Teen Poems From Behind Bars: Young Adult Novel Reading List

The following are a list of young adult novels and memoirs which we read as a part of the poetry workshop. The books were purchased with grants from BECU, Everett Public Schools Foundation, Greater Everett Community Foundation, Terry and Cheryle Earnheart Fund for Children, and the Tulalip Tribes. We choose these novels and memoirs because the youth identify with the characters and situations of the stories. The teens will often say, “This story is just like me!” We also select the books based on the writing craft, and our list includes novels-in-verse as well as graphic novels. We hope to continue to update our list as further grants become available.

Novels

Crank, Ellen Hopkins

Cut, Patricia McCormick

Glass, Ellen Hopkins

Impulse, Ellen Hopkins

No Limit, Pete Hautman

After, Amy Efaw
Perfect Chemistry, Simone Elkeles
Leaving Paradise, Simone Elkeles
Return to Paradise, Simone Elkeles
Weaving Magic, Mindy Hardwick
Pull, B.A. Binns

The Way Home, George Pelecanos

Street Pharm, Allison Diepen

Chess Rumble, G. Neri

Monster, Walter Dean Myers

What My Mother Doesn’t Know, Sonya Sones