I refer to our Junior Research Project quite often in this blog because it offers an opportunity for students to read a book of their choice, to research and dialogue with other scholars, and to craft their own connections and understanding of the work. Here are two more titles which I will booktalk this year for Junior Theme; both were recommended by School Library Journal as Adult Books for Teens and received starred reviews:
I Shall by Near to You by Erin Lindsay McCabe is historical fiction about a strong-willed woman who disguises herself as a man, Ross Stone, in order to fight beside her husband in the American Civil War. Rosetta Wakefield loves her husband, Jeremiah, and runs off to join him, allowing us to learn more about life (both its boredom and its dangers) as a soldier. Starred review: Booklist, Kirkus
The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez has a contemporary setting and a plot which deals with Latino/Hispanic culture and family life as she tells the story of Maribel and her parents who move legally from Mexico to Delaware. There, Maribel (who has suffered a serious injury) attends a special school and develops a relationship with a young man from Panama. Starred review: Booklist
It is interesting that neither book cover shows the face of the main character, perhaps implying that there is a more universal experience involved in the story which each book tells. To me, it also emphasizes how we often do not clearly "see" others around us. Both main characters fight being labeled and struggle against society's prejudices as they pursue a version of the American Dream. Whether students read these books for Junior Theme or simply because of a personal interest, they will find much to contemplate and to apply to their own lives and families as they work on defining an identity and on building empathy for others.
