Age: Middle school-high school

As someone who loved the original trilogy, this prequel was extremely satisfying. Reading about one of the first Hunger Games was interesting but I was completely invested in President Snow's origin story. He is one of my most despised villains in literature and this book really elaborates on his descent into "justified" madness.

Throughout the novel, the reader sees a normal teenage boy with charisma, pride, and quite an aptitude for empathy and forging connections with people who may be seen as outsiders, as he is one himself. While the book documents Snow's occasional selfish thoughts and decisions, he turns on a dime in the end and it is terrifying. I love how Collins goes into his unreasonable hatred for mockingjays, providing a lovely backdrop for the original trilogy.

**SPOILER** Although I was uncertain that this book quite fit into the young adult section, a first read confirmed the choice of the librarian. With rather simplistic diction (compared to something like Victorian literature read in college) and somewhat challenging vocabulary, this novel written in 1949 describes a landscape of dismal tire and a populace that wholly submits to a tyrannical overseer: Big Brother. This infallible, immortal figure rules under the law of doublespeak which manipulates the populace into unquestioned allegiance--a never ending spiral that exhausts the ability to question in mere seconds.

As children mature into young adults, they begin to express angst towards silent submission to authority figures. 1984 provides an outlet of frustration that many teenagers feel as they begin to develop more complex understandings of the world. More so 1984 opens discussion on feelings of helplessness against a seemingly insurmountable force. Although the ending is depressing, the protagonist's disobedience can be interpreted as a precursor to more uprisings or it could be a warning to understand the warning signs of a government's desire for total control.

Age: Kindergarten to third grade
Media: Fabric
Style: expressionistic characters with impressionist backgrounds

Thoughts: This story contains much movement, avoids stereotypes, has an obvious climax and resolution, and matches the age audience it is intended towards. Even with these in mind, this book seems too rushed without much development of the protagonist. She is seen more as a plot device than a fully developed character. The static expressions on the characters' faces deter from the connection between the story and the illustrations.

Age: Preschool to 2nd grade
Media:black ink, side of colored pencils?
Illustrator Style: Realistic to capture reality of plot, lighter drawing to give warmth and seriousness to story

While Molly’s class is preparing for Open School Night, she draws a picture of her family: Mommy, Mama Lu, and her puppy. Another child disbelieves her picture, adding a reality that most same-sex couple children may encounter. At first, Molly is ashamed of her difference but comes to see that all families are different in some way.

The ending, or climax, is a bit cast aside for the thematic importance which is unfortunate because all kids at this age love a complete storyline.

Age: 3rd-4th grade reading level, 3rd-middle school interest level, good for high interest and low level readers.

Said to bring older boys back to reading after the Hardy Boys lost popularity, Paulsen provides an entire book dedicated to one 13-year-old character and his surroundings. This book is perfect for boys and girls uninterested or bored with fantasy and soppy romance novels. Not only does it have adventure and suspense, but it also addresses tough issues like divorce, believing in oneself, bravery, and nature as both ruthless and beautiful. Brian is a character that children can connect with and open their perception of real-life issues.

Age: I feel like this can be read to a younger age group, like Harry Potter, given its fantasy appeal. But, reading on ones own, this is definitely for middle school given its long chapters and more complex vocabulary.

For a first read, I'm sorry that I didn't read it awhile ago. An excellent fantasy book that uses a female protagonist whiz of mathematics to propel through universes to save her father. I found it interesting that Meg had real responses to situations far beyond the experiences of a girl her age, responses filled with fear, anger, and a desire to blame others. But, with the latter response, Meg's personality has been impinged upon by a dark, evil matter that morphs planets into submissive zombies. Although this book is filled with fantasy, it also provides understandable explanations that allow a young adult reader to see the story and not logical faults.

Age: 1st grade-4th grade
Media: Acrylic paint
Illustrator Style: somewhat expressionistic

Translated from the selected fables of Jean de La Fontaine, Bolt provides a unique more contemporary appeal to children of today while (somewhat) maintaining rhyme and meter. At moments, it can be hard to read through, so make sure parents read over once before reading to children.

Perfect for high interest/low level readers. About a 2nd/3rd grade reading level but with a 6th-8th grade reading interest. A book that can pull a different audience in that may be turned off by romance, fantasy, and/or angsty books.

First in a series of five (as of November 2010)

Perhaps it's because I just read Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging but the humorous ridicule of the "unpopular" and the unending desire to be popular is getting annoying. That gotten out of the way, the author does capture that desire to be popular yet an eventual acceptance of self. The humor in this book does branch outside of ridicule of others (maybe 60% of the time) so it's nice that children are pulled in by what they know but then exposed to more diverse forms of humor.

A wonderful character study and a lovely read with a romance between two uncommonly portrayed characters--particularly the strong and independent-minded Elizabeth Bennet. Perfect for girls who want a challenging read, enjoy strong female characters, understand wit, and love a well constructed story.

The version I read was a DK Illustrated Classics edition where the side borders had a slim close-up cut-out of a picture so that an early high school student would not become overwhelmed by so much text. Unfamiliar words were bold-faced and defined at the bottom of the page (giving familiarity to this format for future Shakespeare plays). Intermittently, there were two-page blurbs on a historically significant subject in the Nineteenth Century.

4th-7th grade
Twelve-year-old Catherine loves her little brother dearly but there’s a complication: David has autism. Catherine has learned to tolerate his screaming outbursts, precise habits, and inability to observe the norms of society, but she’s afraid that others may not understand him and relay their judgmental feelings on her where she may “become invisible, too.” She soon befriends Jason, a mute paraplegic, but her feelings of self-consciousness do not dissipate until the end. Even though the story holds a theme of acceptance, it is not obviously didactic in the final pages. Rather, Catherine’s gradual realization is supported throughout by the other strongly developed and diverse characters.
The integration of autism does not include scientific observations but has a personal perspective taken from the author’s experience as a mother of two children, one of whom has autism. Yet, this story is not about David, but his sister’s experience with her autistic brother. A low reading level with typical teenage qualms and some humor, it may apply to low level readers, but the unique theme may be too unfamiliar to the reader. This should be a first purchase for libraries due to its highly relevant topic and unique perspective.