Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Paulsen, G. (1987). Hatchet. Simon and Shuster Books for Young Readers.

Brain is a 13 year old boy on his way to see his Dad in the oil fields of Northern Canada. He is taking a bush plane when the pilot suddenly has a heart-attack. Brian escapes the crash landing into the lake with only the hatchet that his mother gave him.  He uses the hatchet to help him in the wild. He struggles at first but quickly learns what he needs to do in order to survive including making fire, hunting and fishing, and building a shelter. During this time, Brian reflects on his parents divorce and his life back home. One day a tornado destroys his shelter but turns up the airplane that had sunk in the lake. Brian swims to it to collect a survival pack that includes a transmitter.  He doesn't know what it is, but soon finds himself being rescued.

Hatchet is a classic young adult survival story.  It is considered a "robinsonnade" because it closely follows the basic concept of the adventures of Robinson Crusoe.  Hatchet has the elements of an adventure and survival story because it shows Brian's hardships in the wilderness and his life and death situations with animals and the elements. The story shows his loneliness as well as courage and problem solving skills. I would consider this novel timeless but it seems to be especially intriguing in the world we live in today full of modern conveniences and technology. It raises a good question to readers (and for teachers of these readers), would we be able to survive in the same situation? Along with the study of great literary elements, this question could add meaning and value when teaching with this book.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Shusterman, N. (2007). Unwind. Simon and Shuster Books for Young Readers. New York. 

In a far away future in America, a civil war of Pro-Life and Pro-Choice has ended and the new nation has negotiated sides with a "Bill of Life" which states that while abortion is illegal, "unwinding" can now be practiced.  Unwinding is the term used to describe a retroactive termination of a teenager (age 13-17).  The teenager is killed with a parent's consent, and their organs are given to those who need them and they are considered to be living fully but divided.  The story focuses on 3 teenagers who are trying to escape unwinding. Connor, Lev, and Risa runaway and through a series of events find the Graveyard which serves as a home for abandoned, broken air planes as well as a shelter for teenagers escaping their unwinding until they turn 18.  With the help of The Admiral (the leader of the Graveyard), they manage to survive and escape the unwinding with some physical damage along the way.

The story meets the criteria of Dystopian literature, a futuristic world is created where teenagers have no rights or say in their own future.  This would be a great addition for any teacher who is exploring Dystopian genre and is brave enough to bring up important issues and themes in the book such as abortion, the value of human life, personal choice and rights and the governments role in all of it.  These themes are issues of the futuristic and created world of Neal Shusterman but can be applied to our world today.  The book can also be compared to other Dystopian classics such as Brave New World  where citizens are similarly forced to do things deemed necessary by the state.  Anyone who likes Dystopian literature will find books 2-4 (UnWholly, UnSouled, UnDivided) great for follow up reading.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Stiefvater, M. (2009). Shiver. Scholastic. New York.

 Grace remembers that she was almost killed by wolves when she was 11 years old, until one yellow-eyed wolf saved her. That wolf is Sam and he and Grace watch each other outside her window every winter.  Sam is a human in the summer months. Now as young adults, Grace discovers who Sam really is after he shows up at her doorstep having just been shot.  Grace and Sam fall in love and Sam reveals the history of his parents and Werewolf background.  Together they look for a way that Sam can stay human forever based on the knowledge that they know about how Grace survived a wolf bite herself.  This is the first book in a trilogy.

 Shiver is a fantasy novel with supernatural characters being werewolves.  Stiefvater creates a romance between a human and a werewolf who is struggling to become human once again. A characteristic of fantasy is for the supernatural elements to make sense. Stiefvater succeeds in this by describing the rules and possibilities of how werewolves work in this world which makes for a good foundation and introduction to the rest of the books within a series.  The book uses both Sam and Grace's points of view in alternating chapters.  Recommendations for follow up readings include the the sequels- Linger and Forever as well as the werewolf romance trilogy by Bree Despain- The Dark Divine novels.

Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by A.S. King

King, A. (2014). Glory o'brien's history of the future. Little Brown and Company. New York; Boston.

Glory is graduating high school but hasn't any idea of what the future holds for her.  Her mother committed suicide when she was just four and this event has her thinking about lots of things including the meaning of life in general. One day she and her friend Ellie decide to make a drink from dead bat remains and beer and suddenly have the power to see a person's past and future. She has an ability to see the world and its disturbing future which includes a  civil war, a cruel new leader, and the disappearance of women's rights and safety.  She attempts to write down all that she sees in order to make a difference in a future world.

Glory O'Brien's History of the Future is considered to be a specific kind of fantastic fiction called Magical Realism which contains magical elements in an otherwise realistic world.  In this story the magical element is Glory's ability to see the world's future through the sudden power she receives after drinking bat remains and beer together...who knew?  The story also has elements of dystopian literature when describing the government of the future.  This book has powerful themes about women's rights and although Glory is a teenager, her points of view are not stereotypical of one. It is a book that combines many serious issues both personal and worldly with a lot of entertainment value.

Mexican White Boy by Matt de la Pena

de la Pena, M. (2008). Mexican white boy.  Decelerate Press. New York.

Danny is a biracial, 16 year old boy who goes to a predominately white prep school in San Diego. His mother is White and his father  is Mexican but no longer lives with them because he is in a prison in Mexico.  During the summer his mother decides to go live with her boyfriend in San Francisco and so Danny decides to go live with his cousin on his father's side of the family in National City. Danny feels like "a white boy among Mexicans and a Mexican among white boys." Danny does not know where he fits in.  He comes to know himself better through a friendship with a boy named Uno and his love for baseball.

Young men (older high school level), baseball lovers, or anyone seeking to learn more about being multicultural would be the intended audience of this book.   Mexican White Boy is a fictional sports story that "incorporates significant themes and well developed characters who grow, learn and have the potential of improving their lives." (Chance, p. 59).  This book is not only about the love of baseball and the journey of growth through this sport, but also the growth and change of a young man coming to terms with and embracing being multicultural.

Deadline by Chris Crutcher

Crutcher, C. (2007). Deadline. Greenwillow Books, NY.

Ben Wolf is a senior in small town Idaho.  After going for a routine sports physical, he has just received the news that he has a rare blood disease. The doctor gives him a year to live and so Ben decides to refuse treatment and keep his illness a secret from everyone. During his year he plays on the school football team with his brother, reads books that teach him about real life, makes friends with a homeless man, and starts a relationship with the beautiful Dallas Suzuki.  During his time living life to the fullest and with guidance from a character in his dreams (Hey-Soos), he realizes how keeping his secret would be hurting those who love him.

Deadline is a realistic fiction book about living life to the fullest. It is a great read for all but I believe like many of Chris Crutcher's books it has a certain appeal to young men. It includes topics of sports, friends, family, school, and liking girls.  Teacher's might see value in this book as an accompanying book to The Autobiography of Malcom X which is a text connection that has meaning in the book.  It also would be a great theme to center around a writing topic based off the question on the front cover of the book." What if you only had one year to live...and you knew it?"  What would you do? How would you live life differently than if you didn't know?  The Book lends itself to many quality writing opportunities.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Green, J. (2012). The fault in our stars.  Dutton Books. New York.

Hazel is a sixteen year old girl and a thyroid cancer patient.  Her parents force her to go to a support group where she meets Augustus who is surviving a rare bone cancer through an amputation of his leg.  They share their favorite books with each other. Hazel feels connected to the main character of An Imperial Affliction and Augustus and her eventually find the means to travel to Amsterdam  to ask the author about his story.  While on their trip, Augustus shares the news that his cancer is spreading. Augustus dies shortly after but not without knowing how much he loved Hazel and how much she loves him.

This realistic fiction deals with themes of death and grief, love, and living with cancer.  The book's strengths lies in the fact that it is so relatable to many young adults today who have connections to cancer. Living with and dying from cancer is a very real part of life for many . Unfortunately, it seems that the struggle and the pain of cancer is more connected to the modern world than it ever has before.  Fault in Our Stars is modern, popular, current, and not only because it is well written, but because so many people have experienced something similar for themselves. This connection is what makes it that much more emotional, heart-breaking, and page turning.