No matter what your book preferences are, there is one waiting to entertain you this winter break.  Nothing is better than cuddling up with a blanket, cup of hot cocoa and a book on a cold day.  Be sure to stop by the CHS library to check out these books before you leave for break!

• Historical Fiction: “Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida” by Victor Martinez

Manuel Hernandez, a Mexican-American teenager in California, deals with an alcoholic father, a pregnant sister, poverty, gangs and crushes.  If you are looking for an intriguing book revealing the harsh realities of the slums, “Parrot in the Oven” is for you.

Available at the CHS library.

• Non-Fiction: “Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions” by Ben Mezrich.

Mezrich examines the astounding story of six shy, intelligent college students who won a fortune of over $3 million by gambling in Las Vegas, using fake IDs and becoming experts at blackjack.  The truth of one of America’s favorite pastimes is revealed as the students face the consequences of compulsive gambling.

Available at the CHS library.

• Sports: “Whale Talk” by Chris Crutcher

A multiracial Japanese high school senior is recruited for the swim team because of his athletic ability although he has previously avoided organized spots. T.J. gets some other outcasts to join, and despite the derision of the swimmers, the outcasts are dedicated to each other and the sport. “Whale Talk” is a classic story of friendship and strength.

Available at the St. Louis County Library

• Horror: “The Long Walk” by Richard Bachman (Stephen King)

Clearly the inspiration for Collins’ “The Hunger Games”, a futuristic Ray Garraty enters an annual competition in which 100 teenagers walk on foot through Maine.  The teens don’t stop to eat or sleep, and receive three warnings if they fall behind before they are shot in the head.  Bloody, brutal, and nightmarish, “The Long Walk” will keep you on the edge of your seat, and maybe unable to sleep as well.

Available at the St. Louis County Library

• Conflict: “Shooter” by Walter Dean Myers

Three surprisingly normal teens plot to blow up their school, each fueled by his own unpurged pain and secrets.  Myers tells the chilling story through interviews, newspaper clippings, diary entries and police reports. “Shooter” allows readers to intimately understand the protagonists and becomes more relevant everyday with the growing school violence.

Available at the CHS library.

• Graphic Novels: “Blankets” by Craig Thompson

Thompson tells about his childhood experiences, from being an outcast, fighting with his brother and putting up with his Christian fundamentalist family to hitting puberty, falling in love and testing the limits of his faith.  Utterly truthful and thought provoking, “Blankets” is enjoyed by people with and without previous exposure to graphic novels.

Available at the St. Louis County Library.

• Edgy Novels: “You Don’t Know Me” by David Klass

Although the second person narration can initially be confusing and intimidating, it is worth it if you stick with this book.  Fourteen year old John lives in a home that is not a home, has friends that aren’t friends and has a man that is not his father physically abusing him.  He also deals with normal teenage things, like crushes and homework.  John’s unique description of life makes his quirks tolerable and loveable.

Available at the CHS library.

• Survival: “Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakauer

Jon Krakauer recalls the months of 1996 that he spent on Mt. Everest.  A

journalist for Outside Magazine, he planned to study why wealthy people chose to attempt this dangerous trek, only to have much of his group meet a tragic death.  Krakauer deals with the true horror of the world’s tallest mountain and his own guilt of surviving as he delves into the past.

Available at the CHS library.

• Autobiography: Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

Me Talk Pretty One Day is more of a hilarious comedy than an autobiography.  From recanting his speech therapy classes as a child to his years with his lover in France, Sedaris’ retrospect will produce tears of laughter in every reader.  To read an autobiography that doesn’t even seem like one, pick this up.

Available at the CHS library.

• Fantasy: “Weetzie Bat” by Francesca Lia Block

Weetzie Bat  is an untraditional fantasy novel ideal for teenagers.  A quirky, weird girl from L.A. named Weetzie Bat meets Dirk, and they’re perfect for even other from the start.  When Weetzie is given three wishes, finally she and Dirk can have everything they’ve wanted.  Weetzie Bat is the story of an unconventional family, tolerance and love.

Available at the St. Louis County Library.