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Young Adult

The Hound of the Baskervilles

The Hound of the Baskervilles

By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,Arthur Conan Doyle 128 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Arguably the best of the Sherlock Holmes stories, there is no denying that this is a classic mystery. When I say “classic” in reference to someone like Doyle, though, it is to acknowledge his genius. This is not one of the dry texts that usually pop up on required reading lists at middle schools. Kids that read Doyle’s books usually wind up becoming avid readers, as opposed to kids that are forced to read other dreary things. Do you think I was scarred by a traumatic reading experience in middle school? You betcha, and I did not regain the fun reading habit until I was a junior in college. 
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Daily Positives

Daily Positives

By Edward Fiszer 180 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Great book for teachers and parents of adolescents. Each page presents a motivational message from a famous personality. The author is a principal, and uses these short, inspirational messages “Paul Harvey”-style to instill powerful lessons in his students.
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Buttermilk Hill

Buttermilk Hill

By Ruth White 176 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

The story of a young girl growing up in a close-knit town in North Carolina. Like any adolescent child, she is struggling to find her place in the world. Poetry is Piper’s outlet, and I enjoyed the message this book sens teens about pursuing their dreams.  
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The Whale Rider

The Whale Rider

By Witi Ihimaera 152 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

There are so many reasons you should read this book. This is one of the few books that I have read and not seen the movie, which earned its young star Keisha Castle-Hughes an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress…as a 13-year-old! Of all the books on this month’s list, start with this one, as it is a mythological, coming-of-age, female empowerment, spiritual – magical tale.
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Thirteen Ways To Sink A Sub

Thirteen Ways To Sink A Sub

By Jamie Gilson 115 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

No, the book is not about naval warfare. Rather, a bunch of fourth graders devise various plans to make their substitute teacher cry. Find out if the tables turn.
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Frozen Fire

Frozen Fire

By James Houston 160 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

For those who love adventure stories, it does not get much better than this story of a young boy and his Eskimo buddy braving the storms of the Canadian Arctic in search of their fathers.
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Toad Rage

Toad Rage

By Morris Gleitzman 176 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Gleitzman is from the Land Down Under, and this funny and endearing tale has sparked my interest in Australian literature for kids (it’s not just about The Wiggles). The book follows the funny adventures of Young Limpy as he sets out to make humans have a little more respect for the toads they seem to run over on the highways so frequently. Students will benefit from seeing a funny character who never quits trying.
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Make Lemonade

Make Lemonade

By Virginia Euwer Wolff 208 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

My kind of book, as it has 66 chapters (I am convinced that is one of the secrets to Dan Brown’s success). Teaching in the inner city allowed me a glimpse into the triumphs and travails of students living in poverty. This magnificent book follows a couple of teenagers, LaVaughn and Jolly, as they deal with issues like poverty, unwed motherhood, etc. Uplifting and poetic, it is one of the best books I’ve read for any age in the last five years (although this book is suitable for about a seventh grade level and beyond). 
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The Pigman

The Pigman

By Paul Zindel 192 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

John and Lorraine come to realize that "Our life would be what we made of it--nothing more, nothing less" in this wonderful (yet sad) story.
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The Door in the Lake

The Door in the Lake

By Nancy Butts 160 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Joey mysteriously disappears one night and returns two years later, the same age, with memories of an alien presence. Great for kids who love The X-Files.
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Molly McGinty Has a Really Good Day

Molly McGinty Has a Really Good Day

By Gary Paulsen 112 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Light and funny, the perfect book to help you learn to “go with the flow” when things don’t seem to be going your way.
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Boys At Work

Boys At Work

By Gary Soto Young Adult

Danny Says

I read a lot of books and often fail to mention some of today’s best authors because I enjoy everything they write. Gary Soto is one of today’s best young adult authors, and every parent needs to be aware that his books are extremely popular with reluctant boy readers. Take your pick of Soto’s work. I enjoy this tale of two Mexican-American boys who struggle to earn enough money to replace a gangster’s disc player that they broke. This is actually a sequel to The Pool Party, and I like both books because of Soto’s sense of humor and mastery of young adult dialogue sprinkled with Spanglish.
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Half Magic

Half Magic

By Edward Eager 224 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Every student I have ever given this book to has gotten a kick out of it. This is Eager’s most popular tale as it follows the time-travel escapades of four children who encounter magical coins. The only problem is, you guessed it: the coins are only “half” magic, which leads to a series of funny, strange occurrences.
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Is This Forever, or What?

Is This Forever, or What?

By Naomi Shihab Nye 176 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

This book is for all of my friends in Texas. Beautiful art and poetry that just might entice you to pay the Lone Star state a visit. As the book’s description says, “the state of mind has no borders…and the 140 Texans in this book…show you why.” Nice way to infuse a little bit of geography into a roomful of reluctant teenage readers.
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The Dollhouse Murders

The Dollhouse Murders

By Betty Ren Wright 149 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

This book is what earned me a place in folklore with a bunch of fifth-grade girls in South Los Angeles, as they loved this book. The scary tale of a 12 year old who discovers a dollhouse in her attic that is an exact replica of her house. It turns out, the dolls in the dollhouse move on their own will. What’s more, the dolls are trying to say something. Interested yet? This one had a class begging for recess to end and read-aloud time to begin.
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