The Outsiders

The Outsiders (Hinton, S.E., 1967, 192 pages, ISBN 9780140385724)

Though it was written more than 40 years ago, The Outsiders remains a relevant and compelling novel for young readers today.  The author, S.E. Hinton, knew a few things about teens and tweens, as she was only 15 when she began writing the novel.  The Outsiders is about two rival groups of teenage boys, the Greasers, poor boys from the wrong side of the tracks, and the Socs, society boys with money and privilege.  Certainly the tension between those two classes has not dissipated since the time of this book.

The protagonist, Ponyboy, is a Greaser living with his two older brothers after their parents have died.  Though he is not terribly violent, Ponyboy finds himself involved in a knife fight that goes awry when Greaser Johnny kills a Soc.  Johnny is on the run but about to turn himself in when he and Ponyboy come upon a church on fire with children trapped inside.  Their heroism ultimately costs Johnny his life, and Ponyboy must face the aftermath of the tragedy and destruction in which he has been involved.

A subplot to the story is Ponyboy’s friendship with Cherry, a Soc.  The two develop a sweet though forbidden friendship that helps Ponyboy realize not all Soces are alike.  Through this storyline, Hinton interjects poetry by Robert Frost.  Readers would not expect a Greaser to be fond of poetry, and readers who are not already familiar with Frost benefit by their exposure to the beauty of his words.  The Outsiders will evoke a range of emotions, and the timeless story of a hero who does not know his place in the world is sure to continue to be relevant and universal.

Mockingbird

  Mockingbird (Erskine, Kathryn; Philomel/Penguin, 2010 235 p. 978039925268 $16.99)


Young Caitlin navigates her way through life with much assistance from her older brother, Devon.  But when Devon is suddenly gone and Caitlin’s father is desperate with grief, Caitlin does not understand the situation nor how to cope with it.  This novel deals with two important issues—Asperger’s syndrome and random acts of violence—in a way that is accessible for young readers.

Ages 10-14

Homecoming

Homecoming (Voigt, Cynthia; 1981; New York: Simon Pulse; 402 pages; ISBN 9780689851322)
 
A 13-year-old girl, the eldest in a family of four children, assumes responsibility for her siblings when their mother apparently abandons them.  This novel sets the stage for the sequel, Dicey’s Song.

Out of the Dust

Out of the Dust (Hesse, Karen; 1997; Scholastic; 227 pages; ISBN 9780590360807)

Narrated by Billie Jo, a young girl struggling in Oklahoma during the Great Depression, this novel in verse introduces young readers to poetry and history through the voice of a thoughtful young survivor.

(Ages 11 and up)

Fever 1793

Fever 1793 (Anderson, Laurie Halse; 2000, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; 251 p., ISBN 9780689838583)

If the cover art with the close up of a yellowed eye does not grab you, the plot of this gripping novel will.  The story opens with a description of protagonist Mathilda (Mattie) Cook waking up on a sweltering August day in Philadelphia, 1793.  A buzzing mosquito—an ominous sign of the tragedy to come—provides the background noise as Mattie begins her morning routine of dressing and helping her widowed mother with chores.  The Cooks run a coffee house, popular in Philadelphia during this period, as the author explains in the appendix.  Her mother is all work and efficiency with no joy since Mattie’s father died.  Her grandfather, a celebrated war hero, adds humor and the gift of storytelling to Mattie’s life while helping with the coffee house.  But when their assistant, a young, healthy girl, dies suddenly from a fever, things go downhill fast.

The story follows the true account of the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia that killed 5,000 people in a matter of months.  Each chapter begins with the date (the story moves ver y quickly, in part because the timeline is so short) and a quote from a Philadelphan from that time which corresponds with the progress of the fever’s plague.  These details, along with mentions of actual politicians such as then President Washington, lend vivid color to this story that is already fascinating, thanks to Anderson’s concise, descriptive writing.  Philadelphia was the nation’s capital at this time, and the images of people boarding up and abandoning their homes and, in some cases, their ill relatives, is especially striking given this fact.

In addition to addressing the health epidemic, the story also includes themes of family, budding love, and the emerging role of free African Americans in the country at this time.  As with all of her books, this is a title to add to the bookshelf of any school library.

The Truth About Forever

 The Truth About Forever (Dessen, Sarah; 2004; Viking; 374 p. ISBN 9780670036394) 

Macy Queen misses her deceased father terribly, but she can’t turn to her mother for comfort because her mother is barely hanging on herself.  She could turn to her perfect boyfriend, but he is leaving for the summer.   That leaves her with a boring job, and a surprising friendship with a new boy who helps her to see things in a new light.