Resource created for educators and librarians on young adult literature

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Young Adult Annotated Bibliography
A. Recent Teen Series: Cirque Du Freak #1 A Living Nightmare
Shan, Darren. (2008). Cirque Du Freak: A Living Nightmare. New York, NY: Hatchette Book Group.
Darren Shan’s, Cirque Du Freak, is a story told in first person of a boy who attends a traveling
“freak” show and whose life isn’t the same afterwards. The plot has many twists and turns and keeps
the reader guessing as to what will happen next. The main characters, Darren and his friend Steve are
well developed and the reader gets the sense of Darren’s positive characteristics and Steve’s dark,
negative, characteristics. It is not difficult to imagine a rift developing between these best friends. The
settings are well imagined and the descriptions of the various acts in the freak show are gross, yet
mesmerizing at the same time. This series would definitely appeal to teens because of the age of the
characters, their developmentally appropriate fears, and the wide range of interesting characters. The
descriptions of the freaks, the vampire, and the extreme levels of grossness are sure to appeal to teen
readers.
B. Literary Graphic Novel: Frankenstein
Shelley, Mary. Retold by Burgen, Michael. (2008). Frankenstein. Mankato, MN: Stone Arch Books.
This classic, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, as retold by Michael Burgan was truly a scary
depiction. The plot development began quickly with this novel, and the reader was immediately
immersed in a tale of unspeakable horror. The format was consistent with the genre, including the use
of the Halloween type font for the Table of Contents. It was also interesting how the characters were
introduced. Rather than being introduced as the plot progressed, pages four and five depicted Dr.
Frankenstein, both young and old, Elizabeth, The Monster, and Robert Walton. This made it simple for
the reader to stay on track with the character development. The plot began with the rescuing of Dr.
Frankenstein on a large boat in the middle of the ocean. The ship’s captain begins to question Dr.
Frankenstein, who then recounts the entire horrific story. The monster began in a humanistic way, but

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after experiencing various cruelties from the people around him, he begins to murder innocent people.
I hadn’t realized how sinister Frankenstein was until reading this novel. The art work did him justice and
the reader could see bits of Frankenstein’s humanity chipping away as the novel continued. Overall,
this is a must read for teens. It is a fun way to follow up the traditional reading of a classic. Students
would appreciate the simplicity, straight to the point manner of this graphic novel. Reluctant readers
would enjoy this novel due to its fast moving action and its short duration. The novel is only 64 pages
long and also has Frankenstein Facts section at the end.
C. Michael Prinz Award: Monster
Myers, Walter Dean. (2008). Monster. Harper Collins e-books.
The style in which this novel is written, with its script to represent the trial and it's first person
account to represent how Steve is feeling during this time period is artistic. The description of the
setting would cause anyone to pause and think before they claim certain individuals as acquaintances.
Meyers did a great job painting a modern day nightmare for young adults to learn from before they too
find themselves in a situation they cannot get out of. The reader isn’t sure whether Steve is innocent or
guilty and begins to question to what degree of innocence or guilt. Steve, the main character, begins
the novel claiming wholeheartedly that he is innocent. But, as the plot continues, Steve then begins to
question if he really is as innocent as he claims, or is he really the monster the prosecuting attorney
depicts him of. The character development is interesting as the reader gets this sense that all the
prosecuting and defense attorneys see when looking at Steve is that he is a thug, without any merit in
society. Even when Steve’s film teacher testifies, the attorneys hang onto the image they already had
built in regards to Steve and the crime committed. This is a definite must read for all young adults.
Teens would find the banter in the courtroom interesting, and will find themselves questioning how fair
our legal system is. Also, the theme of responsibility is strong throughout this novel, and may help
young readers question their own values in this regard. Maybe not all teen readers would relate to the

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urban setting. But, many would relate to having unsavory characters as acquaintances and how a
situation can turn really bad when the right choices are not made.
D. Robert Sibert Award: Hole in My Life
Gantos, Jack. (2007). Hole in My Life. Farrar, Straus and Giroux e-book.l
Hole in My Life may not be appropriate for the younger teen reader. Its themes involving drugs
and intoxication in general, may be more for an older young adult. The plot was found to be somewhat
predictable. Jack Gantos, the author and the main character of this autobiographical account, begins a
cycle of destruction that the reader almost wishes he could talk some sense into him. Jack refuses to
take any responsibility for his actions and fills his life with partying. The partying catches up with him
and he makes friends with some really shady people. This is also frustrating as Jack realizes that he
shouldn’t hang out with these people but he ignores his conscience and does it anyways. The author did
a good job describing the settings, especially the boat ride to get the drugs from the Caribbean to the
states. His partner in crime, Hamilton, who he spend six months on the boat with, was drawn in a very
realistic, humorous, paranoid way. The second half of the book describes his time in jail and the author
realistically described the feelings of anger, helplessness, and fear that he felt while serving his time. I
think this novel is good for teens to read because it is a personal account of someone who had trouble
finding his way, chose the wrong paths, and paid the consequences for his actions. This
autobiographical novel may receive more respect from the teen reader because it actually happened.
Teens would find Jack’s downward spiral fascinating, the six month boat ride with paranoia, and the
subsequent jail time as realistically frightening. Readers could learn from Jack Gantos’ mistakes through
the safe journey of reading his book and prevent their own lives from taking such a negative path.
E. Best Books for Young Adults: Mexican Whiteboy
De La Pena, Matt. (2008). Mexican Whiteboy. Delacorte Books for Young Readers e-book.

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I was excited to read one of Matthew De La Pena’s novel after listening to him speak at the 2010
Region 20 Library Roundup. The telling of childhood memories had the audience laughing and left them
wanting more. I was pleased that his personality was present in his writings. Mexican Whiteboy is the
story of a skinny, unconfident, teen who spends his summers with the Mexican side of the family in East
Los Angeles. De La Pena creates a very colorful picture of Danny’s relatives. His uncles can be cool and
fun loving at one moment, and scary the next. The setting of summer time in southern California was
realistic and something I could relate to as I too spent my summers with family in the Los Angeles area.
De La Pena did a good job incorporating the Mexican culture with its rich traditions, food, and sayings
into the novel. The development of the characters in his family’s Los Angeles neighborhood, has the
reader laughing, scared, and worried for Danny all at the same time. It was interesting how the author
included the mystery about why Danny’s father was in prison. It took the reader awhile to figure out
that’s why the father was missing from Danny’s life and why Danny constantly wrote to him. This
mystery added to the plot’s depth, just as much as, Danny’s struggle with pitching in high stress
situations. I enjoyed how the author allowed the reader to journey along Danny’s growth, and that all
loose ends were tied up at the end. I think teen readers would enjoy this novel because of its baseball
theme, and how young athletes overcome the mental and emotional struggles of playing a sport. Teens
will find the eccentric, dangerous, and sometimes volatile relatives enjoyable and scary at the same
time. Teens will be able to relate to relaxing summers and the pursuit of young romance that occurs in
the story. While I think girls will enjoy this novel, I do think this novel is designed with young teenage
boys in mind.
F. Young Adults’ Choices:
Kinney, Jeff. (2009). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw. New York, NY: Amulet Books.
This series is a favorite of my son and my fifth grade students. The subject matter was relevant
for young-pre teen students. Some parts are funny and anyone with an older brother can relate to the

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love, hate relationship between siblings. The honesty within the book is refreshing and my own
students have made similar insights in their personal lives. The author hops around a bit for my taste
and I'm having difficulty following a substantial plot. The format takes some getting used to for a novice
reader of this series. The language is realistic, middle school language that makes it an easy, quick read.
The format also contained mini cartoons drawn throughout the novel. These cartoons added to the
humor of the situation. The character development was consistent with how a middle child might feel.
The main character, Greg, handles the various situations thrown at him in such a humorous way; he
almost seems like a hero. I can understand why this series is so popular with young readers. While the
novels seem long with their 200 plus pages, the reader finds him or herself done in a short period of
time. This could be because of the cartoons mixed throughout or simply because the novel is funny and
keeps the reader laughing throughout. This novel would appeal to boys and girls because students can
relate to the main character and the different, middle school embarrassing moments that many kids
have personal experience with.
G. Alex Award:
Ferraris, Zoe. (2008). Finding Nouf. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt e-book.
Finding Nouf was written in a way that remained true to the beauty of the Saudi culture yet,
criticized certain elements at the same time. The author, Zoe Ferraris, created an intriguing mystery
that left the reader guessing up until the very end. The plot was involved, because it not only dealt with
the murder of a young girl but also the various personal situations of the main characters. The
characters were turned into real people, with very human feelings. Nayir, the desert guided hired to
find Nouf, was a very complex character with his stern religious beliefs and his desire for a wife and
family conflicting with the new information he is receiving regarding the lives of women within his own
society. The other character who assists him in finding out the truth is Katya. Katya struggles with her
engagement to Nouf’s brother, dealing with the strict, gender divided traditions of his family, as well, as

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her job in the Medical Examiner’s office. Ferraris painted scenes of Saudi Arabia with such beauty, that
the reader could easily imagine the harsh beauty of the surrounding deserts, the stark white palaces of
the wealthy, the bustling marketplaces, and even the sounds and smells of the cities. In addition, the
author took time to teach the reader about a very secretive culture, but in a way that felt natural and
unforced. One of the main themes of this novel is the unfairness of how Saudi women must live their
lives. This theme causes the reader to put themselves in the various characters lives and feel the
insecurity, faith, and courage of the main characters. The literary elements were so well done in this
novel, I would not be surprised if this book were made into a movie version. Teen readers would be
enthralled by this book. The plot leaves them guessing as to “who did it?” At the same time, teens will
find the references to Saudi culture interesting. This book, because of some its content, might be better
for the older teen. It would appeal to young women to provide an understanding of how not all women
experience the same freedoms that women in western societies experience. The other concept I think
teens would appreciate from reading Finding Nouf, is the tolerance and understanding in regards to a
culture that may differ greatly from their own. Young adults may be able to make connections to the
Saudi culture and realize some aspects may not be that different from their own.
H. Top Ten Teen Book:
Gaiman, Neil. (2008). The Graveyard Book. Harper Collins Children’s Books.
Neil Gaiman presents his stories in a very unique manner. His style of writing reminds me of the
quirkiness of Johnny Depp’s acting combined with the suspenseful horror works of Stephen King. The
characters are strange, yet likeable. This novel presents a very spooky story about a young boy who has
to grow up in a graveyard because his parents are murdered. The plot was like nothing I’ve read before.
The imagination it took to create such a story is just outstanding. Gaiman developed the main character
Nobody as this smart kid who loves learning just about anything from anyone. Gaiman described
Nobody in such a way, that the reader gets the impression Nobody is much more mature than an

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average kid his age. His phantom guardian, Silas, is described as this mysterious, spooky father figure,
that frequently goes on mysterious trips. The plot took some surprising twists with Nobody’s trip to the
land of the ghouls, and his attempt at attending regular school. It was intriguing how the murderer who
assassinated his parents, worked for a larger organization, and how Nobody was still in danger. Even
with this knowledge, Nobody wasn’t planning on backing down. Instead, Gaiman empowered Nobody
to protect himself, his loved ones, and avenge his parents. Gaiman has a special talent for relaying the
message that even when bad things happen, good things can happen as a result. Young readers will be
mesmerized by the events of the first chapter. The accompanying drawings might frighten some
children. Teens will be pulled into reading this novel because of the unique plot and the idea that a child
is being raised by ghost and phantoms. This novel would appeal to the reluctant reader because the
plot itself is surprising.
I. Quick Pics for Reluctant Readers:
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. (2002). Among the Hidden. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing e-book.
I chose to read this particular book because of the number of positive reviews it has received.
Among the Hidden was interesting because of how the plot wrapped itself around population control
policies implemented by the government. The writer’s style quickly grabbed my attention as Luke’s
solitary life was described. Haddix, created Luke to be this kid who was timid, and scared of getting
caught. But as the plot progressed, and Luke spends more time with another child like him, he becomes
more bold in his convictions regarding the population control policies. The character development of
the other child in the same situation, Jen, was interesting because Jen seemed to be the opposite of
Luke. While the plot’s direction seemed obvious at times, I found the book as a whole to be well written
and worthy of young adults’ attention. Young readers will be intrigued and perplexed that a futuristic
government could institute such drastic, extreme measures. Teens may wonder if something like this
could happen or evaluate whether policies such as this one have been implemented in the past or

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currently. Teen readers may enjoy Jen’s robust character and her willingness to fight for something she
believes in. At the same time, I think teen readers will be encouraged to continue reading because of
how Luke’s character is in the process of evolving. Readers may wonder how far Luke is willing to go,
and what his plans may be under his new identity.
J. One “Guy” Book:
Paulsen, Gary. (2009). Hatchet. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing e-book.
Gary Paulsen’s novel, Hatchet, was a well written, engrossing story of a boy stranded in the
wilderness with only the hatchet his mom gave him, to help him survive. The plot had me turning pages
quickly to see what would happen next. The author left the reader guessing as to how Brian would
survive from one day to the next. The plot was well thought out, with appropriate twists and turns and
the story was believable. The author tracked Brian’s growth from shock, to hope, to the loss of hope, to
simply surviving the day. The reader couldn’t help feel as if he or she were in the same situation and
could only wonder how someone could survive in such a situation. The descriptions of the Canadian
forest made it easy for a reader who rarely has ventured out of the city to imagine the majestic trees,
diverse animal population and dangerous beauty. One of the themes the author weaved into the story
was how Brian, initially very upset about his parents’ divorce, is able to modify his perspective about
what is really important in life. Young readers will be enthralled with this novel and will have trouble
putting it down. This would be a good book for a reluctant reader to give it a try. The quick pace,
beginning with the plane going down, and the constant fear for Brian will hold the interest of young
adults. Boys and girls will find this novel enjoyable, as well as, students whose parents’ have divorced
may relate to Brian’s feelings about his parents’ divorce. Young readers will appreciate this short novel,
with its 192 pages because it can be quickly read.
K. One Teen Movie: Cirque Du Freak
Miano, Andrew. Weitz, Paul. (2010). Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant. USA: Universal
Studios.

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This movie may disappoint some Cirque Du Freak book fans because it doesn’t represent only
the first book in the series. It is actually a combination of the first two books in the series. For those
readers who expect the movie to follow the book exactly, this movie does not deliver. However, the
plot was enjoyable and followed a logical sequence. The characters were close to the description
Darren Shan provided in the novels. The main character, Darren, is fascinated by spiders, and this
fascination causes him to steal from a vampire. His best friend, Steve, is fascinated by vampires, and
desires to become one, only to be told that he tastes bad. This causes a rift between the friends which
results in misunderstandings and an ultimate fight at the end of the movie. The special effects looked
realistic and believable. One of the highlights of the film was the “freak show” and the unusual acts and
performers. These were pretty close to the descriptions of the book, and it was exciting to see the
performances on the screen. The movie may entice teens to read the books if they haven’t already
done so. I saw this movie in the theater when it first came out, and the theater was packed full of
teenagers. Some teenagers had the book with them, while others were heard commenting on how
popular the books were but how they never got around to reading them. Hopefully, the movie will
encourage young adults to compare the movie with the novels and investigate further into the series.
L. Audio Book:
Sonnenblick, Jordan. (2009). Zen and the Art of Faking It. Scholastic Paperbacks audio book.
This was my first audio book and I think I would have enjoyed this novel more had I read it the
old fashioned way. The voice sounded somewhat computerized and the pacing was slower than I would
have liked. I expected that different voices would be used, kind of like the reading of a script, and was
disappointed to hear the same voice throughout the novel. Technically, it was simple to purchase this
book from www.audible.com and download it onto my computer then onto my kindle. The whole
process took about 10 minutes. One characteristic I enjoyed about listening to this audio book, was that
I could listen while I drove, completed chores, or while waiting for my children’s practices to finish. The

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one area that took getting used to was the inability to follow along in the book while being read to.
Regarding the book itself, I found Zen and the Art of Faking It to be interesting for a number of reasons.
One is that the author incorporated Zen theology in a seemless way where teens could walk away from
reading this book with an understanding of what it is. Another reason was that there was more depth in
the plot and the characters' developments than originally anticipated. The ending left some to be
desired as there were a couple of loose ends left untied. Teen readers could relate to being the new kid
at a school, being popular than suddenly unpopular, and how to accept responsibility for one’s actions. I
think young readers would enjoy the audio experience because it will remind them of when they were
younger and teachers would frequently read aloud in class. The few negatives are the cost and the
inability to see the words as they are being read. The cost of $15 is high for one teen to purchase an
audio book, but if purchased for an entire class, is price effective. It would be a good idea to have copies
for the entire class to follow along as the audio is playing. Using this manner of following along allows
struggling readers the additional support to make reading successful and enjoyable for all.