The American Teenager: It's Complicated by Robin Bowman

Bowman, R. (2007) It's complicated: the American teenager. New York: Umbrage Editions, Inc. ISBN: 9781884167690

Plot Summary: Over one hundred photos have been taken of teenagers from all over the United States. The black and white photos each capture the beauty of the teens and their setting. Each story is very different from the next. The first couple stories are from teenagers who tell of their experience after 9/11. They speak of their emotions, communities, and relationships with the people in their lives. Other stories include teens who have experienced violence, pregnancy, travels, illnesses, love, and every other aspect of life. The interviews are short and conclude with the name and location of the teen(s). Readers will read about the lives of teen parents, prom queens, athletes, dwarfs, naturalists,drug addicts, musicians, and so many other types of teens.

Critical Evaluation: Reading about the lives of teens from all over the states is very eye-opening. Several of these teens who were interviewed have stories that are both shocking and inspiring. The stories were kept brief so that readers will have the opportunity to understand the broad range of lifestyles. The black and white photography makes each photo unique. The photos are taken in the teens' natural environment which makes the subject so much more authentic. I like how between each twenty pages, the proof sheets show the pictures of all of the photos included in the book. Each story was so different from the next which provided a wide spectrum of personalities and life experiences.

Information about the Author: Robin Bowman is a photojournalist who is based in New York. Many of her photos relate to political and social issues. She currently lives in Maine.

Annotation: Robin Bowman is a photographer and writer who interviews over one hundred teenagers throughout the United States to find out about what has impacted their lives the most.
Curriculum Ties: Photography and social issues

Booktalking Ideas: Discuss black and white photography and how the photojournalist used it to capture her images.

Reading Level/Interest Age: 9th-12th grade

Challenge Issues: Sexual content

Reason for Inclusion: The book received positive reviews from Elisabeth Biondi, the visual director of The New Yorker.

Genius: A photobiography of Albert Einstein by Marfe Ferguson Delano

Delano, M. (2005) Genius: A photobiography of Albert Einstein. New York: National Geographic. ISBN: 0792295447

Plot Summary: The amazing story of Albert Einstein's life is told through both photos and text. His life began in Ulm, Germany on March 14, 1879. He was always very curious as a child. At the age of 17, Einstein hated the way of life in Germany and decided to renounce his citizenship and move out of the country. After moving to Italy to live with his family for a while, he moved to Switzerland to enroll at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Upon graduating, he began working at the Swiss patent office, married Mileva Maric who then bore two sons. Some of Einstein's greatest accomplishments include his theory of relativity and winning the 1921 Nobel Prize in physics. The life of Einstein will surely inspire teens to think outside the box and pursue their interests.

Critical Evaluation: Readers will learn so many new things about Albert Einstein. I was surprised to find out about his role in civil rights movement. Most people know him for his theory of relativity and his expertise in physics. But readers will find out the depths of his personality and interests. I love how each photo is paired with a quote from Einstein. Each quote that is chosen is profound and memorable. The author did a fabulous job at writing a straight-forward story. The book is a quick and easy read. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning about the life of Albert Einstein.

Information about the Author: Marfe Ferguson Delano has written a dozen books for National Geographic. She currently lives in Alexandria, Virginia with her husband and two kids.

Annotation: Albert Einstein is one of the most well-known scientists that has made a tremendous impact on physics and on the world.

Genre: non-fiction, photobiography

Curriculum Ties: Science

Booktalking Ideas: List some facts about Einstein and have teens discuss their thoughts and reactions.

Reading Level/Interest Age: 9th-12th grade

Challenge Issues: none

Reason for Inclusion: This books has received several awards including the James Madison Book Award Honor and was named an ALA Notable Book.

Your Own Sylvia by Stephanie Hemphill

Hemphill, S. (2007) Your own, Sylvia: a verse portrait of Sylvia Plath. New York: Random House Inc. ISBN: 9780375837996

Plot Summary: The story of Sylvia Plath is very interesting, and yet tragic. She is a well-known American poet and writer who has captured the hearts of many. Sylvia was born in Boston on October 27, 1932. Her father, Otto Plath, was a German and biology professor. Her mother, Aurelia Plath, had the desire to be a writer. When Sylvia was only 8 years old, her father died of diabetes. Stephanie Hemphill uses poetry to tell Sylvia's life story. Each poem is written from the perspective of different people in her life. Those people include her mother, father, brother, boyfriends, husband, professors, and other people who played an important role in her life. The poems begin from when Sylvia was a child and describes the relationship she had with her parents, her brother, and her husband, Ted Hughes. Readers will be shocked to see how Sylvia’s life comes to an end.

Critical Evaluation: The author does an extraordinary job at telling the story of Sylvia Plath's life through poetry. Although I have not been much of a fan of poetry, the fact that it was being used to tell a story made the verses very understandable. I appreciate how the author balances off the story with a brief summary of what each poem is speaking about. Readers will have a thorough understanding of the kind of person Sylvia Plath was and the kind of life she led. The poems are intimate and honest. After reading Your Own, Sylvia, I was intrigued with her life and wanted to learn more. The only disappointment was that not one of Sylvia's poems was used throughout the book. Having read all about her life, readers might want a sample of her work.

Information about the Author: Stephanie Hemphill lives in Los Angeles, CA. She has won the Myra Cohn Livingston Award for Poetry from the Children's Literature Council of Southern California for the book Things Left Unsaid.

Annotation: Sylvia Plath is a famous American writer who created poetry from her tragedies.

Genre: non-fiction, poetry

Curriculum Ties: elements of poetry

Booktalking Ideas: Read and discuss Sylvia Plath's poem, Ariel.

Reading Level/Interest Age: 9th-12th grade

Challenge Issues: Suicide

Reason for Inclusion: Your Own, Sylvia received the Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in young adult literature.