Sometimes adult readers turn their noses up at Young Adult fiction simply because it is shelved differently in libraries and bookstores. Maybe they feel YA books are all simplistic and juvenile in themes, characters, and writing to appeal to a less sophisticated audience.
Boy, how wrong they are.
There are some doozies out there that will engross readers of any age. With students returning to school and needing some great reads for book reports, here are some of my absolute favorites that won't disappoint adult or younger readers on any level.
Include your own favorites in the Comments section if you are so inclined.
Happy reading.
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Hatchet (and others in this survival series) - Gary Paulsen
I Am the Messenger - Markus Zusak
Description:
Author of the popular The Book Thief, Zusak has written a fascinating mystery about an aimless young cabdriver who begins to receive cryptic notes written on playing cards. When deciphered, he feels these messages refer to neighbors who have problems that he must address and help, whether through simple encouragement, friendship, fighting, or simply listening. His friends don't understand his quests, but undeterred he resolves to understand and complete the missions alluded to in the four cards.
Brewster - Mark Slouka
Description:
This is the book I feel should replace The Catcher in the Rye as the novel that most honestly represents teen angst and the reality they face in the twenty-first century. One high school boy deals with the untimely death of his popular brother by trying to become a cross-country runner. Another friend, gifted mentally, drifts in and out of school and picks fights everyone to build a reputation as dark as his countenance. Along with a girl and an unpopular bully, these four contemplate their present and future world in honest and halting words and actions to meet their fates head on. A brilliant, strongly-written book.
The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
Description:
Originally a small story told by author Tolkien to his children, The Hobbit became a runaway best seller to millions of children and adults throughout the world. A tale of adventure, humor, dragons, gold, and most importantly Good and Evil, The Hobbit is worthy of any reader who loves a great story simply told with great depth of character and plot. Here, an unsuspecting hobbit is recruited to join a group of dwarves on a quest to reclaim their ancestors' ancient gold from the dragon guarding it. The major (and minor) figures are unforgettable, whether hobbits, dwarves, men, dragons, spiders, mythic figures, or a strange creature who lives in the dark and cold under the mountain.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
Description:
Maybe not technically a YA book, this fascinating novel explores the mind of the autistic teenage narrator who seeks to find the answers to who violently killed the neighborhood dog. His quest takes him into many worlds that he fears but faces with straightforward honesty and questions which are uncomfortable for many to answer.
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Boy, how wrong they are.
There are some doozies out there that will engross readers of any age. With students returning to school and needing some great reads for book reports, here are some of my absolute favorites that won't disappoint adult or younger readers on any level.
Include your own favorites in the Comments section if you are so inclined.
Happy reading.
_______________________
First Sentences
Brian Robeson stared out the window of the small plane at the endless green northern wilderness below. It was a small plane -- a Cessna 406 -- a bush plane -- and the engine was so loud, so roaring and consuming and loud that it ruined any chance for conversation. Not that he had much to say
- from Hatchet
Description:
I love the survival tales of Brian Robeson who, after a plane crash, finds himself stranded alone in the Canadian wilderness and now must survive by his own wits. Hatchet and Brian's Winter are my favorites and worthy reads for any adult for the challenges faced, the struggles to survive, and the overcoming of self-doubts that we all feel in our lives.
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First SentencesThe gunman is useless.
I know it.
He knows it.
The whole bank knows it.
Even my best mate, Marvin, knows it, and he's more useless than the gunman.
Description:
Author of the popular The Book Thief, Zusak has written a fascinating mystery about an aimless young cabdriver who begins to receive cryptic notes written on playing cards. When deciphered, he feels these messages refer to neighbors who have problems that he must address and help, whether through simple encouragement, friendship, fighting, or simply listening. His friends don't understand his quests, but undeterred he resolves to understand and complete the missions alluded to in the four cards.
_______________________
First SentencesThe first time I saw him fight was right in front of the school, winter.
It was before I knew him. I noticed him walking across the parking lot -- that long coat, his hair tossing around in the wind -- with some guy I'd never seen before following twenty feet behind and two others fanned back like wings on a jet.
Description:
This is the book I feel should replace The Catcher in the Rye as the novel that most honestly represents teen angst and the reality they face in the twenty-first century. One high school boy deals with the untimely death of his popular brother by trying to become a cross-country runner. Another friend, gifted mentally, drifts in and out of school and picks fights everyone to build a reputation as dark as his countenance. Along with a girl and an unpopular bully, these four contemplate their present and future world in honest and halting words and actions to meet their fates head on. A brilliant, strongly-written book.
_______________________
Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, nor yet a dry sand bare sand hole: it was a hobbit hole and that means comfort.First SentencesIn a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.
Description:
Originally a small story told by author Tolkien to his children, The Hobbit became a runaway best seller to millions of children and adults throughout the world. A tale of adventure, humor, dragons, gold, and most importantly Good and Evil, The Hobbit is worthy of any reader who loves a great story simply told with great depth of character and plot. Here, an unsuspecting hobbit is recruited to join a group of dwarves on a quest to reclaim their ancestors' ancient gold from the dragon guarding it. The major (and minor) figures are unforgettable, whether hobbits, dwarves, men, dragons, spiders, mythic figures, or a strange creature who lives in the dark and cold under the mountain.
_______________________
The dog was lying on the grass in the middle of the lawn in front of Mrs. Shears's house. It's eyes were closed. It looked as if it was running on its side, the way dogs run when they think they are chasing cats in a dream.First SentencesIt was 7 minutes after midnight.
Description:
Maybe not technically a YA book, this fascinating novel explores the mind of the autistic teenage narrator who seeks to find the answers to who violently killed the neighborhood dog. His quest takes him into many worlds that he fears but faces with straightforward honesty and questions which are uncomfortable for many to answer.
_______________________
First SentencesMr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number 4, Privet Drive, were proud to say they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.
They were the last people you'd expect to be involved with anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.
Description:
Probably no one has not heard of the Harry Potter series of magicians, Muggles, and evil forces combated by teenage wizards in training. But if you have only seen the movies, you are cheating yourself of great writing and characters not found on the silver screen. Although the books become increasingly darker and longer, the entire series is a treasure to read. Start at the first and read consecutively for the fullest effect of a maturing author and characters, flowing into complex stories and decisions from the heroes to thwart He-Who-Cannot-Be-Named.
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First Sentences"I've watched through his eyes, I've listened through his ears and I tell you he's the one. Or at least as close as we're going to get."
"That's what you said about the brother."
"The brother tested out impossible.For other reasons. Nothing to do with his ability."
Description:
Earth's government recruits child geniuses and trains them in an orbiting Battle School to be soldiers against the predicted invasion of fierce, insect-like aliens. Ender Wiggen and his two siblings take leadership roles in this coming conflict on Earth and in space. Ender rises in the ranks of selected trainees, overcoming bullies, mental challenges, and mock battle in weightless environments and sophisticated video simulation games. And they wait of the coming alien battles, hoping their are ably prepared. Extremely well-written, gripping, and unpredictable.
An added bonus is the recent book Ender's Shadow written by Card years later to retell the same story but from the completely different eyes of a street smart youngster named Bean who was also recruited in Ender's class of soldier cadets. Interesting that a minor character now becomes the center of attention as the narrator and later Ender's right-hand officer in the training and battles. Bean gives a completely different perspective on the government, the mission, and the organization that seeks to make him a loyal soldier.
An added bonus is the recent book Ender's Shadow written by Card years later to retell the same story but from the completely different eyes of a street smart youngster named Bean who was also recruited in Ender's class of soldier cadets. Interesting that a minor character now becomes the center of attention as the narrator and later Ender's right-hand officer in the training and battles. Bean gives a completely different perspective on the government, the mission, and the organization that seeks to make him a loyal soldier.
First SentencesThe house was three miles from the station, but before the dusty hired hack had rattled along for five minutes, the children began to put their heads out of the carriage window and say, "Aren't we nearly there?"
Description:
From the author of the Railway Children series, E. Nesbit's 1902 novel tells of five siblings who discover a sand-fairy who grants them a wish a day with the proviso that at sunset the wish wears off and everything returns to as it was. The children ponder each wish very carefully - for wealth, beauty, to be big, wings, etc. - but each wish fulfillment goes unexpectedly wrong so that by the end of the day the children are glad to have the results of their wishes reversed. And they plan the next day's wish that will be perfect without possibility of misinterpretation or unexpected repercussions. A very interesting, timeless read from over 100 years ago.
First SentencesSo in order to understand everything that happened, you have to start from the premise that high school sucks.
Do you accept that premise? Of course you do. It is a universally acknowledged truth that high school sucks. In fact, high school is where we are first introduced to the basic existential question of life: How is is possible to exist in a place that sucks this bad?
Description:
The perfect first sentences to a Young Adult book: snarky, slangy, pessimistic, and funny. And Andrews keeps up the writing style throughout, mixing in formats of scripts, dialogue, and rambling narrative to tell this tale of two teenage boys and one girl (not a "girlfriend") working through the challenges of cancer, high school life, bad film-making, and getting along with the various high school mobs. You may have seen this movie (I did and didn't even know it was based on this book), but reading this story is so much more funny. Remember all the clever lines from the movie? Taken directly from the book which is chock full of such wit, sarcasm, insights, friendship, and genuine tenderness.
Let's just say that it would explain a lot of things if there were a fungus eating my brain.
