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Young Adult

Bat Boy Lives!

Bat Boy Lives!

By David Perel 198 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Students ask me about my favorite news publications: The Los Angeles Times? The International Herald-Tribune? USA Today? Those are all fine, but my preference is The Weekly World News. It is the only tabloid that I feel is harmless, as its stories are so completely out there that, as Geico would suggest, even a caveman could figure out the articles are false but funny. I am not ashamed to admit that one of my greatest joys in life is relaxing with a cup of coffee (or other potent beverage) and a copy of The Weekly World News. By the way: this is a great book for reluctant readers, as it includes hilarious photos, too.
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The Family Under the Bridge

The Family Under the Bridge

By Natalie Savage Carlson 128 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

I am going to date myself with this book, but I remember enjoying this one when I was a young lad. The story of a homeless man named Armand who reluctantly shares his “home” under a Parisian bridge with a mother and her three children, I think students, teachers and parents alike will find the story heartwarming, humorous, insightful and uplifting. It is well worth the couple of hours it will take to read.
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Edenville Owls

Edenville Owls

By Robert B. Parker 208 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

One of my favorite crime writers, Parker has finally written a book to introduce young adults to his crafty storytelling. Set in his hometown on the Massachusetts coast right after World War II, fourteen-year-old Bobby deals with typical adolescence issues: puberty, basketball and mystery. Particularly good book for reluctant boy readers.
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Emma Dilemma and the Two Nannies

Emma Dilemma and the Two Nannies

By Patricia Hermes 117 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

In this, the second Emma Dilemma chapter book, Emma’s dilemma is that the nanny that she loves, Annie, is going away to Ireland for three weeks. Emma and her siblings fear Annie will not return, so they are determined to make life “interesting” for Annie’s substitute. Funny and very easy to read.
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Rock Art Rebel

Rock Art Rebel

By M. J. Cosson 112 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Beto says it’s art; the police say it’s graffiti. So when Beto moves to Utah and stumbles upon cave drawings, he is surprised to learn that ancient graffiti is considered art. It is up to Beto to protect the cave drawings from thieves in this intriguing beginning chapter book.
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Lawn Boy

Lawn Boy

By Gary Paulsen 96 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

What can I say? Some authors always seem to impress me, and I cannot resist recommending their books. Gary Paulsen is the perfect author to attract reluctant teenage boys to reading. His latest tale features a sly young entrepreneur who ascends from mowing lawns to hiring his own force of migrant workers to help him as he accumulates a net worth of over half a million bucks. Show me a boy who does not like to read, and I will direct you to this book. 
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Rats Saw God

Rats Saw God

By Rob Thomas 224 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

I must admit that I chose to read this book because I liked the cover art, and I was startled to discover an author I truly admire. I can usually spot when an author used to be a teacher because s/he writes characters so well, and that is what you will be treated to when you read this wonderful book about a stud-turned stoner who needs to reflect on his own experiences to determine “what went wrong.” I intend to use this book with middle-school boys seeking answers.
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Forged by Fire

Forged by Fire

By Sharon M. Draper 160 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

I met Sharon at a teaching conference in Oregon, and I have been meaning to put a couple of her books on my lists ever since. What I like most about Draper’s books is her ability to deal with characters and situations that many of us who have taught in the inner city can relate to. We need a lot more authors like her writing about urban issues; then again, she is a tough act to follow.
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Stardust

Stardust

By Neil Gaiman 288 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

The movie version hits theatres this month, and I will let you decide which is better. One of the ways I get teenagers reading is to offer them books with movie versions, as 95% of the time the movie cannot hold a candle to the book (some exceptions of great books turned into great movies: To Kill a Mockingbird, The Godfather and The Silence of the Lambs). If you enjoyed The Princess Bride by William Goldman (and who on Earth could not love that story), I have a feeling you will enjoy this book, a perfect 250 pages (the paperback version; the hardcover version weighs in at 10 pages less).
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Miss Potter: The Novel

Miss Potter: The Novel

By Richard Maltby Jr. 189 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

One of my favorite tricks for finding short books is to look up screenplays and novels of the movies. They almost always tend to be short, and for some reason I can read these accounts very easily (good tip for teachers and parents of reluctant teen readers). I loved this movie, which did not receive the publicity and recognition it deserved. This book would also make a great read aloud for elementary school teachers who want to read Peter Rabbit and give students extra background knowledge about Beatrix Potter.
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Overboard

Overboard

By Elizabeth Fama 186 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

You have to read this one! This knocked my socks off, even when I was reading in sandals. Based on the 1996 accident in Indonesia that saw a ferry capsize, drowning hundreds of passengers. This intriguing first novel by Fama places a self-absorbed American teenager surviving the night with a Muslim boy she gave a lifejacket to as the ship went down. Honestly, I had no idea I would like this book as much as I did. A real treat. 
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A Field Guide to High School

A Field Guide to High School

By Marissa Walsh 144 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

This book will take a maximum of two hours to read (big print, lots of dialogue and a few blank pages – yes)! Worth the brief read, as ultra-popular valedictorian Claire leaves this guide behind for her in-coming freshman sister Andie to know the ins-and-outs of high school. Let’s just say that Claire may not have known everything, and the book provides plenty of laughs for all ages to enjoy.
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Writing on the Wall

Writing on the Wall

By Christopher Cleary 198 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

I just read this with some teens I am working with, and they all enjoyed the pacing and reality of this book. A good look at how two teens deal with their growing pains.
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The Wallflower 1

The Wallflower 1

By Tomoko Hayakawa 224 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

In an effort to appear cool to the teenagers I work with, I have begun to read a lot more “manga,” which is the “in” genre at most middle and high schools. This first in a very popular series by Hayakawa impressed me by its willingness to turn conventional story structures on their heads (or maybe it is the translation). The twisted humor and “foreign” ending caught me off-guard. This is one of the better manga books I have read.
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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

By Sherman Alexie 229 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Ever read a book simply based on its title? I do, all the time. This time, I was rewarded for the effort, as Alexie’s main character, Arnold Spirit, is a study in adolescence. The trials and tribulations of this teen Native American are applicable to all teens who feel out of place (which describes EVERY teenager).
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