The Realm of Possibility by David Levithan

The Realm of Possibility by David Levithan is a beautifully written free-verse book that gives the reader insight on twenty different characters/teenagers from one high school. The book is organized into five parts with four chapter-like sections in each part. Each character tells his/her story using first-person point of view and tells it as a poetic and rhythmic stream of consciousness or response to another character's entry. There is no closure to the book and the lives continue, but Levithan leaves the reader wondering what may come of the lives of each character. I would definitely recommend this book because of all the possibilities of love that exist and how those stories of love (and heartache) will continue. 

#2  Mrs. Staples 

Chopsticks: A Novel

Chopsticks is told through photographs, illustrations, and text. It begins with a news report that Glory Fleming, child prodigy, has gone missing. The story then goes back 18 months earlier and you learn about Glory's relationship with her father and her boyfriend, Victor, a gifted artist, who gets in trouble at school. As the story unfolds, you wonder what happened to Glory. Did her father's desire for her to become a famous pianist cause him to do something to Glory, or did something happen between Glory and her boyfriend, Victor? The format alone makes the story worth reading, and I definitely recommend this quick read.

#3 Mrs. Spreder

Reality Boy by A.S. King

I picked up Reality Boy initially to read for our monthly book club,  but we opted not to read it as a group; however, I continued to read it anyhow. I actually listened to the book instead of reading it, and I enjoyed it for the most part aside from the ending. Gerald Faust had the unfortunate childhood of growing up in front of a camera because his family was selected for a reality TV show when he was five-years old. A.S. King takes the reader through Gerald's life by using flashbacks to his childhood years on camera and then coming back to present day as Gerald is a junior in high school. His turbulent times with his promiscuous twenty-one year old sister and timid mom pushes him over the edge. Overall, it's a three star book, but it definitely has a lull in the middle and the ending did not wow me.

#1  Mrs. Staples 

Chiggers

I do not usually read graphic novels, but the cover of Chiggers appealed to me so I thought I would give it a try. The main character, Abby is at summer camp. She misses the way things were with her friends during her previous years at camp. When she gets a new bunk mate named Shasta, Abby is conflicted because although they have a lot in common, her friends don't like the new girl. The plot turns a little bit strange and there is some sort of supernatural element that I found somewhat confusing. I'm not giving up on graphic novels, but this was not my exactly what I was looking for.

#2  Mrs. Spreder

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Meet Kristina, a gifted, straight A student who follows the rules until she goes to visit her father for a few brief weeks in the summer. He's been out of her life since she was a little girl. During the visit, he and Adam introduce her to crystal meth and her life quickly spirals out of control. Kristina's alter ego Bree appears whenever Kristina gets high. Bree is full of confidence and takes risks to feed her addiction. Based on events of the author's experience with her own daughter, Crank is a book that made me uncomfortable. How could Bree's mother not know what was going on? How could her father allow her to even try something that was sure to ruin her life? Written in free verse, this is a quick read that is hard to put down.

#1  Mrs. Spreder

First Blog Post

We are really excited about the challenge many 9th and 10th grade English teachers have issued this year. Each student is to read 20 books from a variety of genres. After setting up the Tasting Cafe, we decided we wanted to complete this challenge as well. To share what we are reading, we are going to blog about the titles we've read. As readers, we have our favorite books. I tend to choose realistic fiction. I've spent the last six years in elementary school so I have been out of the loop with Young Adult Literature. I'm thrilled to rediscover some of my favorite authors such as Sarah Dessen, Jay Asher, and Chris Crutcher; and I'm just as excited to find some new favorite books and authors.  I just finished reading Wonder with my children because we have a pretty strict rule in our household...We have to read the book before seeing the movie. If you haven't read Wonder, it truly is a must read about compassion and overcoming obstacles in life.