Health Class Book Choices Select the book you
Health Class Book Choices
• Select the book you most want to read – you will be reading it on your own. • Please consider your parents rules/expectations for appropriate book choices. • Pay close attention to the many CONNECTIONS you find to HEALTH class. • You will be writing about the books connection to mental – physical - social health. • Many of the titles cover multiple issues – they are listed under the main issue.
Depression/Self Harm/Suicide
Remembering The Good Times By: Richard Peck How well do we know our best friends? They were the best of friends. Sixteen-year -old Buck first met Kate the summer before seventh grade. In eighth grade they made friends with the brilliant and wealthy newcomer, Trav. They didn't seem to need anyone else. Mostly they looked forward to the good times shared together; no one could unravel their binding ties. At least that's what they thought. When one of the trio finds the pressure of graduation and the future too great a threat, the other two can only wonder: "How well did we know our best friend? "
The True Color Series By: Melody Carlson • Blade Silver – Color Me Scarred Cutting herself doesn’t make Ruth’s problems disappear, but at least it helps her cope – or so she things… • Pitch Black – Color Me Lost – Morgan thinks life is difficult and then when a friend kills himself she has to learn to deal with her grief and live her life before its too late…
• Dark Blue – Color Me Lonely – dealing with the loss of a friendship Kara deals with feelings of sadness and depression
Cut By: Patricia Mc. Cormick • Callie cuts herself. She does not do it to kill herself, but rather to take away the pain of life. Eventually, she find herself in Sea Pines, a residential treatment facility. She is in group therapy with girls with eating disorders and substance abuse issues,
Healthy/Unhealthy Relationships
Someone Like You By: Sarah Dessen A quiet, predictable Halley and Scarlett, her feisty defender, have been best friends since grade school. Growing up like sisters, they've shared everything Then boys step into their teen lives. Scarlett's romance the summer before junior year has serious consequences and she needs her friend to get through them.
This Lullaby By: Sarah Dessen Remy always knows the perfect time to give a boyfriend "The Speech" telling him it's over-after. She's a girl who knows just how to avoid any messy emotional entanglement. After all, she's had the example of her five-times-married mother to show her what not to do. So what, then, is it about Dexter that makes it so hard for her to follow her own rules? He's everything she hates and worst of all, a musician like her father: the father Remy never knew, the father who wrote a famous song for her, the father who disappeared from her life.
Annabel seemingly had everything: cool friends, close family, good grades, and a part-time modeling career in town. Annabel's devastating secret is revealed in bits and snatches. Caught between wanting to protect her family and her own struggles to face a devastating experience, Annabel finds comfort in an unlikely friendship with the school's most notorious loner. Just Listen By: Sarah Dessen
Dreamland By: Sarah Dessen Caitlin has always had to follow in the footsteps of her perfect older sister. When Cassandra runs away from home, Caitlin finds herself trying to fill the gap Cass's absence creates. When she meets mysterious Rogerson, Caitlin sees a way to forge a path for herself. Rogerson seems vaguely ominous, but Caitlin is taken by surprise when he first gets violent with her.
Jumping The Nail By: Eve Bunting When teenagers in a California coastal community challenge each other to "jump the Nail“ (leap from dangerous cliffs into the ocean) group pressure and manipulative relationships quickly drive the game out of control. Resulting in consequences one teen may never recover from.
Speak By: Laurie Halse Anderson Melinda spoke at the wrong time; she called the police and broke up a party. Now she doesn’t speak at all. A freshman in high school with secrets she can’t share.
Don’t Take Love Lying Down By: Brad Henning Brad looks at issues like: *Why all guys seem like jerks (but girls still want one). * Why girls are so hard to understand (and like it that way). * Why guys are afraid to ask girls out. * How to find the right person and know when it's true love. * How to evaluate relationships. * Why sex is such a big deal and how to deal with it.
Where it Began By: Ann Redisch Stampler When she started her senior year as a blonder, betterdressed version of herself, she struck gold: Billy Nash believed she was the flawless girl she was pretending to be. The next eight months with Billy were bliss. . . Until the night Gabby woke up on the ground next to the remains of his BMW without a single memory of how she got there. And Billy's nowhere to be found.
Breathing Underwater By: Alex Flynn Nick’s life seems to be perfect. He drives everyone’s dream car and his father is rich. But that’s not really how it is. Like father like son, right? Except that when Nick goes to far one day, he loses not only the one he loves the most, but his friends and the life he came to know.
A Thousand Tomorrows By: Karen Kingsbury Cody Gunner has no use for real love. Abandoned as a child by the person he needed the most, he swears he will never allow himself to love again. Ali Daniels denies love as well. Carrying a terrible secret, she lives life to the fullest, taking risks and refusing relationships. The story of two separate lives brought together through shared secrets and a drive to overcome obstacles and succeed. SECOND BOOK Just Beyond The Clouds
The Last Song Nicolas Sparks Seventeen year old Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life was turned upsidedown when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alientated from her parents, especially her father. . . until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story of love on many levels--first love, love between parents and children -- that demonstrates, the many ways that love can break our hearts. . . and
Faultline By: Janet Tashjian • When Becky meets fellow comedian Kip at the improv clubs where they both perform, he seems the perfect guy for her until the relationship turns abusive. • Why couldn’t she see the signs that her mother and her best friend were trying to warn her about? ?
The Vow By: Kim and Krickett Carpenter Life as Kim and Krickitt Carpenter knew it was shattered beyond recognition on November 24, 1993. Two months after their marriage, a devastating car wreck left Krickitt with a massive head injury and in a coma for weeks. When she finally awoke, she had no idea who Kim was. And yet, against all odds, but through the common faith in Christ that sustained them, Kim and Krickitt fell in love all over again. Even though Kim stood by Krickitt through the darkest times a husband can ever imagine, he insists, “I’m no hero. I made a
Torch Red – Color Me Torn - Zoe feels like the only virgin on the planet… she battles with the decision to give up her virginity or wait to have sex.
Drugs/Alcohol/Addiction
My Brother’s Keeper By: Patricia Mc. Cormick The novel follows a young boy named Toby as he tries to keep his family from falling apart. His little brother has reverted to hiding under his blanket and sucking his thumb and his older brother is delving into drugs. Toby fights desperately to cover up for his brother and spare his mother any more heart break.
Inexcusable By: Chris Lynch A football player is left paralyzed, a series of “pranks” do major damage, and one night forever changes two lives – in unthinkable ways…. A story about taking responsibility and facing the consequences of our actions whether intended or not….
Dope Sick Walter Dean Meyers A drug deal goes south and a cop has been shot. Lil J's on the run. And he's starting to get dope sick. He'd do anything to change the last twenty-four hours, and when he stumbles into an abandoned building, it actually might be possible. . Elements of magical realism intensify this harrowing story about drug use, violence, perceptions of reality, and second chances.
Chasing the High By: Kyle Keegan • “The real truth about the worst seems like the best place to start. ” From a harrowing night on a rooftop, gravely ill and in withdrawal, Keegan tracks back through his young-adult years spent addicted to drugs, primarily heroin. Now clean and sober in his early thirties, Keegan remembers with dark honesty his slide from experimentation to addiction. • This title is more than just a memoir, however. Coauthored with a psychiatrist and produced in conjunction with the Adolescent Mental Health Initiative, the book provides a wealth of up-to-date information about addiction and explains why teens are at a higher risk for drug abuse than are adults. • Detailed descriptions of rehab and recovery approaches and lists of resources for further help are also included.
Burnt Orange – Color Me Wasted – Amber is getting heavy into drinking and concerns from friends are forcing her to take a look at her problem…
Crystal Lies Carlson's Crystal Lies brings to life the horror of crystal methamphetamine addiction. Hapless Glennis Harmon, who thought she was a typical suburban wife and mother, wakes up one day to find her resentful teenage son, Jacob, addicted to meth, the "poor man's cocaine. " In the bargain, Glennis' high-rolling husband is having an affair. Carlson provides no easy answers; instead, she offers a realistic portrait of addictive behavior. the trap of enabling, and the always incomplete process of recovery.
Beautiful Boy What had happened to my beautiful boy? To our family? What did I do wrong? Those are the wrenching questions that haunted every moment of David Sheff’s journey through his son Nic’s addiction to drugs and tentative steps toward recovery. Before Nic Sheff became addicted to crystal meth, he was a charming boy, joyous and funny, a varsity athlete and honor student adored by his two younger siblings. After meth, he was a trembling wraith who lied, stole, and lived on the streets.
We All Fall Down Nic Sheff’s powerful follow-up to his memoir We All Fall Down, this book is about his continued efforts to stay clean, Nic writes candidly about eye-opening stays at rehab centers, devastating relapses, and hardwon realizations about what it means to be a young person living with addiction. *Language Warning*
Bullying/Friendship /Peer Issues
Deep Green Color Me Jealous Jordan feels envious of a friend and has to learn to move on to better things…
Please Stop Laughing at Me By: Jodee Blanco While other kids were daydreaming about dances, first kisses and college, Jodee was just trying to figure out how to get from homeroom to study hall without being taunted or spit upon as she walked through the halls. This powerful memoir chronicles how one child was chunned - and even physically abused - by her classmates from elementary school through high school. It is a look at what it means to be the outcast, how even the most loving parents can get it wrong and why schools are often unable to prevent disaster.
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants By: Ann Brashares One pair of old jeans from a thrift shop - four friends – a summer of adventure in a pair of jeans that fit each girl perfectly. We also have the 2 nd, 3 rd and 4 th summers!
Star girl By: Jerry Spinelli • Ukulele playing, pioneer dresses, laughs at nothing, sings when it’s not your birthday. • The students love her. • The students hate her • The pressure to be “normal” may be too much… Love, Stargirl By: Jerry Spinelli Ever wonder what happened to Stargirl? ? ? Now we get to see through letters she writes to her old boyfriend, Leo.
Loser By: Jerry Spinelli Zinkoff is not like the other kids -- raising his hand with all the wrong answers, tripping over his own feet, falling down with laughter over silly things. The kids have their own word to describe him, but Zinkoff is too busy to hear it. Loser is a touching book about the human spirit, the importance of failure, and how any name can someday be replaced with "hero. "
Driver’s Ed By: Caroline B. Cooney An innocent night of thrill-seeking gone wrong… A driver’s license: freedom and responsibility… A prank with fatal consequences… How will they come to terms with what they have done? How will they face their families and friends?
Featuring contemporary, real-life stories that young adults will relate to, with important life lessons that are not too preach, these two book continue this new series focusing on the students of Bluford High School.
The Body of Chris Creed By: Carol Plum-ucci The Body of Christopher Creed is the story of the mysterious disappearance of a high school outcast. Christopher Creed is the boy no one likes, the boy the popular kids bully and tease, the boy that never seems to fit in. When Christopher Creed disappears, however, he captures the attention of the entire town, and he upsets the lives of those who tormented him.
Big Mouth Ugly Girl By: Joyce Carol Oates Matt has always been a BIG MOUTH. But it's never gotten him in trouble -- until one day when two detectives escort him out of class for questioning. Matt has been accused of threatening to blow up Rocky River High School. A loner with fierce, staring eyes, Ursula has no time for petty high school stuff like friends and dating -- or at least that's what she tells herself. Ursula – self titled – “Ugly Girl” is content with minding her own business. She doesn't even really know Matt. But Ursula is the only person who knows what Matt really said that day … and she is the only one who can help him.
Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes By: Chris Crutcher Sarah Byrnes and Eric have been friends for years. When they were children, his fat and her terrible scars made them both outcasts. Later, although swimming slimmed Eric, she stayed his closest friend. Now Sarah Byrnes -- the smartest, toughest person Eric has ever known -- sits silent in a hospital. Eric must uncover the terrible secret she's hiding, before its dark currents pull them both under.
Wonder I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse. August Pullman was born with a facial deformity that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5 th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face.
White and Black Marcus and Eddie are best friends who found the strength to break through the racial barrier. Marcus is black; Eddie is white. Stars of their school basketball team, they are true leaders who look past the stereotypes and come out on top. They are inseparable, watching each other's backs, both on and off the basketball court. But one night—and one wrong decision—will change their lives forever. Will their mistake cost them their friendship. . . and their future?
Human Experience Overcoming Obstacles
Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens By: Sean Covey This ultimate teenage success book provides a step-bystep guide to help teens improve their self-image, build friendships, resist peer pressure, achieve goals, get along with parents, and more.
Black and White David Macaulay • Black and White is an interesting title for a book that aims to prove there's no such thing as black and white. • Four stories are told simultaneously, with each double-page spread divided into quadrants. The stories do not necessarily take place at the same moment in time, but are they really one story?
The Juvie Three By: Gordan Korman Gecko, Terence, and Ajay are serving time in juvenile detention centers until they get a second chance. Douglas Healy, a former juvenile delinquent himself, takes them into his halfway house, hoping to make a difference in their lives. One night there is a scuffle, and Healy is accidentally knocked unconscious. When he awakes in the hospital, he has no memory of them or of the halfway house. Afraid of being sent back to Juvie, the guys hatch a crazy scheme to continue on as if the group leader never left. But if the boys are found out, their second chance will be their last.
Worth By: A. La. Faye What is the source of one's worth? In the hardscrabble life of the Nebraska plain, a fluke accident crushes an only son's leg, bringing even more difficult times to the family. Nathaniel's sense of self is also crushed. Through grappling with his feelings toward his father, the orphan boy who comes to help out, the Greek family attending school, and the power struggles between farmers and ranchers, Nathaniel emerges as a whole individual.
Once Was Lost By: Sara Zarr Samara Taylor used to believe in miracles. She used to believe in a lot of things. As a pastor's kid, it's hard not to buy in to the idea of the perfect family, a loving God, and amazing grace. But lately, Sam has a lot of reason to doubt. Her mother lands in rehab after a DUI and her father seems more interested in his congregation than his family. When a young girl in her small town is kidnapped, the local tragedy overlaps with Sam's personal one, and the alreadyworn thread of faith holding her together begins to unravel.
Power of One By: Bryce Courtenay A moving story of one young man's journey and the realization that it takes only one to change the world. A weak and friendless boy growing up in South Africa during World War II.
By: Ben Mikaelsen Cole Matthews is angry. Angry, defiant, smug--in short, a bully. His anger has taken him too far this time, though. After beating up a ninth-grade classmate to the point of brain damage, Cole is facing a prison sentence. But then a Tlingit Indian parole officer offers an alternative, based on Native American traditions. Privately, Cole sneers at the concept, but he's no fool--if it gets him out of prison, he'll do anything. Ultimately, Cole ends up banished for one year to a remote Alaskan island.
Stuck in Neutral By: Terry Trueman Shawn’s life is not what it may seem to anyone looking at him. He is glued to his wheelchair, unable to voluntarily move a muscle – he can’t even move his eyes. His father thinks he is suffering and with Shawn unable to communicate his life may be in danger.
Runner By: Carl Deuker • When a new job falls his way, Chance jumps at the opportunity, becoming a runner who picks up strange packages on a daily route and delivers them to a shady man at the marina. Chase knows how much he will earn—what he doesn’t know is how much he will pay. Suspenseful, fast-paced, and timely, this novel avoids easy answers as it examines issues of terrorism and patriotism, fear and courage, and lives of privilege and poverty.
The Last Lecture By: Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give his “last lecture”, he didn't have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave--"Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams"--wasn't about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment - It was about living.
The Glass Castle By Jeannette Walls • Walls, who spent years trying to hide her childhood experiences, allows the story to spill out in this remarkable recollection of growing up. She remembers the poverty, hunger, jokes, and bullying she and her siblings endured, and she looks back at her parents: her flighty, self-indulgent mother - and her father, troubled, brilliant Rex, whose ability to turn his family's downward-spiraling circumstances into adventures allowed his children to excuse his imperfections until they grew old enough to understand what he had done to them--and to himself. His grand plans to build a home for the family never evolved: the hole for the foundation of the The Glass Castle, as the dream house was called, became the family garbage dump, and, of course, a metaphor for Rex Walls' life.
The Blind Side By Michael Lewis A profile of African American football prodigy Michael Oher. One of 13 children of a drug-addicted mother, Oher was homeless in Memphis when he was placed in the Briarcrest Christian School and then adopted by a wealthy white family. He found a sense of belonging and a future. He is now the massive left tackle for the University of Mississippi. His strange, sad, and yet inspiring tale is grippingly told here.
Forgotten With absent parents, overdue rent, and no one to turn to, Adele is forced into the hard, cold world of homelessness. While striving to maintain the pretense of a “normal” life, Adele attempts to finish high school, all the while concealing her secret. But is she strong enough to keep up the act?
Teen Pregnancy/Parenting
Hanging On To Max By Margaret Bechard It’s Sam’s last year of high school and Max wasn’t part of the plan. Now Sam is trading footballs for diaper bags and college brochures for feeding schedules. Will the pressure be too much for this teen dad? ?
First Part Last By: Angela Johnson Bobby is your classic urban teenage boy -- impulsive, eager, restless. On his sixteenth birthday he gets some news from his girlfriend, that changes his life forever. She's pregnant. Bobby's going to be a father. Suddenly things like school and house parties and hanging with friends no longer seem important as they're replaced by visits to the obstetrician and a social worker who says that the only way for them to lead a normal life is to put their baby up for adoption.
After By: Amy Efaw • Who could do such a thing? Certainly not someone like Devon Davenport - a straight A student-athlete with everything going for her. But in a moment of denial, desperation, and sheer panic, she did something that most people couldnot even imagine. And now Devon is being charged with attempted murder. In a skillfully crafted story, Amy Efaw takes readers through the days leading up to and after Devon’s crime.
Sports and Adventure Related
No Excuses By: Kyle Maynard • The True Story of a Congenital Amputee Who Became a Champion in Wrestling and in Life • Kyle Maynard personifies the phrase "no excuses. " Born with a congenital defect that robbed him of his arms above the elbow and his legs below the knee, Maynard transformed himself into an accomplished athlete — and someone determined to triumph no matter what obstacles were in his path.
Football Genius By: Tim Green He can predict football plays before they happen, any position, any player, any team. Troy tries to use his talent to help his favorite team – the Atlanta Falcons. Filled with the belief he can do this, and a relentless drive to prove it, Troy makes some big moves to make others believe in him too.
Season of Life By: Jeffrey Marx A Football Star - A Boy - A journey to manhood. An in depth look at an amazing football team, coaching staff and the life lessons that TEAM and FOOTBALL can teach. Ronnie Lott, NFL Hall of Famer This is not a book you are just going to read and then forget about. You're probably going to read it again sometime. And you'll definitely want to tell family and friends about it. By sharing with others, you will be helping to make this a better world. Steve Moulton, ESPN Radio This is a life-changing book. You'd have to be a slug on a rock not to be impacted by the messages in this book.
Payback Time By: Carl Deuker • Through the eyes of a school journalist named Mitch—veteran sports novelist Deuker reveals the surprising truth behind a mysterious football player named Angel. When Angel shows up Lincoln High, he seems to have no past—or at least not one he is willing to discuss. Though Mitch gets a glimpse of Angel's incredible talent off the field, Angel rarely allows himself to shine on the field. Is he an undercover cop, wonders Mitch? Or an ineligible player? In pursuit of a killer story, Mitch decides to find out just who this player is and what he's done. In the end, the truth surprises everyone.
• After being tackled just short of the end zone in a big game, Mick begins using “gym candy, ” or steroids. His performances become record-breaking, but the side effects are terrible. Gym Candy’s subject matter is just as hardhitting as its football scenes.
Into Thin Air By: Jon Krakauer In March 1996, Outside magazine sent veteran journalist and seasoned climber Jon Krakauer on an expedition led by celebrated Everest guide Rob Hall. Despite the expertise of Hall and the other leaders, by the end of summit day eight people were dead. This is the story of the ill-fated adventure and an analysis of the factors leading up to its tragic end.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place By: Aron Ralston In 2003, the avid rock-climber and outdoorsman became trapped in a Utah mountain canyon when an 800 -pound boulder pinned his right arm. He spent six days there, fighting both the physical challenges of pain and dehydration, and the psychological horror that eroded his hope and energy. Eventually, he amputated his own arm with his pocket knife in order to gain his freedom.
Into the Wild By: Jon Krakauer After graduating from college, top student and athlete Christopher Mc. Candless abandoned his possessions, gave his entire $24, 000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska, where he wen t to live in the wilderness. Four months later, he turned up dead. His diary, letters and two notes found at a remote campsite tell of his desperate effort to survive, apparently stranded by an injury and slowly starving.
Peak Marcello is arrested for scaling a New York City skyscraper, he's left with two choices: wither away in Juvenile Detention or go live with his long-lost father, who runs a climbing company in Thailand. But Peak quickly learns that his father's renewed interest in him has strings attached. Big strings.
Eating Disorders/Body Image
Perfect By: Natasha Friend Everything is fine, says Isabelle Lee, but actually everything is not fine. Isabelle, her younger sister and their mother are coping with many problems, not the least of which is their father's sudden death. Isabelle, finding comfort in her eating disorder, was discovered by her sister and packed off by their mother to weekly group therapy. To Isabelle's surprise, someone else is there. Someone no one would have expected to have a problem.
Stick Figure By: Lori Gottleib After happening upon the diary she kept when she was 11 years old, Gottlieb published her struggle with anorexia, nearly 20 years after she wrote it. She chronicles her growing concern about her food intake and imagined fatness, her struggles with her parents, her worries about her popularity, and her eventual understanding that she needs to eat in order to be healthy.
Skin By: Adrienne Maria Vrettos Donnie, 14, has a dysfunctional family. His parents, completely ineffective, constantly rage at one another. His sister, Karen, 16, is anorexic and storms around screaming profanities and lying. Donnie is simply becoming invisible. The outcast at school, he suffers from ear infections and lays low, watching his sister starve herself, until the day he finds her dead.
Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend’s restless spirit
Keeping The Moon By: Sarah Dessen Colie's fitness-celebrity mom long ago motivated her to lose 45. 5 pounds, but Colie feels just as insecure as she did when she was overweight, and she is a pariah at school. Colie begins a happy metamorphosis; Her transformation is interrupted by the arrival of a meanmouthed schoolmate who is all too eager to cut Colie down.
Life In The Fat Lane By: Cherie Bennett Beauty pageant winner, homecoming queen-Lara has the world at her feet, until she gets fat. Despite a strict diet and workout schedule, Lara is soon a nameless, faceless, 200 -pound-plus teenager. When she's diagnosed with a mysterious metabolic disorder that has no known cure, Lara fears she'll spend the rest of her life trapped in a fat suit. Who will stand by her? Her image-conscious family? Her shallow friends? Her handsome boyfriend? Or will she be left alone?
For More Information…. Visit the library webpage and choose "Family Health Books" on the left menu. From there, you can have access to your Power. Point and there is a link to the Destiny Quest page that has a "Resource List" that has all "Family Health Book Choices. "
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