Young Adult

I confess that I am a big fan of British humor, as I love Monty Python, Ricky Gervais and Jeanne Willis. Anne Fine has that twisted sense of humor in this engrossing book about a boy sentenced to his bedroom on Christmas. His descriptions of his various family members remind me of the Dursleys from Harry Potter. A little too mean for little kids, the humor is perfect for teens.

Jazz and Antonia are polar opposites, yet their peer-counseling sessions bring them together in a way that allows readers to deeply know both girls. A well-written book that I use as a model for teenage writers.

Who better to attract teens’ attention than the man who coached LeBron James in high school? Amazingly, Joyce went from knowing little about basketball to becoming one of the most successful high school coaches in America. I breezed through this book, and I know your boys, especially, will love it.

I am always looking for books that examine multiple points of view, and this book fits the bill. A compelling look at school violence from several perspectives: students, teachers, parents, etc. Reads like a viewing of Rashomon.

While looking at different perspectives, take a look at the cliques in this school. What intrigues and frightens me about this story is how vicious teenagers can be to one another (and that, sadly, is accurate). The characters in this book should have read Strasser’s Give a Boy a Gun to consider the possible consequences of ridiculing a classmate.

With March Madness ending and the NBA playoffs beginning, this collection of stories about playing basketball at “The Cage” in New York City from nine award-winning young adult authors is sure to draw a lot of interest from teenage boys.

I remember reading this book when I was a teenager. It is super-short, and I figured it would strike a chord with today’s teenage fans of Avatar.

The sequel to Schaefer’s excellent The Teashop Girls, this story provides tea history, romance and even a good recipe or two.

I try not to push authors too much, but Peck's follow up to A Long Way from Chicago is every bit as good as the first (if not better). Again, I consider this a "must" read, as Peck is today's Twain.

Harold Holzer served as chairman of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation and has written countless books on the 16^th President. What I love about this book is its focus on his personal life, as his family endured its fair share of trials and heartaches. A wonderful and refreshing look at a man every American needs to examine closely, as they don’t make Presidents like Lincoln anymore.

Wonderful Mexican author who will inspire your girls especially with these 56 vignettes about the Mexican Revolution seen through her eyes as a child.

A classic about a man who receives a penguin in the mail as a gift from his hero, Admiral Drake. Mr. Popper had dreamed of exploring the arctic regions; now, he has to provide one for his hungry house guests.

I must confess that I love just about everything Sarah Weeks writes, and I have had the pleasure of watching her perform her works in Readers’ Theatre presentations with other wonderful authors (e.g., Avi, Pam Muñoz Ryan and Richard Peck). You and your kids will get a kick out of the mysterious tale of Polly the pie maker and why – after she passed away – she left all of her wonderful pie recipes to her cat.

This stirring and uplifting true story makes for a wonderful read for all ages, as it follows the unbelievable life of Chi Fa (which means “new beginning”) as he emigrates to the United States and prospers. Every day I realize there are extraordinary people all around me, if I just learn about their personal stories. Great book to engage students to tell their own stories, especially immigrants.

People tell me there is an Italian movie of this book, and I’d be interested in seeing it. This book will spurn a number of dialogues among your high school students, as it reads a lot like Stephen King’s novella The Body (made into the popular movie Stand by Me).