This topic is started with some prompting from Laura and Becky, after asking where we can discuss our book choices for the challenge's Task 20.2: Read a book that you would like a young person in your life (or any young person in general) to read, and tell us why.

Even if you're not doing the challenge, please contribute with suggestions of books you would recommend to a young person or books that you think young people should read and why.

Although this is a book for older teens due to some adult topic matter, I highly recommend I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak for young people.

The message is: Go out into the world and be a messenger. Help people for no reason. Be a comfort, be a blessing, just be there for someone else.

A worthwhile message for anyone, but particularly for youth. If you start out adulthood by looking for people to bless, the blessings will return to you many times over. Think of how our world would improve if everyone went out and looked for ways to be a messenger.

I finished Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson late last night, and the book weighed so heavily on me, and left such an impression, that I had to stay up and write out my review of it. The book deals with eating disorders, but not in any way you've seen before. It isn't about the endless cycles of starve, binge, purge, hospital, clinic, promises. That's all there, but the book is really more about eighteen-year-old Lia and her struggle for control, to be strong, to be the thinnest. The book begins with the news that her former best friend (and partner in thinness) has died. From there she crumbles, trying to stay strong, and drags her family along with her.

It exposes the gritty reality of living with an eating disorder, what it does to you inside and out, to your family and friends. There is no romanticizing or glorification. It's painful and crushing and real. It hurts to read this book but you can't stop.

So many of the girls I grew up with experienced some kind of eating disorder. Intelligent, brilliant girls. Smart, funny, creative, friendly. I talked about it with a friend a few years ago, and she chalked it up to control and perfectionism, something all of us have been imbued with to varying degrees. And so I can understand Lia's motivation, even to some extent her thoughts. The fact is, she's sick, and she knows it. The media about eating disorders when I was younger was so cut and dried, and that's why I think this is an important book for young people - for young girls, because it starts so young - to read. Because I hope it would be impossible to read this and think, "Yeah, that's a good idea."

I read Maus I A Survivor's Tale My Father Bleeds History before the challenge began, but Maus II A Survivor's Tale And Here My Troubles Began after. I think every teen should read both of these. We know this is a survivor's tale from the first page, so it's easier to forge ahead. The telling is very matter of fact, minus any gory details, but the events are portrayed in such a way, the reader can not deny the atrocities took place. "Lest we forget" breathes life into every page.

The books also serves another purpose. They are told as a young man listens to his father relay his memories of the Holocaust. The father suffers from many neuroses and can be very hard to take at times. I think the book can help young people see that there may be reasons for the things their parents do that drive them crazy. Nothing will stop an overprotective parent from irritating a child, but seeing what some of the catalysts could be, may make it a bit more bearable.

I think the experience of these graphic novels can help with acceptance on many levels, not only race, religion, color or creed. Tolerance can be gleaned as well.

Laura wrote: "Although this is a book for older teens due to some adult topic matter, I highly recommend I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak for young people.

The message is: Go out..."

Ok, now I really want to read this one, Laura!

Alexis wrote: "I finished Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson late last night, and the book weighed so heavily on me, and left such an impression, that I had to stay up and write out my review of ..."

Wow...great review, Alexis. This book sounds really intense. I think I will have to check it out.

Kandice wrote: "I read Maus I A Survivor's Tale My Father Bleeds History before the challenge began, but Maus II A Survivor's Tale And Here My Troubles Began after. I think every teen..."

I've never read a graphic novel before, but this one sounds really good, Kandice. I'll have to check and see if my library has it.

This was a GREAT thread idea! I love books that have a powerful message at the heart of them. I look forward to watching this discussion and finding new books I need to read.

Heather wrote: "Laura wrote: "Although this is a book for older teens due to some adult topic matter, I highly recommend I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak for young people.

The messag..."


THIS is why I LOVE the book so much!

You're right tho, Heather, they all look good don't they? Terrific thread, Alexis.

Laura, I had no idea what Messenger was about. I'm really feeling the need for something uplifting these days, and that one sounds like a winner! Now to figure out where to put it in the challenge...

I AM PUSHING IT ON YOU AND HAVE BEEN PUSHING IT EVERYWHERE FOR MONTHS !

I bought it last night, Laura. I Am the Messenger

Heather, I Am the Messenger won the Children's Book Council of Australia award in 2003 - which is on the Wild Things award list. So you could use it for 30.1 if you want. That's where I have it. :)

Edit: Or half of 30.1, I mean.

Gotcha, Laura...I could definitely use it for task 10.2, the "pushed book" task :)

Or...like Luann so kindly mentioned, I could use it for half of 30.1, the "award winner" task.

Thanks for the help, you two! I'm going to shift some things around to make sure Messenger gets on the list.

Kandice wrote: "I bought it last night, Laura. I Am the Messenger"

*squishes Kandice*

Heather wrote: "Gotcha, Laura...I could definitely use it for task 10.2, the "pushed book" task :)

Or...like Luann so kindly mentioned, I could use it for half of 30.1, the "award winner" task.

Thanks for the h..."

YAY I think it got the Printz award too, didn't it?

EDIT: Looking for Alaska won the award that year, but I am the Messenger was an honor book.

Oooh... Laura... I can't wait to hear what K thinks of the end of Messenger!

YAY! Becky, I'll never forget that moment when I found out what a wise, insightful reader you are. It was so cool.

Am not. It just made sense to me... *shuffles feet*

Nope. I've paid attention to your reviews and insights since then. You have a gift. You should be in the publishing biz. (And I have a gift for knowing what people should do for a living.)

:)

Pfft. No way. You're just saying that because you're my friend. Nobody else would care one bit about anything I have to say about a book. LOL

Think about it Becky! What do you have to lose? You're young, you have time......

just think about it....

Heather wrote: "Wow...great review, Alexis. This book sounds really intense. I think I will have to check it out. "

It is really, really intense but so worth reading. Hence the creation of this thread! I never had any clue what I Am the Messenger was about but after all of this high praise I would like to read it.

I just finished Madapple, which I have already told Alexis about. I don't know if it is appropriate for all young people, so before you hand it to your 12 yr old cousin, be aware that it is dark and there are some definite adult themes (and if you hand it off anyway and get in trouble, just say "Misty recommended it" - I'll take the fall for a good book). There is something about it that is so powerful, and I think the sense of powerlessness that the main character, Aslaug, feels is very relatable for teens.
I also have to throw in a mention of Sherman Alexie'sThe Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Again, it comes with warnings, and I am sure it will end up on many banned lists, but my god, this book is incredible. Alexie is so good at mixing humor and pathos, and he addresses a lot of serious issues (alcoholism, racism, abuse, death) without pandering or sentimentality. His writing feels very authentic and true.
Both definitely worth while reads for adults and teens, and both great discussion starters.

Madapple is on my (very long) TBR list, but I have read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. It's true, though, it's for an older teen. I once had to dissuade a woman from buying it for a "very intelligent" child she knew by finally blurting out that the main character talks about masturbation a lot. She thought that was hilarious but agreed it would be inappropriate. I love the illustrations in it, though.

It's a great book, I LOVED it (PT Indian). It was my first of his, now I want to read EVERYTHING he wrote.

I saw that April marked this one to-read, and after reading Jennifer Wardrip's review I thought I should post it. I'm not sure if it belongs here or in the "Books Adults Should Read" thread, because to be honest, I don't think I can read this book. (Especially not after Wintergirls.) It sounds devastating, but it struck me as something that should be read.

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott:
"Once upon a time I was a little girl who disappeared.
Once upon a time my name was not Alice.
Once upon a time I didn't know how lucky I was.

When Alice was ten, Ray took her away from her family, her friends -- her life. She learned to give up all power, to endure all pain. She waited for the nightmare to be over.

Now Alice is fifteen and Ray still has her, but he speaks more and more of her death. He does not know it is what she longs for. She does not know he has something more terrifying than death in mind for her.

This is Alice's story. It is one you have never heard, and one you will never, ever forget."

That's the GR description, but Jennifer's review is a lot better. Has anyone else read this?

I have not read that one, but I have it on my TBR.

Same here. I saw that one of my GR friends gave it a good review awhile ago so I added it to my TBR list.

Alexis wrote: "I saw that April marked this one to-read, and after reading Jennifer Wardrip's review I thought I should post it. I'm not sure if it belongs here or in the "Books Adults Should Read" thread, becaus..."


I heard about this a few months ago; definitely TBR

Two books that I'd recommend, although maybe for older/mature teens are Left to Tell Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust, which is about a woman who survived the Rwandan Holocaust in 1994 by being crammed in a tiny bathroom with a group of other women and by relying on her faith to get her through.

I'd also recommend Black Elk Speaks Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux, the Premier Edition, which is an interesting story of a Lakota Holy Man. It offers interesting perspective about what they teach us in school about the American Indians and what they leave out.

I really think kids should read the Percy Jackson series because they're really great adventures, perfect for both boys and girls and I think it would get them interested in mythology.

Kristen wrote: "I really think kids should read the Percy Jackson series because they're really great adventures, perfect for both boys and girls and I think it would get them interested in mythology. "

I second that! Around the time The Titan's Curse was flying off the shelves, so were all of the books my department had about Greek myths. I think the best one for kids is D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths.