Young Adult

I love using poetry as a way to entice my students to read and write more (after all, poems are a lot shorter than books). Edna St. Vincent Millay is a wonderful poet to expose middle schoolers to, as she writes in a very accessible way that makes “classical” poetry less intimidating to students.

I try not to publicize well-established authors, as I know they need no help selling books. However, John Grisham is precious to me, as he is the person who got me interested in reading for fun. I read all of his paperbacks when I lived in Spain (there were only three then: A Time to Kill, The Firm and The Pelican Brief), and his books set me on the path to reading lots of other authors. What a treat it is that he has written this Theodore Boone series, as now Grisham can attract a younger audience to his wonderful legal suspense thrillers.

Coming-of-age story told through first person about a mixed-race teenager in rural Texas as he gradually loses control and dips into schizophrenia.

Very funny book about two opposite teens forced to live under the same roof once their parents develop a relationship.

This Newbery winner is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read aloud to students of all ages…and this book must be read aloud. The language is poetic.

I recently met Terry Thompson, an expert on graphic novels, and I could listen to him talk about graphic novels all day. As a result, I have whet my appetite with more graphic novels lately, and I started with this one because the movie version looked interesting (although I never saw it). This is the first in a series about some lovable slackers in extraordinary “manga” circumstances, and I found the storyline and artwork to be constantly engaging and entertaining.

You have GOT to get this book! It captivated me with the history of little-known comics that you won’t see at a multiplex (hopefully) any time soon. This book is filled with the types of anecdotes I love to devour.

A teacher told me she did not like this book because it was full of clichés and had a predictable upbeat ending. I guess those things are true, but I still found this book to be a very nice story about a friendship between a white girl and black girl in pre-Civil Rights Tallahassee. Give it a try and tell me what you think. My students have always really enjoyed this book.

Part of the Reel Friends series, this book is an important discussion starter for teens on stereotypes.

The Clique Series has become a hit, and I read this one just to stay in the loop. I have discussed these books with a number of middle schoolers (all girls, of course, as guys seem to only read books filled with testosterone or pterodactyls), and they all like the books for their believability. This one provides a good glimpse into Harrison’s style.

A great book for high school students. I like it because of its quirky characters (always a plus, in my opinion) and homage to the city I love, Los Angeles. Adults who ignore young adult literature really miss out on some of the best stories. Grab a copy of Weetzie Bat and relax for a couple of hours.

This book scores lot of points for originality, as each page is written in free verse from different characters’ points of view of a high school teacher’s murder. A great book to inspire reluctant writers (especially boys).

This is just a cool book for all ages, but middle-schoolers love the mystery of this criminal mastermind who lives a Jeckyll and Hyde lifestyle. Another great book from Great Britain – is there something in the water there?

Susan Weller recommended this book to me over a year ago, and I finally got around to reading it. I should never have waited so long, as I have always enjoyed Beverly Cleary’s books. Your kids will enjoy this one, too.

The perfect book for those of you who have 12-year-old boys who don’t like to read. This collection of clever, funny, creepy and flat-out weird stories are sure to spark interesting book talks.