The President Has Been Shot by James Swanson

"The President Has Been Shot!": The Assassination of John F. Kennedy by James L. Swanson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book as part of the 2014 Hub Challenge and my Goodreads group nonfiction title for the month of March. I loved James Swanson's narrative voice; the images and the extensive research he did to present a compelling read about a great man and his horrible assassination and what his family and the world were deprived of as a result of his life being cut short. There is an extensive bibliography consisting of books and websites and further reading. This is a must read book, both students, teachers and adults will respond to Swanson's engaging portrayal of John F. Kennedy, Jackie Kennedy, and their world.

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Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell (Audio Book)

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I listened to this as part of the 2014 Hub Challenge and just like the book I read a year ago, I LOVED Rebecca Lowman's Eleanor and Sunil Malhotra's Park. Their voices, inflections all brought back to me how much I loved this book and ached for both characters. I can see why it won Amazing AudioBooks. I am not a fan of listening to books but I couldn't stop because Eleanor and Park became people to me, just like I became a part of their world in the book. I would love to see a movie made out of this book! If you have read or listened to this book, I recommend you do it sooner, rather than later. Rowell's depiction of Eleanor's family is so stark compared to Park's and (being a teacher)you know teens live in these families, worlds, dramas, etc. and hopefully reading and listening to these books will help teens when they see other characters have those struggles too.

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Call the Shots by Don Calame (paperback)

Call the Shots by Don Calame
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I re-read this book in paperback as part of the 2014 Hub Challenge. In this third humorous boy book, the hilarious trio of Cooper, Matt and Sean have come up with another wacky idea to gain notoriety with girls (they think) of producing a scary movie to win the prize money and help Sean who has to give up his bedroom since his mother is pregnant. Worse than living with his twin sister is listening to her call him gay, which he is not; he is just sensitive and a little bit weird. Calame is at his best with characters like Uncle Doug, Nessa, crazy Nick and Evelyn. Crude, lots of boy humour (sexual) and lots of laughs.

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Courage Has No Color by Tanya Lee Stone

Courage Has No Color: The True Story of the Triple Nickles, America's First Black Paratroopers by Tanya Lee Stone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to the 2014 Hub Reading Challenge and the webinar hosting the nominees to the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award, I was able to read this book and thoroughly enjoyed viewing Tanya Lee Stone talk about her research for this book. Thhis book is packed with photographs, interviews and quotes from the Triple Nickels themselves and others in history. Students need to read this noteworthy book about WWII and the trying times for African Americans who wanted to serve in the war for their country and were constantly relegated to menial tasks, inferior accommodations and segregated facilities. This book is a tribute to the steadfast African American soldiers, and paratroopers in Walter Morris' words, "We succeeded where we were not expected to succeed. And we overcame the pitfalls that were put out there. We overcame. And it's a warm feeling to know that, that color has nothing to do with it. It's what's in one's hearts. One's spirit. And that...should be a lesson to all of us. We should have, and we will have, a colorless society one day. And that will be the crowning jewel in this great country's history."

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Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles

Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read the Perfect Chemistry series and loved it. Wild Cards will appeal to guys and girls, those who love romance and even the reluctant readers. Derek and Ashtyn, the main characters are believable teens; they have personal "stuff" that has dogged them. Derek lost his mom to cancer and will not play football as a result of being at practice (and not with her) the day she died. Ashtyn's mom and sister left; her dad is gruff and never there for her and hates that she plays football. The way Simone Elkeles alternates the chapters (love it) with Derek and Ashtyn's voices will draw in teens and keep them turning the pages because the day they meet they definitely have an attraction (they chose to ignore it), even though they drive each other crazy. The ending is great due to Derek and Ashtyn finally caring enough about each other to express and talk about it. But even more, Elkeles has family become involved in a very good way to help those who need it. I am not going to give anything more away; just read it! A great romance and realistic fiction book!

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Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I re-read this book as part of the 2014 Hub Challenge. I am so happy to see it continues to garner awards like The YALSA Quick Picks and The 2014 Pura Belpre Award Winner!!!Thanks to Rory and the Goodreads Group, YA Reads For Teachers (And Any Other Adults) for this MUST read book, Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick your Ass by Meg Medina. From the first sentence, “Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick your Ass” (just like the title) to the last sentence, “And I’ve found my rhythm at last-strong and simple, constant and mine,” I was riveted and sickened by Piddy Sanchez’s plight of being in a new school and being threatened by a bully on the first day. Piddy doesn’t know Yaqui and therefore is clueless about why Yaqui is out to get her. Yaqui has a group of girls who terrorize Piddy at school and at her after school job. Worse to come is the brutal fight when Yaqui and her terrorists surprise Piddy on her way home from school, beat her to a pulp, and film the fight as they tear off her shirt. Piddy never tells her mother what has happened (she tells her mother she fell on the steps) but she does confide in her aunt and makes her swear not to tell anyone. As a result of this fight, Piddy loses herself. She begins to fail her classes, cut school, and her personality begins to change. What will happen to Piddy? This is a book for all high school students; one girl’s life was drastically changed as a result of the continued harassment she endured. I highly recommend it for all readers (plus reluctant readers and those who enjoy urban fiction), teachers, and parents. The author suffered through something similar in junior high and this book reaches out to teens and helps them find their dignity again.

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Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book again as part of the 2014 Hub Challenge. Thank you to my librarian friends for giving me this book as a retirement gift!!! I love Ruta Sepetys; she has written two fabulous historical fiction books (first Between Shades of Gray) and both books with strong female protagonists who must make some very difficult decisions and feel very overwhelmed by their circumstances.
In Out of the Easy, Josie has lived in Louisiana, has a mother who is a prostitute and could care less about her own daughter. Since the young age of ten, Josie has lived in an apartment above a book store and it was the owner who saves her by giving her lodgings (she works in the book store with his son, Patrick)fostering a love of books, an education. When Josie has graduated high school, a very well-to-do man enters the book store and buys 2 poetry books for his wife. Jo feels a deep connection towards this man and she keeps the check he paid for the books with because she has a fantasy that he could be her father.
When he dies suddenly on New Years Eve, Josie thinks there is more to it. She has her beloved friend, Cokie, try to glean more information about his death. Another job Josie holds is cleaning the house of prostitution where her mother works. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the Bayou traditions and superstitions, Josie's fortitude and her self consciousness about her heritage and worth. Sepetys' cast of characters are compelling from the prostitutes to the boys who want to know her better and including her worthless mother and evil boyfriend, Cincinnati. You will be plunged to the depths of despair for Josie but her optimism and endurance will keep you turning these pages and rooting for her!!!

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