The Best 368 Colleges by The Princeton Review

Princeton Review, 2008. The Best 368 Colleges. New York: Random House.

Classification: Non-Fiction

Genre: NonFiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: College, High School 

Reader's Annotation

This guide by the Princeton Review examines colleges based on their admissions, student body, life on campus, and a number of other factors that will best help students find the right college for them. 

Summary

This remains one of the standard introductions to the college search process. It covers a wide variety of schools. Its greatest strength is its detail involved in the text. The authors and editors actually go to the schools and meet students in person. Entries contain paragraph information on campus life, the students, academics and popular majors, admissions, freshman profiles, deadlines, other schools attendees might have looked at, and financial facts. It has a good name, an easy-to-read format and it can make the college selection process a little more manageable for students uncertain about their options. 

Street Magic by Tamora Pierce (Circle Opens Quartet, Book 2)

Pierce, Tamora (2002). Street Magic. New York, New York: Scholastic Paperbacks. 

ISBN: 9780509396431

264 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 15-17

Stars: 4 stars

Subjects: Magic, Royalty, Fantasy, Relationships, 

Reader's Annotation

Briar, now a full-powered mage, is traveling with his mentor when he encounters a young street urchin in possession of powerful stone magic whom he must protect from warring gangs seeking to exploit her powers. 

Summary

Similar to the first book in the series, Magic Steps, the former student becomes a teacher. In this book, Briar, the plant mage, has come into his power. While traveling with his mentor, he comes acros Evvy, an urchin who can perform powerful storm magic. He finds that, having discovered her, he is responsible for her and must protect her from those seeking to use her and her talents, but this places Briar in and uncomfortable position between warring gangs who desire to use Evvy for their own ends. 

Notes

Although this is a sequel to Pierce's Magic Steps, it can also stand alone as a book. Pierce carefully weaves the story so that readers are brought along every step of Briar's journey as he becomes a teacher and protector of a young mage. Those interested in learning more and following these characters should explore the Magic Circle books by Tamora Pierce or other books in this series. 

Author Information

Tamora Pierce Fansite

Magic Steps by Tamora Pierce (Circle Opens Quartet, Book 1)

Pierce, Tamora (2001). Magic Steps. New York, New York: Scholastic Paperbacks. 

ISBN: 9780590396059

272 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 15-17

Stars: 4 stars

Subjects: War, Royalty, Magic,  Murder, Family, Relationships

Reader's Annotation

Sandrilene fa Toren (Sandry) is fourteen years old and fully in her powers as she helps her great-uncle, Duke Vedris IV, ruler of Emelan, recover after a near-fatal heart attack, when she realizes that she must help another with his magical training as they both work to stop a murderer. 

Summary

14-year old Sandrilene fa Toren (Sandry) has finally come into her powers. She is busy helping her great-uncle, Duke Vedris IV, the ruler of Emelan, recover after a near-fatal heart attack when she witnesses a younger boy unknowingly perform a dance of magical power. She takes it upon herself to become his trainer and to guide him in the arts of magic before he becomes a danger to more than himself. He is reluctant to accept her as a teacher, making her job more difficult. In the meanwhile, a powerful family is slowly being killed off and the two must weave magic to overcome the murderers before it is too late. 

Notes

There can be quite a bit of gore and death, so those with weak stomach should read with caution. Those who read the Magic Circle Quartet will recognize the characters in this book as they have grown and developed. Younger teens will find it easier to relate to young Sandry than older teens, but anyone who enjoys a skillful fantasy narrative will enjoy this and the other books in the series. 

Author Information

Tamora Pierce Fansite

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

Levithan, David (2005). Boy Meets Boy. New York, New York: Knopf Books. 

ISBN: 9780375832994

192 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 4 stars

Subjects: Gender, Sexuality, Relationships, High School, Tolerance

Reader's Annotation

In an idealized high school where sexuality is not considered an issue, Paul, a sophomore, believes he has found love with Noah, but he makes a mistake that may cost him his relationship

Summary

Paul is a high school sophomore whose school is in an idealized world where cliques, gender, and sexuality have a completely different meaning. Although parents and adults have different views, the teens in this world don't see each other in typical gay/straight, jock/nerd, popular/unpopular dichotomies. Rather, they live in a world where everything has blended and people are simply judged for themselves, rather than any labels society might place on them. Paul thinks he has found love in the form of Noah, but he ends up making a mistake that might mean the end of their relationship, so he seeks counsel among his friends. Not everything is ideal in this high school world- there are still domineering boyfriends, conservative parents, and the typical problems of lovelorn teenagers that hint at an underlying darkness to the teen world without ever collapsing under the weight of its problems. 

Notes

Although this novel notably presents a fictional world, it will leave teens wondering why tolerance isn't this simple, and why the world is so categorical and unforgiving in its definitions of relationships, gender, and sexuality. By cutting through these issues, individual characters are able to shine, and the strength of their problems comes through in this well-crafted story of love, life, and high school. 

Awards

Booklist Starred Review

School Library Journal Starred Review

2003 Lambda Literary Award

Other Information

Fans of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (book or movie) might recognize David Levithan's humorous style and interesting take on love and life. 

Author Information

David Levithan's Website

Bloodsong by Melvin Burgess

Burgess, Melvin (2005). Bloodsong. London, England: Andersen Press Ltd. 

ISBN: 9781416936169

384 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 4 stars

Subjects: Myth, Relationships, War, Heroism, Betrayal, Dystopia, 

Reader's Annotation

In future war-ravaged Britain where machines inhabit the same world as human-animal hybrids, 15-year-old Sigurd must claim his royal lineage and accomplish a series of impossible tasks- but will that be enough? 

Summary

In future Britain, a post-apocalyptic landscape reveals that the future has been anything but sweet. This story, part science fiction and part fantasy, weaves the tale of the lives and deaths of 15-year-old Sigurd. In this world, there are machines as well as animal-human hybrids, terrifying warlords, incredible technology used for destruction, and hideous beasts that present danger at every turn. After Sigurd is sent on a suicide mission, he then must pass a series of impossible tasks that force him to prove his courage, intelligence, and ingenuity as he passes into the underworld and must find his way to the throne with his heart and body intact. It is filled with violence and drama, but it is gripping nonetheless. 

Notes

Although this is a sequel to Burgess' Bloodtide (2001), it can easily stand alone. It has a strong narration, and although it can be somewhat dark at times, it is realistic enough that readers will find themselves wondering if a world such as this might be looming in the future as technology advances. Readers may also enjoy the links to Viking mythology. Because of the violence and graphic descriptions of war, only those capable of stomaching such material should venture into this novel, but any who do will be rewarded with a rich, engaging story. 

Author Information

Melvin Burgess' Website

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ismael Beah

Beah, Ismael (2008). A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. New York, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 

ISBN: 9780374531263

240 pages

Classification: NonFiction

Genre: Memoir

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: War, Soldiers, Death, Family, Relationships, Grief

Reader's Annotation

Ismael Beah tells his true account of growing up, surviving, and fighting in Sierra Leone as a soldier during a brutal civil war. 

Summary

At the tender age of 12, Ismael Beah becomes swept up in the civil war in Sierra Leone. He loses his family, is completely alone in the world, and he is recruited in the army. The chilling tale of how he becomes a trained soldier, learns to shoot an AK-47, and becomes a warrior to survive. Reading the boy's transformation from an innocent boy who loves American hip-hop and reading Shakespeare to a casual murderer is horrifying and gruesome. At the age of 15, he is finally brought to a rehabilitation center and he begins a life as a child advocate, but the truly gripping part of the story is the account of his life as a soldier- how he gets wrapped up and consumed by the violence, and how his existence is measured by war. 

Notes

The validity of the account based on the dates mentioned as well as some shooting incidents, was questioned, and Ismael Beah responded by releasing this statement.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Pearson, Mary E. (2008). The Adoration of Jenna Fox. New York, New York: Henry Holt and Co. 

ISBN: 9780805076684

272 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Science Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Identity, High School, Relationships, Family, Future, Surgery

Reader's Annotation

Seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox wakes up from a year-long coma caused by a terrible accident unsure of who she is and who she used to be, and as she slowly gains her memoies back, she has more and more questions about who she was and what happened to her. 

Summary

Jenna Fox has been told that is her name. She has been told that she's seventeen years old and that she was in a coma for a year after a terrible accident. But in spite of the questions answered by her friends and family and the home movies she watches of herself before the accident, there are some lingering questions. Why are people treating her so strangely? What really happened on the night of the accident? Why do her arms and legs not feel, look, or move the way they used to? As she slowly starts to remember pieces of her life before the accident, she questions even these memories, and she wonders what she can trust, how she can know who she is and, most importantly- who is Jenna Fox? 

Notes

This has some similar themes to Scott Westerfeld's Uglies Trilogy. Readers who enjoyed this book may want to look into the series. It is equally thought-provoking about what makes you who you are, and how identity is formed.

Awards

A Book Sense "Top Ten" Summer Pick

Other Information

Adoration of Jenna Fox Website

Author Information

Mary Pearson's Website

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Johnson, Maureen (2006). 13 Little Blue Envelopes. New York, New York: HarperTeen. 

ISBN: 9780060541439

352 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 4 stars

Subjects: Death, Family, Europe, Travel, Grief, Mystery, Identity

Reader's Annotation

17-year-old Ginny receives letters with instructions from her late aunt Peg that lead her on a wild adventure across Europe that help her understand her aunt a little more and allow her to find more about herself in the process. 

Summary

Ginny is a 17-year-old who has always lived a peaceful life in New Jersey, content to let her aunt be the adventurous one in the family. Her artistic aunt Peg, known to disappear for lengthy periods of time, does so in Europe, but after three years, Ginny receives a call that reveals that her aunt died of brain cancer. Before she died, however, she planned one more adventure- but for Ginny, not for herself. Ginny receives a plane ticket and a thousand dollars and instructions limiting what she can take with her and how she must conduct herself on this adventure of her life that has her forging connections with strangers across the continent, learning more about her aunt, and finding out more about who she is. 

Notes

This theme of letter after the grave might resonate with teens who happened to catch P.S. I Love You (either book or movie), in that the letters encourage the protagonist to find herself after the death of a loved one. 

Awards

ALA Teens' Top Ten 2006

ALA Best Books for Young Adults 2005

New York Public Library "Best Books for the Teen Age 2006"

Chicago Public Library Best of the Best 2005

Fall 2005 Book Sense Pick

International Reading Association Young Adults' Choices 2007

Other Information

Girls will likely find this book easier to jump into because it is strong with female characters and it has a strong female voice. Anyone who has ever wanted to experience adventure and to pick up and go, however, will relate to this tale of travel, adventure, and love. 

Author Information

Maureen Johnson's Website

Three Little Words: A Memoir by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

Rhodes-Courter, Ashley (2008). Three Little Words: A Memoir. New York, New York: Atheneum Press. 

ISBN: 9781416948063

320 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Memoir

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Adoption, Family, Isolation, Love, Relationships

Reader's Annotation

This is the true story of Ashley Rhodes-Courter's journey over nine years and fourteen foster homes as she tries to find love, security, and herself among insurmountable obstacles. 

Summary

Ashley Rhodes-Courter entered the foster care system at the age of three, and over the course of nine years, she was juggled from one foster home to another, 14 in all. The horrors described as she moves from one caseworker to another, one home to another, and one school to another as she endures abusive foster families and horrific living conditions would be appalling enough in a fiction tale. Knowing that she truly endured all of this, however, makes her tale even more poignant and heartbreaking. Although it mostly sheds light on a broken foster care system, it also shows that there is a litght at the end of the tunnel, and that there is a way out for those who are determined enough and strong enough not to be beaten down by the system. 

Notes

She tells her story in clear language that will make any teen instantly relate to her story, as far removed from their own lives as it may be. The fact that she not only made it through all of this, but managed to thrive, is a testimony to her courage and strenth of will. 

Other Information

Readers who enjoyed this memoir may also want to check out Dave Pelzer's A Child Called It for its similarly remarkable true tale of abuse and dysfunctional family relationships. 

Author Information

Ashley Rhodes-Courter's Website

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

Maguire, Gregory (1996). Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. New York, New York: Regan Books 

ISBN: 9780739468975

409 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 17-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Fairy-tale, Love, Deception, War, Relationships, Family

Reader's Annotation

Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West, is not necessarily the evil woman portrayed in The Wizard of Oz, but perhaps a misunderstood witch who cares too much as she tries to right the ills in her world. 

Summary

Elphaba  is the product of her mother's illicit relationship with a traveling salesman and owes her green skin to her mother's use of an elixir sold by the same man. Her deformity makes her hideous to those around her, and when her beautiful younger sister is born without the use of her legs, Elphaba becomes responsible for her as well. She eventually goes off to college and becomes the roommate of Galinda, a popular young witch desperate to be successful and well-liked by everyone. Galinda is both drawn to and jealous of the power Elphaba has. When Elphaba learns that the Wizard of Oz is a corrupt man changing talking, intelligent Animals into mindless beasts, she sets herself in opposition to him and the mainstream, but despite her best efforts, everything seems to go wrong. Characters from The Wizard of Oz make brief appearances, but the focus is on social issues, religion, and politics. It often is very dark and not all readers will find satisfaction with the ending. 

Notes

Fans of the musical Wicked seeking the same happy, inverted fairy tale, might be disappointed by the dark tone of this book. Just to be clear, although the musical was adapted from this book, the two are very different in tone and treatment of characters. This is also not a children's book- it handles adult subjects of sex, love, and politics in a somewhat unforgiving manner that doesn't shy away from the darkness. I would recommend this more strongly for older teens. 

Awards

Other Information

This is part of the Wicked Years Series, as of yet including Wicked, Son of a Witch, and A Lion Among Men. Readers who enjoy Wicked may enjoy following the aftermath of Elphaba's actions. Other reimagined fairy tales include Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, Mirror Mirror, and Lost. 

Author Information

Gregory Maguire's Website

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Gruen, Sara (2007). Water for Elephants: A Novel. New York, New York: Algonquin Books. 

ISBN: 9781565125605

350 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Level: 17-19

Stars: 4 stars

Subjects: Circus, Relationships, 

Reader's Annotation

90- or 93-year-old Jacob Jankowski tells this story of his incredible adventures with the Benzini Brothers Circus and his adventures through the Depression, his care for teh circus animals, and his misadventures with love in a narrative flashback that skips back and forth across time. 

Summary

At the beginning of this story, Jacob Jakowski is an assisted living home and he is reflecting on his adventurous days with the Benzini Brother Circus. He skips back and forth between the Depression Era and the present and his complaints of his failing body and his slow reveal of the secrets of the past is equally gripping and heartbreaking. As a young man, after the death of his parents,  he dropped out of veterinary school at Cornell and began working for the circus. He explores his close relationship with the animals there, in particular Rosie, an elephant that almost seems human, and in this process, exposes the cruelty at the circus for humans and animals as well as the emotional heart of the novel. 

Notes

This story can be dark at times, and it is a book written primarily for an adult audience, so it has been recommended primarily for older teens and those with the emotional maturity to handle graphic descriptions of animal cruelty and physical relationships. 

Other Information

Readers may enjoy exploring Gruen's other books, Riding Lessons, Flying Chances, and coming in spring 2009, Ape House. These also explore close relationships between humans and animals, and Riding Lessons, in particular, has a gripping story of an equestrienne's relationship with horses and a past she must contend with as her father lays dying. 

Author Information

Sara Gruen's Website

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

McCarthy, Cormac (2006). The Road. New York, New York: Knopf Books

ISBN: 9780307472120

304 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Science Fiction

Age Level: 17-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Dystopia, Family, Relationships, Death, War, 

Reader's Annotation

In a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by nuclear annihilation, a man and his son walk down a road and rely on each other for survival against the nearly insurmountable odds in the forms of gangs of cannibals, starvation, and a loss of hope.

Summary

An unnamed man and his son are walking through a ravaged wasteland. The boy's mother died in the calamity, as did most of society. Those who are left must fight each other for scarce resources, and these limitations have brought out the worst in human nature. The boy and his father must battle against gangs of roving cannibals, starvation, and as they try to find hope and the meaning of life in a world where all life and humanity has been destroyed. The distortion of good and evil, and the questions this raises about human society, are compelling and dangerous- it forces readers to ask questions that may perhaps be better left unasked as it takes the reader into the darkest parts of the human psyche. 

Notes

This book can be incredibly bleak and depressing, and its all-too believable account of a post-apocalyptic world may leave some running for a happier book to follow up after finishing this one. It has been recommended for older teens for its stark portrayal of life and death, love and survival, but it is nonetheless a heart-wrenching tale of paternal love in a world where good and evil have lost their meaning. 

Awards

2006 Pulitzer Prize for Literature

2007 National Book Critic's Circle Award Finalist

New York Times Notable Book

2007 James Tait Memorial Prize

2007 Quill Book Award

Other Information

This book is currently being made into a film starring Viggo Mortensen, to be released in 2009. You can find information on the film here. Readers taken in by his style and bleak examination of human nature may be interested in his other novels, particularly No Country for Old Men, recently made into an Oscar winning film. 

Author Information

Website of the Cormac McCarthy Society

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

Roach, Mary (2004). Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers. New York, New York: W.W. Norton & Company. 

ISBN: 9780393324822

304 pages

Classification: NonFiction

Genre: NonFiction

Age Level: 17-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Death, Cadavers, Life, Death

Reader's Annotation

Mary Roach takes an oddly humorous approach to the true story of what happens to the body after death including medical inquiry, criminal investigation, and other strange things. 

Summary

In this book, Mary Roach seeks to determine exactly what happens to the body after death. It takes a historical approach to what has happened to cadavers in the past as it examines what happens to bodies today. It delves into how bodies are used for scientific experiments and how they have furthered our knowledge of the body's systems, how bodies can be used in criminal investigations, their use in crash tests of automobiles, and other strange adventures after death. It is humorous at the right moments to keep the topic from being overwhelmingly dark and depressing, and it is an engaging read that helps uncover a topic rarely talked about in society or at the dinner table. 

Notes

There can be graphic descriptions in here that are not for the faint-of-heart (or stomach), which is why it is recommended for older teens. Those with a strong stomach will enjoy the whole book; others should read with caution as they discover what, exactly, happens to the body after death.

Awards

New York Times Bestseller

Amazon.com 2003 Editor's Choice Book

Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers book

A Borders Original Voices Book

Winner of Elle Reader's Prize

Other Information

Readers who enjoy the thorough research and handling of Stiff might want to explore Spook, which examines the afterlife, and Bonk, which explores the intersection of science and sex. As with Stiff, these are recommended for older teens with maturity to handle difficult subject matter. 

Author Information

Mary Roach's Website

Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot

Cabot, Meg (2008). Queen of Babble Gets Hitched. New York, New York: William Morrow. 

ISBN: 9780060852023

288 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Chick-Lit

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 3 stars

Subjects: Marriage, Relationsihps, Family, 

Reader's Annotation

Lizzie Nichols, a wedding dress restorer living in New York, is engaged to Jean-Luc and perhaps planning to pick up and move to Paris, but what about Chaz, Luc's best friend who lacks material wealth but seems to really care about Lizzie? 

Summary

This is the third book in the Queen of Babble series, and it seems like life is picture-perfect for Lizzie Nichols at last. Her business (she's a wedding gown restorer) is going very well and she's engaged to Jean-Luc at last. Unfortunately, Jean-Luc's best friend, Chaz, is against the marriage and he forces her to consider why she is marrying Jean-Luc and whether she is willing to abandon New York for Paris. Additional hiccups are present in the form of Lizzie's midwestern family who want her to get married at home, and Jean-Luc's family, who seem to want him to leave medical school and go into investment banking. Lizzie has serious life choices to make, and if she doesn't choose correctly, she might end up alone. 

Notes

This is a light, heartwarming book- those seeking serious fiction will be disappointed. If you take this for what it is- a fluffy, quick read, it will be enjoyable. If you have high expectations, those will likely be dashed. Girls will likely find the character of Lizzie funny and frustrating, and her problems are somewhat removed from reality, but that doesn't keep her journey from being an entertaining one nonetheless. 

Other Information

This is the third in the Queen of Babble Series. Readers who enjoyed this book may want to take a look at the first two books, Queen of Babble and Queen of Babble in the Big City, as well as other books by Meg Cabot. 

Author Information

Meg Cabot's Website

Prep: A Novel by Curtis Sittenfeld

Sittenfeld, Curtis (2005). Prep. New York, New York: Random House. 

ISBN: 9780812972351

448 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 3 stars

Subjects: Popularity, High School, Cliques, Relationships, Sex

Reader's Annotation

Lee Fiora, a fourteen-year-old, leaves her hometown of South Bend, Indiana for Boston's prestigious Ault School, not realizing the difficulties that lie ahead of her, including dealing with the disadvantages of not being wealthy, trying to fit in, a secret relationship, and difficulties with teachers and other students as she both tries to fit in and loathes the person she must become to do so. 

Summary

Female readers will immediately be taken in by 14-year-old Lee Fiora's account of her years at Boston's prestigious Ault School. She left her hometwon of South Bend, Indiana, without fully explaining to her friends or family why she so desperately wanted to get away. When she arrives at Ault, however, her low family income, self-doubt, and behavior immediately mark her as an outsider. She works hard to conform to the standards set by other students, but constantly finds herself on the outside, scorning other outsiders as well. She struggles with her roommates, her teachers, and her peers are carefully described in this narrative. Her dissatisfaction with Ault leads her to take action and causes her to be a public pariah scorned by all, leaving her to wonder if she did what she did because of what was wrong with Ault or what was wrong with her.

 

Notes

Readers familiar with books or TV shows such as Gossip Girl or The Clique will recognize familiar sterotypes of high school life. In this case, everything is exaggerated because in addition to going to school together, they also live together, and this brings with it a new set of issues. Younger and older readers will find a familiar voice in Lee Fiora as she explores her own insecurities and her identity as she struggles with fitting in, relationships, and school. 

Awards

New York Times "10 Best Books of 2005" 

Nominated for UK's Orange Prize

Other Information

There are rumors that this may find its way onto the big screen, although whether or not that will happen anytime soon is unclear. Sittenfeld has since published two further books, The Man of My Dreams and American Wife, both of which have strong female protagonists who explore their own identity as they make their way in the world. 

Author Information

Curtis Sittenfeld's Website

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

Koontz, Dean (2006). Odd Thomas. New York, New York: Bantam Books. 

ISBN: 9780553384284

400 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Mystery

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 4 stars

Subjects: Relationships, Death, Crime, Mystery, Investigation

Reader's Annotation

20-year-old Odd Thomas lives a fairly normal life in Pico Mundo, California, with little ambition and little special about him- except for the fact that he sees and converses with ghosts, a talent that draws him into a mysterious event that will happen in his town unless he can prevent it in time.

Summary

This is a book that skips along at a swift pace, with enough character description for readers to feel like they are at home in Pico Mundo, California and enough mystery to keep them turning pages. It tells the story of Odd Thomas, a 20-year-old fry cook who has no ambition and little talent, except for writing, but he can't put pen to paper long enough to finish a project. His one unique gift- one that makes him truly odd- is his ability to see and converse with ghosts, and through this and his relationship with the beautiful Chief of Police, solve crimes. He also sees "bodachs", which are small, evil creatures that feed on carnage, and when he spots these gathering around one man in particular, he realizes that something horrific might be about to happen in his hometown. As he explores further, it becomes a race against time as he attempts to avert disaster and avoid detection and save the town. 

Other Information

Koontz has an impressive list of thrillers that will keep readers guessing and turning pages. If you enjoyed Odd Thomas, check out others by Dean Koontz. 

Author Information

Dean Koontz's Website

Odd Thomas Website

Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande

Brande, Robin (2007). Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature. New York, New York: Knopf Books. 

IBSN: 9780440240303

272 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Religion, Evolution, High School, Popularity, Science

Reader's Annotation

Mena is starting the school year as an outcast in school and among her friends for having blown the whistle on a religious campaign to reform a supposedly gay schoolmate and then later for speaking out when the unit on evolution comes up in science class and she takes a stand against her former church and friends. 

Summary

Although the reveal is slow, it is clear that Mena starts the school year as an outcast. It gradually becomes clear that she blew the whistle on a campaign by her former youth group for persecuting a supposedly gay classmate, trying to reform him. This results in a lawsuit against several members of her church and leaves her with no friends and many questions about her identity at the beginning of high school. She feels that they were the ones who did wrong, but she is being punished for speaking out, and this goes against her inner moral compass as she tries to reconcile the past with her religion. She finds an ally in her biology lab partner, a genius who likes her for who she is. When the topic of evolution comes up in biology and her former church friends take a stand against it and the teacher, Mena must decide where she stands. She tries to reconcile religion and evolution, and comes up with biblical support for her biology teacher that leaves her none-too-popular with her former church crowd, but she finds support in a new circle of friends as she tries to earn back her parents respect and 

Notes

For anyone who has ever wondered about the issue of religion and evolution, this book presents a logical argument that answers as many questions as it creates. The character of Mena is immensely likable not only because she is an outcast but because, among a group of friends who claim to be religious but act in decidedly un-Christian ways, Mena's refreshing adherence to her inner morality is a breath of fresh air. She is easy to relate to and as she struggles with right and wrong, religion and science, the reader is carried along as well. 

Awards

2007 Book Sense Children's Pick

ALA Best Books for Young Adults 2008

2008 Selected Audiobooks for Young Adults

2008 Thumbs Up! Award

Author Information

Robin Brande's Website

Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers

Myers, Walter Dean (1998). Fallen Angels. New York, New York: Scholastic Paperbacks. 

ISBN: 9780545055768

336 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Historical Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 4 stars

Subjects: War, Vietnam, Relationships, Friendship, Death, Grief

Reader's Annotation

Richard Perry sets aside his dreams of college and a writing career and enlists in the army to get out of Harlem and support his family and finds himself in Vietnam, facing the horrors of war, violence, death, and questions about racism and virtue, good and evil in a war that means so little to him. 

Summary

This book is set in Vietnam in the late 1960s, where Richard Perry, a Harlem teenager, finds himself after his dreams of college fall through. He is the sole supporter of his family, and even though he could have gotten out of the draft with a medical condition, he enlists to uphold his obligation to them. As he and his comrades face the horrors of war and the basest levels of human existence, Richard is able to contemplate meaningful life questions about the nature of good and evil, and how to find virtue in soldiers trained to kill without question. As the war continues, he starts to realize the disturbing trend that black troops are given the most dangerous assignments, and he seeks to understand what the US is doing there in the first place. 

Notes

Richard Perry is a skilled narrative guide throught the trenches of Vietnam. Although it can be graphic and difficult to read at times, the sensitive narrator will draw readers in as he questions the fundamental basis of society and war. These questions that he asks are the same that readers will have, and his exploration of these topics is poignant and sincere and make this book readable in spite of the horror. 

Awards

1989 Correta Scott King Award

Author Information

Walter Dean Myers' Website

Feed by M.T. Anderson

Anderson, M.T. (2004). Feed. New York, New York: Candlewick Press. 

ISBN: 978073622596

320 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Science-Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 4 stars

Subjects: Future, Dystopia, Brain-Washing, Family, Relationships

Reader's Annotation

In a bleak future, televisions and computers are connected directly to people's brains, creating a consumer-driven society where independent thought is frowned upon, and Titus never questions this world until he meets Violet, a home-schooled girl who dares to think for herself. 

Summary

Everything is just fine in Titus' world. He has an Internet/Television feed that connects directly to his brain and life is simple. It is a world of consumerism with the main priorities of fashion, immediate pleasures, and shopping. When Titus and his friends are on the moon, they catch an illness that freezes their feeds for a few days, and in the void, they actually think. It is there that Titus meets Violet, a home-schooled girl who has an opinion and thinks for herself. After their recovery, Violet and Titus begin dating but the fundamental differences between them and their world views drive them apart as the consumer-driven society pushes itself to the brink and Violet succumbs to an illness that leaves her incapacitatated. 

Notes

This is a great read for teens, especially older teens. It is a chilling novel that has taken threads of our current society and fleshed them out to show what the world would be like if these disturbing trends continued. Teens who read this may reconsider how connected their lives are and should be, and what repercussions that might have in the future. 

Awards

2002 National Book Award for Young People's Literature Finalist

2003 Boston-Globe Horn Book Award for Fiction

2003 Golden Duck Awards Hal Clement Award for Young Adults

Other Information

Readers who enjoy the topic might want to explore Scott Westerfeld's Uglies Trilogy. 

The Angel Experiment by James Patterson (Maximum Ride, Book 1)

Patterson, James (2007). The Angel Experiment. New York, New York: Little, Brown Young Readers. 

ISBN: 9780316067959

404 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Science Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 4 stars

Subjects: New York, Science Fiction, Mutation, Surgery, Identity

Reader's Annotation

14-year-old Max is one of a group of genetically enhanced children with unique talents  on the run from predators called Erasers who seek to destroy any evidence of their existence, but how long will they be able to evade these hunters? 

Summary

When a group of genetically enhanced children escape from a lab with the help of a scientist sympathetic to their cause, they are immediately hunted by a group of predators that are part-human, part-wolf and completely dangerous called Erasers. The Erasers need to catch and return these mutants before the world can find out that they exist. When Angel, a six-year-old, is captured, the other members of her "family" must help rescue her even as they learn more about their pasts and why they were created. 

Notes

Readers might recognize James Patterson as the author of the Alex Cross books, starting with Along Came A Spider and Kiss the Girls, both of which were also made into movies. Readers who enjoyed this book might enjoy those mystery thrillers, but they should check out the other books in this series: School's Out-Forever, Saving the World, and The Final Warning. 

Author Information

James Patterson's Website

School's Out- Forever by James Patterson (Maximum Ride, Book 2)

Patterson, James (2007). School's Out- Forever. New York, New York: Vision Press. 

ISBN: 9780446618892

368 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Science Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 4 stars

Subjects: New York, Mutation, Surgery, Science Fiction, Identity

Reader's Annotation

When genetic mutant Fang is injured in a battle against part-human, part-wolf predators called Erasers, his "family" must take him to the hospital, but his strange DNA leads them to contact the FBI, and for the first time, Max and her friends experience what it might be like to live a normal human life, but how long can it last?

Summary

Max is one of a group of genetically mutated children who escaped from a lab and have been on the run ever since. They are in a battle with part-human, part-wolf predators called Erasers that want to bring them back to the lab they left or otherwise exterminate them. When one of the group, Fang, is injured so seriously that he must be taken to the hospital, doctors immediately notice anomalies and contact the FBI. The lead agent, Anne Walker, takes them to her Virginia farm home where, for the first time, they manage to lead normal lives, but when they start to try to seek their birth parents, they begin to realize that Anne might not have been entirely upfront about who she is and why she has taken them to her farm. 

Notes

Readers might recognize James Patterson as the author of the Alex Cross books, starting withAlong Came A Spider and Kiss the Girls, both of which were also made into movies. Readers who enjoyed this book might enjoy those mystery thrillers, but they should check out the other books in this series: The Angel Experiment, Saving the World, and The Final Warning. 

Author Information

James Patterson's Website

Saving the World by James Patterson (Maximum Ride, Book 3)

Patterson, James (2007). Saving the World. New York, New York: Little, Brown Young Readers.

ISBN: 9780316155608

416 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Science Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 4 stars

Subjects: New York, Mutation, Identity, Rebellion

Reader's Annotation

Max and her "Flock" have returned to face their ultimate enemy and destroy their creators before they themselves are destroyed, and in the process, save the world from a eugenics plot- but will they succeed? 

Summary

14-year-old Max has returned with her friends in the 3rd book in this series. Now that they have discovered more about who created them and why, the time has come for action. It turns out that it has been decided by their creators that they must be exterminated, but if that happens, then the world as a whole may fall subject to a plot to re-engineer parts of the population and create a superior master race and terminate the rest. With their creators more determined than ever, the group is weak, forced to hide and separated, so this novel begs the question of how they can possibly hope to succeed against such incredible odds. 

Notes

Readers might recognize James Patterson as the author of the Alex Cross books, starting withAlong Came A Spider and Kiss the Girls, both of which were also made into movies. Readers who enjoyed this book might enjoy those mystery thrillers, but they should check out the other books in this series: The Angel Experiment, School's Out-Forever, and The Final Warning. 

Author Information

James Patterson's Website

The Final Warning by James Patterson (Maximum Ride, Book 4)

Patterson, James (2008). The Final Warning. New York, New York: Little, Brown, and Company

ISBN: 9780316002868

272 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Science Fiction

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 4 stars

Subjects: Mutation, Identity, Rebellion, Science Fiction

Reader's Annotation

This final book (?) in the series finds Max and her friends hiding in Antarctica where they take refuge with a team of environmentalists studying the effects of global warning, and they must battle against corrupt governments, biengineered villains, and nature to survive. 

Summary

Max and her group of genetically mutated friends have sought refuge from predators, governments, and anyone else in Antarctica. There, they find refuge with a team of environmentalists, but surviving in the harsh conditions and staying off the grid is a lot more difficult than it originally seemed, and it isn't long before the adventure picks up again. 

Notes

Readers might recognize James Patterson as the author of the Alex Cross books, starting withAlong Came A Spider and Kiss the Girls, both of which were also made into movies. Readers who enjoyed this book might enjoy those mystery thrillers, but they should check out the other books in this series: The Angel Experiment, School's Out-Forever, and Saving the World. 

Author Information

James Patterson's Website

Flight by Sherman Alexie

Alexie, Sherman (2007). Flight. New York, New York: Grove Press

ISBN: 9780802170378

208 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Violence, Time Travel, Indian, Identity

Reader's Annotation

Zits is a half-Indian, half-Irish boy with no family who is bounced from one foster family to another until, after a brief time in jail, he is about to commit an atrocious act when he suddenly travels back in tim to other moments of horror in the past that make him question his own actions in the present.

Summary

From the beginning of this novel, it is easy to empathize strongly with the character of Zits while simultaneously become horrified at the way others have treated this outcast and how he has decided to lash out at society. He was orphaned at the age of six when his mother died (he never knew his father), and after getting kicked out of his aunt's house for setting fire to her boyfriend (he had cause), he is bounced around from one foster home to another and countless schools along the way. The slow destruction of his humanity is evident in this narration, and the precipice is reached when, after running away from a foster home and a brief stay in jail, he is about to commit an atrocious act he would never be able to undo when he finds himself thrown back in time. He is forced to witness other acts of horror and terror that force him to examine himself and what he is truly capable of, and ultimately make him reconsider his action in the present. 

Notes

This can be graphic and unsettling at times. It handles violence, death, and sexual encounters with frankness and honesty that avoids deep emotional exploration, leaving that for the reader to contemplate. This book should be read with the understanding that it requires a certain level of emotional maturity to take in. 

Other Information

Readers who enjoy Alexie's style may want to also look at his Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. 

Author Information

Sherman Alexie's Website