Slam

Author: Nick Hornby

Publisher: New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons 2007
ISBN-978-0399250484
pages: 370
Author's blog

Classification: Young Adult Fiction
Genre: Contemporary Life
Topics: teen pregnancy, skateboarding
Media Type: Book

Grade level: 9-Adult

Reader's annotation: Sam is a happy teen, skateboarding through life until he finds out his ex-girlfriend is pregnant with his child. He turns to Tony Hawk, his idol, for advice.

Summary: Sam is 16, skateboarding is his life and Tony Hawk is his idol; he has read Hawk's biography 40 or 50 times. Now he finds out he is soon to be a father. At 16, this was not something that was in the plan. He seems to be reliving his parents life. His mother was pregnant at 16 and his father left soon after and the last thing he wants to do is repeat that. He goes to Tony Hawk for answers, talking to the poster of him on his bedroom wall and listening to the answers he hears back. Sometimes Tony Hawk also takes Sam into the future to “see” what is in store for him. These events are often quite funny. We do see Sam come to terms with his life and move forward towards adulthood.

Evaluation: A cautionary tale for older boys, especially those considering sexual relations with a girlfriend. Nick Hornby approaches the topic of teen pregnancy from the boys side of things in this funny sometimes serious insight into the male psyche.

Time travelers wife

Author: Audrey Niffenegger

Publisher: San Francisco CA: MacAdam/Cage Publisher 2002
ISBN-978-1931561464
pages: 560
Author's website

Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Romance
Topics: Time travel
Media Type: Book

Grade level: 10-adult

Reader's annotation: What would it be like if your life was lived out of sequence, that is the fate of Henry as he uncontrollably travels back and forth through time. Sometimes he is an adult visiting his future wife when she is a child, sometimes he is in the future, powerless to change what will be.

Summary: Henry has a problem. He suddenly, without warning or preparation, finds himself, naked, in another time and place. He often finds himself in a field behind his future wife’s home when she is a child. Sometimes he vanishes from his job as a librarian, leaving an empty pile of clothes in the stacks. Somehow, he manages to function in the places he arrives at and covers his actions up from where he left. Throughout it all he manages to have a somewhat normal life that involves falling in love and getting married and having a job. This book is as much about the people and relationships as it is about time travel and the complications of that.

Evaluation: One of the more unusual, interesting and powerful books that I’ve read in a while. One feels their confusion, resignation and love strongly throughout the book. Readers are very invested in the outcome. Teens will enjoy the fantasy, time travel part and will get some insight into a mature relationship.