Sorta Like A Rock Star by Matthew Quick

Maybe I am a freak – but I’m one hopeful misfit, and  you could be worse things in this world. True? True.

Amber Appleton is homeless after her mother's latest loser boyfriend kicks them out of his apartment.  They live in “Hello Yellow” - the very school bus her mother drives students to school in each day, along with Bobby Big Boy, the dog she found near death in a box.  Despite her dire living conditions, Amber succeeds in being optimistic.  She considers herself a misfit and hangs out with a group of other misfits. She has a kind heart and has a way of positively affecting all she comes into contact with.  She looks out for an autistic boy, teaches English to a group of Korean women, volunteers at a retirement home and is friends with a grumpy Vietnam Vet.  When Amber experiences an unimaginable tragedy and withdraws from life, the people she has cared for the most rallies behind her and shows her what unconditional love is. This book tugs at your heartstrings and is highly recommended.

Heart and Soul: THe Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson

Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans words and paintings by Kadir Nelson

 You have to know where you come from so you can move forward.

What first attracted me to this book were the paintings.  So striking, so bold, so brilliant.  Nelson is an expert at capturing light in just the right way and the minute details of faces and hands.  In my opinion, all of the paintings in this book are worthy of being admired any art gallery.  However, the paintings alone are not what are so great about Heart and Soul.  The story itself is educational and inspiring.  It is narrated by an old, unnamed African American woman who candidly talks about the history of African Americans in America.  She begins by talking about her grandfather who was captured in his native Africa and brought to America to become a slave and ends with her casting her vote for the nation’s first African American president.  This is a book than be shared by the entire family.  It offers a great starting point for discussions on the struggles, contributions, and accomplishments of African American in America.  I highly recommend it.

What Can't Wait by Ashley Hope Perez

“There’s no magic here, just my own life.”

Seventeen-year-old Marisa comes from a family of Mexican immigrants and lives in Houston, Texas. She was raised to be an obedient and dutiful daughter. Like all members of her family, she is expected to work and contribute her wages to help with the household bills. In addition, she is responsible for taking care of her young niece and the preparation of all her family’s meals. Despite all that she does for her family, Marisa manages to get good grades in school. In fact, her math teacher is so impressed that she strongly encourages Marisa to apply to college. When she is accepted into the engineering program at a school in Austin, she finally begins to realize that she can aspire to do more with her life than what her family expects of her. For once, she begins to believe her dreams of leaving home, earning a college degree and getting a good job can come true. However, she faces a huge dilemma: should she follow her dreams or remain bound by family obligations? This realistic look into the life of a Mexican-American teenager will resonate with many.

The Upper Room by Mary Monroe

“Y’all don’t understand. Mo’reen ain’t no regular child. She a gift from the Lord. Her presence make the upper room so special.”


If you’re in the mood for a quick read with snappy dialog, vivid imagery and a little bit suspense, then this is the book for you. Mama Ruby, the seventh born daughter of a seventh born daughter, is believed to have special powers. In fact, her “healing hands” brought her best friend Othella’s still born daughter back to life. Since Mama Ruby had always longed to have her very own daughter, she took this as a sign that the baby was a gift from God. So, without a word to Othella, Mama Ruby steals off into the night with the baby she named Maureen and settles in a migrant community outside of Miami. While there she quicklyearns the reputation of someone not to be played with. She “chastises” those who dare to cross her and has her son Virgil help her hide the bodies. THE UPPER ROOM is filled with a cast of colorful characters and just enough drama and suspense to keep you turning the pages and craving for more. The prequel to this story, MAMA RUBY, is set to be released in July 2011.

You Don't Even Know Me by Sharon Flake

“I sit in your class, I play by your rules. I’m young, I’m fly, I’m Black. So, of course I think I’m cool…”



This companion to Who Am I Without Him: Short Stories About Girls and the Boys in Their Lives will challenge all who read it to consider if they really do know boys after all. Through short stories and poems, Flake introduces readers to a wide range of boys. One sixteen-year-old is set to married his pregnant girlfriend while another is desperate to find the person responsible for killing his beloved grandfather. There’s also a boy who is seduced by his neighbor and one who is scared to tell his uncle he’s HIV positive so he writes a touching letter instead. Flake also takes on other heavy topics such as suicide, obesity and gangs. Each story and poem is written the way teens speak, making it easily accessible to them without being too preachy. I really enjoyed this book and I think many teens will too.

Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing by Ann Angel

“Forty years after her death, Janis Joplin still fascinates.”

Generally, biographies written for teens can be boring. They often contain a few black and white photographs with information presented in such a stale way that teens will only want to skim through them to attain information needed for school reports. Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing certainly breaks the mold of humdrum biography. First of all, each page border is beautifully decorated with colorful swirl patterns making it an attractive book to explore. Furthermore, author Angel writes in a conversational style that is sure to appeal to teens. Using quotes from various interviews by and about Joplin during her heyday, helps to make this an engrossing read. Angel tackles Joplin’s Texas childhood, college days and drug use as well as her various relationships, and concludes by discussing her untimely death caused by an accidental drug overdose. For those who want an honest look into 1960’s rock and roll, as well as intimate details on music icon, this is not a book to be missed.

A Boy Called Twister by Anne Schraff

“Finally, he had nothing to hide. He was just another kid in the class – a boy called Twister.”

Kevin Walker, the new kid at Tubman High School, is determined to remain a loner so that other students won’t ask him too many questions. He’s scared of how his classmates will react if they find out his family secrets. He doesn’t want to be judge or treated differently. To ease the burden he carries, he likes to run. It helps him to blow off steam. Once others notice how awesome a runner he is, he’s asked to join the track team. He immediately has a huge impact on the team, helping them to finally win track meets. Because Kevin is as fast as a tornado when he runs around the track, he earns the nickname “Twister.” However, being a successful member of the team draws a lot of unwanted attention Kevin’s way. Will he decide to open up to his new friends and reveal his secrets, or will he keep them bottled up inside?


As part of Saddleback Educational Publishing’s Urban Underground series, this book is designed specifically for reluctant teen readers. Coming in at just under 200 pages, it focuses on issues many teens deal with such as bullies, self-esteem, drugs, and dropouts, just to name a few. Although I believe the author hits you over the head one too many times with the message, I still enjoyed this book. It is a good, clean read that I would enthusiastically recommend to any teen or tween who wants to read realistic, urban fiction.