, that of Darcy as she becomes an adult, falls in love, and struggles with putting the finishing touches to her book. Lizzie, meanwhile, learns to cope with her new gift as well as survivor’s guilt. As Darcy grows, the Lizzie chapters show a growth as well. The suspensefulness of the “fiction” of Afterworlds has nothing on the suspense reflected in Darcy’s life. Will her book ever come to fruition? Will she survive her fractious relationship with Imagine Gray, her girlfriend and fellow writer? And what about Liz? Will she remain unscathed from her trips to the other side, or will she be irrevocably affected?

Fans of paranormal activities will adore Liz and her attraction to mysterious and powerful Yamaraj. Those who are interested in the writing process will enjoy reading this book and witness how Darcy adapts her book to the suggestions provided by the editor. Can she nail that killer ending?

Black Cat, Vol 1

Yakubi, Kentaro. Black Cat, Vol 1. 2000. 206p ISBN 978-1-4215-0605-0. Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

Train was once the best assassin in Chronos, a ruthless worldwide criminal organization. Known as Number XIII, he was also called the Black Cat for the bad luck he brought to his victims and those who encountered him. But when he himself became Chronos’ target, he fled the organization and now partners with Sven, an inventor of sorts. They are sweepers, bounty hunters who chase criminals through the streets and capture them in order to collect the reward money.

As stray cats, Train and Sven are free to go and do as they please. But when they encounter the mysterious Rinslet Walker, she offers them a mission they can’t refuse: the capture of Torneo Rudman, a weapons merchant worth half a million to sweepers.

Torneo, however, not only dabbles in weapons, but also genetic manipulation, and the asset Rinslet is really after is the theft of Torneo’s secret research. Unfortunately for Train and Sven, Torneo has already created Eve, a deadly fighting machine able to manipulate her own genetic code to reshape parts of her body into other forms, including weapons such as cleavers and swords. The legend of the Black Cat may not survive an encounter with Eve.

The story continues in Black Cat Vol. 2.

Maze Runner

Dashner, James. Maze Runner. Book One of the Maze Runner Series. 2009. 374p. ISBN 0385737947. Available both as a book at FIC DAS and as an eBook on Overdrive.

Thomas doesn’t remember anything but his name. And when he wakes up in an elevator, he is suddenly thrown in a controlled environment, the Glade.

Other boys live here in the ever changing maze, and their sole purpose appears to try to discover a way out of it. None of them remember their former lives, and all share with Thomas the knowledge of their name and fragments of memories they can’t quite put together. All they know is that W.I.C.K.E.D. has put them here.

Thomas joins the small elite group of maze runners, who explore the maze and return home at night to map it. They’ve been trying to discover patterns, but so far they have nothing. Kids have been living in the maze for years now, and they seem no closer to finding an exit than when they started.

But then, the following week, instead of a boy being brought to the maze, a girl emerges from the Lift. Like them, she only remembers her name: Theresa. Thomas feels like he’s seen her before. More importantly, she carries a message: There will be no more. No more food, no more boys, no more of anything.

Now the maze inhabitants must escape before it’s too late. But with all of the vile creatures living in the maze, and all of the deadly puzzles, escaping from the maze might very well cost the maze runners their lives.

Fans of the dystopian novel will like this book, and might also enjoy the following: Arena 1, Starters, Ship Breaker, Reboot, Not a Drop to Drink, Birthmarked and Divergent. Thomas and Theresa's story continues in The Scorch Trials.

Thirteen Reasons Why

Asher, Jay. Thirteen Reasons Why. 2007. 304p. ISBN 1595141715. Available on the library shelves at FIC ASH and as an eBook on Overdrive.

Hannah Baker spent her whole life being ignored, reviled, hated, or picked on. Desperate, she committed suicide. Clay Jensen didn’t know her very well, but he feels like he could have done something about her misery.

So when Clay Jensen comes back from school and discovers a strange box with his name on it, he’s not sure what it is, or even why he’s receiving it. Opening the box, he discovers thirteen old cassette tapes. As he begins listening to them, he realizes that Hannah discusses, on each tape, the actions of one person who lead her towards her fateful decision. Every one of the people mentioned on the tape could have prevented her tragedy, and were an instrumental part of why she committed suicide. Each person, from the first to the last, must in turn listen to the thirteen tapes then send it to the next person in line. To find out how Clay contributed to Hannah’s suicide, he must listen to all the tapes, and hear Hannah’s story through her own words.

Told from two distinct voices, Hannah and Clay’s perspectives and stories show how small actions from many people can add up to a tragedy of deadly proportions.

If you liked this book, consider reading Please Ignore Vera Dietz, We Were Liars, If I Stay, Zoe Letting Go, Black Box, The Vanishing Season, or Kiss of Broken Glass. All of these books feature a tragedy and a voyage of self-discovery as the central element of the plot. Or read Falling into Place, where Liz Emerson's suicide attempts leads others to discover secrets about themselves they would rather forget.

Lord of the Flies

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. 1954. 182p. Available at FIC GOL and as an eBook on Overdrive.

When their plane goes down, a group of boys find themselves stranded on a deserted island in the middle of the Pacific. With no adult survivors, the boys must organize themselves to survive while waiting for a rescue. Over the first few days, the boys are having fun and run all over the island. But as the days go by and no one comes, the boys, all alone, begin to break along friendship lines. The apparition of a “monster” throws the boys into a panic, and fear takes over. The boys’ behavior becomes more violent as they rapidly descend to their very own hell. Can they survive long enough for rescue?

A terrible tale and a parable for the ages, Lord of the Flies explores the collapse of moral order and the nature of boys left alone. As a commentary on society, it’s not very pretty.

To find out how would girls react in a similar situation, read Beauty Queens by Linda Bray.

Pocket Timeline of Islamic Civilizations

Badcott, Nicholas. Pocket Timeline of Islamic Civilizations. 2009. 48p. ISBN 978-1-56656-758-9. Available at 909 BAD on the library shelves.

Islam has made the news headlines for the past decade, but for most Americans it remains a religion steeped in fear and mystery. This short book by Nicholas Badcott presents the history of Islam and the various dynasties that controlled its growth and spread throughout the world. Each two pages spread shows important events, as well as art, architecture, weapons, science, and coins influenced by Islam. Included in the book is a twelve page pullout with a more specific timeline that can be consulted.

This is an excellent book for a short overview of one of the world’s most followed religions.

The Alchemyst

Scott, Michael. The Alchemyst. Book 1 of the The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series. 2010. 400p. ISBN 0552562521. Available as an eBook on Overdrive.

Twins Josh and Sophie Newman have always been close. With their parents out of town for the summer, the twins each have jobs that keep them busy. Sophie works in a coffee shop, while Josh toils in a bookstore owned by Nicholas.

But when the bookstore is attacked by strange grey men led with Dr. John Dee, Josh and Sophie are thrown into a conflict centuries old. Nicholas is none other than Nicholas Flamel, famed alchemist who supposedly died in 1418. Dr. Dee is Elizabeth I’s spymaster, and he’s after the book of Abraham the Mage. Nicholas Flamel used that book to derive eternal life, but now Dee want to take it away from him. With it, Dee could literally destroy the world. And that’s exactly what he plans to do for his evil overlord, except that during the attack Josh managed to save the last two pages of the book. Without them, the book is useless. But now Nicholas is aging before their eyes.

Fortunately, both Nicholas and his wife Perenelle know of a prophecy where twins will awaken and save the world. Are Josh and Sophie these two twins, or will they join the countless other twins Nicholas and Perenelle used in the past in their vain hope of fulfilling the prophecy? With Dee hunting them all down, they may not live long enough to find out.

For a lighter tale of the paranormal, consider Paranormalcy, where Evie fight off faeries and other paranormal creatures while falling madly in love with Lend.

Tsunami: True Stories of Survival

Sommers, Michael. Tsunami: True Stories of Survival. 2007. 48p. ISBN 978-1-4042-1002-8. 363.34 SOM on the library shelves.

One of the most powerful and savage force of nature, the giant wave, or tsunami, has always affected coastal areas of the world. But the natural disasters of December 26, 2004 around the Indian Ocean and particularly in Indonesia, and the March 16, 2011 in Fukushima, Japan, brought tsunamis into world consciousness.

In this short book, Sommers describes the phenomenon of tsunami and presents incredible stories of survival. A historical view of tsunamis is also explored, and ways to predict the appearance of this giant wave are discussed.

Anyone interested in natural disasters and survivor stories will enjoy this book.

Possessions and Exorcisms

Kallen, Stuart A. Possessions and Exorcisms. The Mysterious & Unknown Series. 2012. 96p. ISBN 1601524749. 133.42 WOO on the library shelves.

Can people be possessed by spirits and demons? The concept of possession exists throughout the globe, in every culture, and is ever present in the popular imagination thanks to movies and horror stories. How can such a universal concept dating thousands of years back not exist?

Scientifically, possession has been explained away by mental illnesses or by physical contamination of one kind or another. Yet, it remains that there have been documented instances where science could not explain what was happening.

This book walks the reader through what possessions look like, and presents several case studies of victims of possessions that science examined but discovered nothing that afflicted them. The author also explores exorcism, the process of removing a spirit or demon out of one’s body, and discusses how these rituals are very similar from one corner of the planet to the next.

Anyone interested in the paranormal will be fascinated with the information Kallen compiled in this book and will be left asking themselves whether there really are spirits out there, and if so, can they really possess humans?

Divergent

Roth, Veronica. Divergent. 2011. 487p. ISBN 9780062024022. Available on the library shelves at  FIC ROT and as an eBook on Overdrive.

Five factions control Chicago: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite. Each faction represents an ideal that their members are supposed to represented. At age sixteen, every teenager gets to pick which faction he or she will belong. Most teens remain with the faction that raised them, but once in a while a teen switches from one faction to another.

Beatrice has been raised in Abnegation, the faction concerned with being selfless and providing for others. Her mother and fathers are important members of the faction, with her mother in charge of providing food and shelter to the factionless, while her father sits on the Council that rules the city. But she feels she’s never fit in.

When given the chance at the choosing ceremony, Beatrice makes a bold decision. She chooses to join Dauntless, the faction that represents braveness and that protects the city. Her brother, Caleb, ten months older, also leaves Abnegation and joins Erudite, the faction driven by knowledge. Her actions cause gasps within the assembled crowd. Two Abnegation children leaving their faction is unheard of.

Beatrice rides the train with the Dauntless and changes her name to Tris. Life with the Dauntless is hard and violent, and Triss must quickly adapt to a lifestyle opposite the one she left behind.

In the initiation trials, Tris realizes that she is not alone, and others are cheering for her. However, she holds a terrible secret: She is not really Dauntless, but Divergent. A Divergent is someone who doesn’t conform to the ideals of one faction but rather embodies the values of two or more factions. This secret, she’s been warned, could cost Tris her life. Enigmatic Four, her trainer, also appears to have an affinity for Divergent, but holds secrets of his own.

And when Tris stumbles upon a conspiracy by Erudite and Dauntless to eliminate Abnegation, she must decide which side she will stand on, but this choice could very well be deadly!

Fans of the Hunger Games will like this book, and might also enjoy the following dystopian novels: Arena 1, Starters, Maze Runner, Ship Breaker, Reboot, Not a Drop to Drink, and Birthmarked. The story continues in Insurgent.