4. Life In Prison

Williams, Stanley "Tookie". Life In Prison. San Francisco: Chronicle Books LLC, 1998.

Annotation: Author and inmate, Stanley "Tookie" Williams, is the co-founder of the Crips gang. As a death row inmate, Tookie preaches to youth about the trecherous life in prison, in hopes of steering kids straight.

Justification for Nomination:

The viewpoint of an ex-gang member/inmate living on death row for 21 years is the angle of truth when writing a book about life behing bars. Tookie covers all ground when he tells youth about the day-to-day hell he must endure to survive. With great consideration to a youth's perspective, Tookie tries to compare his prison experiences to an equal punishment a youth may experience in order to relate to his readers. The message being delivered is enough to paint a most dismal and depressing image of prison life and scare youth out of trouble.

Genre Catergory: Non-fiction

3. Tears of a Tiger

Draper, Sharon M. Tears of a Tiger. New York: Simon Pulse, 1994.

Annotation: A high school is stunned by a fatal accident after a teen drinking and driving accidents kills the basketball team's MVP.

Justification for Nomination: Sharon Draper uses a uniquely brialliant writing style in this coming-of-age novel for adolescents. This book has an intriguing mix of newsletters, police reports, journal entries, poems, homework assignments, letters, prayers interchanged with immense dialogue. The teens speak with common slang and the relationships between the characters feel realistic. The story follows the life of Andy, the teen who celebrated a basketball game victory by drinking while driving with his three best friends in his car. The guilt Andy feels after he crashes his car and his best friend dies is the emphasis of the book. Andy's struggle to cope with the loss of his friend is too intense for him to deal with and he heads for tragedy himself. The connections and interactions of the characters make this book a heartfelt read, one that many young people can relate to and learn from.

Genre: coming of age

2. To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel

Cherson Siegel, Siena. To Dance: A Ballerina’s Graphic Novel. Illustrator Mark

Siegel. Aladdin Paperbacks: New York, 2006.

Annotation: Travel with Siena, a real ballerina in the American Ballet Theatre, and experience the amazing
childhood of a young girl living out her dancing dreams.

Justification for Nomination:
Siena Cherson Siegel does an amazing job telling the story of her childhood as a ballerina in New
York. Her husband, Mark Siegel, does just as amazing of a job illustrating and elaborating on his wife’s every word. This graphic novel is sure to be a favorite among young girls, as most girls can relate to wanting to be a pretty ballerina. Even girls that have no interest in dance will be intrigued by the realistic storyline and detailed graphics which help to tell the author’s story. The author’s true passion for dance is felt throughout the story, engaging readers until the end. Siena doesn’t hold punches; she shares both the ups and downs of her life. This allows readers to connect with her on multiple levels, given young adults and children the image that life isn’t all roses, even for “pre-professional” ballerinas.

Genre Catergory: Graphic Novel