Divergent by Veronica Roth

Roth, V. (2011). Divergent.  Katherine Tegen Books.  ISBN: 9780062024022.  487 pages.  $17.99,

Author Website: http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com/

Readers Annotation: Tris must choose what faction she wants to join; either the humble Abnegation faction of her family or the dangerous Dauntless faction.

Summary: All sixteen-year-olds must decide what faction they wish to join for the rest of their lives.  Tris is a member of the Abnegation faction; a faction devoted to putting others first.  During the test to see what factions are available, Tris receives three possible choices, rather than the normal two options.  Tris is a Divergent; a person who can fit in a number of factions.  She must keep this a secret as it could be dangerous in the wrong hands.  Tris decides to leave her family and join the Dauntless faction.  The Dauntless faction contains the warriors and the rebellious.  After first no one thinks that Tris is going to make it as a Dauntless.  But as time goes on, Tris proves herself over and over again, especially to a Dauntless known as Four.

Reading Level: Grades 8 and up

Interest Level: Grades 9 and up

Review and Evaluation: I was initially attracted to Divergent for two reasons.  The first reason is the plot.  It sounded similiar enough to The Hunger Games to be a decent readalike but not too similiar that it sounded like a direct copy.  The second reason I was interested in Divergent is the setting.  I’ve lived in a suburb of Chicago my entire life so the idea of a dystopian story taking place in a city I was familiar with sounded really great.  I loved all of the details that Roth included in the setting.  For example, the scene where they go to Navy Pier and climb the ferris wheel was so interesting.  It makes you think what a future civilization would think of the times we call commonplace.  To Tris and Four, there was no understandable use for a ferris wheel.  Everyone in Tris’s world has a task.  There was no leisure time equatable to our society.

Every dystopian society has to have some kind of authority system in place that causes the issues of the civilization.  In societies like Divergent, the people truly believe that the political systems are helping the people, mainly because they do not see the negatives.  It’s true that the people know about the Factionless, those without a faction who are basically homeless squatters, but they really don’t know them at all.  I liked how Roth revealed slowly revealed the information that the political system was flawed.  It wasn’t a complete shock, but the details were definitely relayed in a steady, piece-by-piece pace.

I thought that Roth’s choice of division was also very unique and interesting.  In other books, people are divided by location, class standing, race, etc.  Roth decides to divide the people by character traits.  I can see the pros of this division.  People with the same traits can learn from each other and become better members of society.  However, I also can see the bad part.  No one in this world is completely well-rounded.  Everyone inhabits all of these traits initially, so the division just pigeon-holes everyone and stops them from developing.  This is why Tris and Four are so important.  They can relate to several factions and truly are the hope for the civilization.

Subjects/Genres: Bullying, Coming of Age, Death, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Thriller, Violence

Bibliotherapeutic Uses: Tris is struggling to fit in which is something that most teens deal with on a daily basis.  Divergent is a story about someone overcoming huge odds and finding out who she is as a person.

Controversial Topics:

Violence – The Dauntless is a faction that thrives on domination.  In order to be the best, you  have to have little regrad for anyone but yourself.

• Defense – Roth includes this faction because it is a part of people represented in a concentrated manner.  The Dauntless need to be violent to show the diversity of the other factions.

Booktalk Ideas:

Compare it to The Hunger Games

Discuss the different factions.  Ask which ones the students would like to be a part of.

Could you leave your family forever to join a different faction?

Awards and Booklists:

• Goodreads Choice Award for Favorite Book, 2011
• Goodreads Choice Award for Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction, 2011
• ALA Teens’ Top Ten Nominee, 2012
• Children’s Choice Book Award Nominee Book of the Year, 2012
• Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee, 2014
• Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers
• Rhode Island Teen Book Award
• School Libray Journal Best Books, 2012

Readalikes:

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• Matched by Ally Condie
• Delirium by Lauren Oliver
• Legend by Marie Lu
• Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Professional Reviews:

Kraus, D. (2011).  Divergent (book review). Booklist, 107 (13), 56.

Staff reviewer (2011).  Divergent (book review).  Kirkus, 3 May 2011.

Staff reviewer (2011).  Divergent (book review).  Publishers Weekly, 258 (8). 

Why I Chose This Book: As I stated earlier, I chose this book because I thought it would be a good readalike to The Hunger Games and I was excited about a dystopian set in Chicago.

Save the Pearls Part One: Revealing Eden by Victoria Foyt

Foyt, V. (2011).  Save the Pearl Part One: Revealing Eden.  Sand Dollar Press, Inc.  ISBN: 9780983650324.  $18.99.

Author Website: http://www.victoriafoyt.com/

Readers Annotation: Pale-skinned Eden tries to break out of her low class positioning when she assists her father in his experiments, including a part man, part jaguar.

Summary: Eden pretends to be one of the Coals, the darker skin people who rule the underground civilization.  She even believes that her recent flirtation with one of the Coal security officers may be her key to a better life.  If this does not happen, she will be forced to the surface where she will surely die from the Heat.  Fortunately, even though she is a lowly Pearl, her scientist father’s work lifts her above the rest of her race.  If Eden’s father can succeed, the civilization will be saved by the combination of various animal DNA with humans.  One evening, truth comes out and loyalties are revealed.  There is an attack in the middle of one of the experiments leaving the powerful Coal, Bramford, part man and part jaguar.  In order to survive, Bramford, Eden, and her father set off to a hidden village deep within the rainforest.  Once there, Eden begins to learn shocking truths about Bramford’s past and the history of the village.

Reading Level: Grades 7 and

Interest Level: Grades 9 and up

Review and Evaluation: I was truly surprised by the horrific reviews that accompanied this book.  I am a fan of the site, Goodreads, and it only received 1.96 stars out of five.  I don’t remember ever seeing a rating that low.  Because of this, I read several of the reader reviews on the site.  Obviously racism was the number one topic people took issue with.  I was a bit wary to read it at first after reading the reviews.  However, I knew that there had to be something good in it if it was required to read it for class.  I’m glad I did read it because I realized that I disagreed extensively with the reviews on Goodreads.

The main issues that I gathered from other reviews and things that I picked up myself include:

• White people are called “Pearls” alluding that they are precious and beautiful and Black people are called “Coals” meaning that they are dirty.
• The use of black-face
• Black people are portrayed as mean, uncaring people.

There are many other things, but these are the main things.  In regards to the names of the races, I feel like people are looking too far into things.  I truly do not believe that it was Foyt’s attempt to belittle a race of people by calling them Coals.  As one of my teens said the other day, coal turns into diamonds so being called a coal shouldn’t be a bad thing.  On a similar vein, it’s true that black-face was used many decades ago in theater and film as a derogatory way to represent black people.  However, that is not at all how it is used in Foyt’s book.  If anything, she uses black-face as a way to emulate the black people.  It’s true that there is an established negative connotation for black-face, but that is not what Foyt is trying to do.  Finally, it’s true that the black people in the book, for the most part, as not nice.  However, they run the government, which as we have learned for many other dystopian novels, the government/authority figures are usually oppressive resulting in the protagonist’s need to rebel.

In closing, I wasn’t a huge fan of this book, but it had nothing to do with the racial issues that several people cannot see past.  I thought the story was a bit confusing from time to time.  I had a difficult time suspending my belief to make the story believable in my imagination.  I kept asking too many questions, particularly when they got to the rainforest.  If Bramford was living in Eden’s civilization underground, how did he manage to have an entire life so far away?  Why didn’t Eden die from the heat instantly when they got to the rainforest?  The sun should be much more powerful there, but somehow she was fine.  My main issues with the book were definitely plot holes.  However, I would recommend this title to others because of all the questions it uncovers.  It is a great discussion book.

Subjects/Genres: Dystopian, Race Issues, Romance, Science Fiction, Violence

Bibliotherapeutic Uses:

Revealing Eden is a great tool to start a discussion on race and tolerance.  It has the popular dystopian setting and the fantasy elements of half man, half jaguar characters.

Controversial Issues:

As I stated and listed above, there are several racial issues present in this title.

• Defense – The book discusses racism so it should not be surprising that the book is going to portray races negatively.  However, the book as a whole handles the topic of racism in a nice manner.  The portrayal of racism will spark good discussion amongst the readers.

Booktalking Ideas:

Imagine a world after the ozone layer is finally completely destroyed.  What do you think it will be like?

Give a brief description of the class system of the book.

Explain the rationale behind Bramford the Jaguarman.  What other animals would have good DNA to help the survival of humanity?

Awards and Booklists:

• Eric Hoffer Award for Young Adult, 2012
• Books & Authors Best YA Fantasy Award

Readalikes:

• Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman
• Nomansland by Lesley Hague
• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
• Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
• Black City by Elizabeth Richards

Professional Reviews:

Williams, I.R. (2012).  Racism row novel Revealing Eden falls at every hurdle.  The Guardian. 23 August 2012.

Why I Chose This Book: I covered some reasons in the “Review and Evaluation” section.  I read this book mainly because I was curious about the low ratings.  I like to decide things for myself.

 

 

 

 

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Revis, B. (2010).  Across the Universe.  Razorbill.  ISBN: 9781595143976.  398 pages.  $17.99.

Author Website: http://www.bethrevis.com/

Reader’s Annotation: When Amy is broken out of her cryogenic drawer, she is forced to remain awake for the rest of the journey across space with a boy named Elder as her only friend.

Summary: On the way across space to a new planet called Centauri-Earth, Amy is maliciously awaken from her cryogenic sleep.  She is not able to be put back into the frozen state so now she must stay awake the rest of the 75 year journey.  Her parents remain frozen as they are vital to the beginning a new way of life on Centauri-Earth.  She has few friends aboard the ship, except those deemed insane.  Everything on the ship is regulated by the Eldest.  Elder, a boy of about eighteen, is the next in charge of the ship.  Everyone on the ship is mono-ethnic, being they all look the same.  Amy, with her bright red hair, has a difficult time fitting in.  After spending time with Elder, Amy begins to question life aboard the ship.  The history books in the library are telling false history stories and no one seems to know much about anything.  Amy begins to tread where she shouldn’t and the Eldest is not about to let her ruin life on the ship.

Reading Level: Grades 8 and up

Interest Level: Grades 9 and up

Review and Evaluation: I love science fiction books that take place in space.  That is a very rare thing in teen fiction today.  What’s even more interesting is that Revis took the idea of the dystopian trend and placed in on a spaceship.  The Elder is definitely following the oppressive government cues found so often in the genre.  Also, the cover of the book resembles a romance novel which I think is a disservice to the book.  The romance in this book is not overwhelming and certainly not the main plot line.  I feel like boys may pass up the book because it looks like it will appeal more to girls.  The paperback cover is more gender neutral.

Across the Universe did start a bit slow for my taste, but it certainly picked up once Amy and Elder began to uncover a few secrets.  The book is full of great twists and turns.

Subjects/Genres: Death, Dystopian, Mystery, Rape, Romance, Science Fiction, Toxic Adults

Bibliotherapeutic Uses: Across the Universe is a great recommendation for those feeling out of place.  Amy has to try to find a friend in a place where her murderer could be hiding around any corner.

Controversial Issues:

Rape/Sexual Content – The passengers of the ship go through a mating season in which random people have sex.  Amy is not aware of this is is almost raped.

• Defense – The sexual content is not gratuitous and it is stated that it was the result of a medicine given by orders from the Eldest.

Booktalk Ideas:

What would it be like to colonize a new planet?

Imagine you are cryogenically frozen and then someone tried to kill you by unfreezing you?  What would you do?  Who would you trust?

Awards and Booklists:

• ALA Teens’ Top Ten Nominee (2012)
• Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee (2014)

Readalikes:

• Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
• Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund
• Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
• Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder
• The Comet’s Curse by Dom Testa

Professional Reviews:

Kraus, D (2010).  Across the Universe (book review).  Booklist, 15 December 2010.

Staff review (2010).  Across the Universe (book review).  Kirkus, 1 December 2010.

Staff review (2010).  Across the Universe (book review).  Publishers Weekly, 257 (46).

Why I Chose This Book: I really enjoy books about space travel.  I thought this was an interesting combination of space travel and dystopian.

 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Collins, Suzanne (2008).  The Hunger Games.  Scholastic Press.  ISBN: 9780439023481.  374 pages.  $18.99.

Author Website: http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/

Reader’s Annotation: In a future world, Katniss volunteers to take the place of her little sister in a The Hunger Games, a vicious fight-to-the-death involving 24 teens.

Summary: Every year the Capitol holds The Hunger Games, a battle of 24 teens from each of the twelve Districts.  The event is televised and all are forced to watch as a reminder of the rebellion against the Capitol 74 years ago.  The participants are chosen at random during a ceremony called The Reaping.  Katniss and her friend Gale have several addition entries in The Reaping which were added in exchange for more food.  Katniss could not have been more surprised when her younger sister was chosen the first year she was eligible.  Katniss immediately jumped forward in order to take Prim’s place in the Hunger Games.  Now, along with Peeta the baker’s son, Katniss will journey to the Capitol to prepare for the games.

With the help of Haymitch their mentor, Cinna the stylist, and Effie the Capitol liaison, Katniss and Peeta learn what skills to focus on and how to impress the viewers enough to get sponsors.  Katniss expected the arena to be tough physically, but she was not prepared for her emotions to become as difficult when she befriends Peeta.  Katniss must decide whether or not she is capable of killing when it means her survival.

Reading Level: Grades 6 and up

Interest Level: Grades 7 and up

Review and Evaluation: The Hunger Games was a trend-starter.  Collins used violence in such a way that it was not gratuitous, but an act of desperation.  The violent struggle of the book is secondary to Katniss’s internal struggle.  She does not want to kill people, even though her skills as a hunter would help her be successful.  On the other hand, she can’t fail because she needs to return home to support her family.  It’s interesting because Katniss never truly believes she is going to win, but she also does not give in to failure.  She looks for the weaknesses of others to exploit and uses the land as a weapon more so than her physical abilities.  Peeta is similiar to Katniss in this way.  He is very strong, but he does not rely on his strength in the arena.  Peeta manipulates the system.  He befriends the Careers in order to keep himself safe but also to make sure they stay off of Katniss’s trail.  His love for Katniss is true, but he knows how to display it in order to get attention from the sponsors.  It says quite a bit about this book that violence does not win the games.  Cato, who is strong and fast and has killed several Tributes, dies making Katniss and Peeta the winners.  Katniss does kill Cato, but it is an act of mercy as he is being attacked by the muttations.

Like in many dystopian novels, there is a distinct class variations.  There are the “haves” of the Capitol and the “have-nots” of the other districts.  It is this dissension that sparks the rebellion near the end of the book.  It only takes one “have-not” to raise up and beat the “haves” just once for the spark of hope to ignite.  The Hunger Games is a book about hope packaged in a story of violence and death.

Subjects/Genres: Death, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Thriller, Violence

Bibliotherapeutic Uses: Dystopian novels are great for readers who are dealing with their own problems.  The Hunger Games shows an oppressive world with dire situations, but still embodies a feeling of hope.  The Hunger Games can also be a great book for teens who are struggling to take care of their families.  Katniss is a hero and an inspiration for readers.

Controversial Issues:

Violence – The Hunger Games is incredibly violent and includes teenagers killing one another.

• Defense – As I stated earlier, the violence in this book is far from gratuitous.  While some of the Tributes do enjoy killing, they do not win in the end.  It is the two who try not to kill others unless necessary for survival who win the game.  The situation was forced upon them and it became  an act of survival.

Booktalk Ideas:

Discuss the 12 Districts and what they create.  Which District you would want to be from?

Discuss the movie in connection to the book.

Katniss was already proficient with a bow.  What skills would you have in the arena?

Awards and Booklists:

• ALA Notable Children’s Books – Older Readers Category (2009)
• Beehive Awards (Utah): Young Adult Books
• BILBY – Books I Love Best Yearly (Australia) : Older Reader
• Blue Hen Book Award (Delaware): Teen Book
• Booklist Editors’ Choice – Books for Youth – Older Readers Category (2008)
• California Young Reader Medal: Young Adult
• Charlotte Award (New York): Young Adult (Grades 6-12)
• Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Rosie Award)
• Georgia Children’s Book Award: Children’s Book Award
• Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers
• Golden Archer Awards (Wisconsin): Middle/Jr. High School
• Golden Sower Awards (Nebraska): Young Adult (Grades 6-9)
• Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona): Tween Book
• Heartland Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature (2010)
• Isinglass Teen Read Award (New Hampshire)
• Land of Enchantment Book Award (New Mexico): Young Adult category
• Maine Student Book Award
• New York Times Notable Books – Children’s Books (2008)
• Nutmeg Children’s Book Award (Connecticut): Teen category
• Rebecca Caudill Young Reader’s Choice Book Award (2011)
• Rhode Island Teen Book Award
• School Library Journal Best Books (2008)
• Sequoyah Book Awards (Oklahoma): High School Books
• Sequoyah Book Awards (Oklahoma): Intermediate Books
• South Carolina Book Awards: Junior Books
• South Carolina Book Awards: Young Adult Books
• Texas Lone Star Reading Lists (2009)
• Thumbs Up! Award (Michigan)
• Truman Readers Award (Missouri)
• WAYRBA – Western Australian Young Readers’ Book Awards : Older Readers
• Young Reader’s Choice Award (Pacific Northwest): Senior
• Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee (2011)

Readalikes:

• Graceling by Kristin Cashore
• The Maze Runner by James Dashner
• Truancy by Isamu Fukui
• The Line by Teri Hall
• The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
• Divergent by Veronica Roth

Professional Reviews:

Barid, J.H. (2008).  The Hunger Games (book review).  School Library Journal, 54 (9), 176.

Goldsmith, F. (2008).  The Hunger Games (book review).  Booklist, 105 (1), 97.

Staff reviewer (2008).  The Hunger Games (book review).  Kirkus, 1 September 2008.

Turner, M.W. (2008).  The Hunger Games (book review).  Publishers Weekly, 255 (44), 58.

Why I Chose This Book: The Hunger Games is one of the best dystopian books in recent years.  It is another book that can and should be read several times as each read reveals something new about the story.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Shusterman, Neal (2007).  Unwind.  Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.  ISBN: 9781416912040. 335 pages.  $17.99.

Author’s Website: http://www.storyman.com/books/

Reader’s Annotation: Parents are given the option of unwinding their children, meaning medically donating their bodies.  Three unwinds are presented with a chance to escape their fate.

Summary: In response to the Second Civil War over abortion rights, the government has outlawed abortion.  However, parents are allowed to has their children unwound between the ages of 13 and 18.  The unwinding process takes the teen apart piece by piece, but keeping them alive the entire time so the theoretically never die but live on in other body.

On the way to the unwinding facilities, three teens manage to escape.  Connor is not a bad kid, but is apparently too much for his parents to deal with.  Risa is a ward of the state, but the orphanage cannot afford to keep her any longer.  Lev come from a very religious family and is a tithe, a boy who was raised for the sole purpose of being unwound.

The three must work together to avoid being taken in by the police and eventually be unwound.  Along the way, the trio encounter an abandoned baby, a camp of escaped unwinds, and the truth behind what really happens during the procedures.

Reading Level: Grades 6 and up

Interest Level: Grades 9 and up

Review and Evaluation: Unwind is a startling and horrific vision of a very possible future for the world.  Shusterman does a  wonderful job of including shocking situations without making it too fantastical.  What makes this so frightening is how real the entire scenario is.  He does not include a great deal of advanced technology.  He makes a science fiction story feel like it is happening tomorrow.  However, the reality of Unwind can be more controversial because of the fact that it is so possible.  I will discuss this further in the upcoming sections, but Shusterman’s inclusion of unwinding as a respectable replacement for abortion can get Pro-Choice supporters a bit angry.  He is theoretically saying that if you don’t want to kill babies, then you can donate your teens instead.  This raises several discussion questions.  Actually, I think Unwindmight be one of the best discussion books I’ve read in quite some time.  Anyone who reads this book is going to have a strong opinion in response to the subject matter.

It is also important to note the format of Unwind.  Shusterman allows us the opportunity to follow several different perspectives as this story unfolds.  Each of the teens has a different reason for being unwound.  The fact that their guardians made the decision to get rid of them is something that will weight differently on each of them.  A third person narrator could not explore the inklings of doubt that Lev experiences in regards to the demands of his religion.  The act of unwinding is bad enough, but Shusterman makes sure we experience it first-hand through Connor, Risa, and Lev.

Subjects/Genres: Coming of Age, Death, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Thriller, Violence

Bibliotherapeutic Uses: Unwind is about being heard.  The teens don’t have a voice.  They can be shipped off to a harvesting camp at end point, for any reason.  Connor, Risa, and Lev show that teens do need to be heard and they will do whatever it takes to make it happen.  Unwind is a book for teens forced to be silent who are striving to find a voice.

Controversial Issues:

Unwinding and Violence – The violence executed against the teens is horrific and could be viewed as too intense for some readers.

• Defense – The violence is making a point.  The situation is not acceptable to the readers but it is deemed acceptable in the world of the book.  The violence makes the reader ponder why unwinding is wrong.  It’s in the book to create strong opinions.

Abortion – The book shows that donating the bodies of teens for transplants is a better to getting an abortion.  Those who do not believed life begin at conception may have issues with the connotations of the book.

• Defense – It’s unclear as to whether Shusterman wrote this book with an agenda in mind concerning abortion.  However, as with the use of violence, the story forces the teens to make an opinion to defend or argue the views of the book.

Negative Portrayal of Adults – The adults are willing to send away their children on a whim.  We see few adults fighting for the rights of teens.

• Defense – Like in many dystopian novels, the adults run the government which creates the heinous laws that regulate the lives of our protagonists.  But, the lack of adult leaders puts the teens in the position of success on their own.  It inspires the teen readers to stand up to oppressive, unhealthy situations.

Booktalking Ideas:

Explain the history of unwinding and what it entails.  You will get responses from the audience.

Discuss what it would be like to have the arm or eyes of someone else.

How would your life change if you knew your parents could have you unwound at any time?

Awards and Booklists:

• ALA Top Ten Picks for Reluctant Readers (2008)
• ALA Best Young Adult Book list (2008)
• Japanese Sakura Medal (2010)
• Bank Street Best Books of the Year (2008)
• Nevada Young Reader Award Winner
• Washington Evergreen YA Book award List Winner (2010)
• Oklahoma Intermediate Sequoyah Award List Winner (2010)
• Oklahoma High School Sequoyah Award List (2010)
• Texas Lonestar Award List (2009/2010)
• Texas Tayshas Award List (2009)
• Virginia Readers Choice Award Winner (2009/2010)
• Indiana Rosewater High School Book Award Winner (2009/2010)
• Utah Beehive Award Nominee (2010)
• Missouri Gateway Readers Award Winner (2009/2010)
• Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award List (2010)
• Vermont Green Mountain Book Award (2009/2010)
• Rhode Island Teen Book Award List (2010)
• Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award List (2010)
• Georgia Peach Award List (2009/2010)
• Florida Teens Read Award List (2009/2010)
• Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award List Winner (2009/2010)
• One Book for Nebraska Teens Winner (2010-2011)
• California Young Reader Medal Nomination (2010-2011
• Kentucky Bluegrass Award List (2009/2010)
• South Dakota YARP Award List (2010)
• Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award Winner (2011)
• New Hampshire Isinglass Teen Reads Award List (2010-2011)
• NY Public Library “Books for the Teen Age”
• New Jersey Garden State Children’s Book Award Nominee  (2010)
• Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award List (2010)
• Nutmeg Book Award Nominee WINNER (2011)
• Vermont’s Green Mountain Book Award
• YALSA’s Popular Paperback Award List (2011)

Readalikes:

• Airhead by Meg Cabot
• The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
• Eve and Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate
• The Declaration by Gemma Malley
• Birthmarked by Caragh O’Brien
• The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson
• Double Helix by Nancy Werlin

Professional Reviews:

Peters, J. (2007).  Unwind (book review). Booklist, 104 (4), 45.

Staff reviewer (2007).  Unwind (book review). Kirkus, 1 October 2007.

Staff reviewer (2007).  Unwind (book review).  Publishers Weekly, 249 (26), 80.

Vizzini, N. (16 March 2008).  Young and in the Way.  The New York Times.

Why I Chose This Book: Unwind was a book that I was told about several times by colleagues and teen patrons.  It was always on my to-read pile, but I could never seem to get around to reading it.  Finally I submitted to the pleas of masses and read a book that I was afraid would not live up to its hype.  I did not have to worry because it was amazing.  The only disappointment was that I waited so long to read it.