Stick Figure - A Diary of My Former Self

Lori Gottlieb is 11 years old and lives in fabulous Beverly Hills . Her dad is a stockbroker, and her mom is your average housewife, obsessed with her weight, appearance, and shopping.

In school, Lori notices her friends starting to act weird. Instead of focusing on school and tests, everyone seems to be more interested in hairstyles, clothes and boys. Lori could care less.

Lori's mom is always trying to get her to work on her appearance. Her hair isn't exciting enough, and her clothes are not fashionable at all. Lori is constantly told that if her looks don't improve, she'll have problems finding a husband, and will have to go to secretary school.

Fed up with all of the interference in her life, and her parents' inability to listen, Lori starts a regime of strict dieting. She becomes obsessed with counting calories, reading diet books, and exercising. She finds herself repulsed by the thought of food, and is convinced she can gain weight by just smelling delicious foods.

Lori's parents become concerned when her weight drops dangerously low. They force her to see a psychiatrist, who doesn't seem to get Lori's logic. She is unwilling to follow her doctor's orders, and doesn't put on any weight. In face, her dieting gets worse, and she gets even skinnier, eventually resulting in hospitalization.

This is Lori Gottlieb's true story about her struggle with anorexia when she was 11 years old. Lori found her old diaries in her parents' house and pieced them together to form "Stick Figure: A Diary of My Former Self." This is a great read for anyone who enjoyed Laurie Halse Anderson's "Wintergirls." Lori entertains the inconsistencies between what society tells young girls to strive for, and what is healthy and good for our bodies.

Lanesha lives in the Ninth Ward in New Orleans. It's a poor neighborhood, and her family has never had much money. Her only family is her grandma, Mama Ya-Ya, since Lanesha's own mom died giving birth to her. Mama Ya-Ya makes her feel so special and loved, with homemade southern cooking, and plenty of together time. Mama Ya-Ya has a special gift, where she can see ghosts, and has magical healing powers that help the sick. Some of the neighbors are skeptical, but Lanesha knows it's true, because she has the same power to see ghosts, inlcuding her mom.

The weathermen on the news start to warn everyone that a big hurricane is headed for Florida. As the storm hits land, and moves closer to Louisiana, it grows in size, and everyone is told to evacuate. But Lanesha and Mama Ya-Ya have no money and nowhere to go. Mama Ya-Ya's health isn't doing so well. Lanesha is determined to take matters into her own hands, and help them survive. This storm may be more than they can handle!

"Stuck in Neutral" by Terry Trueman

Imagine having no control over your body. You can't move your legs, your arms, your head, or anything. All of your life you've been confined to a wheelchair. You can't communicate, and you're dependent on those around you to feed you, bathe you, and take care of your every need. That is what life has always been like for Shawn. Shawn has had cerebral palsy his entire life. At 14, Shawn is used to being called a vegetable, a retard, and plenty of other names. No one thinks Shawn is capable of understanding anything, let alone having feelings. His family loves him, but even they have a problem making a connection. This is a book written from Shawn's perspective. Not only can Shawn process information and have deep thoughts, he's confident his life may be in danger. Shawn suspects his own father may be plotting to kill him, to put him out of his misery. But Shawn's not miserable! How do you tell someone your life is in danger when you can't communicate?

"Stranded" by J.T. Dutton

Kelly Marie is forced to move back to her mom's hometown of Heaven, Iowa. Adjustment is not as easy as she would like. Her Nana is obsessed with keeping a clean house, and Kelly is forced to share a bedroom with her bible-loving cousin, Natalie. The town of Heaven is so rural, Kelly is worried she may die of boredom. Police discover a dead infant who was abandoned in local fields, and Natalie suspects her own mom may know more about the scandal than she's letting on.

"And Then I Found Out the Truth" by Jennifer Sturman

Delia's mom has been busy trying to save the environment down in Antarctica. But the big oil companies aren't fond of her attempts, and will stop at nothing to shut her up, including murder! Delia gets word that her mom is living underground in Argentina, where she's protected by a bodyguard, and safe...at least for the time being. Delia's been sent to New York City to live with her aunts, and is attending a very prestigious, private school. And there is a new boy around, Quinn, who turns out to be a romantic interest. Delia is ready to do some undercover work of her own to help her mom out, and put the criminals away. But things get complex, when she discovers Quinn's own step dad may be in on the plot to kill her mom. Going to Argentina seems like the only viable option to save her from danger...but will they be able to get there in time? This is the sequel to "And Then Everything Unraveled."

"Maus I: A Survivor's Tale" by Art Spiegelman

Art Spiegelman interviews his dad, Vladek, to try to piece together his father's experiences with the Holocaust during World War II. Vladek recalls how he and his wife were constantly either on the run, or in hiding, in order to avoid getting arrested by the Germans for being Jewish. Many Jews were sent to concentration camps, and few managed to escape the horrors of these camps, and were murdered while in captivity. Spiegelman illustrates his father's past, alongside his modern existence in New York State. The Nazis are drawn as cats, and the Jews mice. This story captures the tragedy of the Holocaust, not only for the survivors, but also for the families of those who experienced the terror of war. Spiegelman won the Pulitzer Prize in 1992 for this masterpiece.

"By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead" by Julie Anne Peters

Daelyn has been bullied at school as long as she can remember. She's struggled with her weight and emotions, and her enemies taunt her everyday. Daelyn is determined to kill herself, since her last few attempts have failed. As far as she can see, failure is no longer an option and Daelyn becomes obsessed with researching suicide methods on-line. She's given up on talking. Her parents try to monitor her every move and won't let her out of their sight. A new boy, Santana, attempts a friendship (or more), and Daelyn isn't sure if she's willing to let anyone into her life. Everyone has a breaking point, and Daelyn is planning for her Day of Determination, her last day of her life. Can anything change her mind? There are always alternatives to suicide.

This is a very powerful and sad book, about how bullying can impact people. Whether on-line, or in-person, this story reminds us of how important it is to treat everyone with respect.