Wild Things: YA Grown-Up discussion

I know this was mentioned in the intro discussion so I just want to toss in out there and into the open. I know "bullycide" has been making the news and it seems these books have been really hitting a nerve with the YA crowd. I just wanted to start a good list that everyone can share and maybe a resource that parents and teachers can use. I'm starting with my top two of recent years that I've recommended to teens and teens in turn have recommended to me. Please add your favorites and any valuable resources that others might find useful.


Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher About a girl, Hannah, who commits suicide and blames thirteen people who she considers responsible for her death. She leaves a message behind for them in the form of cassette tapes. I truly recommend the audiobook for this as it provides a whole new layer that reading the book just lacks. While it's not my absolute favorite bullycide book, it is a big hit with teens and won the Florida Teens Read award for the 2008-2009 school year. (Those not familar with this award, it is nominated and voted on by teens in FL).

By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters is about a girl, Daelyn, who attempted suicide numerous times in the past, is again planning on committing suicide. She plans her death through a website, but meets a boy who seems determined to bring her out of her shell and make her enjoy life. Great themes on how bullying starts and can drive teens to desparate measures. The book features a discussion guide in the back.

This is a good idea. I came across something recently that would go well here, but it has slipped my mind. I will find it and post it.

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers which is about a girl named Regina who was part of the popular mean girl clique until the queen bee's boyfriend tries to assault her at the party. Of course, Regina is blamed for the assault and frozen out by her friends. They do horrific mean things to her. Be warned, there are lots of swears and drinking in this book, but it rings true to me. It was a short book but definitely had a huge emotional impact.

I haven't read either of these books, but they're both on my list.

Schooled by Gordon Korman is a happy ending bully story. A kid is picked on and bullied for being different and ultimately he changes the people around him. It's more of a middle school read.

The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci is about a bullied kid who disappears one day and everyone speculates on what happened to him, whether he ran away or committed suicide or was abducted.

Ok, now that I am awake, I remembered the book. I haven't read it yet either, but I have heard people talk about how well it portrays bullying and the potential consequences.

Hate List by Jennifer Brown. It's about a girl who helped her boyfriend create a list of people they hate and he used it for his targets when he went into the school with the gun. She then returns for her senior year to deal with the aftermath and the implications of a list she helped create.

When I do read it, I can add more.

Vicki wrote: "Ok, now that I am awake, I remembered the book. I haven't read it yet either, but I have heard people talk about how well it portrays bullying and the potential consequences.

[book:Hate List|6316..."

Hate List is also a YALSA Teen Read Week nominated book. For those who don't know, a lot of librarians look to the Teen Top Ten list to help find popular titles and books for teens. I've noticed in recent years many teachers have been including these books into their curriculums. For more info and previous years' lists: www.ala.org/teenstopten (Also on this year's nominated list is By the Time You Read This, I'll be Dead.) (Sorry voting is next month, and I've been working on promos) :-)

Some other bullying books (I've read some and not others...)

*The Misfits by James Howe: Haven't read it, but it is used all over the country during anti-bullying month.

*Hate List by Jennifer Brown: About a school shooting from the girl friend of the shooter's point of view

*Gifted series by Marilyn Kaye: Has mean girl who realizes that being mean isn't the way to go.

*Knights Of The Lunch Table by Frank Cammuso: Nerds against bullys.

*Crash by Jerry Spinelli: From the bully's point of view.

*Give a Boy a Gun by Todd Strasser: Revenge of boys who were bullied.

*The Wave by Todd Strasser: The Wave experiment. If you've never heard of it, it is really interesting.

@Angela- Schooled is a great book! And it is from different points of view so you get to hear different people's thoughts about Cap (the protagonist). Very similar to Stargirl which is another book where a "different" person comes in to a school and changes everything.

I skimmed through the info at the end of By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead. They referenced the following website:

http://www.bulliesinbooks.com/

Alot of good info and book suggestions there.

Vicki wrote: "Ok, now that I am awake, I remembered the book. I haven't read it yet either, but I have heard people talk about how well it portrays bullying and the potential consequences.

[book:Hate List|6316..."

Just wanted to say I finished reading Hate List and thought it was very good. The ending was neatly tied up but left enough opened that you can fill in the gaps yourself. At times I got annoyed at how selfish Valerie was, but all in all I enjoyed the book.

That's good to hear. I just picked this up from the library, so I'll be reading it soon.

I just read a terrifying bullying book, Lessons from a Dead Girl. Jo Knowles, the author, read an article about friends bullying friends and decided she needed to write a book about this horrible thing- and BOY! did she it on the head with this book. It is such a horrible scenario. As a reader, you connect with Laine (bullyer) and you are terrified of Leah (the bully). She also does a great job at going into the psychological reasons for bullying, depression, and low self-esteem.

Scrawl by Mark Shulman

This is the first book I've read from the perspective of the bully. It was engaging and extremely interesting. I think that much of the time we automatically think of bullies as "bad kids" or "troublemakers", when in fact, they are troubled themselves. The boy in this book certainly has more than his share of problems. I think it is in excellent choice for educators.

I just recently finished Poison Ivy. It was an interesting way to set up a book. I don't know if I believed the bullying, it was more implied than shown. I also felt that the characters were very similar, though by the end of the book, I think that may have been intentional. I found this book to have some really strong points, but also some weak points. Still, I enjoyed this quick read.

I just finished Orchards by Holly Thompson. It's about a young girl (summer between 8th and 9th grade) and her community as they recover from the suicide of a classmate. While not directly involved, the girl and her circle of friends are accused by the community of playing a role. The girl (who is Japanese American) is sent for the summer to live with her maternal family in Japan, in an attempt to remove her from the conflict at home and give her a chance to recover and reconnect with her roots. Written entirely in verse, but reads like prose. It's a really beautiful story. Highly recommend.