Right Behind You by Gail Giles

Gail Giles' book, Right Behind You, is a work of fiction. If you want to learn what a person does in their life and how they feel about killing a kid when they were young, you will enjoy Right Behind You. It is a story of a boy who burned another boy for a baseball glove.

Kip was nine years old when he killed a kid who was making fun of him about his mother so he just burned him alive. There were a lot of people who hated him and his father because of the murder. Kip’s life was terrible. Through most of the story, he doesn’t want happiness because of the crime he did and he can’t tell anybody about his past or his real name. 

Kip’s life got a little better when he started a new life and he wanted to tell all of his friends about his past but his parents didn’t want him to tell anybody. So Kip had to keep his secret to himself forever and he couldn’t tell anybody about it. That was the problem he had and he wanted to tell anybody who was close with him like family and friends. He wanted them to accept him as the person he is. 

There were some moments when he was enjoying his life but then his thoughts would turn to bad memories. His parents still had hope for Kip that he could find happiness in his life. However, Kip thinks he does not deserve it. If you are interested and want to find out more you should read Right Behind You.

Miguel M.

Right Behind You by Gail Giles

Gail Giles’ book, Right Behind You, is a fictional story about a young boy named Kip. If you are into mystery and suspense, then you would enjoy reading Right Behind You.

This book tells the story of a little boy named Kip McFarland who set his next door neighbor, Bobby Clarke, on fire. Due to this mistake made by Kip, he is forced to spend the next few years of his life in a juvenile correction center. Once he enters his teenage years, Kip is released and he moves to Indiana to start a new life. He is forced to change his name and start all over.

Things are going very well in Indiana for Kip until he lets his secret out to a few of his teammates from swimming and they all turn on Kip. Now that this small town in Indiana knows Kip’s secret, he is forced to pack up once again with his father and his father’s girlfriend and begin another life in Texas.

Once they arrive, Kip decides that he wants to be home schooled to prevent any more leaks that could affect his family and their good life in Texas. Kip quickly meets a girl named Sam who befriends him and teaches him how to live the home schooled life in Texas. Kip begins to gain trust in Sam very early and Sam does the same with Kip. After a few weeks, Sam tells Kip a very big secret that could destroy the friendship they have built. But Kip refused to let that happen. Kip loved Sam just the same and treated her with more respect than he did before.

A few days after Sam told her secret, Kip decided it was his turn. He printed out articles from his accident and he even called Bobby’s mother to ask her opinion. After reminiscing about the incident, he wrote a letter to Sam explaining everything that happened to him. She gave him no answer, not even a response, and because of that, Kip packed his bags and planned to ship off to Dallas so his family wouldn't have to suffer. Fortunately, right before he left, he heard from Sam and she let him know that she always understood him.

If you want to understand what it is like to have to start all over and live a life you never truly know, then I strongly suggest you read Right Behind You by Gail Giles.

Kylee G.

Books Being Made Into Movies

With the Oscars behind us this now is the perfect time to introduce some great books being made into movies in either 2012 or 2013. Some of these books are more recent and some of these books were written in the 1920s as is the case with The Great Gatsby. Most of these books seem to unite around a central theme where the characters are trying to decide whether it is worth the trouble to conform to societies or social groups that are more troubled than they appear to the general public. The only book not on following this theme would be World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War which is about the spread of a plague where humans turn into zombies. Read these books to find out what decisions the characters make and the consequences of those decisions.

F Brooks,M

Brooks, Max World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War  (2012)

Max Brooks is an agent of the United Nations Postwar Commission depicting the history of ‘World War Z’. The start of the zombie pandemic is unclear, but possibly started when a zombie bit a young boy in China who is ‘patient zero’. Why would a government conceal such a deadly plague? How could this plague spread to other countries? What countries would be affected by such a plague? How are the war tactics in this war similar to real wars in history? Could the whole human civilization collapse because of this war? If the human civilization survives, how could it recover?  

F Chbosky,S

Chobsky, Stephen The Perks of Being a Wallflower  (2012)

This story sheds light about the experiences of a high school student, Charlie. The reader gets to know Charlie and his experiences through Charlie’s letters. The letters are a mystery. Charlie is devastated because of a tragic event that happened to his best friend and Charlie has alienated himself from his friends. Will Charlie fit in with a new group of friends? Will Charlie find a girlfriend who suits him? Is Charlie’s family life causing him trouble as well? Will Charlie be able to acknowledge his own dark secret and finally face his past?   

F Fitzgerald,F

Fitzgerald, F. Scott The Great Gatsby  (2012)

Nick Carraway, a recent Yale graduate, hoping to go into the bond business, has rented a house for the summer in West Egg New York. Nick’s neighbor is the mysterious Jay Gatsby who lives in a mansion and throws lavish parties, but doesn’t really attend and partake in the drinking. In fact, many of the guests do not really know Gatsby. While Nick is visiting his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom Buchanan Nick meets the young beautiful Jordan Baker. Will Nick be accepted within a social class he is not really comfortable being a part of? Why does Gatsby throw his lavish parties? Does anyone really take the time to know Gatsby and would anyone care if anything tragic happened to him? Are the Buchanan’s really a happy couple? Will Nick come to respect or despise the people in his new social class?

F Card, O

Card, Orson Scott Ender's Game  (2013)

In this novel, government agencies mold child geniuses by training them as soldiers to protect against a hostile alien race’s next attack. Andrew “Ender” Wiggin lives with his parents, his brother Peter and his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were possible children to be trained as soldiers, but they just weren’t good enough. Ender is drafted to Battle School for the training. How does Ender deal with the loneliness of being away from his friends? How does Ender deal with the stiff competition among his peers in training with him? Is Ender the one who can save his world if the world can survive?

F Westerfeld,S

Westerfield, Scott Uglies (2012)

Tally is about to turn 16 and lives in Uglyville. Uglyville is a town set in the future where the citizens are trained to believe they are ugly until they are 16 and they undergo a surgery to turn them into “pretties.” Tally’s new friend Shay is also about to turn 16, but Shay does not want to be pretty. When Shay disappears and Tally goes after her friend. The authorities offer Tally the choice of finding her friend Shay and turning Shay in or Tally can never turn pretty. Will Tally still want to be pretty? Will the choice change Tally forever? How would the choice change Tally and the world in which she lives?   

Please Help Me God by: Sister Mary Rose McGready

I think my book was really interesting and I liked it because in every chapter it talks about a different story of homeless kids who ask God for help. There is a covenant house where Sister Mary helps every kid who tells their story about how they thought life wasn’t worth it.

It’s also a nonfiction book and I like reading books that are true life stories. What I liked most about this book was the way the kids tell their own story and after all they've been through they thank God for helping them. It grabbed my attention.

I recommend this book for others to read because it’s a good book that made me realize how important the family is and to appreciate everything God gives us. In this book, none of the kids who talk about their life experiences have their parents, which is really sad to not have family next to you during difficult moments.

I recommend you read this book; it’s a short book and it's non fiction. You will like it.

Ana C.

No Body’s Perfect By: Kimberly Kirberger

Kimberly Kirberger's book “No Body's Perfect” is simply outstanding. I found this book to be a very easy read and I connected on a personal level to many of the stories talked about in the book. If you enjoy reading stories about teens and the problems teens face, you will enjoy reading “No Body's Perfect” because it tells little individual stories of things that have happened to teens and how they overcame their problems. Teens talk about self acceptance and the search for identity but they also have emotional problems they have to fight through. Due to the reality of the stories, students will become very engaged with this book and they will find it difficult to put this book down.

Amanda W.

The Cage by Ruth Minsky Sender

Ruth Minsky Sender's book, “The Cage”, is a non fiction book. If you have read “Night and Forgotten Fire” you will enjoy reading “The Cage”. The story starts by introducing the present day of a woman who survived the holocaust and lived to tell about it. Later the story goes back to the year 1939 when Germany invades Poland. Riva, the main character, and her family need to survive this hated Nazi world. Riva had her mother taken away by the Nazis. Now, Riva has to take care of her younger brothers for survival. Later in the story Riva and her younger brothers get deported to Auschwitz and then to the work camps at Mittelstein and Grafenort. Riva and her younger brothers are separated when they arrived in Auschwitz. Riva has to survive alone knowing her younger brothers might not survive. Riva's determination and courage lets her survive in this harsh war. Riva learns the strength of the human spirit and learns a big important lesson her mother told her, "as long as there is life, there is hope". The story ends in the present day with Riva talking to her daughter and how she has become a better person.

Sergio C.

Useful Fools by C.A. Schmidt

"Useful Fools" is a cute story about one young couple. You will enjoy this book if romantic type stories are your thing because this young couple is inseparable. Alonso and Rosa helped out at their parent’s health clinic but are forced to be on the run. Alonso's mother was killed by a terrorist group and he was forced to leave the area. Yet he was able to keep his relationship with Rosa, who left her wealthy family to be with Alonso. He ended up joining the terrorist group which killed his mom.

Uriel F.

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

I liked this book because it had a good plot and always kept me wanting to read more. I think other students would like this book basically for the same reason. It has a good attention getter in the beginning of the book and Walter Dean Myers wrote a good ending. I know this book has also received several book awards.

Tommy G.

Save me from Myself by Brian Welch

I liked this book because it can help teenagers with drug addictions and how they can turn to religion for help.

Nicholas L.

Pool Boy by Michael Simmons

The book I read was Pool Boy. I liked it because it shows how a rich, spoiled kid goes from having everything in the world without working for it to losing everything. This is what happened one morning because his dad stole from the government. Now he has to work for the first time. It was interesting to read how a rich boy's life changed completely. Even the way he acted changed. Before he thought he was the best for everything and he didn't care about what other people felt. Now, he is a nice guy who likes to help and who works to get what he wants.

Stephanie S.

Taking to the Air: The Rise of Michael Jordan by Jim Naughton

Many know Michael Jordan as the best basketball player ever. However, what many people don't know is all the effort he put in and his dedication to be the best. Many people also don't know Michael transcended racial boundaries faced by other black athletes and celebrities.
I absolutely loved this book because Jim Naughton excels in taking you behind the scenes of the life of the world's greatest basketball player. He uses excellent vocabulary and makes this book different from other sports biographies. You don't have to be a big sports fan to read it. This book will change your life. When you start reading you don't want to put down the book. I would give this book five stars out of five.

Alex L.

Burned by Ellen Hopkins

What happens when a teenage girl decides to rebel against her religion and family beliefs? Or when love matters more than anything else in the world? Pattyn Von Stratton does just this and her father sends her away - away from her Mormon society and the religious beliefs that have been drilled into her head since the womb. Pattyn finds herself being sent to her Aunt Jeanette's and she could not be happier. She is given unconditional positive love from Aunt J and an unconditional summer love from Ethan. Deep, dark secrets are revealed to Pattyn about her father and she never wants to go back home.

The summer spent at Aunt Jeanette's has brought Pattyn to find her true self and destiny. But the summer comes to an end and Pattyn is faced with difficult obstacles. Will she be strong enough to keep Ethan and everything he has given her?

“Burned” is indeed worth everyone's time. The book goes into a great insight on the life of a teenage girl who is in search of her true self, not by what her family or religion has set for her. The novel is an easy flow read and will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page. Ellen Hopkins leaves a surprising and unexpected twist at the end of the book that will leave you speechless and wanting to read “Burned” again.

Ileana T.

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

"Thirteen Reasons Why", by Jay Asher, tells the story of Hannah Baker, a girl who committed suicide. One of her classmates, Clay Jenson, receives a box of cassette tapes in the mail. When he plays them, he hears Hannah's voice. She is the girl he had a crush on and who recently killed herself. On the tapes, she tells the stories of thirteen people who influenced her in some way and eventually led to her suicide. Each person has to send the tapes to the next person on the list. Clay doesn't understand what he could have possibly done to make Hannah want to end her life. For the rest of the day and night he listens to the tapes trying to find out why and make sense of what she was going through. Soon, he wishes he had never played them.

I think every teenager should read this book. In the tapes, she talks about rumors, secrets and events to which any high school student can relate.Everyone has said or done something mean to another person. Or, if that happens to them, they have someone to whom they can turn and who they can trust. In Hannah's case, she doesn't have that. No one ever wanted her to commit suicide and sometimes they weren't intentionally trying to hurt her. But they didn't think about what they were doing or they didn't realize how much something they said or did actually affects someone. It makes you think about things you've done to other people and wonder what kind of effect your actions and words have on them.



Paige L.

After the Wreck, I Picked Myself Up, Spread My Wings, and Flew Away by Joyce Carol Oates

This book is about a young girl who is in a car crash, loses her mother and has to start a new life. She moves in with her aunt in another state. She struggles to make new friends and she has a hard time giving up bad habits. Overall I truly enjoyed this book. The girl goes through many struggles other high school students go through.



Christen M.

The After Life By Gary Soto

The story I read was interesting because it was about a kid who was about 17 years old when he was murdered in a bathroom of a club. So, after his murder, he is living as a spirit who wonders around the whole city. He is able to see what other people do but they can't see him. Also, he meets a girl who died too but the only problem is they can't be normal like other people. Because both of them are dead, it is just their spirits flying around. This book is really interesting. I would recommend it to anybody.

Ismael S.

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

This was a very interesting book. It talks about how Kira (main character) went through a difficult situation in her life. In some parts of the story it was very intense. You just had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next. The book explains how Kira kept on going even thought she had a crippled leg. Gathering Blue is a very good story everybody should get a chance to read and enjoy. Kira goes through difficult situations in her life but she learns from her mistakes and she tries to fix them, alone or with her friend, Matt, and his dog Branchie. Kira's goal was to make the dye blue for her robe. Because Matt saw her work really hard to get blue dye, Matt gave her two big surprises! But it is up to you to find out what Matt accomplishes to make Kira happy. This is a good book I know you will enjoy. It teaches you how to be successful even if you don't have a family and that all that matters is having people there you trust and who are there for you.

Miriam F.

Looking for Alaska

I found this book very appealing. The characters in the story are so distinct in their own individuality that the chemistry between them is addicting. Miles, the main character, goes to Culver Creek Boarding School and is thrown into this exciting whirl-wind with his room mate and the wild Alaska Young. With a countdown of days instead of chapters, the reader will feel the anticipation as the numbers get smaller. But something tragic happens to this close group of friends that leaves them searching for answers. I read it cover to cover. The story was humorous, yet philosophical and it kept my interest the whole time. I would recommend this book to any teenager and because the author does not hold back, they smoke, drink and swear, but all in all, the message that is transmitted is the importance of making life worth living and taking every day as it comes.

Lauran H.

The Shack by William P. Young

The Shack is a great book about a guy named Mackenzie who had mourned the loss of his youngest daughter. One day he found an anonymous note in his mailbox asking for him to come to the shack. Mackenzie was devastated by the note because the shack was where they found evidence his daughter may have been murdered. Mackenzie also feels the need to go there to see who would be there if he went. Once there it was not what he expected at all. I really liked this book. I thought it was very interesting even though some parts I didn't quite understand. I would recommend for everyone to read this book.

Lanie S.

After by Francine Prose

I liked this book because of how well it reflected on the things Tom goes through and the events around him. His reactions are very realistic and it teaches you to fight for what's right even when no one else seems to want to take that stand. It also goes into loyalties, possibilities and never taking what you have for granted. The book itself starts out with a high school shooting in a neighboring school from the main character. Soon after a grief counselor arrives at the school and announces there will be changes made for the well being of the students and their safety in the future. But as time carries on things become more and more suspicious, more and more weird; kids and teachers begin to disappear. Slowly the school becomes less of a school and more of a prison.

I would imagine others would enjoy this book based on the plot and style in which it is written. The main character has a great perspective and it helps you learn to hold onto what you currently have.

Anna H.