Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Asher, Jay. (2007). Thirteen Reasons Why. NY: Razorbill.
ISBN: 978-1595141712
Awards: Florida Teens Read (2008-2009)
WinnerALA Best Books for Young Adults (2008)
Commonwealth Club of California Book Awards (Young Adult, Silver, 2007)
South Carolina Young Adult Book Award Nominee (2009-2010)
ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (2008)
Sequoyah Children's Book Award (High School, 2010)
Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Rape, Depression, Bullying, Suicide, Grief, Regret, Friends
Genre: Fiction
Annotation: Shortly after the suicide of classmate, and crush, Hannah Baker, Clay receives a box of tapes created by her. The tapes are the 13 reasons why she killed herself, to be sent to the 13 people responsible for her decision. But why Clay?
Summary: Clay Jensen doesn't know why he got Hannah Baker's tapes. He didn't do anything wrong. Readers, along with Clay, listen to the voice of Hannah as she tells the story of the events leading up to her suicide. Hannah created the tapes to explain her choice and to let the thirteen people who contributed to her death know what they did. Clay, we learn, had a crush on Hannah, but was too afraid to make a move. Other people on the tapes started rumors about her and didn't see her for who she was, but also there were people who did bad things without remorse. While only a few of the things that happened were truly awful, they all added up to more than Hannah could bear.
Evaluation: I really enjoyed Hannah's story and can relate to her disgust of people who are able to take advantage of others and those who do not take responsibility for their own actions. I also enjoyed Clay as he traveled around the city listening, crying, and being angry at what he heard.

Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going

Going, K.L. (2004) Fat Kid Rules the World. NY: Speak.
ISBN: 978-0142402085
Awards: Young Reader's Choice Award 2006
South Carolina Young Adult Book Award Nominee (2005-2006)Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice (2006)
Printz Honor (2004)
ALA Best Books for Young Adults (2004)
BCCB Blue Ribbon Book (2003)
ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (2005.02|Own Your Freak, 2005)
ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (2010.04|Bodies, 2010)
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year (2003)
Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Obesity, Depression, Suicide, Acceptance, Friendship, Drugs
Genre: Fiction
Annotation: Troy is 17, almost 300 pounds and seriously depressed. Just as he is about to jump in front of a train Troy is saved by the words of a skinny homeless teen who turns out to be a guitar genius. Troy begins seeing the world in a new light as the two start a rock band.
Summary: Troy and Curt make an unlikely pair. Troy, at 6'1" is near 300 pounds and being raised in a military family. Curt is a skinny semi-homeless teen addicted to prescription medicine. Their bond begins the day Troy is contemplating jumping in front of a subway train and Curt talks him out of it. Curt, it turns out, is THE Curt MacCrae, guitar genius that occasionally attends Troy's school. Much to Troy's surprise, Curt invites him to be the drummer for his new punk band. Fat and insecure, Troy, soon Big T, slowly gains confidence and self respect through his friendship with unreliable and sometimes liar, Curt.
Evaluation: This is the story of one person saving another despite social, emotional, economic, and physical differences. Curt manages to save Troy by ignoring Troy's self loathing and believing in him. The characters in this book are imperfect, but passionate in a way that adds to the stories overall honesty. Great story!

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Green, John. (2005). Looking for Alaska. NY: Dutton Juvenile.
ISBN: 978-0525475064
Awards: ALA Best Books for Young Adults (2006)
Printz Award (2006)
Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist (2005)
Booklist Editors' Choice (2005)
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year (2005)
Michigan Library Association's Thumbs Up! Award (2006.1|Honor, 2006)
ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (2009.04|Death and Dying, 2009)
ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (2006)A
LA Outstanding Books for the College Bound (2009.3|Literature & Language Arts, 2009)Inky Awards (Silver Inky, 2007)
Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award Nominee (2009)
Book Sense Summer Pick Teen Readers (2005)
Genre: Fiction
Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Suicide, Death, Grief, Friends, Love, Forgiveness
Annotation: Miles Halter, prep school newbie and loner, is befriended by his genius roommate, Chip, and beautiful but crazy Alaska. Together they pull pranks, become close, and deal with the consequences of a terrible accident.
Summary: Miles Halter, a.k.a. Pudge, longs to live life to the fullest and so transfers to a boarding school in a small Alabama town. Here he meets Chip, "The Colonel", and beautiful Alaska. They become fast friends and Pudge's life takes a turn toward the more daring and adventurous in Alaska's rebellious wake. Drinking and smoking and playing pranks keeps the kids entertained, but readers soon learn of Alaska's great guilt. Alaska blames herself for her mother's death and this burden just might be more than she can bear.
Evaluation: This is one of those books that shows life in all its crazy complexity, uncertainty, and also its capacity for great emotion. I read this one because I had heard so many good things about the writing and heavy topics. While in the end, we might remember the great suffering, I think the story and characters create a world that readers will love and relate to.

The Killer's Cousin by Nancy Werlin

Werlin, Nancy. (2000) The Killer's Cousin. NY: Laurel Leaf.
ISBN: 978-0440227519
Awards: Edgar Award (Young Adult, 1999)
Edgar Award, Young Adult (1999)
ALA Best Books for Young Adults (1999)
Garden State Book Award (Teen Fiction Grades 9-12, 2001)BCCB Blue Ribbon Book (1998)
ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (2003.01 | I’ve Got a Secret, 2003)
ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers - Top Ten (1999)
ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (1999)
Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults (2010)
Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Suicide, Guilt, Violence, Love
Genre: Fiction
Annotation: Seventeen year old David is sent to live with his aunt, uncle, and young cousin, Lily, after being acquitted in a highly public murder trial. Joining a strange household where Lily's older sister committed suicide, David realizes that Lily has a few secrets of her own.
Summary: After David accidentally causes his girlfriends death, he is involved in a highly publicized trial. He is acquitted of the murder, but his parents attempt to reduce the impact of this event on his life by sending him to live with his aunt and uncle. In the house lives his cousin Lily, an angry eleven year old still reeling from her older sister, Kathy's, suicide four years earlier. At first David and Lily circle one another with distrust, but Lily soon is breaking into his attic apartment and destroying things. The attic where Kathy lived and killed herself. Meanwhile, Kathy's ghost appears to David, telling him to save Lily. David discovers that Lily killed, or believes that she killed, her sister. The relationship between David and Lily peeks when he tells her parents that she need psychological help and they kick him out. Finally, Lily cracks and tries to kill herself by burning the house down, but David hears Kathy's voice and runs to pull Lily out of the fire engulfed house. This saves Lily both physically and psychologically and creates a fierce bond between the two killers who must live with what they have done.
Evaluation: I read Werlin's book Impossible awhile back and really enjoyed the intertwining of contemporary fiction and magic. This story is not different. Usually a book with magic will focus on the magical elements in a story, but Werlin manages to focus on reality that just happens to include the supernatural. Great book!

Skim by Mariko Tamaki illustrated by Jillian Tamaki

Tamaki, M. and Tamaki, J. (2008) Skim. NY: Groundwood Books.
ISBN: 978-0888997531
Awards: Ignatz Award (Outstanding Graphic Novel, 2008)
New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book (2008)
ALA Great Graphic Novels for Teens (Top Ten, Fiction, 2009)
ALA Rainbow List (Young Adult Fiction, 2009)
ALA Best Books for Young Adults (2009)
Eisner Award nominee (Best Publication for Teens/Tweens, 2009)
Eisner Award nominee (Best Graphic Album—New, 2009)
Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Suicide, Homosexuality, Friendship, Love, Weight Issues
Genre: Graphic Novel, Coming of Age, Fiction
Annotation: Kimberly Keiko, nicknamed Skim because she is not, takes tenth grade on with all the awkwardness of a teen. Skim tries her hand at becoming a Wicca, falls in love, and deals with the school's grief over a students suicide.
Review: Kimberly Keiko, called Skim because she is not, is a Japanese Canadian in an all girl private school. Skim dabbles in the Wiccan arts with bossy friend Lisa and presents herself as a goth. Her falling in love with a female teacher only makes things harder. Skim's story overlays the story of a classmate, Katie, who is dumped by her boyfriend, who then kills himself. Their school rallies together to deal with the grief, much to the dismay of Katie and Skim who end up being friends in the end.
Opinion: I really enjoyed this story. Though dealing with heavy issues of suicide, being gay (or not), and religious choices, author Tamaki manages subtlety and genuine emotion.