Modern-day retelling of Carmen: "The Fortune of Carmen Navarro"

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Bryant, Jen. The Fortune of Carmen Navarro. NY: Knopf, 2010.

The world is ladder on which some go up and others go down. This gypsy proverb will prove especially true for Carmen and the military cadet, Ryan, whose passion may consume them.

Carmen bides her time working at the Quickmart while waiting for her band, The Gypsy Lovers, to land a record deal. Working there one afternoon she meets Ryan who seems different than the other cadets at the Valley Forge Military Academy. But is he different from the other boys she's known who have tried to demand more than she's willing to give?

Raised by her grandparents, Carmen is driven to fame so that she can give her abuelos a better life. Her family and her music come first. But to Ryan, she is first, last, and everything in-between.

Will this red-faced boy smitten with love convince Carmen to return his passion? If he can't convince her, will he demand it from her? Read this tragic love story to find out what will be The Fortune of Carmen Navarro.

Fantasy: Manifest (A Mystyx Novel)

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Arthur, Artist. Manifest: A Mystyx Novel. New York: Kimani Press, 2010.

Does walking and talking with a beautiful young man who happens to be a ghost but who makes you laugh and listens to your secrets compose a relationship?

Manifest, the first in the Mystyx Series, introduces us to Krystal Bentley who struggles with her abilities as a ghost-whisperer. She is new to Lincoln, Connecticut, and is immediately pressed into service by the ghost of a high school boy who was killed the year before. A persistent boy. A boy who knows her name.

"Help me, Krystal".
I open my eyes, not that I mean to, it just happens I guess. I look toward the window seat where all the stupid stuffed animals Janet thought would cheer me up are arrayed like a pastel-colored army.
I don't know what I'm looking for. Whatever it is, I hope I don't find it. But there he is- a black boy, kind of tall and skinny. He's wearing jeans, the baggy kind like all the guys in school wear, and a white T-shirt three sizes too big, hanging to his knees like a nightgown. His boots look new, Timberlands with the laces only halfway up, the huge tongue sticking out from the sagging denim hem of his jeans. He's wearing a watch on one wrist and a bracelet- I think it's silver- on the other. His hair is kind of curly on top, cut low on the sides with some lines or design or something.
I suppose he's kind of cute.
But he's kind of transparent.

In this story, we get to know what's it's like to interact with the dead, be scared by the living, be badgered by both, and fall in love a little. We also get the picture of what it's like to be a girl in a clique filled high school whose parents have divorced and who's not sure what her place will be in this new 'burb. A suburb where the school cafeteria itself is like a suburban Tower of Babel where student's seem unable to understand one another or to communicate.

Will Krystal be able to hone her skills to find out what really happened to Ricky? To make peace at home? And to find her place at Settlemans High? Read Manifest to find out how Krystal's new life turns out in the end.

Magic, Mystery, Adventure: The Prince of Mist

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Zafón, Carlos Ruiz. The Prince of Mist. New York: Little Brown and Company, 1993. English translation copyright 2010 by Lucia Graves.

Sunken ships and moveable statues are background for this mystery set in a small coastal village town in 1943. Forced to move from the city when the winds of war nip at their heels, the Carver family may find more danger in what looks like a peaceful town full of ornate Victorian houses. The clock is ticking in the Carver's new house as reality becomes an illusion and the Prince of Mist calls to collect an old debt.

When Max Carver leaves the city to live in a small coastal village, he begins a chapter in his life that will test him both physically and mentally. With perceptions clouded by changing emotions and shifting loyalties and stones in a garden, Max works behind the scenes to help save his family and thier new friend Roland.

Could the answers he's seeking be found in the old film reels left to rot by the house's previous owners?

"Max waited until he heard the door to Alicia's room close, then he sat in the armchair next to the projector. From there he could hear the murmer of his parents speaking in low voices. The rest of the house sank slowly into the silence of night, disturbed only by the sound of the waves breaking on the beach. Suddenly Max felt a presence right behind him. He turned around. Someone was looking at him from the foot of the stairs. The shining, yellow eyes of Irina's cat observed him from the gloom.
"Get out," Max spat.
The cat kept his eyes on Max for a few seconds longer. They were lifeless and cold, like doll's eyes. Max stood and faced the beast.
"I said out."
The cat appeared to smile, if such a thing were possible, then slowly withdrew into the shadows. What a time for Irina to bring that thing into their home..."

In this book, you'll go on an adventure with three friends as they explore suken ships, old men's stories, and the ever lurking Prince of Mist.

Historical: "Revolver"

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Sedgwick, Marcus. Revolver. New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2009.

1899 in the Arctic frontier was a time of hope, greed, steadfastness, and despair. In this wild north one family is caught between their faith and their years of desperation. All this while in the company of their constant silent companion, the Colt revolver.

When Sig's father is found dead, frozen on the ice within a mile of their cabin, Sig must assume responsibility for his sister Anna and his stepmother Nadya. He sends them for help and he elects to stay with the dead body of his father which is laid out on the table. This brave gesture leaves him alone with only stifled tears when the knock comes at the door.

There at the door stands a giant of a man, a man with a face not, "stroked into creation by God's loving hand, but battered into shape by the Devil's hammer." This man would send Sig's world crashing down on him as he accuses Sig's father of stealing a horde of gold ten years ago in Nome. Wolff's story makes Sig question everything he knew about his father while at the same time remembering everything his father taught him.

As he is tested and terrified by the stranger, he also remembers his dead mothers quiet whisper, "have faith." All the while thinking about the colt revolver hidden in the box. Does Sig dare to use the gun? Are his mother's children murderers? Will Wolffe use the gun he's brought?Read this story to find out which will rule the hour, Sig, the murderer, or the Revolver.

Science Fiction: "Gateway"

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Shinn, Sharon. Gateway. New York: Viking, 2009.

Chinese American, Daiyu, is drawn into another world, an alternate version of the city she is from. As she passes through the Arch in St. Louis she finds herself at the center of a swirling mix of mystery, adventure, and romance.

When Daiyu leaves behind the city of St. Louis she finds herself in another version of the Gateway to the West. In this version almost everyone is Chinese like herself. She has been recruited to help stop a dangerous politician who threatens the very fabric of Shenglang. Daiyu must first get close to Chenglei which means she must attend the annual Presentation Ball. Thrown into a crash course of manners and dress and formal dances, Daiyu also finds herself in a crash course of love. As she partners with Kalen to learn the patterns of the traditional tiaowu dance she finds herself in a dizzying spin of emotions. When they are separated so that she can go to live with the woman convinced to take her in as her "niece", Daiyu finds ways to go behind Xiang's back and meet Kalen at the aviary where he works. As she draws close to Kalen she finds her old life may be slipping away. In a playful moment, Kalen laughed as he ask her to stay in Shenglang with him.

"There's a thought! You could stay in Shenglang. Then you wouldn't have to worry about me being lonely after all.

"Daiyu laughed. "I like the idea of staying in Shenglang with you, but I don't think I could stand to keep living with Xiang," she said. Belatedly she added, "Besides I couldn't leave my parents like that! They'd be so worried about me and I'd miss them too much."

As she said the words, it occurred to her with a sort of buried horror that she hadn't missed her parents at all in the last couple of days...She had been warned that her mind would not be able to retain memories of Shenglang once she returned to her own time and place. Maybe she could not retain memories of St. Louis if she was in Shenglang too long. The thought was terrifying."

In Diayu's story we learn learn about trust and power and the price a young girl must pay when she steps through a Gateway Arch into a world of intrigue and intense romance.

Saint Fiction: "Poisoned Honey"

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Gormley, Beatrice. Poisoned Honey. New York: Knopf, 2010.

This novel chronicles the teenage years of Mary Magdalene as she struggles to find strength in the turbulent years before Christ.

Who was Mary Magdalene? A Saint? A Sinner? This haunting novel rooted in the hazy days of her teenage years is the story of Mary's personal transformation. A transformation from a girl who believes she is being tormented by seven demons to a woman healed by Jesus and destined to become one of his closest disciples.

Set in Magdala, Mari grows up on the shore of the Sea of Galilee (Lake Gennesaret) where she is tethered by the customs of her time. As she resigns herself to the customary arranged marriage, she is hopeful that her father will choose someone she might grow to love. But when disease sweeps through their town and her father dies, she is abandoned to the whims and greed of her uncle and brother.

Married off to an old man she finds herself in a household without friendship. It is then that she seeks the advice of an Egyptian wisewoman who introduces her to the spiritual world. At first the demons seem like friendly spirits seeking only to help her, but as her domestic situation worsens, she finds herself in the grip of seven demons seeking to harm not only her enemies, but also the few she holds close.

As you come to understand Mari, you will also know more about faith and forgiveness and the personal transformation that is possible when Mari is cherished by the man who would inspire a movement which resonates with many to this day.

Fantasy: "Magic Under Glass"

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Dolamore, Jaclyn. Magic Under Glass. New York: Bloomsbury, 2010.

When Nimira leaves her music-hall job for a position at Mr. Parry's estate, she finds illusions abound and reality may be hidden in the closed off upper stories of Vestenveld. Add to this a piano-playing automation who may or may not be human and you have the story of a young lady with the voice of an angel and the courage of a tiger.

When Hollin Parry discovers Nimiri singing in a music hall and asks her to sing with his piano playing automation, it is not a difficult decision for Nimiri. Leave behind the brown bread, and bland vegetables, and pennies thrown at her feet? For the glittering world of the Vestenveld estate? This would be a big step up for a trouser girl from Tiansher.

But perhaps it would be more than just a step up, perhaps it would be the beginning of a great love story. A love story about a young woman and a man who loves her and a man she cannot have. All in a place where a madwomen roams the the upper floors and the magical world swirls like a mist through the corridors of Vestenveld.

That night I heard a girl scream. I shot up in bed, throwing back the covers. Bare feet slapped down the hall, closer and closer. I rushed to the door. Linza? Sleep blurred my eyes. I flung open the door, and a caped figure barreled toward me, trailed by dim orbs of light that floated after her like fireflies. Her desperate cries filled my ears. Not Linza...

In this story, we learn about the strength, courage, and determination of not only Nimiri, but also of a mechanical man who may or may not be human.

Supernatural: "hush, hush"

Fitzpatrick, Becca. hush,hush. New York: Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2009.

In the Old Testament a group of angels are thrown down from heaven because they lusted after mortal women. Is one of these fallen angels attending Nora Grey's high school in Coldwater, Maine?

Nora Grey lives on the outskirts of town with a mother who is rarely home. Their centuries old farmhouse is lit from the inside with memories of a father who was killed by a random act of violence. Outside fog swirls and the number of terrifying encounters is on the rise.

As an internal struggle over who trust becomes an external struggle to stay alive, Nora finds herself in the midst of an ancient battle between those who have fallen and one who is immortal. She will need strength. She will need endurance. Most of all she will need to shield her thoughts from those who would take them and use them against her.

As the stakes are raised and the players begin to reveal themselves, will Nora be able to stay one step ahead? Or will she be silenced forever by the one who beckons her with a hush, hush?

Supernatural: "Lips Touch Three Times"

Taylor, Laini. Lips Touch Three Times. New York: Scholastic, 2009.

When lips touch caution vanishes in a shimmer of whispered secrets leaving Kizzy, Anamique, and Esmé to find out that a kiss may have astonishing consequences.

Kizzy's not an It girl she's a Not It girl, so when the new boy, a beautiful poet of a boy, pursues her she can almost forget... Almost, but not quite forget, that she comes from a family that believes in things; "in vampires and the evil eye, in witch soldiers, and curses and even talking foxes... And of course they believed in goblins."

Oh yes, she can't quite forget, but will she cease to care?

Anamique's life begins with a bassinet and a curse by the old woman Estrella, "I curse this child with the most beautiful voice ever to slip from human lips. But take care that you never hear it. Anyone who does shall fall down dead on the spot. From this moment forward, any sound this child utters will kill."

And so the little child stays silent believing in the curse until a young man determines to lead her out from the shadow of superstition. But is it superstition?

Esmé comes from a mother who was raised as a pet and who's night terrors keep her daughter awake. When her mother cuts her long persimmon red hair and forces them to flee, Esmé wonders if they can outrun the wolves in the city. Taken to a fortress of stone and incredible beauty where kittens are thrown to the beasts that line the drawbridge- is that any place for a young girls first kiss?

Finalist for the National Book Award for Young Peoples Literature

Christian Fiction: "New York Debut"

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Carlson, Melody. New York Debut, carter house girls series: Book Six. Carlson, Melody. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2009.

Six teenage girls in a boarding house run by a retired fashion icon get ready for their debut in New York's Fashion Week. As the competition heats up DJ struggles with the attitudes and behaviors of herself and those around her. Can Christianity survive the catwalks of Manhattan?

Mrs. Carter is running a tight ship at her boardinghouse full of future models. Her granddaughter DJ is starting to wonder though if she's more concerned about their looks than their higher selves. She's also worried about her best friend Taylor who's checked herself into rehab and Kriti who's beginning to show signs of an eating disorder. On top of all this she's beginning to question her own motives concerning the ever shallow Eliza.

"You ever get the feeling we're running some kind of clinic here?" joked DJ. "Like maybe my grandmother should switch her focus from fashion to mental health. We could be the Carter House Rehabilitation Center for Young Women."

They all laughed, but DJ actually thought it was sort of pathetic. She also thought her grandmother should bear some of the blame if the girls under her care got any more messed up. Oh, sure, maybe these things would've happened anyway. But maybe not this latest problem with Kriti. It seemed a direct result of the atmosphere in this house. Not that Grandmother would be that concerned to hear about it.

"So how do we intervene?" asked Casey.

As the Carter House Girls prepare for the runway there are lessons to be learned that have nothing to do with posture and posing and everything to do with faith and good works.

Classic: "Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones"

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Head, Ann. Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones. New York: Signet, 1968.

An honest account of an unplanned pregnancy and the subsequent joining-together in marriage of two teenagers in the late 1960's.

When someone spikes the punch at the party, Trilby High's football star and his girlfriend July end up on the beach for a night that will change their lives forever. First comes regret, then comes pregnancy, and then a hasty marriage. All while two sets of parents push them in different directions. Will these two be driven apart by the sacrifices an unplanned pregnancy forces them to make? Can love grow between two teenagers who sway between being moody, loving, rigid, patient, and the other hundred emotions their situation provokes? For better or for worse, will July and BoJo find out what it really means to be Mr. and Mrs. BoJo Jones?

Supernatural: "The Graveyard Book"

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Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book. New York: Harper Collins, 2008.

Mr. and Mrs. Owens find a wee baby toddling in the green grass of the graveyard. They name him Nobody, Bod for short, and love him and try to protect him from the world outside. The world where his family was murdered by the man Jack.

Well: Just Who is Nobody Owens? This book set in the shimmering world of the graveyard has the answer and a cast of characters that you will never forget.

Set in England, Bod is an orphan who toddles out of his house where his family is being brutally murdered. He ends up in the graveyard where several centuries old ghosts raise him as their own. Mr. and Mrs. Owens love him and, along with his guardian, try to educate him to get through the dangers he will face. And dangers he does face as he embarks on adventures within and without the rattling gates of the graveyard.

As you read this story and meet it's characters including Bod, the Owen's, the Indigo Man, the terrible sleer, and the man Jack whose hand wields a knife, you will cheer for Nobody Owens. And Bod himself will learn the answer to the question Just Who is Nobody Owens?

Hugo Awards: Best Novel, Newbery Medal, Oprah's Kids' Reading Lists - New Releases: 10-to-12 Years, Locus Young Adult Book Award, Wisconsin Library Association Children's Book Awards: Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Award, Booklist Editors' Choice - Books for Youth - Older Readers Category: 2008, YALSA Best Books for Young Adults: 2009, USBBY Outstanding International Books - Grades 6-8: 2009, ALA Notable Children's Books - Middle Readers Category: 2009

Historical: "The Luxe"

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Godbersen, Anna. The Luxe. New York: Harper Collins, 2007.

One longs for love, one longs for luxury, two long for Henry Schoonmaker, who will his truelove be?

Elizabeth, Penelope, Diana, and Lina swirl through mists of love and intrigue in 1899 New York. Wrapped in miles of antique shell pink satin, but with a modern heart, Elizabeth Holland is torn by the twin motivations of conscience and craving. As for her "best friend" Penelope, jealously fuels her every move. And poor Lina's feeling a little put out. Well, who wouldn't be a little put out when your childhood friend starts treating you like her maid? Which you are. And finally there's Diana...

"Diana was about to slip away quickly when she looked at Henry and decided that she wasn't done with him. She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the parlor on the east side of the house...When they were on the other side of the oak door, she reluctantly let go of his hand. She looked up at the great canvases above, with their dark, roiling seas. They seemed to Diana like an approximation of her own feelings at the moment."

This sumptuous novel of luxury and extravagance will bring to life the social scene of turn of the century New York exposing the naked hearts of four of it's most captivating residents.

YALSA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults: Fame and Fortune (2009)

Historical: "Hush: An Irish Princess' Tale"

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Napoli, Donna Jo. Hush: An Irish Princess' Tale. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2007.

When the daughter of a king is captured and enslaved, she learns that silence can be a powerful weapon.

Melkorka, daughter of one of the ancient kings of Eire land, is giddy with excitement as she sweeps through Dublin in celebration of her fifteenth birthday. At the height of her merriment, an ax sweeps through the air and a sudden scream pierces the street. Unbenownst to Melkorka that random act of aggression will split her world apart forever.

It is a time of battles and grudges and this recent act of brutality will not go unpunished. As her father plans his revenge on the vikings who have left her brother mutilated and writhing in pain, she is forced to flee with her sister Brigid. They are to follow the coastal path that will lead them to the ringfort where they will be taken in.

Disaster strikes and they are thrown onto a slave ship heading north. Stubbornness, bitter cold, and Melkorka's silence combine to create a facade that she hopes will keep her captors apprehensive so they will keep their distance. As her exterior turns to ice, inside she finds her old prejudices and beliefs melting away.

Will Melkorka's vow of silence be enough to keep them alive until they are close enough to shore to escape? What has happened to her family in Downpatrick? Read this coming-of-age tale to find out if freedom can be won with a will and a Hush.

Texas Tayshas Reading Lists. YALSA Best Books for Young Adults.

Historical: "Crispin: The Cross of Lead"

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Avi. Crispin: The Cross of Lead. New York: Hyperion, 2002.

Stripped of his family, his home and his possessions, thirteen year old Crispin finds himself enslaved and then befriended by a giant juggler called Bear.

Declared a "wolf's head" and on the run for a crime he did not commit, Crispin flees into the woods and into still more trouble. Enslaved by a giant of a man called Bear with ruddy red hair and beard, he is soon taught to play the recorder for his massive masters tricks. As Crispin is pursued by his enemies, he and the Bear head for Great Wexly where wolves are at the door and intrigue lines the streets.

Nearing the gate and a gauntlet of soldiers, Bear put a hand on Crispin's shoulder. "Crispen," he said softly, "try to show less worry. The worst disguise is fear."

"What if they stop me?"

"I don't think they will. But if they do, always remember what I told you; run away. Head into a crowd. Your size will hide you."

In this novel of medieval England, we learn that great friendship carries great responsibility and a cross of lead can be the key to freedom.

ALA Notable Children's Books. Newbery Medal.

Historical: "Catherine, Called Birdy"

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Cushman, Karen. Catherine, Called Birdy. New York: HarperTrophy, 1994.

Looking for romance but about to be sold off to a shaggy-bearded revolting brute, Catherine plots to escape her fate.

Catherine, called Birdy, is a dainty damsel living in medieval England. Dainty that is when she's not rebelling against her "lady lessons" and a beast of a father ready to sell her to the highest bidder. "Corpus Bones!"

Catherine chronicles her young, rebellious and restless days in this day-by-day account of a young lady looking for romance while avoiding the revolting suitors her father has lined up for her.

In a time when girls were traded in marriage for wealth and status, is there hope for Catherine, a slip of a girl with big ideas, also known as Birdy?

Golden Kite Award. YALSA 100 Best Books (1950-2000). ALA Notable Children's Books. Newbery Honor Book. Booklist Editors' Choice. Parents' Choice Awards.

Historical: "Dogboy"

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Russell, Christopher. Dogboy. New York : Greenwillow Books, 2006.

Raised with dogs. Thrust into battle. Brind must find the courage to make his way home.

Who is Brind and why does he race over fallen oak and slippery mud with a pack of Sir Edmond Dowe's mastiffs? This novel of aggression and loyalty, revenge and love reads like an adventure movie complete with narrow escapes and twisting plot lines.

Set in medieval times, Brind, the Dogboy, was raised with a litter of mongrel pups and has lived with dogs ever since. When Sir Edmond heads to France to the Battle of Crécy, he takes Brind and the pack of dogs with him. He plans for Brind to control the dogs until the exact right moment when he will unleash them on the French as weapons of mass destruction.

As Brind travels across the French countryside shadows of darkness and mystery stretch far across that foreign land. But Brind is not alone and it is through Glaive, the most powerful dog in the pack, and Aurélie, a girl at war with herself, that Brind will discover just who he is and where he, the Dogboy, finally belongs.

Verse Novel: "Who Killed Mr. Chippendale?"

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Glenn, Mel. Who Killed Mr. Chippendale?: A Mystery in Poems. New York: Lodestar Books, 1996.

A murder mystery told in free verse poems answering the question: who killed Mr. Chippendale?

The end of Robert Chippendale, English teacher at Tower High, is the beginning of this tale. A tale told by the reactions of the students and faculty who knew him, the detective pursuing the murderer, and Angela Falcone, the guidance counselor who loved him.

According to the students:

He was the best teacher I ever had.
He was the worst teacher I ever had.
No, I'm not goin' to the funeral.
Why did he have to die?
Hey, this school is scary.
I remember that creep Chippendale saying
That the whole world is waiting for us.
I remember that wonderful Mr. Chippendale saying
That the whole world is waiting for us.

As shock turns to grief, the students at Tower High School are drawn to the door of Angela Falcone. Can she help them deal with their feelings while at the same time bowing to her own grief? Is it Angela Falcone, after all, who has the knowledge to draw the killer out and discover Who Killed Mr. Chippendale?

YALSA Best Books for Young Adults. YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.

Verse Novel: "one of those hideous books where the mother dies"

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Sones, Sonya. One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2004.

Ruby's mother dies and she is forced to leave Boston for Los Angeles to live with a father who abandoned her before she was born. A father who was too busy being a big Hollywood star to look her up before now.

Ruby was raised on the east coast by a mother that loved her and an Aunt she adores. When her mother dies, she finds herself on a plane to Los Angeles leaving behind her first real boyfriend, Ray, and her best friend in the world, Lizzie. Leaving her "whole entire life" behind to live with a father she's never met. A movie star father. An A-lister. A big star. A "scumbag" who divorced her mother before Ruby was even born.

"A billion flashbulbs are exploding all around us
and people are shouting and pushing and shoving
and sticking cameras in our faces
and crowding so close
that it feels like we're in a mosh pit.
"Whip! Whip!" they're calling
"Is that your long lost daughter?"

Whip may be an Oscar winning actor, but Ruby intends to make this role the most difficult he'll ever play. Will she come to terms with the past and forgive him? Will she fit in at her new school? Will next door neighbor, Cameron Diaz, who keeps breezing in borrow things, be her new stepmother? Read these heartfelt words of a girl whose life turns serious and who doesn't want her life to be just like one of those hideous books where the mother dies.

YALSA Best Books for Young Adults. YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. Rhode Island Teen Book Award. Iowa Teen Award. YALSA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults - What Makes a Family?

Verse Novel: "Crashboomlove"

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Herrera, Juan Felipe. CrashBoomLove: A Novel in Verse. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1999.

A Mexican American navigates high school amidst racial tension, drug offerings, and blackboards swirling with words he can't read. Only when everything crashes around him, can he begin to redesign his life as a life with a future.

César Garcia is hungry. Hungry for something besides the chaos that is Rambling West High School. Hungry for more than the Welfare can provide. Hungry for an end to smashing fists and smashing words. Hungry for love, even crashboomlove.

César's world is closing in on him. He is being drawn into using drugs, the Hmongs are fighting the Chicanos, and his friends are upping their illegal activities. Is this what a migrant workers' son can expect out of life? Or is there a better place for him?

El agua es blanda, la piedra dura,
pero, gota a gota, hace cavadura.

Water is soft, rocks are hard,
but, drop by drop, water finds a way.

Will César find his way?

YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.

Verse Novel: "A Bad Boy Can Be Good For a Girl"

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Stone, Tanya Lee. A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl. New York: Simon & Shuster, 2004.

Three high school girls are manipulated by a bad boy with some good lines. Tables are turned when they get a revenge that's "by the book".

Who are Josie, Nicolette, and Aviva? And why are they acting so stupid? This novel is a confidential look at high school life through three girl's experiences as they cross paths with an irresistible "big jock" on campus.

Josie is a jock herself and is confident in all things until she starts her freshmen year. Doubts set in, and big jock knows just how to manipulate her. Nicolette? Well she's the girl who knows what she wants and knows how to get it. She'll take her pleasure where she finds it without ever looking back. Until big jock that is. And finally there's Aviva, the least likely to be taken in by big jock. A hippie by-product of enlightened parents. Did I say the least likely to be taken in?

Just who are Josie, Nicolette, and Aviva? You'll find out when they discover a peculiar pulpit from which to deliver their new insights on love. Insights gained from a bad boy who in the end probably did do them some good.

YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. Texas Tayshas Reading List.

Verse Novel: "Sweetgrass Basket"

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Carvell, Marlene. Sweetgrass Basket. New York: Dutton Childrens Books, 2005.

A father is convinced to send his two daughters to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School to give them a better future. Their days at the school are bleak with rare moments of hope.

Mattie and Sarah, two Mohawk sisters, are sent away from their home to a boarding school back east. A school of unrelated individuals plucked from their Indian homes, promised opportunity, and delivered more cruelty than comprehension. But in between the harsher lessons, there are lessons in friendship, and a teacher's kindness, and what it really means to be a sister in your heart.

When Mrs. Dwyer shames Mattie, accusing her of stealing a brooch, she is stripped of her dignity, her strength, and the respect of her fellow students. Will Mattie and Sarah be defeated by Mrs. Dwyer, turncoat Ida, and the Carlisle Indian School? Or are there resources to be found tucked away in a basket? A basket full of hopes and dreams and made with the love of a mother. A sweetwater basket.

ALA Notable Children's Book.