Novels in Verse

April is Poetry Month here in Canada and the United States. To celebrate, I've created a display in the library (check out the orange floating cart) and have created this list of "verse novels"...these are all novels that are written in poetry (verse) style, and all are available in the library @ Rez. (Book descriptions are taken from NoveList - which you can use to search for similar books, with the password from the library).

• Bronx Masquerade ~ Nikki Grimes (FIC GRI)
  While studying the Harlem Renaissance, students at a Bronx high school read aloud poems they've written, revealing their innermost thoughts and fears to their formerly clueless classmates.
• CrashBoomLove ~ Juan Felipe Herrera (FIC HER)
  After his father leaves home, sixteen-year-old Cesar Garcia lives with his mother and struggles thorugh the painful experiences of growing up as a Mexican American high school student.
• Crank ~ Ellen Hopkins (FIC HOP)
  Kristina Snow is the perfect daughter, but she meets a boy who introduces her to drugs and becomes a very different person, struggling to control her life and her mind. Also try the sequel, Glass.
• A Dangerous Girl ~ Catherine Bateson (FIC BAT)
  (description from the back of the novel)
  All I had were some plans that went awry and a woman whose skin wore my fingerprints for nearly a summer.Merri, John, Leigh and Nick are positioned like the four points of a gameboard. Gentle John is Dungeon Master and craftsman of wood, but can he master the manipulative and ambitious Leigh? His sister Merri is seduced by the glamour of the stage, but her attention turns to Nick and his email haikus...
  Also check out the sequel, The Year it all Happened.
• Dark Sons ~ Nikki Grimes (FIC GRI)
  Alternating poems compare and contrast the conflicted feelings of Ishmael, son of the Biblical patriarch Abraham, and Sam, a teenager in New York City, as they try to come to terms with being abandoned by their fathers and with the love they feel for their younger stepbrothers. Winner of the Coretta Scott King Honor award, as well as other starred reviews.
• The Death of Jayson Porter ~ Jaime Adoff (FIC ADO)
  In the Florida projects, sixteen-year-old Jayson struggles with the harsh realities of his life which include an abusive mother, a drug-addicted father, and not fitting in at his predominately white school, and bring him to the brink of suicide. Also try Jimi & Me by the same author, where twelve-year-old Keith James moves from Brooklyn to a small midwestern town where his mixed race heritage is not accepted, but he finds comfort in the music of Jimi Hendrix and the friendship of a white classmate.
• I Heart You, You Haunt Me ~ Lisa Schroeder (FIC SCH)
  When her recently deceased boyfriend, Jackson, reappears as a ghost, Ava is thrilled to have him in her life in any way she can, but when she finally begins to move on with her life, Jackson must find a way to let her go.
• Jinx ~ Margaret Wild (FIC WIL)
  With the help of her understanding mother and a close friend, Jen eventually outgrows her nickname, Jinx, and deals with the deaths of two boys with whom she had been involved. Also try another of Margaret Wild's books, One Night, where a teenaged girl decides to have her baby and care for it on her own after a "one night stand" results in pregnancy.
• Keesha's House ~ Helen Frost (FIC FRO)
  Seven teens facing such problems as pregnancy, closeted homosexuality, and abuse each describe in poetic forms what caused them to leave home and where they found home again.
• Love, Ghosts and Facial Hair ~ Steven Herrick (FIC HER)
  Sixteen-year-old Jack woos beautiful Annabel, and through their relationship, copes with his mother's death. Also see the companion novel, A Place Like This.
• Make Lemonade ~ Virginia Euwer Wolff (FIC WOL)
  In order to earn money for college, fourteen-year-old LaVaughn babysits for a teenage mother of two. A beautiful book - also check out the sequel True Believer.
• Out of the Dust ~ Karen Hesse (FIC HES)
  In a series of poems, fourteen-year-old Billie Jo relates the hardships of living on her family's wheat farm in Oklahoma during the dust bowl years of the Depression.
• Rubber Houses ~ Ellen Yeomans (FIC YEO)
  Relates seventeen-year-old Kit's experiences as her younger brother is diagnosed with and dies of cancer and as she withdraws into and gradually emerges from her grief.
• Sold ~ Patricia McCormick (FIC MCC)
  Thirteen-year-old Lakshmi leaves her poor mountain home in Nepal thinking that she is to work in the city as a maid only to find that she has been sold into the sex slave trade in India and that there is no hope of escape.
• Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy ~ Sonya Sones (FIC SON)
  A younger sister has a difficult time adjusting to life after her older sister has a mental breakdown. Also try other verse novels by Sonya Sones: What My Mother Doesn't Know and One of those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies.
• Street Love ~ Walter Dean Myers (FIC MYE)
  This story is set against a background of street gangs and poverty in Harlem in which seventeen-year-old African American Damien takes a bold step to ensure that he and his new love will not be separated.
• Things Left Unsaid ~ Stephanie Hemphill (FIC HEM)
  After a lifetime of conforming to the image of what her parents and high school friends want her to be, Sarah must come to terms with her own identity when her destructive best friend tries to commit suicide.

Life Less Ordinary ~ books about teens who stand out from the crowd

• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
  Poor Colin hasn’t had much luck with dating. He’s been dumped 19 times...all by girls named Katherine! Nothing like a road trip with your best friend to try and heal your broken heart...and figure out why you keep getting dumped! John Green is hands down one of the best Young Adult authors out there! This book earned multiple starred reviews and a Printz Honor award.
• Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
  This book is a perfect example of “don’t judge a book by its cover.” This high-flying novel has everything a great adventure should...daring rescues, thrilling escapes, pirates, and a little bit of romance thrown in for good measure. Winner of a Governor General's award. Also look for the follow-up books, Skybreaker and Starclimber.
• The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, vol. 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson
  Octavian is a African slave sent to American to receive, as an experiment, a classical education usually reserved for the “elite”. As the Revolutionary War unfolds, Octavian runs away to join the army and experiences the horrors of what it means to be a slave in 18th century America. This brilliantly written novel also provides insightful commentary on today’s society and our notion of history. Also try volume 2, Kingdom on the Waves. Both are multi-award winners.
• Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
  When 15-year old Lizzie is killed, she travels to the afterlife, called Elsewhere, and tries to figure out how to “live” in her new surroundings. A powerful story about life, and life after death. Winner of multiple starred reviews...and one of my all-time favourites!
• Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
  Earth is about to be invaded by a hostile alien race. The defense plan? Train an army of children! Ender Wiggen is the unlikely candidate recruited to join the troops. Even if you don’t normally like science fiction, I DARE you not to love this book!
• Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
  Kat’s little sister is ordered to compete in the Hunger Games...a reality TV series kind of like Survivor, but instead of getting voted off, you die! Kat volunteers to take her place and, with TV cameras following her every move, fights to stay alive.
• I Am the Messenger by Marcus Zusack
  Ed Kennedy’s life isn’t exactly exciting...he spends all his time hanging out with his dog, driving his taxi and playing cards with his friends. When mysterious, coded messages show up in his mailbox, he is sent on a series of tasks that will change his life. Winner of a Printz Honor award.
• I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You by Ally Carter
  Cammie goes to a prestigious all-girls private school...but it’s not just any private school. It’s a secret school for spies! All of the girls are spies in training, which makes leading a “normal” life a little difficult. It’s a fun, light-hearted adventure...if you were to mix James Bond with Harry Potter with the girls from Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, this is the novel you’d get!
• Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
  When the moon is hit by a meteor and bumped out of its normal orbit, life on Earth is horrifyingly altered. Worldwide tsunamis, volcanoes, earthquakes, ice storms… chaos. Miranda describes in her diary how she and her family struggle to survive. Also check out the sequel, “The Dead and the Gone” that tells the same story, but from the perspective of a boy in New York City.
• Magic or Madness by Justine Larbalestier
  Australian teen, Reason, must go live with her “wicked” grandmother, Esmeralda, in Sydney after her mother has a mental breakdown. While trying to escape from Esmeralda, Reason runs through a door...only to find herself in New York City. This magical adventure is the award-winning first book of a trilogy (followed by Magic Lessons and Magic’s Child).
• Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins
  A “fallen angel” (demon) named Kiriel is bored with Hell and decides to take over the body and life of a slacker teen who has just been hit by a cement truck. Even though he’s breaking all the rules, Kiriel is determined to experience life as a human teen and have a positive impact on the people around him. Winner of a Printz Honor award.
• Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman
  Imagine high school and dating...when your dad is a mafia leader! Life is certainly “interesting” for Vince Luca. Oh, and did I mention that the girl he’s fallen for is the daughter of an FBI agent?! Funny man Gordon Korman at his best! Also check out the sequel, Hollywood Hustle for more adventures as Vince heads off to college.

Don’t forget to fill out your own reviews of these books for a chance to win some great prizes!

New Rez Reads Spirit Wear!

Designed by Brooke Beggs (Gr. 12 student) with assistance from Heather Lee (Ms. Martin’s sister), the new Rez Reads spirit wear is "sick"!

• Front of shirt


• Back of shirt

Shirts are $20 each. Click here to download an order form - or pick up a copy in the library. Sample T-shirts (for sizing) are in the library - see Ms. Martin.

Orders, with payment, are due to the library by FRIDAY APRIL 3rd.

Winners of the first Rez Recommends draw!

Congratulations to the Rez Recommends winners…

• Cafeteria Voucher – Bronwyn Corrigan
• Twilight DVD – Elizabeth Vang
• New Rez Reads spirit wear – Raluca Topliceanu
• $25 Chapters gift certificate – Mai Yeeb Vang

Thank you to everyone who filled out a Rez Recommends form. Keep filling them out…we will be having more draws in the new year.

And if you’re curious what other students have had to say about what they’ve read, come take a look at the Rez Recommends binder in the library.

Keep checking the Rez Reads blog for more exciting news and updates!

Merry Christmas and happy reading!

Rez Recommends...and win!

Have you read a book recently that you totally loved?

Or maybe one that was so bad that you want to save anyone else from the pain and suffering you endured?

Fill out a Rez Recommends form and tell your fellow students about the book…and YOU could win some fantastic prizes!

Prizes include:
* $25 Chapters gift certificate
* NEW Rez Reads spirit wear (to be unveiled in the new year)
* Twilight DVD (when released)

Every review form you submit earns you one entry into the draw! The more reviews you submit, the more chances you have to win!

Submit your Rez Recommends forms to Ms. Martin (via email or by dropping it off to the library) by Thursday, December 18th to qualify for this draw.

Happy reading!

The Awesomeness that is John Green

I just finished reading John Green's newest novel, Paper Towns...and within pages I was reminded of why he is one of my all-time favourite authors. He makes me laugh out loud and I honestly believe that if I lived in the same town as John Green, we could be friends (how cool would that be?!).

Paper Towns is part comedy, part mystery, a little bit of romance, and all awesome. His writing is smart, and quirky, and he has this way of writing that you can hear the characters' voices and care what happens to them...I could easily see any of his books (Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines) made into a movie.

Both of his previous books have won a Printz award (for Excellence in Young Adult Literature) - Looking for Alaska won in 2006; An Abundance of Katherines was an honor book in 2007. Paper Towns wasn't published in time for the 2008 awards, but fingers crossed for 2009!

Watch for Paper Towns to be out on the Library @ Rez shelves in the next few weeks (or ask me, and I can let you borrow it sooner!) - along with nearly 250 new novels that have just arrived!!

p.s. John Green has posted a Paper Towns Playlist on his blog...if you're curious, check it out!

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow

Talk about not judging a book by its cover!

I have to admit, I'm guilty of choosing (or in this case, NOT choosing) books based on their cover. Even though "Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow" is on the Books with Bite list, I shied away from it, thinking that it was some kind of wilderness survival book (the girl on the front is wearing this giant parka, looks very icey, etc.) - which is not what I've been in the mood for.

But, during Rez Reads, I left my book at home one day, so I decided to pick up "Sun and Moon..." and see what it was actually about.

To my surprise, it's actually a very cool re-telling of a Nordic fairy tale...and also has elements of Beauty and the Beast. A little bit of romance, a little bit of magic/folklore, and characters that you really grow to like...it all adds up to a great read. I give it 4 out of 5 on my Rez Reads book review form.

So, shame on me for not trying it sooner...perhaps that's the next list I should create: Great books with not-so-great covers!