Below is the original post followed by responses. Thanks to all for your
recommendations.
Dan Paese, LMS
Wauwatosa West High School
Wauwatosa, WI
paeseda@wauwatosa.k12.wi.us
I work in a high school library media center, and a middle school LMS/colleague
(new to her position) posed a difficult question. A number of her eighth grade
girls recently read and loved Speak, and "they now come right out and ask for books
about rape, abuse or just in general stories about young girls suffering." She's
excited about her increased readership and doesn't want to slow its momentum, but
she is justifiably concerned that many of the titles addressing such themes, by
definition, will likely be for high school libraries or above. She's wisely tried
to direct them to other quality age-appropriate lit., but their requests continue.
Are there titles that you can recommend?
=====
Out of Control by Norma Fox Mazer. It is an older book, 1993, but is
similar to Speak. She might have it in her collection.
=====
I would suggest Lurlene McDaniel's books -- they aren't quite the same
genre but seem to appeal to the same audience. Also Cut by McCormick and
Chinese Handcuffs (and others) by Crutcher. A new one that I haven't read
yet because it doesn't stay on the shelf is The Boy From the Basement
which is about abuse.
=====
I have a list on my website ATN Reading Lists. Not all of them are
appropriate for middle school but many are.
http://nancykeane.com/rl/498.htm
=====
I'm in an elementary school, but had enjoyed reading Lurlene McDaniel's
books in HS . She writes about teens with tragic/serious illnesses... a
bit of a stretch from rape and abuse, but does cover the "suffering".
... Teens with cancer, heart transplant recipients, CF, brain tumors,
liver disease, etc.
There is also a book about a teenager who is raped, author is Gloria
Miklowitz- "Did you hear what happened to Andrea? " That might be more
MS appropriate. I recall reading it back in the mid1980's , when I was
in HS, so it may be OP. (Amazon indicates it is OP, but here is a
description:
"Fifteen-year-old Andrea is raped while hitchhiking home from the beach
and finds it difficult to cope with her own emotional reactions and
those of her family and friends." - reading level listed as Young
adult)
=====
Alice Hoffman wrote "Green Angel" in response to the events of 9/11. The book is
very short, but an awesome story that I think would appeal to the h.s. girls from
your question.
Here's some info from Amazon.com
Grade 8 Up-Beautifully written prose fills this first-person narrative of a teen
whose world is turned around in an instant. This is both a survival story and an
homage to the need to cherish life's every moment. Moody, introspective Green, 15,
stays at home while her parents and younger sister travel to the city to sell their
produce. Her disappointment at being left behind causes her to be cold and not say
good-bye. Then the city is engulfed in flames, and ashes hover in the atmosphere
for a long time. Green is left with her guilt for her sullen behavior and the
solitude of her ruined garden. Hoffman has created a multilayered, believable
protagonist. Readers suffer along with her and share her fears as she tries to pick
up the pieces of her life. The contrast between her original faith in the promise
of the future and her later acknowledgment of the tentative nature of reality is
vividly and eloquently portrayed. This is not an easy read, and though it is an
absorbing tale, it will most likely appeal to more sophisticated readers. A
powerfully written and thought-provoking selection.
========
I would recommend Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan. I haven't read speak.. and this
one certainly isn't as harsh (rape), but it's about a young girl in India who is
basically sold off to marry a young man who turns out to be sick and dying. His
family only wanted her for the dowry. As it's a disgrace to go back to her family,
she is truly on her own and treated horribly. It's a heartbreaking story.. but the
determination and strength of main character are uplifting and I don't recall the
ending - but I believe it was happy.
=====
I loved Breathing Underwater, by Alex Flinn. It is from the point of view
of a boy who has to come to terms with the roots of his controlling behavior
toward his girl friend.
=====
Teen angst novels are really big right now. If you go to my card catalog online,
and then click on the categories button on the left side of the page; you will see
a category for Gotta Reads. These are teen angst novels that I have read and
placed on the list because my girls love these stores too. The only way a book
makes it to this list is I've read it, or two girls read it and then recommended
that it be added. That way I know what's on it, or know that the students have
made the choice for it's inclusion. The first person has to recommend the title to
a friend, they read it and then agree or disagree about it's inclusion. I would
hazard the guess that less than five books have made it the list in this manner.
This is the URL to the JR. High page, on the left, you will see a link to the
library and a link to the card catalog. Pick the catalog link and then from the
page that comes up select the catalog button.
http://www.selah.k12.wa.us/JHS/JrHS.cfm
=====
Try these:
Black-eyed Susie and The Lovely Bones (Sebold). A new one that I've not
read, but which is on the Texas Lone Star list (grades 7-9) is The Wish
List by Eoin Colfer. The Lovely Bones is a borderline choice for 8th
graders, so I'd recommend that she read it before deciding to put it in
her middle school library. It's in mine - I put it on the shelves in
October; so far, no challenges. Please post a hit. Good luck,
=====
One book that quickly comes to mind is Cracker Jackson by Betsy Byars.
=====
I look for young adult books at the AlA book awards, the Printz awards, and the
Volunteer State Book Awards. For my rural southern town these books are on the
edge, so I read them before I put them in circulation. Some of the ones my
students love this year are:
Facts Speak for Themselves
Brock Cole
Blind Sighted
Peter Moore
Breathing Underwater
Alex Farmer
Define Normal
Julie Peters
=====
Two that I think would be fine are Out of Control by Norma Fox Mazer and Good
Night, Mr. Tom by Michelle Magorian. The latter takes place in England during
World War II which gives it a different flavor. Girls that like Speak also like
the Louise Rennison books. I have only read one. It didn't deal with abuse, but
its character is quirky and flamboyant.
Perfection Learning Corporation has a section of titles dealing with Contemporary
Social Concerns. Abuse and Sexual Harassment are among the categories. The
recommended grades will vary: 7-12, 8-12 and 10-12. She can receive a catalog by
calling 1-800-831-4190.
=====
While these books don't deal with rape or abuse, Define "Normal," True
Meaning of Cleavage, and How I Live Now generally seem to appeal to students
who like Speak. Students at my middle school also really go for Go Ask Alice
and It Happened to Nancy, altho I never recommend those two books. In fact,
I usually try to steer them to a book like Speak either after they read Go
Ask Alice and It Happened to Nancy, or if they are checked out when they are
looking for them.
=====
I have a bibliography of novels dealing with child abuse at
http://pac.egreen.wednet.edu/library/reading_lists/child-abuse.htm I've
had some kids read virtually everything on the list.
I'd also recommend doing a collection development search on Follett's Titlewave
(titlewave.com) You can limit for IL RL and number
of reviews and specific review sources.
=====
One older book on that deals with child abuse is Don't
Hurt Laurie by Willo Davis Roberts - it's about an
abusive mother, her daughter, and how her stepfamily
tries to rescue her. It would be appropriate for
middle school, though I haven't read it for a while.
I thought it was fascinating when I read it for the
first time when I was in middle school, though it may
be dated by now.
=====
I am the LMS at a middle school and there is no problem with books like Speak.
Another very popular book is It Happened to Nancy. The main character is raped and
contracts AIDS. Good luck and please post a hit.
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