Young Adult

The sequel to McMann’s wonderful Wake (and precursor to the upcoming Gone), this is the series I recommend to girls after they get over Stephanie Meyer’s enormously successful Twilight series. Ever see the movie Dreamscape with Dennis Quaid back in the ‘80s as a dream catcher who could dream the dreams of others? Picture that with a female protagonist, and you get this promising series.

It’s about time someone came out with a beautifully photographed cookbook for teens. Perfect for latchkey kids (or, should I say, their work-weary and exhausted parents).

I have a rule to include a Farley Mowat recommendation every now and then, as I have found him to be one of the best lures to teenage boys who don’t like to read. His outdoor adventures, most often in the Arctic, are always fast-paced with an important eco-message. I absolutely love Farley Mowat.

I flew through this book and found myself nodding and saying “Amen” a lot. The authors do a remarkable job of reminding teens that some of their most important life choices take place during adolescence, and it is their responsibility to choose wisely.

It’s a fable, but readers (at least me) must recognize how the plot resembles the events of 9-11. Hoffman’s brilliance is in the way her female protagonist deals with these events.

Teens will love you for this book, as Brown encourages everyone’s creativity by providing a thorough account of the research behind doodling and how it is characteristic of brilliant minds.

Sethi’s writing style is loose, and he says he wrote the book for 20-35 year olds. I think financial literacy is even more critical for teens, though, and I would encourage anyone to invest in this book for their teenagers, as it is fun, but – more importantly – provides clear direction to anyone truly interested in taking control of their finances.

If I were teaching a writing class, I think I would use this book to demonstrate how to write compelling characters. We are all flawed, and that is what makes us all special. Holt sets this story in rural Texas in 1971, where a couple of teens meet “the fattest boy in the world.” Beautiful writing, which is probably why it won a National Book Award winner for fiction.

Cameron Johnson had started, run, and sold twelve successful companies by the time he was twenty-one. If that doesn’t impress and inspire teens to look into the merits of entrepreneurship, well – they get the lives they deserve. This book kicked me in the butt to start taking more action.

My kind of book, as it has 66 chapters (I am convinced that is one of the secrets to Dan Brown’s success). Teaching in the inner city allowed me a glimpse into the triumphs and travails of students living in poverty. This magnificent book follows a couple of teenagers, LaVaughn and Jolly, as they deal with issues like poverty, unwed motherhood, etc. Uplifting and poetic, it is one of the best books I’ve read for any age in the last five years (although this book is suitable for about a seventh grade level and beyond).

Dickinson is an interesting author. I have read quite a few of his books, and about the only thing I know I can expect is a compelling, unpredictable story. Let’s just say that when a student handed me this one to read, I did not expect a story about a salamander that lives inside a volcano and sheds healing tears while excreting liquid gold. I found myself turning pages pretty quickly, and I think you will, too.

Since this book is about a 6th grade quiz bowl team's funny tales, I'd recommend this to those of you with 6th graders (and quiz bowl teams).

John and Lorraine come to realize that "Our life would be what we made of it--nothing more, nothing less" in this wonderful (yet sad) story.

I read excerpts from this book to a class of delighted sixth graders (it helped that I turned out the lights and placed a flashlight under my chin). This is the sequel to another book where 11-year-old Allie Nicholas determines she has the ability to see ghosts.

Poems and stories about one girl's ability to rise from her dire environment. I especially enjoy a poem called "Four Skinny Trees." It amazes me that it has taken me so long to recommend this book.