Young Adult

If I am going to throw in a holiday book, I want to make sure I expose you to a terrific author. Barbara Park is one of my favorites, and her Junie B. series gets a lot of reluctant readers hooked on reading with its humorous situations all children (and adults, for that matter) can relate to and appreciate.

David Levithan is rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors. As it is February, I realized I had to include at least one book for Valentine’s Day. This collection of 18 delightful stories about love written from different perspectives (first, second and third person) chronicles love in all its forms, and I would recommend this book not just for teens but for their parents, as well.

I am making it my mission to get students to read Judy Cox. This is her second story about two rat brothers who live in a cage in Ms. Dove’s fifth-grade classroom who, once in a while, escape for an adventure around the globe. Make sure to check out its predecessor, The Mystery of the Burmese Bandicoot (see July 2008 review).

A hilarious mystery for kids by one of the great authors in young adult literature. Steven helps his blind neighbor, Mr. Chickee, with various errands, and no errand proves to be as interesting as protecting Mr. Chickee’s quadrillion dollar bill from falling into the hands of U.S. Treasury agent Mr. Fondoo. Great for reluctant readers, especially boys.

I’ve been on a William Sleator kick lately. I hear all of these teens talking about their favorite scary authors, and I challenge them to read Sleator. That man knows how to tell a terrifying tale.

If you want to hear a familiar tale with a clever twist, there is no better author to put it in the hands of than the wonderful Neil Gaiman, especially when paired with terrific illustrator Chris Riddell.

An eerie tale of a teen’s life in a polygamist community. Sort of a cross between Under the Banner of Heaven, The Chosen One and Big Love. Great book for sparking lively classroom discussions.

Between the title and the book jacket description (“Ferris Bueller” meets “La Femme Nikita”), this book had me hooked right away. If you have a teenage boy in need of a book, this is your winner, as it is fast-paced and filled with action and laughs. I’d be shocked if they don’t make this into a movie, as it reads like a screenplay.

Middle-school science teachers will especially appreciate this book about an 11-year-old girl whose family lives in an extraordinary underground house. Great way to excite students about geology. Fantasy that is scientifically-based!

A great coming-of-age story set in the 1950s of an 11-year-old determined to be Jacqueline Kennedy’s personal fashion designer. It is such a pleasure to read a story with an optimistic and kind female protagonist as opposed to the typical narcissistic, suicidal ones that dominate teenage literature. Axelrod is a hoot, and this story also has a lot of heart.

In this impressive anthology of ten short stories about American Indians (I’ve always used the term “Native Americans,” but the book prefers “American Indians”), amazing authors like Sherman Alexie and Cynthia Leitich Smith share stories of triumph and tribulation that make great book discussions for middle school classrooms.

While the book was written for teenage girls – please don’t laugh – I think I may have to integrate Holcombe’s advice into my own weight struggles. A cheerleader for healthy living and a warrior against teenage obesity, Holcombe discusses her own trials as a teenager dropping 100 pounds in one year in a healthy way. I found the book highly inspiring and informative, and I don’t care if people laugh at me for adopting a teenage girl’s diet!

The delightful tale that inspired the movie "Willy Wonka," this is a favorite of all ages. Appropriate reading while you gorge yourself over the Thanksgiving holiday. I also like to point out to students that Charlie wins the chocolate because the other four kids are brats. Moral: nice guys don’t always finish last.

A few lazyreaders.com subscribers have asked me why I rarely include horror titles, and the simple reason is that I don’t like scary books. They give me nightmares. But, I am here to serve, and if you want a suspenseful, hide-under-your-sheets bedtime story, this book is a good place to start.

Great parable that reveals ten secrets to approaching work and life in a highly readable and enjoyable story about one man’s inspirational bus ride of a lifetime.