Young Adult

The fourth in the Ruby Oliver series, this entry finds Ruby in her senior year of high school acting like her typical neurotic self. I think what sets Lockhart’s teen chick lit apart from others is that the situations are never too terrible and the humor is always high – making this ideal for teenage girl readers who are tired of reading about suicide.

Ten vignettes of real-life marauders who masqueraded with false identities. Told in second person with cool graphic illustrations by Paul Hoppe, this quick read is always a hit with the boys.

Intriguing tale of Elizabethan England where Catholics are hunted down for not accepting the Church of England as their place of worship. Great discussion starter for students to discuss contemporary ideas of the relationship between religion and government.

This book always makes me cringe happily. Required reading for all fifth graders and adults.

Probably most appropriate for Valentine’s Day, this terrific collection of short stories by some of America’s leading young adult authors – from Nikki Grimes to Jon Scieszka – exposes teens to the trials, tumult and hilarity of young love.

A teen soldier returns home from the Iraq War with a tramautic brain injury, and everything has changed for him and the people closest to him. Not since All Quiet on the Western Front have I read a book that deals better with the realities rather than the “glamour” of war. This book should be in every school.

I just saw a teacher reading this with her class and could not believe I had forgotten to include this book on a previous list. Despite what the title may suggest, boys will enjoy this collection of supernatural short stories just as much as girls.

I read this book to a middle school class, and they loved it. A runaway lives off the land in this fun book. A good read for those who are suffering a midlife crisis, as well.

This needs to be in every middle school teacher’s classroom library, as it is one of the best books I have read with my students that deals with the complexities of growing up biracial. Danny – yes, I like books with main characters who share my name – feels out of place in white neighborhoods and Mexican neighborhoods because he is a mix of both. This is the first book I have read by de la Pena, and I am definitely going to read a lot more.

A teen will do just about anything legal to secure her family’s financial future to avoid ever being homeless again. Very touching and poignant story of life in the inner city.

Think Black Swan for teens. Will Taylor, Julian, Alexandra and Kaitlyn rise to the challenges of performing the ballet Coppelia? Read and find out.

Someone recently pointed out that I had not yet included a Beverly Cleary book. I am sorry for the omission, as she is one of the most important children's authors of the 20th century. Each year, Ralph the Mouse intrigues scores of children to dive into chapter books.

I love this book. If you are a teacher trying to decide on books to buy for your classroom with your limited personal funds, this is the type of book I would recommend (along with anthologies). Boys and girls alike (but especially girls) will enjoy these brief biographies and hopefully be drawn to read more about these amazing women (I particularly enjoyed the essay on educator Mary McLeod Bethune).

Your students – boy and girls alike – will not be able to put it down, as it chronicle’s a 14-year-old girl’s harrowing adventures on a sailboat, dealing with storms, pirates and all sorts of twists and turns.

When 12-year-old Robin, the son of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer, spots someone on Shildii Rock staring at him, he just knows something is wrong. He sets out to solve the mystery with his friend Wayne in this page-turner that mixes mystery and mythology while exposing students to native peoples of the Northwest Territories in Canada.