"to dance a ballerina's graphic novel" by Siena Cherson Siegel

How many of you took dance lessons when you were a little child? Did it make you want to just dance all the time? If you did not and are wondering why someone would want to take up dancing, then "to dance" is the story you need to read. In this graphic novel, a story told with pictures if you did not know what that was, Siena Siegel takes you on her personal journey of becoming a dancer. The pictures tell as much of the story as her words do. You follow her from her home in Puerto Rico to New York and back again until the family decides to move to New York permanently for Siena to study dance. What was it like to go to school, then to dance classes, and then repeat for 5 days a week. Talk about dedication. To find out more, read the book.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Suicide, a scary word, that none of us ever really want to hear. Has anyone ever known anyone that committed suicide? I have and to this day I wonder what events led my friends 16 year old granddaughter to hang herself in the family barn. I still remember my friend not understanding either even though there was a note left behind that said Tiffany loved her family, but no explanation to WHY. In one of our conversations, Janet (the grandmother, who was raising Tiffany), told me that when she got to heaven, the first thing she was going to do was get Tiff and make her explain the Why's. In Thirteen Reasons Why, Clay receives a box of cassette tapes in the mail, seven tapes, 13 sides of why Hannah Baker, a fellow student decided to end her life. Clay is one of thirteen people who listen and follow Hannah's story and how this will affect how he views the people around him. To find out more, just pick up this book and read it.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, Adult book for YA

Do you believe that everyone has a certain path to follow? Do you ever wonder what your path is? In "The Alchemist", Santiago, our hero, goes off on a quest to find his "personal legend". As our story begins, Santiago is living in the southern part of Spain and explains to us how he chose to be a shepherd of sheep. His parents had wanted him to be a priest and while at seminary, Santiago realizes that he wants to travel and see a bigger world, so his father gives him his inheritance and says the only people who travel are shepherds. Then the story jumps into Santiago's present where he has a dream of going to the pyramids and finding a great treasure. The next day, an old man claiming to be a king presents himself to Santiago and talks about the paths people follow, the risks, how some never find their personal legend even though it is there for all. Santiago decides that he must follow the dream to fullfill his legend and along the way he meets some good people, some bad people, and the love of his life. Does he find the treasure? What obstacles will be set in his path, how will his faith be enough. This is a very spiritual story that made me look at my choices to find my personal legend. Read it and it might set you on your own course to find your personal legend.

"The Giver" by Lois Lowry

Do you ever wonder what the future will be like? Lois Lowry's "The Giver" does just that, gives you a taste of what the future could be like. In this ethiopian society, there is no more war, there is plenty of food to eat, each family has two children; a boy and a girl. Children are given their life assignments based on their personality and talents. It is on this special day that we meet Jonas, one of the children ready to embark on his chosen career. What career will he get, will he be happy with what the elders have chosen for him? Jonas is given the job of "Giver" and this gets him started on a path that maybe he does not want to take especially after he learns more about what the job the Giver has. To find out what job the Giver has and what decisions Jonas will make, you will have to pick up Lowry's "The Giver" and find out for yourself.

Booktalk for "Rats Saw God" by Rob Thomas

Have you ever been in love, really in love? Or how well do you think you get along with a parent, especially if one parent was a famous astronaut? In "Rats Saw God" you will meet Steve York, a senior at a San Diego high school on the verge of not graduating. A typical day for Steve is to score some weed, maybe attend a class, and just get through the day. Unfortunately, or fortunately one day he gets caught high in English class and gets sent to the counselor's office. The counselor, Mr. DeMouy is curious to find out why a straight "A" student in Texas is now failing most of his classes and is close to not graduating at all. Mr. DeMouy sees something in Steve and sets him on a mission; write a 100 page document or attend summer school in order to graduate. You get to follow Steve as he writes about the past three years of his life, his move to Texas with his father, "the astronaut", his friends, and meet the love of his live, Dub. In between these chapters you will see what he is doing with his life in San Diego and what the future will end up holding for him, kind of a story inside a story.

Booktalk for Identical by Ellen Hopkins

Have you ever wondered what it was like to be a twin? To be half of a whole? Now fraternal twins are two eggs at the same time, but to be identical twins is to be one egg that split into two little beings at the same time. How does that shape your lives, who you are, what you want to do. In Identical you will meet Raeanne and Kayleigh, identical twins who are struggling with a very dysfunctional family. Mom is a high powered soon to be elected Congresswoman. She is never home and when she is, you don't really connect with her unless you are sharing a bottle of wine. Then there is Daddy, the Judge, who pays "Special" attention to Kayleigh (not in a good way), spends too much time drinking Turkey whiskey and popping pills. Then you see how each of the girls deals with this lack of parenting and what it all stems from. The story told in verse with each of the twins speaking seperately, but the story flowing from one girl to the next. What kind of ending can this dysfunctional family find when one girl binges, purges, cuts herself to let out the pain and the other uses drugs and sex to deal with their issues. I was totally suprised at the ending of this book and you will be too, but first you have to dive in and read it.