H-F Reads
Suggestions for Further Reading

Did you enjoy one of this year’s H-F Reads titles?  The following are suggestions for further reading.


Great Graphic Novels

Grease Monkey: A Tale of Growing Up in Orbit, by Tim Eldred
Junior spacecraft mechanic Robin Plotnik arrives at the "Fist of Earth" flagship for his first job to learn he will be assisting brilliant mechanic Mac Gimbensky, who also happens to be an eight hundred-pound gorilla, but despite misgivings, they hit it off and between maintaining the fighter craft for the all-woman Barbarian Squadron, the two friends find their own path in the universe.

The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation, by Sid Jacobson
Graphic novel adaptation of "The 9/11 Commission Report," the results of the investigation of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

Kampung Boy, by Lat
Relates the life experiences, from birth to his start in boarding school, of a Muslim boy growing up on a rubber plantation in rural Malaysia.

Deogratias: A Tale of Rwanda, by Jean-Philippe Stassen
describes the Tutsi genocide in Rwanda in 1994 through the eyes of a boy named Deogratias, a Hutu, who is in love with Benigne, a Tutsi.

Books That Inspire

Do You! : 12 laws to Access the Power In You to Achieve Happiness and Success, by Russell Simmons
Hip-hop mogul shares the twelve rules he has followed on his path to success and offers advice on how people can achieve happiness and fulfillment in all aspects of their lives.

Letters to a Young Brother : Manifest Your Destiny, by Harper Hill
A collection of letters written to young people that address a number of issues from predominately Hispanic and African-American men that include single parenthood, sexually transmitted diseases, the allure of materialism, and the power of words and faith.

Help Yourself: Finding Hope, Courage, and Happiness, by Dave Pelzer
The author of A Child Called It shares the lessons he learned about the resilience of the human spirit after surviving a childhood of severe abuse; and presents self-help advice to people who are trying to overcome painful pasts, negative thoughts, and numerous setbacks.

The Journals of Rachel Scott : A Journey of Faith at Columbine High, by Beth Nimmo
Contains excerpts from the journals of Rachel Scott, a teenager who was killed during a shooting at Columbine High School.

Chain Reaction: A Call to Compassionate Revolution, by Darrell Scott
Rachel Scott and her killer Eric Harris both talked about starting a "chain reaction." Eric used violence to kill and destroy at Columbine High School. But Rachel chose another path. In a personal creed she wrote one month before her death in the Columbine tragedy, she explained her conviction that if one person goes out of his or her way to show compassion, it will start a world-changing chain reaction of kindness.

Rachel Smiles: The Spiritual Legacy of Columbine Martyr Rachel Scott, by Darrell Scott
When Rachel Scott's life was tragically cut short in the Columbine High School shooting, she left behind a group of grieving friends and family. But as stories of Rachel's faith and courage have surfaced, her legacy has grown to include hundreds of people who have been stirred by her example and are now impacting their world for God's kingdom. In this moving book, readers will cherish the encouraging stories of those who are still passing on Rachel's spiritual legacy.

She Said Yes : The Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall, by Misty Bernall
The mother of one of the teenagers killed at Columbine High School, tells the story of her daughter's life, describing how Cassie had, at one point, started down a troubled path before dedicating her life to God, and sharing the details of the moment when Cassie's affirmation of faith resulted in her death.

Books in Diary Format

Fiction Titles

Go Ask Alice, by Anonymous
Based on the diary of a fifteen-year-old drug user chronicling her struggle to escape the pull of the drug world.

The Princess Diaries, by Meg Cabot
Fourteen-year-old Mia, who is trying to lead a normal life as a teenage girl in New York City, is shocked to learn that her father is the Prince of Genovia, a small European principality, and that she is a princess and the heir to the throne. (First in the “Princess Series”).

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Charlie, a freshman in high school, explores the dilemmas of growing up through a collection of letters he sends to an unknown receiver.

Breathing Underwater, by Alex Flinn
Sent to counseling for hitting his girlfriend, Caitlin, and ordered to keep a journal, sixteen-year-old Nick recounts his relationship with Caitlin, examines his controlling behavior and anger, and describes living with his abusive father.

Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging, by Louise Rennison
Presents the humorous journal of a year in the life of a fourteen-year-old British girl who tries to reduce the size of her nose, stop her mad cat from terrorizing the neighborhood animals, and win the love of handsome hunk Robbie. (First in the “Confessions of Georgia Nicolson Series”).

Confessions of a Backup Dancer, by Tucker Shaw
Kelly Kimbal lands a job as a back-up dancer for pop diva, Darcy Barnes, but is soon fired by Darcy's overbearing mother until Darcy develops the courage to tell her mother off and bring Kelly back into the show.

Non-Fiction Titles

The Journey is the Destination : The Journals of Dan Eldon, edited by Kathy Eldon
Reprints pages from the diaries of young photojournalist Dan Eldon, presenting his unique and artistic viewpoint on his life, friends, and adventures from his childhood to the age of twenty-two when he was stoned to death while on assignment in Somalia.

Stolen Voices : Young People's War Diaries, from World War I to Iraq, edited by Zlata Filopovic.
The author of Zlata’s Diary presents fourteen journals written by adolescents coping with war from World War I to the war in Iraq, exposing the experiences of young people caught in the midst of war and the impact it has on their lives.

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank
The diary of a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl who died in a concentration camp during World War II chronicles the 25 months she and her family spent in hiding prior to their capture by the Nazis.

The Motorcycle Diaries : Notes on a Latin American Journey, by Ernesto Che Guevara.
Latin American revolutionary Che Guevara chronicles his 1952 adventure on motorbike throughout South America with friend Alberto Granado, during which he came face-to-face with the realities of poverty throughout the continent.

War and Young People

The Story of My Life: An Afghan Girl on the Other Side of the Sky, by Farah Ahmedi
Farah Ahmedi, the victim of a land mine when she was just twelve years old, tells about her childhood in Afghanistan, a country trapped in war her entire life, and discusses the challenges she has faced as a result of losing her leg, and in trying to adapt to living in the United States.

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, by Ishmael Beah
Ishmael Beah describes his experiences after he was driven from his home by war in Sierra Leone and picked up by the government army at the age of thirteen, serving as a soldier for three years before being removed from fighting by UNICEF and eventually moving to the United States.

Grace Under Fire: Letters of Faith in Times of War, Andrew Carroll, ed.
A collection of letters by U.S. servicemen and women and their families from the American Revolution to the War on Terrorism that emphasizes the importance of faith in their lives during times of war.

Over a Thousand Hills I Walk With You, by Hanna Jansen
Jeanne, the only member of her family not murdered in the Rwandan genocide, struggles to start a new life without her family while coping with the violent memories that haunt her.

Amazing Teachers and Students

Bronx Masquerade, by Nikki Grimes
While studying the Harlem Renaissance, students at a Bronx high school read aloud poems they've written, revealing their innermost thoughts and fears to their formerly clueless classmates.

Teach with Your Heart: Lessons I Learned From the Freedom Writers, by Erin Gruwell
The author presents her personal memoir and the lessons she learned as an English teacher for 150 troubled teens.

Teacher Man: A Memoir, by Frank McCourt
Celebrated author of Angela’s Ashes, Frank McCourt,  recounts his thirty-year teaching career, and describes some of his unconventional teaching methods that have left an impact on his students.

True Notebooks: A Writer’s Year at Juvenile Hall, by Mark Salzman
The author chronicles his first years teaching at Central Juvenile Hall, a lockup for Los Angeles's most violent teenage offenders, discussing what his students taught him about life.