2019-2020 VRC Slide Show
0 likes66 views
1) Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds is a novel told in verse about a 15-year-old boy named Will who takes a gun into his apartment building seeking revenge for his brother's murder. As he rides the elevator down, he encounters ghosts from his past who tell their stories and confront him with whether to follow the code of getting revenge or break the cycle of violence. 2) One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus is a mystery about five high school students who are suspects in the murder of a classmate after he planned to reveal secrets about each of them and dies in detention. 3) In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan is a humorous high fantasy parody about a
2019-2020 VRC Slide Show
- 2. Long Way Down, by Jason Reynolds Drama, Novel in Verse When 15-year-old Will’s older brother is gunned down, he leaves his 8th floor apartment with revenge on his mind and a gun in his pocket. The 67-second trip down to the lobby morphs into something else, though, when the elevator inexplicably stops at every single floor on the way down, picking up a passenger from Will’s past each time the doors part. As the elevator fills up and the ghosts tell their stories, Will is confronted with a terrible decision: will he loyally follow 3 Rules—no crying, no snitching, always get revenge— and avenge his brother’s death, or will he break the cycle of violence? Told in verse, the entire novel takes place in that minute-long ride, the “long way down” that will determine who lives-- and who dies. WATCH THE TRAILER September 17
- 3. One of Us is Lying, by Karen McManus Mystery, Realistic Fiction On a Monday afternoon, five students walk into detention: Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule; Addy, the beauty, is the picture- perfect homecoming princess; Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing; Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher; and Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app. Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon's dead, and according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose? Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them. (adapted from publisher) WATCH THE TRAILER October 15
- 4. In Other Lands, by Sarah Rees Brennan High Fantasy, Humor Small for his size and prone to brutal sarcasm, Elliot is a magnet for bullies, so when he discovers a portal to the Borderlands-- a land filled with magical creatures and new possibilities— he doesn’t think twice about leaving his lonely existence in the real world behind. Instead of escaping into a world of fantasy, though, Elliot finds himself smack dab in the middle of a land bracing for drama and war. How will Elliot the pacifist deal with the bloody fighting and conflict of this new realm? With sarcasm, humor, and his own style of course! A laugh-out loud parody of Harry Potter, In Other Lands is a zany adventure that pokes fun at common fantasy tropes and is full of unexpected twists, awkward romances, and epic battles. WATCH THE TRAILER November 19
- 5. The Lines We Cross, by Randa Abdel-Fattah World Drama, Romance, Realistic Fiction Michael and Mina are two students from different sides of the picket line. Michael, or rather, Michael's parents, represent Aussie Values, an Australian anti-immigrant group that hopes to decrease the supports provided to refugees in Australia. Mina and her parents are Muslim refugees from Afghanistan, hoping to rebuild their lives and safely grieve the losses they suffered. When put to the test, what will Michael and Mina stand for? WATCH THE TRAILER December 17
- 6. Warcross, by Marie Lu Science Fiction, Action, Adventure Tattooed, rainbow-haired Emika Chen is a bounty hunter living in major debt. When her attempt to hack into the opening game of the International Warcross Championships doesn't go as planned, she is immediately thrust into the spotlight. Not only is she capturing the attention of Warcross players worldwide, but the creator of the games himself - Hideo Tanaka. Will his promise of fortune be enough to convince her to enter this dangerous virtual tournament and the consequences that lurk there? WATCH THE TRAILER January 21
- 7. Spill Zone, by Scott Westerfeld Graphic Novel, Science Fiction, Horror Three years ago, the Spill transformed Poughkeepsie from a sleepy NY town to a living nightmare, a quarantined zone where the laws of physics no longer apply, mutated creatures roam, and human “meat puppets” lurk with empty, glowing eyes. Armed only with a camera, outlaw artist Addison sneaks past the National Guard perimeter at night, searching for answers about the mysterious disaster and photographing the strange phenomena there. It’s risky but selling those photographs to wealthy collectors pays the bills now that Addison and her little sister, Alexa, are on their own, their parents victims of the tragedy. What was the Spill? What happened to their parents? And why won’t Alexa, a survivor of the tragedy, talk about what she witnessed that night? When a rich buyer offers Addison a million-dollar payday for a dangerous job inside the Zone, she must decide whether the risk is worth the reward. Creepy sci-fi at its finest, The Spill Zone is an eerie graphic novel you won’t be able to put down. WATCH THE TRAILER January 21
- 8. The 57 Bus, by Dashka Slater Nonfiction One teenager in a skirt. One teenager with a lighter. One moment that changes two lives and two communities forever. If it weren’t for the 57 bus, Sasha and Richard never would have met. Both were high school students from Oakland, California, one of the most diverse cities in the country, but they inhabited different worlds. Sasha, a white agender teen, lived in the middle-class foothills and attended a small private school. Richard, a black teen, lived in the crime-plagued flatlands and attended a large public one. Each day, their paths overlapped for a mere eight minutes. But one afternoon on the bus ride home from school, a single reckless act left Sasha severely burned, and Richard charged with two hate crimes and facing life imprisonment. This riveting non-fiction account will make you think about issues of race and class, gender and identity, and crime and punishment. WATCH THE TRAILER February 18
- 9. Dreamland Burning, by Jennifer Latham Mystery, Historical Fiction Some bodies won't stay buried. Some stories need to be told. When seventeen-year-old Rowan Chase finds a skeleton on her family’s property, she has no idea that investigating the brutal century-old murder will lead to a summer of painful discoveries about the past… and the present. Told from alternating perspectives, past and present, this lightning-paced page-turner brings the Tulsa race riot of 1921 to blazing life and raises important questions about the complex state of US race relations – both yesterday and today. (adapted from publisher) WATCH THE TRAILER March 17
- 10. Loving vs. Virginia, by Patricia Hruby Powell Historical Fiction, Novel in Verse Virginia wasn’t always for lovers. Caroline County, Virginia. 1955. Two teenagers in love. One black, one white. Told in verse, Loving v. Virginia tells the true story of Mildred and Richard Loving and how they fought discrimination—and the law—so they could be together. Would you change the world to be with the person you love? WATCH THE TRAILER March 17
- 11. Paper Butterflies, by Lisa Heathfield Drama, Realistic Fiction June's life is full of secrets--she lives in a home where she suffers from daily abuse of her stepmother and sister, abuse her dad doesn't even know about. She goes to a school where she's picked on, targeted, and treated as an outcast. June lives in her world without others knowing her struggles, a world where it seems that there is no light; that is, until she meets Blister. Blister shows June another way of life, one filled with paper butterflies and laughter. And in a world where there seems to be so little worth fighting for, doesn't June deserve it? Paper Butterflies is a heartbreaking tale of survival against the darkness and how love can bring us into the light. WATCH THE TRAILER April 21