3. Looking For Alaska

Green, John. Looking for Alaska. Dutton 2005

Annotation: Miles Halter is at a crossroads in his life and heds off to find "The great Perhaps" at a private high school. He meets people along the way, most importantly Alaska Young, who change his perspectives and make him look deeper into what really matters.

Justification for Nomination: Green beautifully portrays all characters in the novel and makes them come alive on the pages. They each have their own story and background that really makes the reader understand why they act their certain ways and do the things they do. Miles fascination with the last words of famous historical figures tied into the story in a creative and genious way. My view of Miles changes as I read more, which I think was done because as the book goes on, Miles also begins to see himself differently. I thought the book was a page turner from beginning to end, and was very powerfully moving. The story had an effect on me that not only teens but all readers can relate to. It also explores some edgier themes relating to teens, including smoking, drinking, etc. that many young adults have dealt with, even if not by personal experience. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and can see why it was a Pritz winner.

Genre: Coming of Age/ YA fiction

2. Bone: Out From Boneville

Smith, Jeff. Bone: Out From Boneville.New York: Scholastic, 2005.

Annotation: Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone- three cousins, are thrown out of their hometown, Boneville. They get separated from one another and are all lost in the desert, and each has their own interesting journey as they attempt to find their way back together.

Justification For Rejection: I will begin with the positive: the graphic format really enhances the story, and the pictures and characters are drawn with great quality. The story flows well, is easy to follow, and is just right for its teen audience. My argument for rejection is that I had a hard time staying focused on reading, and my mind would wander as I was at different stages in the book. The story moved along fairly slowly, and while it is a series and I would need to read the next book to find out what happened, I had little interest to do so. I felt the story didn't have enough of a climax built up in order for me to get excited about it.

Genre Category: Graphic Novel

1. Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson

Rennison, Louise. Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging:Confessions of Georgia Nicolson.New York: Harper Collins.1999.

Annotation: 14 year old Georgia Nicolson’s diary entries over the course of a school year, documenting her teenage angst. Topics of discussion include friends, school, family, pets, and of course boys.

Justification for Nomination: Rennison does a great job portraying the life of a 14 year old girl. Georgia comes alive on the pages of her diary, with (very amusing!) passages detailing her daily “hardships” that include fights with her best friend, Jas, boy troubles, and family issues. Georgia is constantly upset about something, and portrays it in a very readable way with plenty of dry humor and sarcasm. Rennison captures the reader with the descriptive stories that bring us back to the days when we dealt with the same situations. It really is a page turner that is full of surprises. To look at it from an adolescent point of view, I think girls will be more likely to find the book entertaining, and they are obviously the target reader. If I were reading this as an adolescent, I think I could completely relate to all of Georgia’s issues she struggles with in her diary. Great book!

Genre category: Teen fiction