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Young Adult

The Case of the Purloined Professor

The Case of the Purloined Professor

By Judy Cox 256 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

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).
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Blackbriar

Blackbriar

By William Sleator 224 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

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.
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Keep Sweet

Keep Sweet

By Michele Dominguez Greene 224 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

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.
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The Krybosian Stairpath

The Krybosian Stairpath

By S. R. R. Colvin 204 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

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!
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Flipped

Flipped

By Wendelin Van Draanen 256 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Van Draanen is renowned for her wonderful mysteries (check out her Sammy Keyes series), and I was thrilled to read this departure that proves to me she is one of the great young adult authors of our time. A great book for class discussions, as the boy/girl teen voices make for a wonderful battle of the sexes. 
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Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall

Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall

By Wendy Mass 256 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Great book! We need more books for teens that emulate this tone, a sort of It’s a Wonderful Life-like tale for teens. Mass accomplishes what great authors aim for: she makes you laugh, cry and think.
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Paranoid Park

Paranoid Park

By Blake Nelson 192 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

How do you deal with a horrible secret? Write about it. That’s the advice the “girl next door” gives a troubled sophomore skateboarder. Nelson has a command of teen-speak that appeals to middle- and high-school readers.
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The Juvie Three

The Juvie Three

By Gordon Korman 256 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

If you’ve never read a Gordon Korman book, do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this book. Korman has a way of writing that teens find engrossing during read alouds. The absurdity of his tales leave students eager to hear what will happen next (that is why so many students opt to check-out copies of his books themselves rather than wait for teachers to finish the read aloud…this book is no different).
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The Schwa was Here

The Schwa was Here

By Neal Shusterman 240 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

I confess that I picked this book from the shelves because I thought it was a grammar book and wound up treated to a book that teen boys love. Great characters come together in a money-making scheme gone awry. Funny and touching at the same time.
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Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey

Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey

By Margaret Peterson Haddix 128 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Margaret Peterson Haddix is one of the most popular young adult authors in America, and the reason is because of her mastery to create realistic teen characters in realistic situations in much the way that filmmaker John Hughes managed to capture teen dilemmas during the 1980s. I use this book to inspire middle schoolers to write, especially as I have taught girls like Tish Bonner who sit in the back of the class and think they are too good for school.
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Nigth Of The Howling Dogs

Nigth Of The Howling Dogs

By Graham Salisbury Young Adult

Danny Says

Inspired by the author’s own experiences camping as a Boy Scout on the site of Hawaiian earthquake/tsunami, this book is sure to entice readers, as it reads a lot like a campfire story that keeps building and building.
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Project 17

Project 17

By Laurie Faria Stolarz 256 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Think Blair Witch Project for teens, as six teenagers stay the night at a mental institution set for demolition. A great mystery that will keep teenagers on the edges of their seats.
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The Chain Letter

The Chain Letter

By Julie Schumacher Young Adult

Danny Says

I don’t know how I missed this book. You have to grab a copy of this funny, intelligent page-turner. Twelve-year-old Livvie throws away a chain letter, only to be reprimanded by her superstitious friend, Joyce. Hilarity and suspense ensue.
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Scout, Atticus, and Boo: A Celebration of To Kill a Mockingbird

Scout, Atticus, and Boo: A Celebration of To Kill a Mockingbird

By Mary McDonagh Murphy 256 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

To Kill a Mockingbird is arguably the most important American book of the last 50 years. McDonagh Murphy interviews a variety of writers and celebrities to find out what Harper Lee’s masterpiece has meant to them. A great way to get students excited about reading and writing.
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Tall tales for travellers

Tall tales for travellers

By Michael M. Roe 144 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

While the book could be classified as an adult collection of short stories, I find the book to be a great way to encourage students to keep travelogues – one of my favorite genres. Roe’s dry British wit throughout his 18 stories take readers around the globe and got me yearning to travel abroad again.
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