The Outsiders

Author: S.E. Hinton
Publisher:Viking Penguin
Year Published:1967
Cost:$12.23 (Hardcover)
Other Bibliographic Info.:
ISBN:0-14-038572-4
ISBN 13: 978-0-14-038572-4
Word Count: 48,523
Reading Level: 4.7
Interest Level: 7-12

Plot summary:
Ponyboy Curtis belongs to a lower-class group of Oklahoma youths who call themselves greasers because of their greasy long hair. Walking home from a movie, Ponyboy is attacked by a group of Socs, the greasers' rivals, who are upper-class youths from the West Side of town. The Socs, short for Socials, gang up on Ponyboy and threaten to slit his throat. A group of greasers comes and chases the bullies away, saving Ponyboy. There are a lot of violent scenes from all the fights between the groups. In the end of the book, Ponyboy wakes up in bed at home. He has suffered a concussion from a kick to the head at the rumble and has been delirious in bed for several days. When he is well, he attends his hearing, where the judge treats him kindly and acquits him of responsibility for Bob's death. The court rules that Ponyboy will be allowed to remain at home with Darry. For a time, Ponyboy feels listless and empty. His grades slip, he feels hostile to Darry, and he loses his appetite. At last, Sodapop tells Ponyboy that he (Sodapop) is angry and frustrated because of the tension at home. He tearfully asks that Ponyboy and Darry stop fighting. Finally understanding the value of his family, Ponyboy agrees not to fight with Darry anymore. He finds that for the first time he can remember Dally's and Johnny's deaths without pain or denial. He decides to tell their story and begins writing a term paper for his English class, which turns out to be the novel itself.

Issues for Being Challenged: This book have been challenged due to issues of drug use, alcohol and cigarette abuse, violence, and the use of profanity by the characters in the book.


Evaluation:
This book by S.E. Hinton featured characters coming from broken families. The author brings to the reader such as myself real life issues that faced teenagers then and now. The book talked about drugs, both alcohol and cigarette abuse as well as violence. This book is a classic in my opinion because it helped me to see that the world can be a violent place to live in for some teens who grew up in broken families.

Reader’s annotation:
According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back.

Author's Website: http://www.sehinton.com/

Awards Won:
New York Herald Tribune Best Teenage Books List, 1967
Chicago Tribune Book World Spring Book Festival Honor Book, 1967
Media and Methods Maxi Award, 1975
ALA Best Young Adult Books, 1975
Massachusetts Children’s Book Award, 1979


Clip of movie adaptation from YouTube:

Dark Knight Returns

Author: Frank Miller
Publisher: DC Comics
Year Published: 1996
Cost: $11.69
Other Bibliographic Information:
ISBN:1-563-89342-8
ISBN13:978-1-563-89342-1
Reading Level:6
Interest Level:9+

Plot Summary:
It is ten years after an aging Batman has retired and Gotham City has sunk deeper into decadence and lawlessness. Now as his city needs him most, the Dark Knight returns in a blaze of glory. Joined by Carrie Kelly, a teenage female Robin, Batman takes to the streets to end the threat of the mutant gangs that have overrun the city. And after facing off against his two greatest enemies, the Joker and Two-Face for the final time, Batman finds himself in mortal combat with his former ally, Superman, in a battle that only one of them will survive. Batman and Superman engage in a powerful battle, and, when Queen shoots Superman using an arrowhead loaded with Batman's synthetic Kryptonite, Batman emerges the winner. However, Batman dies of a heart attack shortly after. Bruce Wayne’s secret identity as Batman quickly becomes public knowledge. At the funeral, Superman hears a heart beat inside the coffin and, after looking at Carrie, winks at her and leaves. Carrie later digs up Bruce’s body; it is revealed that he faked his death with the pill. Bruce Wayne now begins a new life, leading Robin, Green Arrow, and his new army through unexplored tunnels beyond the Batcave.

Issues for Challenges: Violence, Death, Ex-Catwoman tied up and beaten up by Joker (while dressed up in a Wonderwoman outfit for her Escort service business)

Evaluation:
Even if you are not a graphic novel reader or a graphic novel collector, you will love this graphic novel by Frank Miller. For me this is one of the "graphic novels" that redefined the superhero genre, and made these works worth reading. The Dark Knight Returns has excellent storywriting by Frank Miller as well as excellent artwork that readers will enjoy. The story and its illustrations may be a bit violent for younger readers.

Reader's Annotation:
Batman returns to crime fighting after a 10-year retirement. The Joker also returns to the scene later on. There’s even a new Robin, as well as a legendary battle between Batman and Superman. Who will win? Find out?

Lord of the Flies

Author: William Golding
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Company
Year Published: 1954
Cost:$13.51
Other Bibliographic Information:
ISBN:0-399-50148-7
ISBN13:978-0-399-50148-7
Word Count:59,900
Reading Level:5.0
Interest Level:9+

Plot Summary:
The story takes place on an isolated island. A plane has crashed and there are no adult survivors.
The survivors rapidly side with one of two dominant boys: Ralph, and another older boy named Jack. Jack then becomes a rebellious threat to Ralph's leadership, obviously envious of Ralph and empowers himself instead by becoming the unanimous leader of the hunters. The plot thickens as Jack and the hunters finally takes over. Jack lead their tribe on a manhunt for Ralph, intending to kill him. Jack, now nearly complete in his demonic role as the ultimate savage, sets the entire island ablaze. However, the fire started by Jack is so large that it has attracted the attention of a nearby warship. In the final scene, although now certain that he will be rescued after all, Ralph cries, in mourning for his friend Piggy, as well as his own loss of innocence.

Issues to Be Challenged: Violence exhibited by Jack and the rest of the hunters. Murder of Simon and Piggy. Mild use of profanity.

Evaluation:

This story about a group of very ordinary small boys marooned on a coral island has become a modern classic. I first read this book in high school as part of my English Honors class. I enjoyed reading it then and I enjoyed reading it now. It is exciting to see how the plot goes from a group of kids having fun and into a nightmare of panic and death. This books makes for a great study of human behavior.

Reader's Annotation:
What will kids be like without adults supervision or rules on an island> Read and see how even the innocent children become savages.

Author's website (if any): http://www.william-golding.co.uk/

Movie adaptation trailer from YouTube:

Watchmen

Author: Alan Moore
Publisher: DC Comics
Year Published: 1987
Cost:$21.46
Other Bibliographic Information:
ISBN:0-9329289023-4
ISBN13:978-0-930289-23-2
Reading Level:6
Interest Level:9+

Plot Summary:
This graphic novel story by Alan Moore is spent detailing information from the past, including the origins of Nite Owl I, Rorschach, and Doctor Manhattan. It also describes many cultural details which only turn out to be relevant at the end of the book; for example, the writer of a famous series of pirate comics is one of the people hired by Ozymandias to create his monster. It also spends a great deal of time detailing the everyday comings and goings of the people around a small newsstand in New York City, which turns out to be ground zero for the teleported monster. Knowing that Rorschach and others would investigate the murder of the Comedian, Ozymandias started the smaller falsehood of a serial killer or plot murdering masked heroes in order to hide the true reason for the Comedian's death. Ozymandias also orchestrated the media rumour and false evidence of cancer victims that forced the exile of Doctor Manhattan, the only figure he felt he could not completely control and counter.

Issue for being Challenged: Violence, Graphic illustration of sexual intercourse, violence, rape, and use of profanity.

Evaluation:
The artwork is a little sparse, but it fits for the tone and feel of the story. This graphic novel is told in a more cinematic style. Readers should pay attention to the panel flow and the stories in the story to find hidden correlations in the story.
Overall, Watchmen is an amazingly well constructed story, both in dialogue and the visual aspect of the art.

Reader's Annotation:
What would happen when former members of a disbanded group of superheroes called the Crimebusters start turning up dead? The remaining members of the group try to discover the identity of the murderer before they, too, are killed.


author's website:http://www.alanmoorefansite.com/


Trailer From the Movie Adaptation from YouTube: