Wild Things: YA Grown-Up discussion

A few have started lists of novels featuring autism or mental illness. What about fiction which portrays troubled kids? I'm thinking along the lines of Queenie Peavy, Great Gilly Hopkins, and even grittier examples such as books by Walter Dean Myers. Any recommendations?

Ellen Hopkins characters are all pretty troubled.

I'll think up some more!

I'm not a fan of verse novels but have heard so many good things about Ellen Hopkins' books that I put them on my wish list. :-) What's your favorite?

Identical, the ending blew me away. I never saw it coming.

I'm not a huge fan of novels in verse, but Hopkins is a master.

Thanks! I'll start with Identical. :-)

Surrender
Hate List
Kit's Wilderness
Harmless
Whirligig
Bless the Beasts and Children
Holes

Are all books that deal with troubled teenagers. They all also happen to be books I've enjoyed.

What did you think of Hate List? I saw it recently while browsing at Barnes & Noble and thought it might be a good book to read on the topic of troubled teens.

I haven't heard of the others except Holes. The producer of the movie actually signed our DVD copy.

Thanks for your recommendations! I'm looking forward to reading them and have bookmarked this discussion for reference after my vacation.

My review of Hate List:

I really enjoyed this book. It was a different twist on an intense subject. The main character, Valerie, is left to wonder about her role in a tragic shooting perpetrated by her boyfriend. Many people think she's the villian, including her family and former friends, and she has to wonder herself why she didn't know or do anything about it. Others, though few and far between, think she's a hero, as she saved at least one life, and probably many more. I found this book to be absolutely compelling. Valerie was very realistic and believable as she struggled to come to terms with what happened. I didn't mind that she was selfish because A) what teen isn't self-absorbed and B) wouldn't you be spending every waking minute of your life trying to figure out who you were in the wake of tragedy? I also found her parents' responses (though often obnoxious) to be realistic- who is this monster I raised? What kind of parent am I? How can I let her loose on the rest of the world? All in all, a gripping read and I can't wait to read more from this author.

Jennifer W wrote: "My review of Hate List:

I really enjoyed this book. It was a different twist on an intense subject. The main character, Valerie, is left to wonder about her role in a tragic shooting perpetrated b..."

Thanks for recommending Hate List. I actually picked up my own copy of it at a book sale, along with interviewed the author and wrote a review of it. While sometimes I found Valerie too selfish, I loved all the questions that the book raised in my mind. Is she a villain or a hero? And what about Nick, the shooter? Is Nick a bad kid destined for trouble? And what about the bullies? Which of these characters is a hero? Which is a villain? Or do they fall somewhere in the middle? And what about the rest of us? What are we? You might enjoy my interview with Jennifer Brown: http://allisonsbookbag.wordpress.com/...

Jennifer W wrote: "Surrender
Hate List
Kit's Wilderness
Harmless
Whirligig
Bless the Beasts and Children
Holes

So far, I have checked out five of these. Surrender failed to interest me, but I enjoyed the other four. Kit's Wilderness was my favorite. I still have to read Whirligig and Bless the Beasts and Children. Thanks for the recommendations!

Glad you're liking them! Surrender was kind of an odd book, but I found it thought-provoking. Kit's Wilderness was a great book, though I haven't read it since college. All of his books (that I've read) are really good.

I found another one for you, Where Things Come Back.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8... It was not the book I was expecting to read.

Pin balls is a book about foster kids. My kids love it.

The Pinballs by Betsy Byers.

Regina wrote: "Pin balls is a book about foster kids. My kids love it."

I agree Pinballs by Betsy Byers is a great book about troubled kids. :-) One day I need to review it too!