Everlost Series by Neal Shusterman

This is a strange and interesting series. Everlost is a world between life and death where only children get stuck. The natural laws are different than on Earth. It is filled with those who manipulate for power. The children must figure out the truth and learn how to move on.

Caution: mild violence

**** middle school and up

The Candyshop War by Brandon Mull

Exciting, funny, full of imagination and magic. If you liked Artemis Fowl, you will like this book.

Caution: mild violence

***** everyone

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

Barbara Kingsolver is one of my all time favorite authors. This book is written in a very different voice from her other books. This was hard for me, and I almost didn't get past the first 30 pages. I stuck it out, and am so glad that I did. With her usual flare for mixing interesting facts with fiction, a Lacuna is a missing piece, I learned many historical events and pieced together parts of my missing historical knowledge. A story teaches me best and this is a wonderful deep story.

Caution: language, sexuality, and violence

**** adult

Escape by Carolyn Jessop with Laura Palmer

An interesting autobiography about growing up and living in the polygamous FLDS community of Colorado City. Amazing what goes on in your own backyard that you aren't aware of. Education is vitally important. Take away education and it is easier to take away free will.

Caution: sexuality and domestic violence

**** adult

Girlwood by Claire Dean

Sometimes you have to create your own magic. This is a book about Girl Empowerment. How to find the beauty when all possible things go wrong.

Caution: drug use, sexuality

*** middle school and up

Dragon Spear by Jessica Day George

This wonderful story continues. Excitement, action, love, equality, dragons.

**** everyone

"The Rescue" Nicholas Sparks

A lovely love story. Not as beautiful as "The Notebook", but still insightful. Adults carry around all their childhood scars.

caution: sexuality

*** adult

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Shaffer and Barrows

This is a wonderful book. Everyone should belong to a group like this... having people to support you through hard times, diverse ideas that challenge each other... just read it.

*****adult

Catchin Fire by Suzanne Collins

While I enjoyed this book I must say I was disapointed. It was too much a repeat of the first and didn't go to any of the posibilites I had imagined. Maybe the third will be what I was waiting for.

caution: violence and mild sexuality

*** middle school and up

Night by Elie Wiesel

This book is nonfiction, but the things that happen are so horrible and described so matter-or-factly, it seems to be fictions. This is a book that puts your life into perspective. We are all so lucky.

**** teen and adult

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

A book I have been meaning to read for years and can't believe that I never got to it. This is a book I could read every 5 years, there are so many things to think about. How if someone is above or below the medicore they do not fit in. How difficult it is to be ture to yourself, but the only truely happy people are those who manage to do so.

***** adult

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

A book that explore the research on how we make decisions in the blink of an eye. It explores the idea that body language can give us all the information we need to make correct decisions in a matter of seconds, it is just a matter of learning to read the signals.


*** adult

Barcode Tattoo by Suzanne Weyn

This book is such an interesting idea. The author tried to create a futuristic slang that seemed forced.

Caution: violence

*** teen

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Such a sad book. Many questions raised about dysfunctional families and medical ethics. It kept me reading. The ending just wasn't what I wanted.

caution: swearing, violence, sexuality

**** adult

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.

A philosophical read. There are so few people who are true to themselves. I think we all to a degree pretend to be something we are not in order to fit the role we think we must fill. Somewhere in all the day-to-day necessities, we have to learn to find the beauty of the moment. This book takes two characters, one young and one old, through this journey.

caution: I had to get the dictionary, but learned new vocabulary words.

*** adult

Chasing Fireflies by Charles Martin

This was a hard book for me to read. Hard in the way it jumped around from past and present and didn't provide complete information. Hard in all the awful things that happened to the characters in this book. When someone makes bad choices, all the people around them end up suffering.

caution: swearing, violence, and difficult situations

** adult

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

My favorite fantasy writer. Original ideas, complex characters, intrigue, romance, humor, and action. If you like fantasy you must read it.

Caution: violence


***** high school and up

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Of all the wonderful young adult disutopian novels written in the past few years, this one is my favorite. I haven't read such an exciting and intense book in a long time. This book offers so many topics for thought and discussion: the power of fear, how the strong control the weak, the creation of classes, love, forgiveness, the harmfulness of rivalry and ignorance, survival, how to change things, and how to maintain humanity in a brutal world. I anxiously wait to see where Collins will take this story.

caution: swearing and violence

***** middle school and up

The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Even though this book has been highly praised and recommended to me by many people, I put off reading it because I do not like detective stories. Surprisingly, I was delighted by this quirky original book that is not just a detective story.

**** adult

Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan

Another vampire story geared towards upper elementary and middle school boys.

This is a quote from the introduction:

This is a true story.
I don't expect you to believe me-- I wouldn't believe it myself if I hadn't lived it-- but it is. Everything I describe in this book happened, just as I tell it.

The thing about real life is, when you do something stupid, it normally costs you. In books, the heroes can make as many mistakes as they like. I doesn't matter what they do, because everything works out in the end. They'll beat the bad guys and put things right and everything ends up cool.

In real life, vacuum cleaners kill spiders. If you cross a busy road without looking, you get whacked by a car. If you fall our of a tree, you break some bones.

Real life's nasty. It's cruel. It doesn't care about heroes and happy endings and the way things should be. In real life, bad things happen. People die. Fights are lost. Evil often wins.

I just wanted to make that clear before I began.

caution: violence

**** upper elementary and middle school

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

What if there were magical creatures all around, but you just couldn't see them?

This book is like taking the best from Maximum Ride, The Pretties, and Twilight and mixing them all together to create something new and exciting.

caution: swearing and violence

**** middle school and up

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |

A beautiful book about love, sacrifice, endurance, and hope. Reading it made me so grateful for the easy life I have.

Caution: violence, swearing, and sexual content

**** adult

Fabelhaven Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull

This is a wonderful book in a wonderful series. I enjoy how each character has strengths and weaknesses and development over time. This book is an exciting journey of a race between light and dark and the light and dark that everyone has within themselves. The ending infuriated my 11 year old daughter. She accidently gave it away to me before I had finished out of her need to vent.


**** upper elementary and everyone

I love you, Ronnie by Nancy Reagan

Reagan was the President of my childhood, and reading this personal tenderness in love letters addressed to his wife only makes him a more amazing individual. This book is a real life true love story.

**** adult

Barefoot Heart Stories of a Migrant Child by elva Trevino Hart

This is a beautiful book all about finding yourself and reaching out to the happiness that can be yours for the taking.
Caution: language and sexuality

**** High School and adult

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

A thrilling retailing of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" and "The Frog Prince". The cover jacket of the book sums it up nicely:
Five adventurous sisters.
Four dark creatures.
Three magical gifts.
Two forbidden lovers.
One enchanted frog.

I found this book absolutely enjoyable.

***** everyone

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

A beautiful, heart breaking, orginal approach to finding the humanity hidden in Nazi Germany. A perfect book. Zusak writes liked a detailed painter, his words create the colors and textures and scents of life and death, love and loss, happiness and dispair. Here is a sample that will stay with me forever...
"To most people, Hans Hubermann was barely visible. An un-special person..... He was always just there. Not noticeable. Not important or particularly valuable.
The frustration of that appearance, as you can imagine, was its complete misleadence, let's say. There most definitely was value in him, and it did not go unnoticed by Liesel Meminger. (The human child -- so much cannier at times than the stupefyingly ponderous adult.) She saw it immediately.
His manner.
The quiet air around him.
When he turned the light on in the small, callous washroom that night, Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver. Like soft silver, melting. Liesel, upon seeing those eyes, understood that Hans Hubermann was worth a lot."

Caution: swearing and violence

***** high school and adult

Nine Days a Queen by Ann Rinaldi

I know more about English History now. The reign of Henry VIII, the intriege, the competition bewteen family for power. Makes me glad I am not royalty.

*** middle and high school

"Extras" by Scott Westerfeld

The world of the "pretties" is very different now. This book is an action packed, strangest of the four, that makes you realize the dangers of making assumptions. I love how Westerfeld uses words beautifully.

** middle and high school

Max by James Patterson

Max can save the world, but can she save her mom, Dr. Martinez, when she is kidnapped? Like all the other Maximum Ride books, you want to just keep reading.
caution: violence

*** everyone

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

This books is considered to be one of the greatest achievements in young adult literature. I found it to be disturbing. The power of peer pressure and conforming. Maybe this could be used as a study for gang interactions, but this book has no hint of hope.
Caution: swearing, violence, and sexuality

* high school

Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

I absoluetly love the book Stargirl, and the sequel is just as enchanting. As Jullie said, the book makes you want to be a better person. I've been asking high school girls if they have read Stargirl and what they think about it. Most have replied that it is weird. All the adult women I know who have read it, love the book. I wonder if the enchantment is about reminiscing. It made me wish that I would have been confident enough to be like Stargirl, and not try so hard to fit in or go unnoticed.

**** everyone

Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park

Very different than A Shingle Shard. Modern; about friends, family, and silk worms. There is a story within the story about why she wrote things and about some things that really happened to her.

*** upper elementary and middle school

Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen

This book is so real. Gary Paulsen uses imagery that makes it seem like you are at this farm with the outhouse, kerosene lamps, animals, and manure. It is tough and tender all at the same time. Caution: swearing and fighting.

*** middleschool

Palace of Mirrors by Margaret Peterson Haddix

A princess raised as a peasant girl must go on a dangerous quest to claim her rightful place on the throne and save her kingdom. Sounds like a tale told many times over, but Haddix manages to tell it differently. My 11 year old daughter Loves this book.

*** upper elementary and middle school

Wolf Rider: A Tale of Terror by Avi

What would you do if you knew someone might be murdered and no one, not your parents, not the police believed you? A suspenseful read.

*** middle and highschool

The Princess Test by Gail Carson Levine

A sweet easy read, "Princess and the Pea" retelling.
Not as deep and humorous as other books by Levine.

** everyone

Edgar & Ellen Rare Beasts by Charles Ogden

An easy read like a darker "Series of Unfortunate Events". Abandoned twins wreck havoc on their town. The title page says "If ever in your life you are faced with a choice, a difficult decision, a quandary. Ask yourself, "What would Edgar and Ellen do?" And do exactly the contrary." I know students who love this series. Personally I think there are so many better books to spend time on.

* upper elementary-high school

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

This is a wonderful book that makes you think about the things we believe, the things others want us to believe, and the way things really are. An interesting look at a way a society tries to control the inhabitants. My daughter was infuriated by the ending, she wanted a nice clear cut ending. I love that Lois Lowry leaves the reader thinking about all the possible things that could happen.

**** everyone

The Seer and the Sword by Victoria Hanley

Though there are many stories similar to this one, Hanley pulls you right into her world for an exciting and enjoyable journey. I liked the humanness of the characters-- none of the absolute good and absolute bad you sometimes find in hero journey stories. A pleasure to read.

**** middle and high school

Mick Harte Was Here by Barbara Park

This book was recommended by Mary Beddingfieldsmith. A wonderful book just like she said. It makes you laugh, makes you cry, makes you laugh again.

***** everyone

The Schwa Was Here by Neal Shusterman

Have you ever felt invisible or known someone who seems to be? This is the story of a friendship with an invisiblish boy.

*** upper elementary and middle school

The Hunter's Moon by O.R. Melling

A modern day fantasy. While visiting her cousin in Ireland, Gwen takes a holiday to search for the reality of all the Irish tales she loves. She ends up finding more than she bargained for.

*** middle and high school

The Botony of Desire by Michael Pollan

I have learned so much from this book. Plants and how they sway us.

*** adult

Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen

A quick hilarious and financially enlightening read.

**** everyone

Do Not Pass Go by Kirkpatrick Hill

A story about how a boy's life changes when is father is arrested for drug possession. A book about second chances. A book about learning to look at others from the heart not the eyes of prejudice. A book about how everyone has a story. The end left me with hope. There are so many kids out there who need some hope.
***** everyone

Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George

A wonderful fantasy and new way to look at dragons.

***upper elementary and middle school

Beautiful Boy

An honest memoir about a father and his son. This is a much better book talking about the consequences of crank use.

****adult

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

A book written about the author's daughter. Amazing work of literature: a novel written entirely in verse. I would not put this book in a school library or let my kids read it. She spends too much time on the excitement of crank not the consequences.

**adult