The Amazing Book is Not on Fire

The Phil and Dan book!
My students were so insanely excited to see this on my desk as part of the Young Adult Choices books that I took it home overnight to preview. These two guys, Dan Howell and Phil Lester, are YouTubers who have a huge following. The bits of the book that I read were quite good and/or quirky and/or very relevant for middle schoolers coming of age. One excerpt:

 

The artwork, notes, photos, etc. really add to the story of these two young men and how they got started on their YouTube careers.

When Dad Killed Mom

by Julius Lester
PRMS hardcover 179 pages
genre: YA grief, domestic violence

Told in alternate chapters from twelve-year-old Jeremy and fourteen-year-old Jenna, this book caught our dean's attention because of the title. I wasn't sure (not my purchase), so I took it home and read it. It's definitely for our more mature readers, but it has a unique perspective on how kids handle tragedy. The story is well-paced, honest, and powerfully written. It all comes together at the end as Jeremy and Jenna start their new lives without their parents (mom dead, dad in prison). I think it captures well the incredible power that adults have over children's lives.

Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue

by Julius Lester
hardcover, CMSW, 176 pages

Based on a true account, this book is a painful look at the realities of the slave trade's impact on lives. Emma is a wonderful girl who has helped raise Frances and Sarah Butler ever since their mother left. Mr. Butler's gambling debts take a toll on everyone, especially when he agrees to sell slaves he had promisted to never sell.

Told from multiple perspectives, this would be an ideal discussion book. It is a challenging read (due to content) and has a lot of pain told out in people's own words.

One of the MHL nominees for 2008-09.