Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

                  Fifteen year-old Ari has never had a real friend. That is, until he meets Dante. Dante can swim when Ari can’t, Dante can know his whole family when Ari can’t, and Dante can know who he is when Ari can’t. The two become inseparable in the summer of 1986, but after a horrendous accident at the end of the summer, they can never go back to how they once were. Dante’s father is offered a job in Chicago for the entirety of the school year, and his family makes the move from El Paso to the Windy City. The two spend months apart, and in that time begin to learn more about themselves and the changes that come with age.

                  As they reunite the following summer, it feels things have changed, but Ari knows one thing hasn’t – he still does not know who he is. Even after months of searching desperately, Ari struggles with his identity and the anger he feels of not knowing. Luckily, Dante has always been there to teach him.

A Time to Dance

            A Time to Dance is an inspirational book about a young Indian dancer named Veda. Written by an Indian author named Palma Venkatramam, the book reveals many things about Indian culture, and the Buddhist religion. Veda loved to dance since she was a child and began learning the traditional Bharatanatyam dance which honors God. After winning a Bharatanatyam dance competition, Veda lost part of one leg in an accident. With the help of an American doctor named Jim, who builds her prosthetic limb, Veda plans to become a great dancer all over again.

            This book is a great tool for learning about the Indian culture and Buddhist religion; the reader slowly gains knowledge on both subjects without really noticing. Along with that, it's also an interesting story with a lot of emotion in it. I recommend reading this book, although it is probably directed toward teenage girls rather than boys.

Jerusalem A Family Portrait

                  The story of the Halaby family in this comic book reflects the impact of the Balfour Declaration of 1917, the Arab Revolt in 1936, and the White Paper of 1939 in the city of Jerusalem. Due to Yakov Halaby’s greed, the Halaby family was split in two; Yakov decided to sue his own brother during the war, making himself rich while Izak Halaby and his children were left with nothing.  Avraham and David Halaby, two of Izak’s sons, are shown fighting on opposite sides during the battles between the Jewish, British, and Arabs. In the end, a final cease-fire is called after many deaths and the Arabs have control over Jerusalem.  The story stops after the accidental death of Jonathan Halaby, Yakov’s only son.

                  TI found this graphic novel the most boring I have ever read. Most of the strips are very vague, leaving you with no idea about what is going on in the story, and the ending makes no sense at all. There is a bit of history within the story, but it’s hard to catch onto. There is so much random information that the author doesn’t address, it becomes irritating to finish; this is a horrible book. I would not recommend anyone read this.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a coming-to-age epistolary novel written by Stephen Chbosky who is American award winning literacy optimism. This is a moving story about a boy named Charlie who is entering his first year of high school as an outcast. Charlie deals with the recent death of his best friend after he committed suicide and his always consuming depression built up from memories in the past he can’t seem to put together.  This story is told through letters Charlie writes to an anonymous character which he tells everything. Charlie’s world is turned upside down when he meets two outgoing outsiders, Sam and Patrick. Patrick is a wild, spontaneous teen who is struggling with being gay and dating someone who isn’t willing to expose their relationship. Sam is the beautiful, compassionate girl who Charlie almost instantly gained feelings for. These two friends introduce Charlie to a whole new world.