Young Adult

Ben has always believed that someday he would sprout wings and fly, and as he grows older he tests this theory from greater heights, much to the chagrin of his disbelieving brother. I love books with short chapters because they encourage page-turning and rapid reading, and I have witnessed some of the most reluctant teenage boy readers devour this book in only a couple of sittings.

A collection of Twilight Zone-style creepy tales for pre- and early adolescent boys, often written with wicked humor and sure to delight many reluctant readers.

When a fifth grader creates his own word to defy his teacher, he has no idea that the word will catch-on across America. A funny book that I used to use with my English language-learning students.

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.

Middle schoolers will appreciate the story of a 12-year-old African-American girl growing up in segregated Alabama. Terrific surprise ending makes for great classroom discussions.

I have a philosophy about helping struggling boys to read: when in doubt, hand them a Gary Soto novel. This collection of stories for upper elementary and middle school boys deals with the every day issues they face – and adults are too often embarrassed to discuss.

Great for teaching about propaganda and current events, this book chronicles the adventures of Luke, the third child born in a society where families are only permitted to have two children.

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.

A teenager witnesses a murder and is given a pill to forget the whole event. Everything would have been fine – if she took the pill. Instead, Norah and a classmate try to figure out the real story, and your middle school students will love the suspense that ensues. Smibert’s book reads like an Orwellian tale.

After a terrible accident, Eva wakes up to find she has been given the body of a chimpanzee. Intrigued yet?

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.

Too proud to work fast food, two star basketball buddies, one black and the other white, wound a victim in a robbery to earn extra cash, then wait for the authorities to track them down. What is so interesting to teen readers is the different treatment the two boys receive, making this a great classroom fodder.

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.

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.

I’ve been on a roll lately, as it seems like every book I pick turns out to be amazing. Thus is the case with Angela Johnson’s riveting story of a 14-year-old girl who discovers her family is not exactly as it seems. Perfect book for discussing the differences in 21^st century families. Who’s to say what a family is supposed to look like? A book that will stick with you days later.