YOU DON'T KNOW ME by David Klass

John goes through his life thinking noone truly knows him. He calls everyone he knows by different names because he thinks that truly they don't know him. John never met his real father (which he calls the man who named him after a toilet) but the man his mother brought into his house, (the man who is not my father) beats him. John doesn't have many friends but when hanging out with Billy Breezer he gets the idea to ask out a girl he calls Glory Hallelujia to the basketball game. Glory says yes and they go to the game, then back to her house. She invites him in the basement and practically makes him take off his shoes and shirt once this happens her father tries to get into the basement which is locked. Her father starts freaking out and screaming, telling Glory she better be alone she yells at him to bust down the door you. He does just that he busts down the door forcing John to find an escape route, and quick. He eventually leaves but now he is hated by anyone he ever knew. Once John gets home he gets beaten, and when he goes back to school he gets suspended for calling his teacher Mrs. Moonface. One of the days John was suspended, a girl from school called Violent Hayes shows up at John's door she eventually asks him to the Semiformal and he ends up going. But when John gets home he gets beaten worse than he's ever been beaten before. He tries to fight back, and he stabs his father in the cheek but this doesn't faze him. His stepfather then punches him in the mouth breaking teeth and cutting his lip. Then they both collide causing them to land outside where his not father punches him in the nose breaking it but just when John thinks he's going to die, Mr. Steenwilly appears and breaks it up. John is now safe and this is were John's mother finds out what's really going on and John realizes his mother really knows him after all.

I learned that there's always help when your getting abused, Mr. Steenwilly suspected something was wrong from day one and he stuck with it, saving John's life. Abuse is a very serious issue and you can help keeping it from happening or help someone who is being abused get help.

I found this book to be very interesting and I liked the character Violent Hayes.

Recommended for grades 9-12.

KH in Greenville

CLIQUES, CRUSHES & TRUE FRIENDS: DEVELOPING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS by Ashley Rae Harris

This talks about the different types of friendships (the follower, the best boyfriend, the gossip girl, the cling on, the dumper, the loner, the boy crazy girl, the rebel and the hot date). In each chapter they talk about the different types, featuring stories from girls pertaining to the topics. Then at the end of the chapter there is an ask Dr. Vicki section which reviews the girls' stories and explains healthy ways to handle it. For example in the chapter 3 it was Courtney's story, she was the gossip girl until her best friend Susan spilled her secret about her father dating her math teacher. Courtney now knew how it felt to be gossiped about and began to choose not to. This book takes on peer pressure, judging, gossip and rumors, healthy and unhealthy friendships and mean girls. Overall it's about girls trying to fit in and get through life with happy and healthy relationships.

I learned that keeping your social life in control wont be easy. Everyone will face pressures in life but you can get through it and you can make and keep healthy relationships.

Every girl has gone through at least one or more of the topics in the book and will learn how to handle the situations better.

Recommended for grades 6-10.


KH in Greenville

THE BOY BOOK by E. Lockhart

Ruby now has her license and is ready for her junior year at her school, Tate Prep--but last year's drama isn't over. Nora, Cricket and Kim who used to be her best friends are no longer her best friends. These were the girls she wrote 'the boy book' with. Jackson, who is Ruby's ex-boyfriend, is still seeing Kim (who is far away in Tokyo). Ruby starts getting panic attacks when her life begins getting very hectic. So her parents get her a shrink, Dr Z. Ruby's topless photos leak, and Nora begins finally to talk to Ruby again. Ruby's life is starting to come together. Jackson leaves a note in Ruby's cubby at her job at the zoo which leaves her puzzled. As November week creeps up, her parents finally allow Ruby to choose a more expensive trip. Ruby chooses Canoe island which is conveniently the same island her ex-best friend is going to. Although things between Kim and Ruby stay the same as ex-best friends, Ruby's life begins to come back together with her other best friends coming into her life.

I learned that everything happens for a reason.

Good interesting book from start to finish, great book for teens.

Recommended for grades 6-8.


KH in Greenville

LOCK AND KEY by Sarah Dessen

Her mother abandoned her. She hasn't seen her father since she was a small girl. She is stuck between her old world of lies and poverty and the new one of questions and unfamiliarity. She can't rely on trusting her old or new friends, her troubled mother, or her loving sister and brother-in-law. Not even charming, sweet Nate Cross who lives behind her elaborate new home. Her hand falls to her old house's, the yellow house's, battered key, which she has strung on its delicate chain as a necklace -her sole comfort in her life of building a new Ruby Cooper.

The book contained a wide range of topics including and focusing on friendship, relationships, abandonment, and discovering oneself as a teen. It familiarized me with these topics and enforced powerful messages throughout the book.

Although about three-quarters through it the book got more engrossing, this book was very slow going and didn't have many strong conflicts - I wasn't exactly sure where it was going until the last few chapters. In some places, the book's messages were a little confusing and unclear, although overall they were powerful and the most beautiful part of the book. All in all, it was an okay book.

Recommended for grades 11-12.


SA in Greenville

JUMPED by Rita Williams-Garcia

Jumped is about 3 girls: Trina, Dominique and Leticia. Trina is a very confident about herself. Leticia failed her math final by 13 points, causing her to have to go into school early for an extra help math class. Last but not least Dominique, who loves basketball and gets furious when she finds out her basketball playing time has been cut due to a bad grade in math. Trina crosses path with Dominique and her gang when Dominique is already angry about her basketball dilemma. This causes some angry feelings and now Dominique is out to get Trina, but Trina has no idea. Leticia who skipped out of "zero period" to use her phone heard it all and now struggles with whether to tell Trina or not. Will Trina really get jumped? Only time will tell.

I learned how much of a difference speaking up and not speaking up can be.

I wouldn't recommend this book because I found it confusing jumping from person to person, making it difficult to follow and the girl characters to be obnoxious.

Recommended for grades 9-10.


KH in Greenville

THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB by Elizabeth Eulberg

This book is about a girl named Penny Lane (named after a Beatles' song) that has had some pretty disastrous experiences on the dating market and she decides no more! She starts the Lonely Hearts Club (also named after a Beatles' song), which is a group of girls who vow not to date, not to let their sole focus in life be getting a boyfriend, and to just have fun with each other. Of course, then they have to admit that not all the boys in high school are jerks and everything just gets more and more complicated when Penny tries not to fall in love with one of those non-jerk boys.

What I gained from this book is that you don't need boys to get through life or high school. All you need is yourself and your TRUE friends. When you finally realize that you need to do for yourself and not for others then you can actually realize who matters and who doesn't.

I would recommend this book to teens who are interested in love and really wondering how guys can act. It just shows you there is more to life than dating.

Recommended for grades 11-12.


AH in Beacon

A FIELD GUIDE TO HIGH SCHOOL by Marissa Walsh

This book is about a girl named Andie who is going into her freshman year of high school at a private school, named Plumstead, without her best friend. Her sister Claire, who is going into her freshmen year of college, decides to write her a guide all about high school and the school she is going to. Some of the suggestions in the guide are, don't come to your first day of school in your back to school outfit, don't ask for help from an upperclassman, join at least one of Plumstead's activities, and also don't follow this guide, there is no real guide to high school.

You can't just follow a guide, you have to experience it for yourself.

Good read, recommended.

Recommended for grades 9-10.


KH in Greenville

IN LOVE AND IN DANGER, A TEEN'S GUIDE TO BREAKING FREE OF ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS by Barrie Levy

This book is very helpful and has very good advice for all teens no matter what age. The book shows the signs of an abusive relationship. It show girls and guys that they are not alone when it comes to abusive relationships.

I learned that many girls and guys are in abusive relationships. Also i learned ways how to help anyone who is in an abusive relationship. I couldn't put the book this book down when I started to read it.

I would recommend this book because it is something that will help teens, and show them that they are not alone when it comes to abusive relationships.

Recommended for all teens.


SD in Howland

STREET LOVE by Walter Dean Myers

This book is about two teenagers who fall in love, and even though the parents of both teenagers don't approve of their love they find a way to be happy.

I learned that even though this book is fiction, true love happens everywhere no matter who you are, what you look like, or what your ethnic background is.

I would recommend this book because it is something kids can relate to.

Recommended for grades 9-10.


SD in Howland

THIS IS WHAT I DID by Ann Dee Ellis

Logan Paloney is starting eighth grade at a new school, at a new house, estranged from his best friend and having to make all new friends. It's all because of a secret that he keeps inside and refuses to talk about. Pressure from the local bully and his posse will eventually help Logan speak out about his problems and reach out to his best friend.

Very similar to another HIP novel, Speak, This is What I Did follows a depressed and mostly silent teenager through his struggles. This book gives an interesting perspective on what can happen when you don't stand up for yourself and rumors spread.

I found this book very frustrating because Logan is constantly alluding to an event that has seemingly ruined his life, but the reader is not trusted with the details of the event until the very end of the book.

Recommended for Grades 6 - 8.



RVK in Esopus

DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU BANKS by E. Lockhart

Shortly after Frankie starts tenth grade, she gets asked out by the hottie Matt Livingston (a senior). She discovers that Matt is part of a secret society at their private prep school. She then takes over the club by using e-mails. Her pranks get very elaborate. At the end of the book, the other students and administration find out that girls have just as much spunk as guys -- and their secret society isn't so secret anymore!

This book had a really great idea, but there were problems with the execution. If someone is looking for a funny crime novel about women's empowerment, than this would work.

Recommended.
Erica in Esopus

Frankie takes over an all guys club and anonymously directs some of the group's greatest pranks. She becomes disappointed that no one believes she is capable of directing the pranks.

Reading about the pranks is a lot of fun. The reader learns that while there are many ways to get attention, getting into trouble often causes more trouble than it is worth.

Recommended.
Meghan in Esopus

This story is about Frankie Landau Banks, who has just started the tenth grade, been asked out by senior Matt Livingston. Although she likes being Matt's girlfriend, she gets tired of his friends, who don't take her seriously and see her only as a girlfriend. Matt is part of a secret club at the school. By using her wits, Frankie finds a way to infiltrate the club and take it over -- without any of the members finding out. As her plan gets more and more complicated, she risks losing her friends and Matt.

This book has a good lesson for everyone of all ages and helps you see what happens when someone tries to take over someone else's life. It's good to remember not to lose yourself or forget who you are.

Recommended.
Musfera in Esopus

LAST EXIT TO NORMAL by Michael Harmon

Ben's life is confusing, his father announces he is gay and moves out to a farm in Montana. Now, Ben is trying to learn about country life, woo the town sweetie and get a hold on his home life.

Kids who deal with gay parents face a lot of discrimination that they don't deserve. Ben is just an average, messed up teen who has a few unique problems thrown in.

Recommended.
Meghan in Esopus

I'd recommend this book: it's a great book with a really good message. It's important to be proud of who you are and where you come from.

Recommended.
Musfera in Esopus

Ben, a troubled boy with two gay fathers, is moved to the country where he learns the value of hard work and respect.

This was a good, entertaining read that shows that sometimes the meanest people in the world have reasons for doing what they do.

Outstanding.
Joe in Esopus

JELLICOE ROAD by Melina Marchetta

The only real home Taylor has ever known is Jellicoe School. She becomes involved in territory wars, finding out where Hannah is, and finding her mom. There's a lot going on in the story with another story in it.

What was the valuable thing gained in reading the book? Friendship is the most important thing! Don't do drugs!

The book was interesting but was really confusing at times. There were a lot of characters who had intricate stories.

Good.
Erica in Esopus

Melinda is trying to figure out her past, her father has died and her mother left her. She is also trying to fuel the rivalry between the local high schools.

I found this book very confusing and hard to follow. Many of the plot lines introduced disappear. It explores the idea that sometimes the past doesn't matter or that it can't change the future or the present.

Not recommended.
Meghan in Esopus