Young Adult

I think every middle school teacher should be forced to read this book, so they can keep it in mind when dealing with their students. Extremely well-written, the book paints the life lessons of Palmer as he tried to emulate others before discovering that he was unlike anyone else. Every child needs to understand that s/he is unique and important to the world. This is a WONDERFUL book.

The story of two opposites discovering they are not so different after all is nothing new. Still, many teenage girls I read with connect to 15-year-olds Antonia and Jazz. I think Peters does a good job of capturing the way teens communicate.

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.

I have become fascinated with anything associated with Jackie Robinson, and I am so pleased to have come across this book. It is a funny and moving story about an immigrant girl from China who moves to Brooklyn in 1947 and manages to fit in when she realizes that if a black man and the grandson of a slave can make it in America, everyone has an opportunity to succeed. I love this book, and it won a ton of awards when it was published in the mid-1980s.

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.

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.

At the request of a bunch of teenage girls, I reluctantly picked up this book. It could have been really lame. Surprisingly, it was really well-written, fast-paced and filled with terrific plot twists. A car thief is surprised when he realizes a teenager is in the backseat. Then, it turns out she is blind. Oh, and then, it turns out her father is rich, so kidnapping becomes a profitable opportunity for the thief(s). But what happens when the blind girl proves to be less helpless than her captives realize? I’m ashamed to say that I could not put this book down.

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).

Perfect self-help guide for teenage boys looking to find their inner evil. Tons of laughs and terrific black-and-white comics in this must-read.

While no one would argue I have ever had the body of a long distance runner, I have always been one. Even as an offensive lineman in high school, I prided myself on beating all of the backs in our weekly Monday 5k. Inman has written a quick read (complete with huge fonts and lots of pictures) that perfectly captures the insanity and beauty of long distance running.

A stirring look at how a high school senior deals with the death of her boyfriend, who was killed in a camping accident.

Yes, the same Jeff Probst who hosts Survivor on television has entered the book business, with this exciting adventure series geared toward upper elementary and middle school boys. Tebbetts helped James Patterson write his middle school bestsellers, and this series is sure to be a hit, too.

Part of Dokey’s wonderful Once Upon a Time series, this different take on Cinderella helps explain why the stepmother did not like Cinderella and what Cinderella’s father was thinking leaving her in her stepmother’s care. I have enjoyed every retelling in the series, from Dokey’s take on Rapunzel to her re-examination of “Sleeping Beauty” Princess Aurore.

I try not to include books too many pages over 250, but I assure you that this one is worth the extra 22 pages (your middle schoolers be turning pages so quickly that it won’t matter). A Newbery Honor, this book tracks the trials of a seventh grader stuck reading Shakespeare during the 1960s, and how his heated relationship with a teacher turns into friendship. Funny and poignant.

Ten-year-old Prairie Evers reminds me a lot of Candide or Pollyanna by her ability to always see the positive in every situation. Very good book.