Hey there Mrs. Librarian Lady!
My sister only reads "gossip" books such as the Beacon Street Girls and Lauren Myracle's books. I have encouraged her to read other books (SotINF, Eragon, Funke) but she refuses to read them.
Are there any books to prepare or segue her into middle school books from her current interests?
Hey T.lo!!
Thanks so much for writing to me! It is really nice of you to want to help your sister to read more interesting and complex books. The only thing I might say is that if she really enjoys reading “gossip” books, she may not be interested in reading other genres like fantasy, sci-fi, or horror. Some advice I might give your sister is to try reading some realistic fiction that deals with real life issues that are sort of like the “gossip” books. She could start with some that are easy to read and then move on to more complex books later. Here are a few of my favorite realistic books for tweens.
Happy reading to you!
Mrs. Librarian Lady
Messed Up by Janet Nichols Lynch (Holiday House, 2009)
R.D. is stuck in limbo in the San Joaquin Valley school system. He's repeating 8th grade again and is sick of seeing the same old stuff day after day, and being Mexican and Cheyenne doesn’t help either. Living in a gangland, he’s neutral, but there are those who wear red or blue and fight for no reason at all. R.D. lives with his grandmother's boyfriend Earl, who takes really good care of him while Grandma is off with her new boyfriend and his mom is in the State Pen. One thing is for sure, R.D. has got a great heart. He does do some messed up things, but he is just trying to get by in life and some how, some way, R.D. knows he will do great things. He figures out how to take care of himself, feed himself, and make money. R.D. is a great main character who brings to light the difficulties of growing up in hard times and in diverse communities. He also ends up making some great friends and deep connections. R.D. is a great example of a teen overcoming adversity. Even more inspiring is that Lynch ascends R.D. to reach the highest heights.
**ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers 2010
The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2010).
13 year-old girl Kyra lives in a community of polygamists. She doesn’t know any other way of life, but she begins to learn that she lives a very different life than others outside her community. She has one dad, three mothers and twenty siblings. However, one day the head of their community called The Prophet comes to their house to speak to her dad. In a very distressful meeting Kyra finds out that she is to be married to her sixty year-old uncle. He already has six wives and she will be the seventh. Kyra is frantic and will do anything to not marry her uncle. Through Kyra’s rebellion it becomes clear that the community she lives in has a lot of secrets and a lot of control over their people. Kyra’s decisions evoke dire consequences and she is treated brutally, which paints quite a graphic picture of the Prophet and her community. Williams provides a bittersweet ending that shows that Kyra has been removed from the community and is safe, but the price she has to pay is quite dear. The Chosen One offers an intense view of polygamy and life in a closed community.
**ALA Best Books for Young Adults 2010
Haters by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez (Hachette Audio, 2006)
Review: Pasquale Rumalda Quintana de Archuleta goes by just Paski. She’s content to live in Taos, New Mexico until her father makes her move to Southern California because his comic novels are going Hollywood. Paski's dad sees this as an amazing opportunity and Paski sees this as an end to her life. The kids at her new school come from wealthy families, drive expensive cars, drink and party like adults, and the Haters rules the school. Sticking to her strong Hispanic background Paski shows teens how to survive by being true to themselves and still making the best of situations over which they have little control.
This was a very enjoyable book. Paski is a bright and cheery character with a strong voice and will of her own. The father is somewhat annoying as he drifted from being too distant to being too clingy. Paski’s Hispanic grandmother is one of the best characters in the story as she was always giving out great advice and telling Paski to stay strong. The story also offered perfect examples of what cliques are like and how teens can deal with them.
You can also read this article on Examiner.com: No More Gossip! - San Francisco young adult fiction | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/young-adult-fiction-in-san-francisco/no-more-gossip#ixzz1DiwJd9mO
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