Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham

Fifteen year old Jane Arrowood's life changes drastically when she is attacked by a shark during a routine trip to the beach. When Jane wakes up from her 10 day coma, she finds the doctors had to remove her right arm from her elbow down. Now Jane has the task of getting on with her life and attempting to do what she was able to do before. Jane has to learn how to live without her dominate hand and learn to draw again.

Told through a series of poems in three parts, Jane chronicles her new school, new relationships and getting to know her new body.

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I really liked the way Kelly Bingham brought Jane to life. I was able to see her struggle with a normal everyday routine. I liked how Jane seemed to be very realistic. She struggled with losing her arm, struggled with learning how to wash dishes again adn struggled to not be defined by what she lost.

2009-2010 Sunshine State Reader List for Grades 6-8

The 2009-2010 Sunshine State Reader's Award Program list is out now and the new titles look interesting. Some of them are definitely for younger teens while others will be great for the older ones. Drum roll please. . .

Wing Nut by Mary Auch
The Misadventures of Maude March by Audrey Couloumbis
Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst
Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix
All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn
Airball: My Life in Briefs by Lisa Hakrader
Gabriel's Horses by Alison Hart
Go Big or Go Home by Will Hobbs
La Linea by Ann Jaramillo
Schooled by Gordon Korman
Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet by Sherri L. Smith
First Light by Rebecca Stead
Runaway by Wendy VanDraanen

It will be interesting to see how the middle schoolers will vote at the end of the next school year.

2009-2010 Florida Teens Read List

It's that time again for the new book lists to appear!
This year's Florida Teens Read books are : (drumroll, please)

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockheart
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
Gym Candy by Carl Deuker
Homeboyz by Alan Lawrence Sitomer
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Last Exit to Normal by Michael B. Harmon
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
The Market by J.M. Steele
Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham
Shift by Jennifer Bradbury
Suck it Up by Brian Meehl
Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
Three Little Words by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
Unwind by Neal Shusterman

I am so excited about this list. Some of them I've read and loved, others I am eagerly anticipating reading.

Audio Book Awesomeness: Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher

Okay, I have raved about Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher for weeks now and people may be getting a little tired of it, but it's AMAZING. I decided to listen to the audio book becuase I wanted to know if hearing the book would be as good. Let me tell you, it may have been better! Joel Johnstone and Debra Wiseman were amazing at bringing Clay and Hannah to life (or prior to death). When it got to Clay's tape, I couldn't stop crying. Each word was even more powerful when hearing the actors speak. Hearing the actor's voices made the book even more real and emotional. I used close to half a box of tissues reading the book and I think the other half listening to it.


I give this audiobook : 5 stars

Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher

Clay Jensen was an average teenage boy until he came home one day to find a shoebox on his doorstep. Inside that shoebox were 7 cassette tapes recorded by his classmate Hannah Baker. The only problem was Hannah committed suicide 2 weeks earlier.

Suddenly Clay finds himself in the midst of a whirlwind of emotions, locations and secrets-- some of which are sweet others are very vile. According to Hannah, there are 13 sides to her story, 7 tapes with a story on 13 sides, 13 people who would receive her tapes and 13 reasons why she killed herself. There would be 13 people who would receive the tapes, each with their own role in her death-- Clay is on one of those tapes.

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Jay Asher's first novel is an amazing testimony to the impact a single word, action or thought may have on someone. Mr. Asher took a really tough topic and brought a sense of dignity to being left behind.

As I was ready, I found myself completely sucked into the story and wanting to learn how Clay had a part in Hannah's death. This novel is a great book for people who have had a friend commit suicide-- it can be theraputic.

Series Round-up: True Life from Hamilton High Series by Marilyn Reynolds

Telling is the book that started it all for me. I believe it was the first YA book I read and It is definitely the one I remember the best. Cassie was a typical 12 year old girl. She fought with her mom, was annoyed by her brother and loved hanging out with her friends and her cousin, Lisa. When a new family moved into the neighborhood, all that changed. Soon, the new family became a big part of Cassie's life, she hung out with them, helped around the house and even babysat their children. Then the father of the children she sits for begins molesting her, Cassie turns to her cousin instead of an adult. Cassie and Lisa soon learn to trust in the adults in their family and healing can begin.



In Shut Up, Marilyn Reynolds takes a story similar to Telling but chooses to bring to light that boys can be molested also. In this book, a ten year old boy is the victim of his mother's boyfriend. He withdraws from everyone until his older brother walks in on molestation. From that moment on, brother and brother work to stay together and finally get the help they need.

Erica was a model student. She got good grades, kept a steady job, but her boyfriend was not a good influence to her. At one point in the book a police officer warns Erica that "If she lays down with dogs, she's going to get fleas . . ." Erica ignores the warnings until her boyfriends friend rapes her and her boyfriend does nothing to stop it from happening.

Teen Pregnancy from the guy point of view. Jeff didn't mean to get his girlfriend pregnant. When the girlfriend decides to keep the baby, Jeff has to step up and be the man he has become and help take care of their daughter.

In Detour for Emmy, Emmy is a straight A student, lead soprano in choir and an all around good girl who happens to get pregnant. Emmy has to deal with the disappointment of adults, the abandonment of her boyfriend and the constant stares that accompany her growing belly.
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Marilyn Reynolds really knows how to make a story so gripping that you don't want to put the book down until you have read the final word. Her True Life from Hamilton High series is emotionally gripping and wondrful. One thing that I LOVE about the series is the parents usually try to help and in the cases of molestation and rape, always believe their child.

Touching Snow by M. Sindy Felin

Karina has a huge problem. Her stepfather is abusive to her and her sisters. Karina knows something should be done about him, but fears what her mother will do. Then, one day "The Daddy" goes too far and almost kills her sister Enid. However, the drama truely begins there when every adult in Karina's life gives her their opinion about what she should do. Several want her to tell the truth, while others, including her mother, beg her to lie and protect "The Daddy".

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This book is very dramatic and touching. It also gives insight into how some abusive families function-- instead of protecting the victim, protect the abuser. Karina's tale is heartbreaking, but M. Sindy Felin did a wonderful job.