The House of the Scorpion

Title: The House of the Scorpion
Author: Nancy Farmer
Published: Sep 2002
ISBN: 9780689852237
Page number: 380
Price: 19.99
Reading Level: 4th grade
Interest Level: 7th-10th grade
Genre: fiction, sci-fi, dystopia
Awards: ALA Notable Children's Books, National Book Award, Booklist Editor's Choice, YALSA Best Book for Young Adults, Printz Honor Book
Plot Summary: Matt is the clone of 142 year old drug lord  El Patron. El Patron runs the country of Opium, the land that now runs between Mexico and the United States. El Patron has sustained his life by harvesting the organs of his clones. Clones are treated like animals and hated by society. Matt is kept in a hut and treated like an animal until he smashes the window and breaks out. It is then that El Patron demands that Matt is treated with respect and care. After all El Patron views Matt as himself since he is his clone. But Matt struggles with his role as El Patron's clone because he knows his role is to provide El Patron with a new heart. Matt's days are numbered as El Patron falls sick and Matt knows that his only hope is to escape. Matt fears that he will never be accepted by society because his not seen as human, but rather a worthless animal with no soul.
Reader's Annotation: El Patron plans to live forever with the help of the organs he gets from his clones. Matt, El Patrons clone has dreams of escaping and having a chance at his own life.
Bibliotherapeutic usefulness: The story poses many ethical question on the what makes us human, identity and the idea of a soul. Teens can explore these ethical questions through a thought provoking sci-fi noel
Issues: Matt is treated like less than human and is told that he does not have a soul. El Patron has humans on his property that are called "eejits" they are basically humans who are controlled by brain implants. They do whatever they are told and don't do anything without being told to do so. This means that some die because someone forgets to tell them to stop working or to get a drink. The "eejits" are seen as disposable.
Book Talk Ideas: Clones are very real issues ever since the cloning of a sheep. The book talk could start by asking what people's opinions about clones are. This book may questions people's assumptions and ideas about what makes us human. 
Main Themes: human cloning, ethics, survival, souls, humanity
Read-alikes: The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson, Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
Author Website: http://www.nancyfarmerwebsite.com/
Professional Reviews: Kirkus Reviews
Publisher's Weekly
Why this book was chosen: Nancy Farmer is a well known author whose books are very popular. This story deals with many ethical issues that not many books address or deal with.

Unwind

Title: Unwind
Author: Neal Shusterman
Published: Nov 2007
ISBN: 9781416912040
Price: 17.99
Other books in the series: Unstrung, UnWholly
Genre: dystopian, horror
Reading Level: 5th grade
Interest Level: 9th-12th grade
Awards: YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers
Plot Summary: In a futuristic America the issue of abortion was battled over in a bloody civil war. The sides finally agreed on a compromise. Babies can no longer be aborted but instead parents have the option to retroactively abort their child when they are between the ages of 13 and 18. This retroactively abortion is known as unwinding. Teens that are sent to be unwind are harvest for their body parts and their parts go to other people in need. The idea is that the person lives on through someone else.  No one seems to mind this, except for those being unwind. Connor, Lev and Risa are three teens who are all being sent to be unwound but through a set of coincidences the three teens end up on the run together in an attempt to avoid being cut into pieces. But with the police determined to find them the chances of them surviving are low.
Review: The story is an interesting with the idea of UnWinding. How would society be different if organ donation was no longer and issue because unwanted teens supplied all the transplants you could ever need. The story also focuses on issues of the soul and what makes us human. While the story was suspenseful with elements of creepy horror I found the overall plot to be a bit unbelievable. I had a hard time seeing how Unwinding would somehow be a compromise for the two sides on the abortion issue. I also couldn't imagine a parent who loves their child all of a sudden sending them to be unwound because they were suddenly difficult. I can see how the story can be gripping and interesting to some but for me it just seemed to far outside of reality to be believable.
Reader's Annotation: In future America teens can be unwound, a process that harvest their body parts. Three teens being sent for unwinding are determined not to be harvest but can they survive.
Bibliotherapeutic usefulness: The story explores issues of what happens when we die and the soul. Teens can explore these issues through a fictional story. Teens can also relate to Connors, Isa and Lev's struggle to survive and battle against a society gone wrong. 
Issues: Lev is sent to be unwound as a religious tithe, basically his family is sending him to his death because of their religious beliefs. This may offend some religious people. There is also the issue of teens being sent to be harvest for their organs by their parents. The story may offend some parents who feel that it places parents in a negative light. There is also a very gruesome scene in which the author describes a teen being taken apart bit by bit as part of the unwinding process.
Book Talk Ideas: The book talk could focus on the idea of harvesting someone for their organs, does that person's soul still live on? 
Main Themes: survival, souls, organ harvesting, abortion,
Read-alikes: Eve and Adam by Michael Grant
Author Website: http://www.storyman.com/
Professional Reviews: Kirkus Reviews
Publisher's Weekly
Why this book was chosen: This book was a part of the Oregon Battle of the Books for 2013. The book has received rave reviews and presents some interesting issues of death, souls, and abortion.

The Giver

Title: The Giver
Author: Lois Lowry
ISBN: 978-0-547-42477-4
Published: 2011, originally 1993
Price: 19.99
Pages: 208
Genre: fiction, dystopia
Other books in the series: Gathering Blue, Messenger, Sons
Awards: Newbery Award
Reading Level: 6th grade
Interest Level: 6-9th grade
Plot Summary: Jonas lives in a society with very strict rules of conduct and behavior. At a certain age they are allowed certain privileges. Jonas has reached the age that he will be given his assignment. Each child when they reach a certain age are give their job assignments after careful observation. Jonas has been assigned a job that few are given, one with great stature and pride. Jonas is to be a recorder. The last recorder, who now no one is to speak of was released. People are released, or so they are told into another world. What Jonas doesn't know is that being released is not what he told, instead is something quite horrific. Jonas is to be trained by a very old man, the current recorder. Jonas doesn't really know what a recorder does, he just knows he is responsible for holding memories and information. But what Jonas learns may change the way he sees his society and their way of life. Will Jonas be able to live in this world after he learns all the secrets?
Review: This classic is a great dystopian novel for younger readers. There are some disturbing scenes in the story, especially the scene in which Jonas' father kills the newborn baby. But that scene really shows just how disturbing the society in which Jonas lives has become. The story poses a lot of questions on human nature, suffering, emotions and choice. You also see Jonas grow from an innocent child to an adolescent that sees the faults and horrors of his society. He is forced to make very difficult choices and leave his family behind in order to save baby Gabriel. The story examines what it is that makes us human and how important emotions, even the hard ones, are important. The society in the story live without emotions and color and really have no choice. They do this to protect people from pain but as Jonas learns pain is a part of life.
Reader's Annotation: Jonas lives without hunger, without pain and without fear. When he is assigned the job of recorder Jonas doesn't know what to expect. What he finds is the dark secrets his society tries to hide.
Main Themes: emotions, dystopian, death, family
Bibliotheraputic Usefulness: The story shows how a society without emotions and things that can cause pain is not a full life. Jonas deals with learning of what his society has kept from him and how their quest to have a perfect society is not right or okay. Jonas struggles to go against what he was grown up believing. Readers will connect with Jonas as he fights against his oppressive society.
Issues: The society in which Jonas lives is very controlling and oppressive. They send people off to be released but actually they are being killed. There is a scene in which Jonas witnesses his father killing a newborn baby because the society only takes the stronger of a set of twins.
Book Talk Ideas: The story focuses on memories so the book talk could start by having teens focus on their favorite memory, then their least favorite memory. Then you could ask teens if they would be willing to erase their least favorite memory in exchange for never experiencing their favorite memory. This will give insight into what is going on with Jonas and his society.

Read-alikes: Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Author Website: www.loislowry.com
Professional Reviews: Kirkus Reviews
Publisher's Weekly
Why this book was chosen: The Giver is a classic and has created controversy for it's content. Many people think the material is too mature for the age group. But the story has some important thoughts and ideas on memories, emotions and what makes us human.

The Maze Runner

Title: The Maze Runner
Author: James Dashner
Published: Oct. 2009
ISBN: 0385737947
Page number: 374
Price: $16.99
Other books in the Series: The Scorch Trials, The Death Cure, The Kill Order
Genre: dystopia, fantasy
Reading Level:  6th grade
Interest Level: 6th grade and up
Awards: YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults (2011), Abraham Lincoln Award (2012), Reviewers' Choice Award Nominee for Best Young Adult Paranormal/Fantasy Novel (2009)
Plot Summary: Thomas wakes up to find himself in the Glade with no recollection of life before he awoke. The Glade is home to a bunch of young boys called Gladers who each have a job to do in the Glade. Outside the Glade lies a large maze that closes every night. Every day the boys work to try and get out of the maze but they can't seem to find the exit before the maze closes every night. At night strange and deadly creatures come out of the maze and the boys must retreat to the Glade for safety.  Everyone month a new boy shows up, just like Thomas, and they have no idea of life before the  maze but the day after Thomas shows up a girl appears. That is when everything goes wrong. The maze doesn't close at night and the Gladers are now exposed to the dangers within the maze. Their only choice for survival is to escape but what lies outside the maze? 
Review: The story is fast paced and action packed. The mystery of the maze and why they are all there drives the story. Though it seems that as the story moves along there is more questions than answers. Of course the story is part of a series so many of those question can be answered in later stories. There is quite a bit of violence but the story is one of survival and not every kid in the maze makes it out. The story ends on a cliffhanger with the reader eager to start the next book.
Reader's Annotation: Thomas wakes up to find himself in a maze with no idea of who he is or where he is. Thomas is just another boy who has found himself trapped in the maze but everything changes when a girl shows up.
Book Talk Ideas: The story is built on mystery and suspense so that same feeling should be brought to the book talk. Perhaps using many of the stories unknowns to draw in the audience.
Issues: The story is a dystopian theme with violence, betrayal and government conspiracy.

Main Themes: secrecy, violence, coming of age, survival, betrayal, government conspiracy

Bibliotherapeutic usefulness: The story is one of survival and struggle and teens perhaps gain strength from the characters ability to overcome deadly creatures and other trials in the maze.
Read-alikes: Code by Kathy Reichs and Shade's Children by Garth Nix
Author Website: http://www.jamesdashner.com/
Professional Reviews: Kirkus Reviews

Why chose this book: The series is very popular, especially amont teen boys who love the action and suspense. The story has received some controversy for it's violence.

The Knife of Never Letting Go

Title: The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking #1)
Author: Patrick Ness
Other books in the series: The Ask and the Answer, Monsters of Men
ISBN: 1406310255
Pages: 496
Price: $18.99
Genre: Sci-fi, dystopia
Reading Level: 6th grade
Interest Level: 9th grade and up
Awards: Guardian Children's Fiction Prize (2008), YALSA Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults (2011)
Plot Summary: Todd Hewitt lives in Prentisstown, a town like no other. Prentisstown has no woman, and everyone can hear each other's thoughts, even the thoughts of animals. The noise, as they call it, is a constant part of life. All the woman in Todd's town have died, including his mother. The source of their death was a disease that they caught from the native species on the planet that they refer to as Spackle. The town told Todd that it is this disease that causes everyone to be able to hear each other's thoughts. Todd is the youngest in the town and is on the verge of becoming a man. Though not too long before his 13th birthday, Todd discovers place out in the swamps that is silent, a place where there is no noise. Todd's attempts to keep this a secret fail and his adoptive parents force him to leave Prentisstown due to some fear that they will not share with Todd. As Todd and his dog, Manchee, try to escape they are chased down by Aaron, the resident pastor, who does not have the best intentions for Todd. Todd also finds the source of the silence, a girl who was sent with her parents on a scouting  mission from another planet. Unfortunately, her parents were killed when her ship crashed. Todd can't hear her thoughts and he soon fears that she will catch the disease and die. So Todd and the girl, Viola, take off with Manchee to flee Aaron and see if they can find help. They soon find another village that has woman and Todd starts to learn the truth about Prentisstown. Though the men of Prentisstown come after Todd and take out anyone in their path. Aaron is determined to capture Viola and kill Todd. But how can you escape when none of your thoughts are secret?
Critical Review: The book has a unique feel, in that it has an almost old west type of setting with a sci-fi twist. The storyline is fast paced due to all the action and it keeps the reader very engaged through out the story. The book can be a bit difficult to read at the beginning since the spelling and vocabulary reflects that of the people of Prentisstown. Though after a while it becomes very easy to read. I also liked the way the noise is represented. Each persons thoughts are represented by a different font and at times the noise is so jumbled it's unreadable, which really helps get across the idea of the noise. The book does have quite a bit of violence, but I think the fact that Todd struggles with his part of violence shows just how it can affect a person. Patrick Ness is able to create a story, that while violent still has a lot of emotion.
Reader's Annotation: Prentisstown has many secrets. For instance what happened to all the women? And why can everyone hear each other's thoughts? Todd Hewitt is about to become a man but just before his 13th birthday he discovers the biggest secret of all: silence. What is behind the silence in the swamp and how can you keep a secret when everyone can hear your thoughts?
Book talk ideas: I would focus my book talk on the idea that everyone can hear each other's thoughts. Teens could relate to this idea of being bombarded with constant thoughts since they live in the digital age and it seems that teens are constantly being exposed to a constant stream of media.
Issues: The story is violent and it has it's own unique form of swearing. Also, the religious figure in the story is the stories main villan.
Main Themes: secrecy, dystopia, violence, coming of age, space travel
Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Todd was raised with believing things were one way only to find out that he has been lied to. The story shows Todd's struggle to find the truth and to become a man. Teens can relate to Todd's struggle for the truth and his growth into adulthood.
Read alikes: Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card, Divergent by Veronica Roth
Author Website: http://www.patrickness.com/
Professional Reviews: Kirkus Reviews
Why this book was chosen: The story received critical acclaim and has been popular due to it's dystopian themes. It features a male lead character and is action packed which draws in lots of reluctant readers.

Ship Breaker

Title: Ship Breaker

Author: Paolo Bacigalupi

Published: May 2010

Pages: 326

Price: $16.99

ISBN: 0316056219

Other books in the series: Drowned Cities

Reading Level: 6th grade

Interest Level: 8th grade and up

Awards: National Book Award Finalist, Printz Award, Locus Award

Plot Summary: Nailer is a young boy who lives in the gulf coast which has been flooded by the rising waters. To make money Nailer scavenges tanker ships for copper wiring and other raw goods. It's a long, tireless and dangerous job but it's how Nailer survives. Everyone in Nailer's village is looking for a "lucky strike" that find that will set them up for life and get them out of their job working on tanker crews. Then one day after a storm Nailer's "lucky strike" happens. An expensive and beautiful Clipper ship is shipwrecked on shore and Nailer is the first to find it. The bought could be scavenged for more wealth than he could possible ever make in a year of tanker scavenge. But it turns out there is something far more valuable on the ship, a young rich girl. He know has two choices save the girl and risk his life or pillage the ship for all it's wealth and the the girl to her fate.

Critical Review: Ship Breaker is a gritty, faced paced dystopia novel filled with violence, bleak surrounding but colorful well developed characters. Nailer's grueling life of stripping tanker ships is nothing compared to the struggles he goes through to save himself and Nita, the rich girl from the boat from her tribes who want her dad and Nailer's drug addicted violent father who wants to exploit the girl for her wealth. At times the violence was almost too much, but it really helps tell the story of the how people lived and survived in the story. Without all the grit the story would seem to clean, too happy and the story line wouldn't feel the same, it wouldn't have that grim and desperate feeling.

Reader's Annotation: Nailer is forced to scavenge tankers and risk his life everyday in small dark holes while dreaming of a better life. Then one day his dream comes to him in the form of a crashed clipper ship, but the treasures on the ship go beyond gold, oh no the treasure Nailer finds is something far more valuable.

Issues Present: The story contains some very graphic violent scenes. There is also drugs and alcohol abuse in the story which some find offensive.

Main Themes: poverty, survival, greed, abuse, addiction, friendship

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Nailer lives a life of poverty, abuse and bleak surroundings. A teen living in similar situations can relate to Nailer's struggles and those who are more fortunate can develop empathy for those who have to struggle to survive.

Read alikes: Ashfall by Mike Mullin, The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd, Trash by Andy Mulligan

Author Website: http://windupstories.com/

Professional Reviews: Kirkus Reviews

Publisher's Weekly

Why Chose this Book? While the book is set in the future it deals with some very current issues of poverty and survival. The bleak environment shows how rough life is for the children who are forced to salvage inorder to live. The book is an award winner and has an action packed plot that pulls the reader in.

The Hunger Games

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Published: Sept. 2008
ISBN: 0439023483
Page number: 374
Price:$10.99
Other Books in the Series: Catching Fire, Mockingjay
Reading Level: 7th grade 
Interest Level: 6th grade and up
Awards: ALA Notable Children's Book for Older Readers (2008), School Library Journal Best Book of the Year (2008), Cybils Award for Young Adult Fantasy and Science Ficton (2008), ALA's Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults (2009), New York Times Notable Children's Book (2009), Publisher's Weekly Best Books of the Year (2008), Horn Book Fanfare (2008)
Plot Summary: North America is now known as Panem and consists of 12 districts that are all controlled by The Capitol. Years before there was a war and the 13th district was completed destroyed and after that The Capitol started the Hunger Games to remind the people of Panem of how violence destroyed them. The Hunger Games are a yearly game that has teens from the ages 12-18 fighting for their life until only one emerges as the sole survivor and winner. The tributes as they are called are chosen at random every year and each district choses a boy and girl to compete. Katniss is from one of the poorest districts and when her sister is chosen she volunteers to go in her place. Now Katniss is part of the televised spectacle that is The Hunger Games. She may not have the training or powerful backing that some of the other tributes has but Katniss is determined to win and come back to her family. But can Katniss survive or will she just be another in a long line of those who fall victim to The Hunger Games.
Review: The story is exciting and suspenseful with lots of action at every turn. But Suzanne Collins does a great job of showing just how manipulative The Capitol can be. While there is plenty of violence in the book there is also lots of remorse and emotion associated with the deaths. I believe this shows the appalling nature of such violence rather than glorifying the violence. I also think that Collins has created a great character in Katniss. Even though Katniss at times can come across as too practical and emotionless she exposes a softer side at times, especially in the case of Rue that readers will find appealing. 
Reader's Annotation: Every year The Capitol holds The Hunger Games, a fight to the death with only one winner. Every year each of the 12 districts of Panem will chose 2 tributes that are 12-18 years old. But when Katniss's little sister is chosen to be apart of the games she volunteers to take her place. Now Katniss must outwit and kill her opponents and survive the games but will the odds be ever in her favor?
Bibliotherapeutic usefulness: The book can allow teens to see someone they relate to overcome great odds and survive. They can be inspired to overcome their own challenges. It may also show how corrupt people with control can become and that you have to fight for what is right even when it is difficult.
Issues: The book is a very bleak depiction of the future that includes a corrupt and overly powerful government. There is quite a lot of violence and death of young children and teens that many may find to be over the top or offensive.
Book Talk Ideas: 
Genre: dystopia
Main Themes: survival, government control
Read-alikes: Divergent by Veronica Roth, Blood Red Road by Moira Young
Author Website:http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/
Professional Reviews: Kirkus Reviews
Publisher's Weekly
Why this book was chosen: This series is widely popular with teens and adults especially since the series has been turned into movies. It has hooked a lot of reluctant readers into reading again and with it's popularity has brought about controversy with it's violence and bleak depiction of the future.