[CALIBK12] Query: Appropriateness of Specific Titles/Series

[Anne Snyder]

Dear Collective Wisdom,

I have a junior high library (Grades 7-8 only) requesting to add the
following titles to their collection.  For the most part these
titles/series have School Library Journal recommendations for Grade 9
and up or are classed as adult fiction (some of the titles have more
relaxed grade recommendations/interest levels from other review
sources).  

While I don't always adhere strictly to grade level recommendations, I
have not personally read any of the books and would appreciate any
advice/comments from those of you at middle school, junior high, or high
school who care to share your experiences/opinions.   Just on the basis
of the information in the reviews, I could rather easily disapprove half
of the list.  However, since I tend to be on the liberal side of access
debates and sincerely want to make an informed decision, I have included
all the titles in question. 

Thanks so much,
Anne

Clan of the Cave Bear (Auel)
Dune:  House Atreides (Herbert)
Over a Thousand Hills I Walk With You (Jansen)
Dangerous Girls and The Confession  and Killer Kiss (R.L. Stine's Fear
Street series)
Fallen Angels (Myers)
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing (Anderson)
Sewer Rats (Brouwer) and Chat Room (Butcher) -- both of the Orca
Currents series
Size 12 is Not Fat and Size 14 is Not Fat Either (Cabot)
The Uglies series (Westerfield) -- Pretties has a 9+ SLJ recommendation
Dead Girls Don't Write Letters (Giles)
Abundance of Katherines (Green)
Beating Heart:  A Ghost Story (Jenkins)
Sold (McCormick)
Rules of Survival  (Werlin)
King Dork (Portman)

Anne Snyder
K-8 Librarian
Ceres Unified School District
(209)556-1500 Ext. 1109

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