Young Adult

At the request of a bunch of teenage girls, I reluctantly picked up this book. It could have been really lame. Surprisingly, it was really well-written, fast-paced and filled with terrific plot twists. A car thief is surprised when he realizes a teenager is in the backseat. Then, it turns out she is blind. Oh, and then, it turns out her father is rich, so kidnapping becomes a profitable opportunity for the thief(s). But what happens when the blind girl proves to be less helpless than her captives realize? I’m ashamed to say that I could not put this book down.

If you’ve never read a Gordon Korman book, do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this book. Korman has a way of writing that teens find engrossing during read alouds. The absurdity of his tales leave students eager to hear what will happen next (that is why so many students opt to check-out copies of his books themselves rather than wait for teachers to finish the read aloud…this book is no different).

Perfect self-help guide for teenage boys looking to find their inner evil. Tons of laughs and terrific black-and-white comics in this must-read.

While no one would argue I have ever had the body of a long distance runner, I have always been one. Even as an offensive lineman in high school, I prided myself on beating all of the backs in our weekly Monday 5k. Inman has written a quick read (complete with huge fonts and lots of pictures) that perfectly captures the insanity and beauty of long distance running.

A stirring look at how a high school senior deals with the death of her boyfriend, who was killed in a camping accident.

Yes, the same Jeff Probst who hosts Survivor on television has entered the book business, with this exciting adventure series geared toward upper elementary and middle school boys. Tebbetts helped James Patterson write his middle school bestsellers, and this series is sure to be a hit, too.

Part of Dokey’s wonderful Once Upon a Time series, this different take on Cinderella helps explain why the stepmother did not like Cinderella and what Cinderella’s father was thinking leaving her in her stepmother’s care. I have enjoyed every retelling in the series, from Dokey’s take on Rapunzel to her re-examination of “Sleeping Beauty” Princess Aurore.

I try not to include books too many pages over 250, but I assure you that this one is worth the extra 22 pages (your middle schoolers be turning pages so quickly that it won’t matter). A Newbery Honor, this book tracks the trials of a seventh grader stuck reading Shakespeare during the 1960s, and how his heated relationship with a teacher turns into friendship. Funny and poignant.

Ten-year-old Prairie Evers reminds me a lot of Candide or Pollyanna by her ability to always see the positive in every situation. Very good book.

The 15-year-old son of Leif Eriksson discovers the Vikings are not alone in the New World in this very easy-to-read coming of age story.

Here’s a good football book for boys about a 12-year-old with the uncanny ability to predict another team’s plays. Anyone who enjoys rooting for the underdog will enjoy this book, written by former NFL defensive end Tim Green.

Besides The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving, I’d rate this as probably my favorite Halloween tale. Master storyteller Ray Bradbury exposes us to the eerie Halloween rituals of different cultures. A superb book.

Before having a square named after him in Oakland, Jack London wrote a few good books. This remains one of my favorites, and I noticed that Dover Publications is offering copies for a buck on Amazon.

Sterling publishers have a wonderful series of unabridged classics that I think everybody should be made aware of, as the series includes books ranging from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Gulliver’s Travels to Frankenstein and The Wind in the Willows. As a dedicated lazy reader myself, I found these books to be especially enjoyable as an adult (when I willingly chose to read them rather than had them mandated to me by a teacher).

If you are too lazy to read this captivating tale of the man who goes from slow learner to genius, sneak a peek at Cliff Robertson’s Oscar-winning performance in the movie version Charly.