Twelfth by Janet Key

 

If ea ever dreamed of going to theatre camp this may be the book for you. Maren is a 12-year-old who is reluctantly sent to a summer camp in the woods that her sister attended for many years. Maren isn't as outgoing or theatrical as her sister, but she becomes involved in a mystery at the camp that has her delving into Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, the history of the camp, and a long-ago story of a woman who longed for a career as a Hollywood director. It's a mystery with a chain of clues that should lead to a valuable ring that might save the camp from bankruptcy. Maren and a couple of new friends are decoding clues from the Shakespeare play they are producing that send them all over the camp (and force them to avoid camp counselors at all costs). As you would expect at theatre camp, there are kids with a variety of gender identities and precocious teenagers who recite Shakespeare. This book's target audience is definitely theatre kids and readers who enjoy intricate puzzle mysteries. The clues and connections to Shakespeare's Twelfth Night sometimes went over my head, but smart theatre kids will likely devour this mystery.  

Every Day by David Levithan, illustrated by Dion MBD (graphic novel)

 

I have long loved the novel Every Day by David Levithan with its highly unique premise. This graphic novel version brought new life to the story and got me excited about it all over again. The protagonist is A, a teen who wakes up in a different body every day. Because A only inhabits other teens’ bodies, A has no gender and no real identity. But A longs to make connections. In one incarnation, A is in the body of a teenage boy and he skips school with his girlfriend, Rhiannon. They have a lovely day at the beach together, and Rhiannon is shocked at how well her boyfriend (really A in her boyfriend’s body) treats her.  The next day A moves onto another body, but A does not forget Rhiannon. In fact, A has her email address and is able to contact her via an email that A uses in spite of all his different incarnations. A manages to meet up with Rhiannon in various bodies and convinces her of A’s changing identity. It is such an intriguing conundrum—they love each other but how can they ever be together? One major advantage of the graphic novel is seeing A in all of the different bodies—male, female, as well as different races. It is a highly effective way to bring the 2013 novel to new readers. Recommended for 8th-up. 

The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater

This nonfiction book looks at a crime that some called a hate crime from multiple viewpoints. Sasha, a white private school student, wore a gauzy skirt on an Oakland city bus. Richard, an African American student, pulled out a lighter and set Sasha on fire, badly burning Sasha. Slater looks at both of their lives--Sasha, privileged in some ways, but living with Aspberger's syndrome and choosing not to be defined by male or female pronouns, and Richard, trying to make something of himself in spite of his socioeconomic status and with friends in and out of the justice system. This story is resonating with 8th grade readers who are seeing things from multiple perspectives. Recommended for readers who are tackling books such as The Hate U Give and Speak (the graphic novel). #readwoke #projectLIT