Adult Books for High School Students

Adult/High School–Bujold's The Curse of Chalion (2001) and The Hallowed Hunt (2005, both Morrow/Avon) walked a fine line between fast-paced quest fantasy and character-driven romance. Here the fantasy is in the background, making the developing romance between the main characters, Dag and Fawn, the primary story. The two meet when the wandering adventurer Dag rescues the farmer's daughter Fawn from a Malice, a powerful demonic creature capable of bending the wills and flesh of others to itself. While there is action and drama, the end result is that the events seem built for the singular purpose of pushing Dag and Fawn together instead of moving along any other plot thread. This is a big shift for Bujold's fans, who might expect layers of political intrigue and thrilling action alongside the love story. Fortunately, the lovers are compelling characters, and Bujold delivers a novel that is a sweet, touching, and fast read. While it seems difficult to imagine how a love story can carry a whole fantasy series, teens will want to see how this tale continues in the next volume.–Matthew L. Moffett, Ford's Theatre Society, Washington, DC

Adult/High School–This book consists of disjointed paragraphs, childish drawings, serious father issues, and a wide variety of page layouts. But the fact that it was written by a former child star and current indie actor whose battles with his father are well documented lends an overarching semiautobiographical theme that ties these pieces together into snapshots of Culkin's celebrity life. Calling this title fiction may be a bit of a stretch. There's no plot, although there are several recurring stories about Monkey Monkey Boy, former child star. The book is more a journal written by a fictional character named Junior, and it reads exactly like one. Now 25, the author may or may not have written this as part of a therapeutic process. (He drops hints that he has.) His emotions are certainly laid bare. Culkin touches on such issues as how you become who you are, how every little thing that happens to you matters, and how you make the transition to adulthood. Teens who are journaling can find a lot of inspiration in his insights. Those who have enjoyed his movies will find this peek into his soul fascinating.–Jamie Watson, Harford County Public Library, MD

Adult/High School–When Henry Day runs away at age seven, he is captured by a gang of hobgoblins, or changelings. One of them assumes his identity and takes his place in his family, and the original Henry, now called Aniday, adapts to life with ageless children who survive in the woods, awaiting their turn to change places with a human. Told in alternating voices by the impostor and the real Henry, this story shows how their lives intertwine as they come to terms with their new realities. New England in the latter half of the 20th century is not kind to creatures of the shadowy realm, and the band of changelings slowly dwindles as housing developments and industry push away the forested areas where they hide. As much as the new Henry tries to assimilate, memories of a prior life nag at him, and he comes to realize that, just as he has stolen Aniday's childhood, his own childhood was stolen away from him in 19th-century Germany. Although the coincidences in their quests stretch a little thin at times, Donohue has created a haunting picture of two lonely spirits searching for identity in the modern world. He includes just enough fantasy that readers will look a little more closely the next time they are walking through a dark stretch of forest.–Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA

Adult/High School–It's been eight long years since ambitious Marla Wolfblade buried her husband and claimed royal power for herself. This second volume in the trilogy shows her shift in focus from securing her own power to transferring it to her teenage son, Damin. Elezaar, the dwarf who taught her everything she knows, takes young Damin under his wing and teaches him the “Rules of Gaining and Wielding Power,” a fantasy-world version of Machiavellian methods. Damin proves an apt pupil, but just as he nears the age of taking the throne, the lord High Arrion of the Sorcerers' Collective, a dark and devious faction within the kingdom, decides to turn the young ruler into a puppet or tear the throne away from him. Damin must decide whom he can trust and how to claim what belongs to him. With strong characters and layers of political subtext, Fallon creates a tight tale of intrigue, espionage, thievery, and assassination attempts. Despite being the second part of a trilogy, this volume stands on its own as a coming-of-age story. Those looking for action-packed, sword-wielding quests will likely find Damin's story slow but those craving subtle variations within the field of fantasy will find much to enjoy.–Matthew L. Moffett, Ford's Theatre Society, Washington, DC

Adult/High School–William Thornhill, a boatman in pre-Victorian London, escapes the harsh circumstances of his lower-class, hard-scrabble life and ends up a prosperous, albeit somehow unsatisfied, settler in Australia. After being caught stealing, he is sentenced to death; the sentence is commuted to transportation to Australia with his pregnant wife. Readers are filled with a sense of foreboding that turns out to be well founded. Life is difficult, but through hard work and initiative the Thornhills slowly get ahead. During his sentence, William has made his living hauling goods on the Hawkesbury River and thirsting after a piece of virgin soil that he regularly passes. Once he gains his freedom, his family moves onto the land, raises another rude hut, and plants corn. The small band of Aborigines camping nearby seems mildly threatening: William cannot communicate with them; they lead leisurely hunter/gatherer lives that contrast with his farming labor; and they appear and disappear eerily. They are also masterful spearmen, and Thornhill cannot even shoot a gun accurately. Other settlers on the river want to eliminate the Aborigines. The culture clash becomes violent, with the protagonist unwillingly drawn in. The characters are sympathetically and colorfully depicted, and the experiencing of circumstances beyond any single person's control is beautifully shown.–Judy McAloon, Potomac Library, Prince William County, VA

Adult/High School–Streetwise Pearl is 13 when she gets pregnant and accidentally shoots her baby's father, a police officer. Over the next five years, she and her son, Leonard, move from place to place as the teen worries about repercussions from the killing. Her past catches up with her, and, when she disappears, the boy is left with their neighbor, 25-year-old Mitch. Narrated in the alternating voices of the principal characters, this novel is an examination of relationships and special bonds. As close as Leonard becomes to Mitch over the years, he never stops feeling Pearl's presence in a tangible way: her “forever love” for him. He contrasts this with what Mitch calls love: a long-term relationship with an older married woman that seems hurtful to all involved. Both Leonard's and Mitch's outlooks on love are flawed, and it is not until they almost lose everything that they recognize how completely they have transformed themselves into a family, and how remarkable their attachment is. While somewhat predictable, this is a sweet story that will be a hit with readers who enjoyed Hyde's Pay It Forward (S & S, 2000).–Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA

Adult/High School–Isadora Myung Hee Sohn, known as Isa, is caught between two cultures. Her Korean-born parents, who have achieved a measure of success in the United States, disagree on what to call her when she is born. Her mother, an aspiring dancer, wishes to name her after Isadora Duncan. Her father insists that she retain the vestiges of her heritage. She embraces American life, but resists her mother's urgings to get an eyelid operation popular with Asian women. When her younger brother is killed in a freak accident, she struggles with the sense that her traditional parents value their dead son more than their living daughter. Isa falls in love with Hero, an albino boy at her high school, and realizes that she is attracted to him because he, too, is different. He introduces her to sex and convinces her to travel with him to California. But, when Isa suspects her mother of being involved with another man, she finds herself bound by the norms of her culture. In her fury, she determines to reveal the affair, with disastrous results. Only later does Isa understand how everyone is bound by those who precede them. Min poignantly captures the dilemma of second-generation Americans as they try to find a place in their universe, but she also tells of a quest for self-discovery, which is universal.–Pat Bangs, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Adult/High School–This novel blends high-concept sci-fi storytelling with flashy visual descriptions and action-packed sequences. In 2110, Xerkler, the inventor of a complex machine that grants access to all human knowledge, finds himself pulled into the service of a government council to prove the existence of the Imagofas, a race of advanced humans developed through illegal genetic experimentation. But Xerkler already knows of their existence, and he sees them as the next step in the evolution of humankind. What follows is a politically charged thriller that careens across Earth, Mars, and the nebulous world of cyberspace. Rowe's inclusion of Eastern philosophy, mostly through the enlightenment-seeking character named MAMintelligence, works as a thoughtful and interesting thread, but it may not be sufficiently explained for readers not familiar with the very casual references. The beginning of the novel is slow as Rowe explains the background of the large cast of characters, but the material is well worth digging through. Once readers get beyond the book's first third–a challenge that dedicated sci-fi fans will take on–the novel transforms into a fun and illuminating read.–Matthew L. Moffett, Ford's Theatre Society, Washington, DC

Adult/High School–In 1947, there aren't any black families in the town of Morgan Hill, TN, until the Turners arrive to help on a tobacco farm. Nine-year-old Jane Gable first sees young Milo Turner when she is on the way home from her abusive father's funeral. Although the impression is vivid, she has no idea how closely their lives will become entangled. Jane's mother, Fran, becomes friendly with Mrs. Turner and stands up against some bigoted responses from the community. When the Turners' house is set on fire, only Milo survives. His mother's dying plea is for Fran to take him in. Jane and her brother are accepting of him, but the family still has to face those who think that the boy should “live with his own kind.” Fran stands firm in letting him decide. The Gables' faith and friends help them weather the insults hurled their way and give them the strength to continue without bitterness. Jane's memories capture a child's-eye view of the confusing adult world. Teens looking for a warm, gentle story that also provides food for thought will find it here. Those who enjoyed Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees (Viking, 2002) will note some of the same qualities in this novel.–Teri Titus, San Mateo County Library, CA

Adult/High School–Young women, in particular, will revel in this tongue-in-cheek, thoroughly satirical depiction of post-9/11 New York society. Wasserstein's skill as a playwright is evident through the witty dialogue and farcical situations she used to create her deeply shallow, largely revolting characters. Inane values, a terrorist bombing, an accidental death, and a debilitating illness compose the dark elements of the novel, initially obscured by the author's light writing style. Our mutual vulnerability to these situations, she reminds readers, is beyond what money, power, and beauty can control. Society pediatrician Frankie Weissman, a compassionate and selfless individual, provides the perfect foil for the thoroughly unlikable primary characters. Frankie is Wasserstein's hero. Perhaps she is Wasserstein herself. This novel is about recognizing what is and who are worth loving.–Claudia C. Holland, Chantilly Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA

Adult/High School–The 1911 fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company in New York City killed almost 150 people. Weber blends that fact with an interesting and believable fictional premise in this novel about Esther Gottesfeld, the oldest living survivor of the disaster. How did she survive while her fiancé and twin sister, Pauline, perished? Esther's granddaughter, Rebecca, and Rebecca's partner, George, are caught in the middle of a battle of wills as Ruth Zion, a Triangle historian, shows a dogged determination to uncover the truth about that fatal day that sends her beyond investigative journalism into obsession. George is a renowned composer whose works are based on science, like the molecular sequences of an individual's DNA. Triangle is a series of complex, multilayered, triangular connections with links as tight as the threads in a shirt–Esther, Pauline, and the fiancé; Esther, Rebecca, and George; Rebecca, George, and Ruth–the permutations go on and on. Branching off into music theory and chemistry, this is a challenging and somewhat esoteric read that should appeal to mathematically and scientifically inclined teens as well as those who enjoy the mystery of the human heart and its relationships.–Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI

Adult/High School–The Thunderbolt Kid was “born” in the 1950s when six-year-old Bryson found a mysterious, scratchy green sweater with a satiny thunderbolt across the chest. The jersey bestowed magic powers on the wearer–X-ray vision and the power to zap teachers and babysitters and deflect unwanted kisses from old people. These are the memoirs of that Kid, whose earthly parents were not really half bad–a loving mother who didn't cook and was pathologically forgetful, but shared her love of movies with her youngest child, and a dad who was the “greatest baseball writer that ever lived” and took his son to dugouts and into clubhouses where he met such famous players as Stan Musial and Willie Mays. Simpler times are conveyed with exaggerated humor; the author recalls the middle of the last century in the middle of the country (Des Moines, IA), when cigarettes were good for you, waxy candies were considered delicious, and kids were taught to read with Dick and Jane. Students of the decade's popular culture will marvel at the insular innocence described, even as the world moved toward nuclear weapons and civil unrest. Bryson describes country fairs and fantastic ploys to maneuver into the tent to see the lady stripper, playing hookey, paper routes, church suppers, and more. His reminiscences will entertain a wide audience.–Jackie Gropman, Chantilly Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA

Adult/High School–While written in laypersons' terms, this book requires some understanding of physics. The opening chapters set up the discovery of quantum entanglement, which occurred during the professional debate between Max Bohr and Albert Einstein as they discussed the nature of quantum physics. Clegg then provides historical understanding and the potential applications of entanglement to advance current technologies. Those chapters read like a science-fiction novel–an unbreakable secure communications system, teleportation, and supercomputers that think all become possibilities. The author's writing is well organized and succinct. Later chapters can be read independently. While the foundation for quantum entanglement may be difficult for some students to grasp, its potential will fascinate them.–Brigeen Radoicich, Fresno County Office of Education, CA

Adult/High School–In a simple but suspenseful narrative, the author recounts her mystical encounter with a baby whale and his mother on a March morning 30 years ago. Then 17 years old, Cox was just completing her swim off Seal Beach, CA, and heading toward shore when the ocean became unusually rough and swarming with small fish. A large animal that she at first mistook for a shark was swimming just beneath her. In fact, it was an 18-foot-long baby gray whale. Cox was frightened and then enchanted by the playful creature that seemed to want to follow her to shore, an act that would be fatal for him. She developed an emotional bond with the whale she calls Grayson, guiding him away from the shore. Both teen and calf were hungry, fatigued, and dehydrated, but Cox, frozen to the bone in 55-degree water, was determined to find the baby's mother. With incredible optimism and courage, and the guidance and encouragement of nearby fishermen and lifeguards, Cox finally united Grayson with his huge, barnacled parent. This true adventure is as breathtaking as the exotic underwater life that the author describes in vivid detail.–Jackie Gropman, Chantilly Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA

Adult/High School–A readable, cogent introduction to wind. Woven throughout the text is the story of Hurricane Ivan, which started as a storm in Africa and gained power as it headed west toward the Americas. Chapter by chapter, the author examines the place of wind in mythology, ancient scientific beliefs about air and wind, composition of the atmosphere, wind scales and patterns, historical and modern weather forecasting, the mechanics of hurricanes, how wind moves pollution around the globe, and technology utilizing wind power. The book includes 12 appendixes, each providing statistics about storms or lists of such events as the Beaufort wind, Saffir-Simpson hurricane, or the Fujita tornado scales. The illustrations, reproductions, and graphs are clear and easy to read. This book could lead students to further research, but it is also entertaining on its own.–Susan Salpini, formerly at TASIS–The American School in England

Adult/High School–Through the accounts of dozens of eyewitnesses, Gilbert tells the story of the night of November 10, 1938, when people all over Germany and Austria ransacked and burned Jewish-owned shops and synagogues. The author takes readers from the Night of Broken Glass through the degradation of the Jews, missed escapes, kindertransports, concentration camps, and, finally, to genocide. Maps and archival photos show the breadth of the destruction of lives and property. While less emotionally immediate than the many survivor autobiographies, this book documents in detail the fates of hundreds of victims, and the stories of many courageous rescuers. Kristallnacht addresses the questions: “Why didn't the Jews fight back? How did this happen?” Students of social justice, U.S. history, and world history will find this work horrifically fascinating and informative.–Ellen Bell, Amador Valley High School, Pleasanton, CA

Adult/High School–This book is composed mainly of photographs and step-by-step instructions for performing 35 ramp tricks. Goodfellow opens with a brief history of the sport, beginning with the Dogtown crew surfers of Santa Monica, CA, in the 1970s, and concluding with Danny Way's 2005 jump of the Great Wall of China. He also provides thumbnail biographies of the sport's various superstars. The text is generally accessible, although such terms as “ollie” and “fakie” are used without specific definitions. Yamaoda's black-and-white photos are clear and illustrative of successive positions. Although the riders pictured do not wear helmets or pads, there is a disclaimer encouraging readers to follow safety procedures and wear safety equipment at all times. A table of contents lists individual tricks; the index provides page numbers for tricks as well as skateboarders. A comprehensive list of resources, from books and magazines to camps, museums, public skate parks, Web sites, and videos, is included. An instructive and inspirational how-to and reference.–Sondra VanderPloeg, Tracy Memorial Library, New London, NH

Adult/High School–An engagingly snarky introduction to the genre, including film reviews that range from “Highly Recommended” to “Avoid at All Costs” and “So Bad It's Good.” The critiques are divided into categories that pretty much match the subtitle. The longest are of easily obtained movies, while those that are more obscure have shorter reviews. Each one includes the film's “Most Spectacular Moment of Carnage.” The extras, like “Don't Be a Hero: The Disaster Movie's Hardest Lesson” or “The Most Ridiculous Disaster Movie Concepts Ever,” are also entertaining. Art includes black-and-white stills, movie posters, and cartoons, as well as a color insert of some remarkable posters. For anyone who loves a good disaster flick–or a bad one, for that matter–this is an invaluable resource.–Susan Salpini, formerly at TASIS–The American School in England

Adult/High School–In 1893, all of Denver was enthralled by the story of a local 11-year-old charged with coldheartedly shooting a visiting hunter for his pocket watch. As Kreck points out, the accused was at an “awkward age–too old to set free, too young to hang.” Woode was eventually convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years in the Colorado state prison–the youngest person ever sent there. The book follows his progress through the state's legal system–including his attempted escapes–and his life after being released. He became a cause célèbre for juvenile justice reformers in Colorado, many of whom were influential in changing the system. The author focuses as much on how late-19th-century society treated juvenile criminals as it does on Woode's specific case, revealing some fascinating details about social and class prejudices at the time. He offers lurid and well-written details of Woode, his crime, and the seedy world in which he lived. However, the small black-and-white head shots don't do justice to the narrative's potential appeal.–Sallie Barringer, Walnut Hills High School, Cincinnati, OH

Adult/High School–Larson's page-turner juxtaposes scientific intrigue with a notorious murder in London at the turn of the 20th century. It alternates the story of Marconi's quest for the first wireless transatlantic communication amid scientific jealousies and controversies with the tale of a mild-mannered murderer caught as a result of the invention. The eccentric figures include the secretive Marconi and one of his rivals, physicist Oliver Lodge, who believed that he was first to make the discovery, but also insisted that the electromagnetic waves he studied were evidence of the paranormal. The parallel tale recounts the story of Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen, accused of murdering his volatile, shrewish wife. As he and his unsuspecting lover attempted to escape in disguise to Quebec on a luxury ocean liner, a Scotland Yard detective chased them on a faster boat. Unbeknownst to the couple, the world followed the pursuit through wireless transmissions to newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic. A public that had been skeptical of this technology suddenly grasped its power. In an era when “wireless” has a whole new connotation, young adults interested in the history of scientific discovery will be enthralled with this fascinating account of Marconi and his colleagues' attempts to harness a new technology. And those who enjoy a good mystery will find the unraveling of Dr. Crippen's crime, complete with turn-of-the-century forensics, appealing to the CSI crowd. A thrilling read.–Pat Bangs, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Adult/High School–This well-written, compact book by a master historian presents the appalling story of the denial of political and human rights for black Americans after they had fought during the Revolutionary War. More infuriating, this rejection came despite the era's grand rhetoric, “all men are created equal.” In three chapters, readers learn of the heroism and tenacity of black patriots, and also of blacks who fought for the British; the near success of efforts to abolish slavery following the war; and the sad story of the first decades of the 19th century, when blacks in the North and South were deprived of civil liberties. In the process, Thomas Jefferson's hypocrisy in racial matters is delineated. Readers are also shown that, going back many generations, commercial interests of many politicians have trumped ideals. Nash supplies accessible accounts of important American black leaders too often left out of textbooks, such as businessman and pamphleteer James Forten, surveyor Benjamin Banneker, poet Phillis Wheatley, and others. A must-buy.–Alan Gropman, National Defense University, Washington, DC

Adult/High School–This book is a strong entry in the DIY genre. The projects and accessories are all made almost entirely from inexpensive items one can buy in a hardware store. Each chapter focuses on a different type: washers, rope, metal connectors, nuts, vinyl, plastic, and rubber. Materials lists are complete with illustrations, and the clear instructions are numbered and illustrated. Finished products are modeled in fashion-forward color photographs. A glossary explains the original use for the hardware item, where to find it in the store, and which materials one needs to get from a craft store. Online supply sources are included. The layout is attractive and keeps the theme, from the distressed metal cover to the industrial-brown chapter dividers. The book is spiral bound inside to enable it to lie flat, but it also has a hard outer spine and cover, making it sturdy enough for library collections.–Jamie Watson, Harford County Public Library, MD

Adult/High School–A worthy source of inspiration for aspiring writers. Rooke, president of PEN Canada, brings together an anthology of essays by 50 esteemed Canadian writers. Authors such as Michael Ondaatje, Yann Martel, and Marilynne Robinson relate stories and express feelings about what it means to them to be a writer. Margaret Atwood reveals that her very first novel was never published. David MacFarlane reflects on the heightened value that readers derive from interacting with authors through their work as opposed to such superficial experiences of meeting them at book signings. Alice Munro confesses that routine interruptions greatly bother her–the messiness of life's conflicting priorities even tempt her to ponder giving up her career altogether. Many of these contributors speak about the writing life with ambivalence, and yet the bottom line is that there is no other path for them. Aspiring young adult writers may also be interested in Writing Life because of its connection to PEN Canada–a nonprofit organization that actively supports the release of imprisoned writers everywhere and promotes opportunities for exiled writers living in Canada.–Catherine Gilbride, Farifax County Public Library, VA

Adult/High School–A collection of eight of Zinn's interviews with Barsamian for public radio during the last decade, plus Zinn's 2005 commencement address at Spelman College. These conversations cover a range of topics, but especially late-20th-century American imperialism and the resistance and dissent that it has engendered. From an informed and steadfast leftist point of view, Zinn lashes out against the American war machine, with a particularly strong criticism of the Bush administration's invasion of Iraq. His theme is clear and persistent: we need to know the truth of what is happening and has happened in the arenas of national and international politics, and we must preserve this truth as part of our collective memory if there is to be any hope of avoiding the social injustices of the past. This is not only Zinn's theme, but also his mission in life. Whether or not one agrees with his political stance, it is hard to deny his keen intellect, vast knowledge, and passion for the rigors of scholarship. The less-formal nature of these conversations, as opposed to traditional historical writing, will be welcomed by those wanting to dip into the political history of the recent past without devoting too much time and energy to doing so. Zinn has a gift for making complex historical subjects immediate, comprehensible, and even tantalizing for average readers. There is a large measure of insight and passion in these conversations, and enough to make history and politics subjects of direct relevance to many teens.–Robert Saunderson, Berkeley Public Library, CA