Rats Saw God
Rob Thomas
In order to graduate on time, failing Steve York agrees to write his life story in 100 pages. As he writes his story, we realize why he went from an “A” student to a troubled teen and he realizes that his life doesn’t have to be as difficult as he makes it.
Perks of Being a Wallflower
Stephen Chbosky
Perks is the story of a young boy’s mental breakdown but is told through letters rather than traditional narrative. A true coming of age story, Perks will resonate with teens who are dealing with their own demons, while also leaving them with hope that even if things are not good, “they will be soon enough.”
Princess Bride
William Goldman
This is the only book/movie combo that I loved equally! I've read the book so many times. It's supposedly an "abridged" version of a much older work by some old guy. It's not. Goldman completely made up this fairy tale story of true love and adventure. In the book it's Goldman's father who is telling the story to him.
Stravaganza: City of Masks (and the rest in the trilogy)
Mary Hoffman
In this first book of a planned trilogy, courageous fifteen-year old British boy Lucien wages an all out war with cancer and is rewarded with a gift from his father in the form of a beautiful notebook that transports him into the fantastical world of 16th-century Bellezza, a place where he is miraculously healthy.
Golden Compass (and the rest in the trilogy)
Philip Pullman
Lyra and Will explore the mysteries of dust and the meaning of life and love in this engrossing trilogy.
Sabriel (and the rest in the trilogy)
Garth Nix
The Abhorsen and her offspring battle the ultimate evil and keep the border between life and death secure.
Keeping the Moon
Sarah Dessen
I love all of Sarah Dessen's books, but this is the first one I read so it has a special place in my heart. Colie is a former overweight girl who spends her summer living with her fitness guru aunt and working at a restaurant with two twenty-something girls. Colie didn't have any close female friends and the older girls adopted her. At the time I didn't have any close female friends either and this book really spoke to me.
Dark is Rising Series
Susan Cooper
I read this series when I was 10 years old. Will Stanton is the last of the "old ones," a mysterious group of wizard like people. He must battle the forces of evil and save the world. The was written way before the phenomena that is Harry Potter, and is in many ways a superior series.
The Once and Future King
T.H. White
I love King Arthur, so much so that I took a college class entirely devoted to the Arthurian legend. I loved this book when I read it as a teenager. It tells the story of King Arthur as a young boy nicknamed Wart and how he grows up to be the Once and Future King.
On the Road
Jack Kerouac
I wrote my undergrad thesis on Jack Kerouac, as well as a major seminar paper my senior year of college, for a total of 60 pages all about Jack... I fear that Kerouac is lost to today's teens, but his most popular road trip novel really resonated with me when I was a teen. Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty will always be classic figures of literature for me.
Honorable mentions
Sign of the Qin
L.G. Bass
Based on Chinese legends, this engrossing first book in a trilogy introduces the major characters in an upcoming battle between good and evil, focusing on the Chosen One, the young Starlord prophesied to save the world from evil.
Young Wizards Series
Diane Duane
I read the first one in this series when I was a teen and never knew there were sequels... until I became a YA librarian myself! There have been seven of eight books now and in each one Nita and Kit are wizards sworn to preserve life and fight the Lone One—the power responsible for creating death.
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Reading: Grim Tuesday--Garth Nix
On My Nightstand: Others
1 comment:
wow, I'm definitely going to go check out rats saw god. and 'on the road' is a classic. nice. ;)
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