Classics

Title: Catcher in the Rye
Author: J.D. Salinger
Publication Info:  Little Brown and Company, Boston, MA, 1991. (Originally published July 1951)
ISBN: 0-316-76948-7
Genre: Fiction
Awards: National Book Award Nominee (1952)
Author Info: J.D Salinger was born in New York in 1919 to a Jewish father and Christian mother. He passed away on January 27, 2010 at the age of 91. His works have appeared in The Saturday Evening Post, Esquire, and The New Yorker. Salinger went to private and military schools and served in the US Army from 1942-46. Catcher in the Rye brought Salinger critical acclaim and attention. After publishing some works that focused on the Glass family Salinger became a recluse. He was not seen or heard from much after the 1960s and rarely did interviews or published anything, much to the disappointment of critics and fans everywhere.
Plot Summary: Holden Caulfield narrates the story from a mental hospital. He tells the story of how he went mad just before Christmas a year ago. Holden had been attending Pencey Prep in Agerstown Pennsylvannia. Unfortunately he was failing most his classes and had just received a letter of expulsion.  Holden's roommate Stradlater asks Holden to write a composition for him, which Holden does about his dead brother's baseball glove. When Stradlater returns from his date his is upset to find what Holden wrote about and Holden gets in a fight with Stadlater. Upset and tired of Pencey, Holden leaves on a train for New York. He decides he should stay in a hotel there for a few days before going to stay with his family who is unaware of Holden's expulsion. While in New York Holden has a series of events that lead to his breakdown. What is really going on with Holden? Through his very personal and self-deprecating narrative Holden reveals a lot about himself and the struggles of growing up.
Critical Review: The Catcher in the Rye is a coming of age story that shows the dark underbelly of mental illness, teenage angst and the struggles of youth. Holden is far from the perfect youth that was often represented in books before this story. Holden swears, he smokes, he gets drunk and is brutally honest about himself and the people around him. His honesty and struggles can be appealing to teens who may also be struggling or dealing with mental illness. Salinger doesn't sugarcoat things and isn't afraid to write about what isn't pretty.
Reader's Annotation: Holden Caulfied is in a mental hospital but how did he get there? Holden's story is all about how he had a breakdown a year earlier set off by his expulsion from his school.  Before heading home to face his parents Holden spends a few days in a New York City hotel dealing with phoneys and his own demons. But what is truly troubling Holden?
Book Talking Ideas: Holden wears a distinct red hunting cap and has a huge attachment to a baseball glove. I think maybe having those items be a part of the book talk would bring teens into the novel.
Reading/Interest Level: high school
Curriculum Ties: The story is often used as required reading in most high school classrooms.
Challenge Issues: The book has been challenged often due to it's language and content. Some parents feel it is too mature for teens.

Why have this book? The book is a classic and is an honest and sometimes harsh look at the struggle of a teen dealing with mental illness. It's important to have this type of book because of it's importance in modern literature.

Title: Pride and Prejudice
Author: Jane Austen
Publishing Info: Modern Library Classics, 2000
ISBN: 0679783261
Genre: Fiction, Romance
Author Info: Jane Austen was born in 1775, in Hampshire England to a Reverend father and his wife. Jane's parents did not have much in the way of money but supported their girls in education. At 20 years old Jane fell in love with the neighbors nephew Tom Lefroy. Though when Tom's parents found out about the pairing they brought Tom home and did not allow the two to see each other again. Several years later Jane received her first and only proposal from Mr. Bigg-Wither which Jane accepted only to reject it a day later. Jane would never marry or have children. Instead, Jane focused on writing and supporting her family. Despite having her works published and have success her works were originally published anonymously. It wasn't till after her death that her brother publicly attached her name to her writing. Austen gained much of her popularity and notoriety after her death.
Plot Summary:  The story is about the five unmarried Bennet daughters, Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia. The Bennet family is not wealthy and jumps at the chance to attend a ball of the wealthy and single Mr. Bingley who is renting a manor near by. At the ball Mr. Bingley and Jane make a connection. Elizabeth overhears that Mr. Bingley's friend, Mr. Darcy refuses to dance with Elizabeth and she foresees him as arrogant and prejudice. As Jane and Elizabeth start to spend time with Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, Darcy realizes that his first impressions were wrong about Elizabeth. He starts to like her wit and strong opinions. Though, Elizabeth is still set on her initial opinion of Darcy though as the story progresses some of Darcy's actions surprise Elizabeth. Maybe, she was wrong about Darcy after all.
Critical Review: Austen has the ability to write a beautiful and touching romance with barely any physical interaction of characters. Everything in Austen's story is told in glances, lingering stares and intricate words. The writing can at times be difficult to read through due to it's old style of writing. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet is one of the great love stories and has the ability to transcend time periods. Also, Elizabeth is a strong female character, especially when you consider the time in which she lived. She refuses to settle for a marriage unless she is in love and she often speaks her mind despite the judgement of others.
Reader's Annotation: Elizabeth Bennet is the outspoken and independent daughter of the Bennet family. Upon meeting the wealthy and good looking Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth finds him to be arrogant and proud. But can first impressions be wrong?
Book Talk Ideas: Pride and Prejudice is a classic love story that has inspired movies and other books.
Reading Level/Interest Level: high school
Curriculum Ties: The book is often used as part of required reading in English. Due to the setting it could also be used in connection with a history class since it gives a glimpse of life in England during the 1800s.
Challenge Issues: N/A

Why have this book? The book is seen as a classic romance that has inspired many other books, parodies, and movies.

Title: Ordinary People
Author: Judith Guest
Publishing Info: Penguin Books, New York, NY, 1982.
ISBN: 0-14-006517-2
Genre: fiction
Author Info: Judith Guest was born in 1936 in Detroit Michigan. She attended the University of Michigan and received a BA in education. She went on to teach and did not start seriously writing till the 1970s. When she original wrote Ordinary People it was rejected by two different publishers before finally being accepted by Viking Press. Judith says that even after the success of her first novel she struggled to get her other works published. She often had to try multiple publishers before finding one that would accept her books. She continues to write and is in the process of writing sequel to one of her books. She is married and has three children and seven grandchildren.
Plot Summary: A year ago the Jarrett family lost their son Buck to a boating accident. Their only remaining son, Conrad has not dealt well with the death of his brother and has attempted suicide. While in a mental hospital Conrad befriended a girl named Karen, who had also attempted suicide. Upon returning home Conrad starts to see a shrink due to the insistance of his father. Conrad is reluctant to believe that a shrink can help him and it seems that Conrad is not improving. Conrad's parents also struggle with the death of their son and their marriage seems to be crumbling. What really happened to Buck on the day that he died and why does Conrad carry so much guilt? Can the family every recover from Buck's loss or will they continue to drift apart.
Critical Review: The story is a very emotional look at a family torn apart by loss. Each family member copes with the death of Buck in a different way. It really gives the reader an idea of the struggles that a family goes through when they lose a loved one. It also shows that a family that seemed so ordinary, so perfect can still struggle. The Jarrett family was just an ordinary family dealing with immense tragedy. Conrad bears the brunt of the guilt since he was there when his brother died and feels responsible. Readers can really attach themselves to Conrad's feelings as most people have at one time or another felt guilty or inadequate. Of course Conrad's feelings are magnified since the guilt is over a death but the sentiment is one that many can relate to. It also shows Conrad working through his struggles and the story doesn't give Conrad an easy way out but rather shows the slow progress that he makes. For teens it can show them that you can overcome issues but that it does take time and effort.
Reader's Annotation: Conrad was never the perfect son, that was his brother Buck's job. But when Buck dies in a tragic boating accident Conrad finds himself struggling with the loss of his brother and his own guilt about what happend. After a suicide attempt Conrad sees a shrink in an attempt to put himself back together. But can his family ever be the same? How does one recover from the death of family member? After all they are just ordinary people.
Book Talk Ideas: The reader doesn't know all the details of Buck's death till the end when Conrad melts down with Dr. Berger. Pulling teens in with the emotion the surrounds that mysterious night will get teens interested in what happened to Buck and why Conrad is struggling.
Reading/Interest Level: The reading level is probably around late middle school early high school but the content would probably appeal more to a high school student.
Curriculum Ties: Many high schools have this book as required reading for an English class.
Challenge Issues: n/a

Why Include this book? The story is considered a classic due to it's frank and personal look at a family dealing with loss and tragedy.

Title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Author: Betty Smith
Publishing Info: Harper Perennial, New York, NY, 1998.
ISBN: 0-06-0929880-X
Genre: historical fiction
Author Info:
Plot Summary: The story follows 11 year old Francie Nolan and her family who lives in poor house in Brooklyn in the early 1900s.. Fancie and her brother Neeley are quite poor, being supported by the wages of her mother and whatever there alcoholic father makes from waiting tables and singing. Despite their poverty Francie's mother tries to provide for them and Francie finds solace in school and books. The story documents their struggles, and Francie's struggle to make something of herself despite her humble beginnings.
Critical Review: The story shows a poor family struggling to make it in the slums and how despite setbacks Francie is still able to achieve her dreams of going to college. It also shows how through the death of her father Francie was forced to grow up and face some of the dark aspects of her life and childhood. The story is wonderfully told and it's a story that actually has a somewhat happy ending which is nice considering how much Francie and her family endured. I also like that Johnny was not just a one dimensional character. Even though he was an alcoholic Johnny is very likable, it is obvious that he struggles with his drinking but he still loves his family.
Reader's Annotation: Growing up poor in Brooklyn in the early 1900s is not easy for Francie and her brother Neeley. With an alcoholic brother and working mother Francie still finds happiness in her poor neighborhood in Brooklyn. And just like the tree the grows outside their apartment, Francie finds a way to survive and grow.
Book Talk Ideas: I think using the tree metaphor to introduce the book is a great hook.
Reading/Interest Level: early high school reading level but early and late high school interest level
Curriculum Ties: The story is a classic that deals with life in the slums in the early 1900s. It would be a great way to connect to an American History lesson.
Challenge Issues: The book deals with an alcoholic father, rape, Francie's struggle with religion and the existence of God.

Why Include this book? The book is a classic that depicts poverty in a light that isn't always represented. Francie, while poor, is very smart and resilient.