Bluford Series on Go Readers

     I just loooooovvvvve Paul Langan, author of the popular Bluford Series for pre-teens and teens. He has cleverly created a audiobook player called Go Reader.  Each volume contains five novels in the popular Bluford series and is a must buy for your library media center program.  This is great because my reluctant/struggling readers can enjoy the twenty books in this wonderful series with their classmates.  So far, the students absolutely love the Go Readers!   #BossLibrarianChronicles#libraries #librarians

http://authorpaullangan.weebly.com/biography.html

The Keysha Diaries - Volume 1

I really like how Kimani Tru Publications has supported the popular Keysha's Drama series over the years.  Recently, Kimani Tru released The Keysha Diaries - Volume 1 in March.  Cleverly done, the publisher has packaged book one and two of the series into one volume for sale.  

Written by author Earl Sewell, the series chronicles the life of teenager Keysha as she struggles with family and friends while learning valuable life lessons along the way.   Sewell's books are classified as young adult yet they have a strong audience as young as fifth grade.  Currently there are seven books in the popular series with an eighth book to be released in July. This series is a very popular one in my Library Media Center as multiple copies of all of these books are constantly checked out.

Overall I think this this book release is great because readers can enjoy 'Keysha's Drama' and 'If I Were Your Boyfriend' in one sitting.   Below is a really cool video of Sewell performing a re-enactment of 'If I Were Your Boyfriend.'  This skit was performed at the Chicago Teacher Librarian Association meeting.  Enjoy!
CTLA Meeting - Earl Sewell from K.C. Boyd on Vimeo.

Reading Leisurely

     Reading leisurely...something that I rarely get to do lately. Despite this statement I recently had the opportunity to do some much needed reading over  spring break.  I read 17 books, yes 17 while I traveled outside of the country.   It was refreshing to tune out the hustle, noise of the airport and the many lay-overs and just read. Here's two books that I wanted to share with you that I enjoyed.

"Coming Home" - Book 1
by PJ Gray
Saddleback Publishing
Young Adult       pg. 63
*Release date:  May 2013

     I was very fortunate to receive a preview copy of 'Coming Home' from Saddleback Publishing prior to my spring break.  This book is the first in a three part book series and will be released sometime in May of 2013.

     The story's protagonist, Will returns back home after high school to sheer turmoil.  He fights inner demons and struggles with the overall triggers that can take him over the edge.  You can feel the stress that this young man experiences through Gray's simple, verse style writing.  Not to give everything away in this story, male teens will especially relate to Will's frustrations with dealing with family, his neighborhood and work.  This story was so compelling and engaging!   I was also angry at the ending because Gray really left the reader with a cliffhanger.  This cliffhanger is a startling revelation that will change the course of Will's life and will make you gasp out loud.

     'Coming Home' is a very simple read for struggling, non-readers - trust me they will read this book within one class period.  This book is will generate very interesting discussions about right/wrong behaviors and will draw teens to compare events of the story to their own lives.  I would estimate that this book is written on a 4th grade level but it has the cover art appearance of a YA book.  This is very clever strategy on the part of Saddleback; teens who are sensitive about their reading ability will grasp onto the story as well as not feel ashamed of carrying the book in front of their peers.  In addition, the illustrations are great!  The pictures of people that appear in the book are true to life and resemble people from your family or neighborhood.

     I cannot wait until book 2 - "Searching for Answers", comes out and I really look forward to reading more from this Chicago author.  Just to share a little humorous story, I shared this book with one of my co-workers.  This co-worker immediately grabbed the book and began reading while I worked with a student patron.  She finished reading the book under ten minutes and got just as excited as I did after reading the story!

"The War at Home"
by Rena Sanders

AuthorHouse

Young Adult      pg. 56

copyright date:  2009

     The MissDomino blog is dedicated to the review and promotion of books written in the Urban Fiction/Street Lit. genre.  From time to time I will review books that worthy reads but not within the genre.  'The War at Home' is definitely a book that should be read.

     This story tackles a subject that is rarely touched on:  African-American family life with a Vietnam War Veteran.  Described in a narrative voice, the story begins with 2nd grader, Rena Sanders, participating in a classroom discussion.  Though this sounds like a quite normal classroom activity, this is actually was a very painful memory for the story's protagonist.  It was that day that she recognizes that her home life was very different from her classmates.

     Her father, a Vietnam War Veteran, is abusive to her mother, brother and herself for several years.  Life is difficult living in this Mississippi home and academic achievement is a way for the main character to focus her energies on.  'The War at Home' vividly describes the damaging after effects of war on a family in an unflinching manner through the eyes of a young child that later matures into a young woman.  The story is inspirational and can be used in a classroom setting to encourage students overcome their past disappointments and move to a brighter future.

     Sanders book is a high-interest, low-level read that can be read/discussed with students 5th-12th grade.

The Urban Underground

Here's some new releases from Saddleback Publishing that can be added to your teen Street Lit. library collection.  The Urban Underground book series is written by author Anne Schraff.  You may recognize this author's name because she was one of the early writers in the Townsend Press, Bluford High book series.  Schraff, a former high school teacher understands teens and continues to write stories that they enjoy.  My students love these stories from their Urban Underground book series and yes, they are constantly checked out from the library!  

The stories take place in an African American neighborhood.  Their high school, Tubman High bridges the gap between the projects and the slightly more fortunate.  The books follow a core group of friends at Tubman High--with new characters joining all the time.  Each story confronts coming-of-age issues that teens can relate to while maintaining satisfying resolutions.  The stories are engaging and discuss challenges and experiences that teens are faced with today.  I've included the covers of these books below along with a short synopsis for your review.  Many thanks to the folks at Saddleback for allowing me to preview and share their releases.

"I guess there are a lot worse things than being lonely. There's being with people who end up hurting you. That's the worst. You try to trust somebody, and you know, love them. Then you find out they aren't decent people, and they just trashed your love."

Denique thought that if she wasn't so messed up in her head, she'd sort of like Trevor. But it would just end badly. So she focused on school. She wanted to graduate and get a job. College was now out of the question. Her family lived in the projects. She had to get a job as soon as possible.

"Well, I got news for you. You got us all wrong, Sereeta and me. We have no doubts about each other. We're solid."

Jaris was furious. He would never keep a secret from Sereeta. And he was hurt that Trevor thought he was hot for another chick. He hired Amberlynn Parson because he thought she was best for the job. Period. But Jaris kept second guessing his decision.Trevor had stirred up Jaris's self-doubts.

"We all wanna live some fabulous life that's fun and exciting--and with lots of money maybe. If I were you, I'd ride this roller coaster as far as it takes me. You'd be a freakin' fool not to."

What was the big deal? Oliver Randall was helping out two rocker friends by fronting for their band. He didn't think he was Lil Wayne. but he was enjoying it more than he thought he would. And he was creating a lot of buzz for the group. Girls were practically throwing themselves at him.

"Kevin, do you know what it would do to your grandparents if you did something stupid to get your hands on some fast money?"

Kevin had been talking about how much he wanted some real money, and that he'd do almost anything to get it. Jaris could sympathize with Kevin wanting to help his grandparents out, but wanting--needing--money that desperately was dangerous. It led to getting mixed up with the wrong crowd.

"Sereeta volunteers sometimes at the hotline for abused women and kids. And sometimes she arranges for abused women to get to a safe house. Last night, she said she's got a good mind to go out to the Becker house."

Jaris and Marko were in a position where they could see through the doorwary. The Slider was open to let in cool, fresh air. Sereeta was sitting in a chair from the kitchen table. Her hands were bound. An older woman sat in another chair, her hands bound too. Both looked terrified.  

New Release!

Happy New Year!   I haven't posted lately because of the busy holidays and a really bad lingering cold.  I'm slowly getting back into the saddle and have much to share with all of you.  Recently after making a purchase on Amazon.com, I was happy to see the release of a book written by one of my favorite young adult novelist

Nikki Carter's books are not only loved by me but also loved by my freshman and sophmore students.  Her books are hip, funny and describe the 'drama' that today's teens experience.   Some of the titles from the So For Real Series include, "Step to This", "It's All Good" and "Step to This."  Her new series, Fab Life is centered around the hip-hop music scene.  The books should definitely capture the attention of readers that can relate to the music described in the stories. Check out the summary of the book and judge for yourself.

Sunday Tolliver is gifted, smart, and ready to take the music industry by storm now that she's signed a record deal. All she has to do is survive touring with her diva cousin, Dreya, and she'll finally get a shot at her own R&B dreams. But the tour's mega-bad-boy star, Truth, refuses to believe that Sunday isn't feeling him--and a jealous Dreya is doing everything to make Sunday pay. When filming for a behind-the-tour reality show starts, Sunday's live-and-on-camera humiliation is threatening to derail her chances--and help Dreya cover up stealing her songs. Now Sunday has one last chance to prove herself. And with the spotlight heating up, all bets are off--and this battle is on. . .

Under Pressure by Rashaun Hughes

Wahida Clark Presents plans to launch its first Young Adult line for teens on January 7, 2011. The opening novel entitled “Under Pressure” by Rashawn Hughes is the first of many to come. Under Pressure will be released in stores January 7, 2011.

The Wahida Clark Presents Young Adult Line (YA) targets tweens/teens ranging from ages 14-18.  The stories are realistic and reflect stories that kids can relate to.  Clark’s intent is to capture the hearts and minds of youth globally.

Here's a synopsis of "Under Pressure" by Rashaun Hughes:

Quentin “QB” Banks had always been a fighter, even though it always seemed as if he was holding on to life by mere thread. After serving time in prison, QB returned to his Queens, New York neighborhood and began working as the Director of U-Turn, an at-risk community center for teenagers. Nicknamed, “OG – Original Gangster”, QB is respected by all, especially by two of the center’s teenagers, Torry and Chase.

When someone tries to gun down QB, Chase and Torry, their lives change forever. QB fights to suppress his feelings for revenge, while Torry is faced with a new challenge he doesn’t think he can endure.  Chase on the other hand, carries a secret that could destroy all of them. Will QB retaliate against his enemies? Will Torry overcome his internal demons? Will Chase come clean, tell the truth and prevent others from getting hurt?  Only time will tell when you're Under Pressure!

Author Wahida Clark



Wahida Clark Presents Publishing, established in 2007, has made its mark in the publishing industry. With fiction novels such as: Trust No Man 1 & 2, Karma 1 & 2, Thirsty, Cheetah, The Game of Deception and The Ultimate Sacrifice it is evident that quality has surfaced. WCP has published the likes of many authors such as Cash, Mike Sanders, Missy Jackson, Tash Hawthorne, and Victor L. Martin and Anthony Fields.

In amidst of Clark’s many ventures, yet another, Yah Yah publications, has made its way through. This line featuring motivational, spiritual, and science-fiction volumes, adds a non-fictional twist to WCP. The first book entitled, Uncle Yah Yah: 21st Century of Wisdom is currently in stores.

Integrity is prevalent in Wahida Clark and Wahida Clark Presents Publishing and will be ever more with the launch of the Young Adult line. Ultimately, innovation births victory.   I have had the opportunity to read an advanced copy of "Under Pressure."   This selection will serve as a needed addition to a high school Street Literature collection.