Canadian Literature for Children and Young Adults: Outcast

Title: Little Black Lies

Author: Tish Cohen

Publish Date: October 2009

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Pages: 320pp

IBSN: 1606840339

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Annotation: Sara Black, the new kid in town, fell into her first lie of being from London, England, when really she is from Lunden, Massachusetts. From then on, the lies escalated, turning from little white lies into big black lies, all in the name of fitting in.

Plot Summary: As the new eleventh grader at Anton High School, Sara Black just wants to fit in, especially because Anton High School is perhaps the most elite public school in the country. She figures by being the new student, she has the ability to fudge her previous life and dually hide her tarnished family past by telling a few white lies. Though, she runs the risk of breaking her fathers heart in doing so as her father is the janitor of the school and suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). When another social climber gets jealous of Sara, she decides to take on Sara’s stories, putting Sara’s reputation on the line.

Personal Response: I think this is a good read as it goes into detail about the pressures of fitting in, and the length teens go to make sure they are part of the in crowd. An interesting aspect of this novel was the description of the “in-crowd” in which were based on intellect, rather then the usual sports, good looking, cheerleader types. The students actions are formatted based on the pressures they face in order to succeed in life. The author keeps the readers engaged with all the predicaments Sara enters and provides meaningful lessons threaded throughout the story.

~Reader’s Advisory~

Themes: Awkward new student wants to fit in.

Age Range: 12 and up

Subjects: High School, Dysfunctional Family, Obsessive Compulsion Disorder, Friendship, Lying, Moving, Popularity, Outcast, Privilege, Mean Girls, Cliques, Love, Social Life

Kissing Doorknobs by Terry Spencer Hesser

Addiction by Toni Jordon

Title: The Watcher

Author: Margaret Buffie

Publish Date: September 1, 2000

Publisher: Kids Can Press

Pages: 264pp

ISBN: 1550748319

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Fantasy

Annotation: Emma is set apart from the rest of her dark-haired family with exotic white hair and skin. She senses an intense emotion to protect her little sister Summer, who is prone to weakness. Suddenly, the world Emma has always known isn’t the world she thought it was, rather a Game.

Plot Summary: The first book of the Watcher’s Quest trilogy introduces Emma suspenseful tale about a girl, Emma, and her little sister, Summer. To begin with, Emma is nothing like the rest of her family, in fact she doesn’t even look like them as they all have dark features and Emma bears pale skin and hair. Emma is concerned about her little sister Summer as she has been passing out and getting weaker and weaker. Emma does not trust her mother, a new-age, bee-keeper or her impractical environmental artist father to keep Summer safe. Through dreams, Emma finds herself between two worlds and comes to find out that what she thought was reality is really just a Game. Upon finding this out, she learns what her role is in this Game and

Personal Response: A suspenseful tale with a strong storyline about identity, courage, and sisterhood. I thought the whole changeling element was interesting as Emma, a great character by the way (very relatable), felt so much need to protect her family. I found this to be a fantastical read! The open ending was a little difficult but luckily the next book was available at the library.

~Reader’s Advisory~

Themes: The bond of sisterhood

Age Range: 12 and up

Subjects: Magic, Other Worlds, Outcast, Supernatural, Identity, Sisters, Games, Myth, Changeling, Courage

Canadian Literature for Children and Young Adults

Little Black Lies by Tish Cohen

The Watcher by Margaret Buffie