Book+Recommendations



(Based on books I have read and student recommendations)
 * Book Recommendations **

Below are suggested books for a variety of genres. The books range in both reading level and maturity level. I would recommend reading the summaries on www.barnesandnoble.com for more details. Also, www.scholastic.com has a wonderful tool entitled “Book Wizard” that provides leveling information.

Is the book at your reading level? Open the book and read the first couple of pages. Keep track of the number of words you don’t know.
 * If you don’t know 1-2 words then the book is too easy for you.
 * If you don’t know 3-4 words then the book is “just right”. This is what you want!
 * If you don’t know 5 or more words then the book is too hard for you.

__**Websites that provide recommendations:**__ www.goodreads.com 100 best-ever teen books 37 Books Every YA Fan Needs to Read Before They Die Excellent list!

Specifically for boys: www.boybookofthemonth.com www.boysread.org www.guysread.com

Specifically for girls: www.amightygirl.com/books

This website has some good free audio books (for middle school-adult readers): Audiobooks

Please note: Often times genres such as science fiction, fantasy, mystery/suspense, and adventure overlap. For the summer, audiobooksync has a free summer audiobook program for teens. Click on the link to check it out.


 * __Science Fiction:__**

__The Hunger Games__ series (__The Hunger Games__, __Catching Fire__, and __Mockingjay__) by Suzanne Collins – mature content

The Shadow Children series (__Among the Hidden__, __Among the Imposters__, __Among the Betrayed__, __Among the Barons__, __Among the Brave__, __Among the Enemy__, and __Among the Free__) by Margaret Haddix

__A Wrinkle in Time__ by Madeleine L’Engle – a classic

__The House of Scorpion__ by Nancy Farmer

__Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son__ by Lois Lowry

__Airborn__ b y Kenneth Oppel

__Maximum Ride__ series by James Patterson

__The Rule of Three__ by Eric Walters

The __Divergent__ series by Veronica Roth

The __Matched__ series by Ally Condie

__The Selection__ series by Kiera Cass


 * __Fantasy:__**

__The Thief Lord__ by Cornelia Funke

The Starcatchers Series (__Peter and the Starcatchers__, __Peter and the Shadow Thieves__, __Peter and the Secret of Rundoon__, and __Peter and the Sword of Mercy__) by Dave Barry

The Ink Triology (__Inkheart__, __Inkspell__, and __Inkdeath__) by Cornelia Funke

__Dragon Rider__ by Cornelia Funke

__Ella Enchanted__ by Gail Carson Levine

Circle Opens Series (__Magic Steps,__ __Street Magic__, __Cold Fire__, and __Shatterglass__) by Tamora Pierce

Artemis Fowl series (__Artemis Fowl__, __The Arctic Incident__, __The Eternity Code__, __The Opal Deception__, __The Lost Colony__, __The Time Paradox__, and __The Atlantis Complex__) by Eoin Colfer

Harry Potter series (__The Sorcerer’s Stone__, __The Chamber of Secrets__, __The Prisoner of Azkaban__, __The Goblet of Fire__, __The Order of the Phoenix__, __The Half-Blood Prince__, and __The Deathly Hallows__) by J.K. Rowling

Redwall Series (there are approximately 21 books in this series) by Brian Jacques

Books of Ember series (__The City of Ember__, __People of Sparks__, __Prophet of Yonwood__, and __Diamond of Darkhold__) by Jeanne DuPrau

__Elsewhere__ by Gabrielle Zevin – mature content

__The Guardians of Ga'Hoole__ series by Kathryn Lasky


 * __Mystery/Suspense/Horror:__**

The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew – some are really easy reads and some are at a more appropriate reading level for a 7th grader

Alex Rider series (currently includes 8 books) by Anthony Horowitz

__Gilda Joyce__ series by Jennifer Allison

__Echo Falls mystery__ series by Peter Abrahams

__Hilda Johansson__ series by Jeanne Dams

The __39 Clues__ series by a variety of authors

__Sammy Keyes__ series by Wendelin Van Draanen

Anything by Agatha Christie

Most books by Lois Duncan

__The Other Side of Dark__ by Joan Lowery Nixon

__Chasing Vermeer__ by Blue Balliett

__The Calder Game__ by Blue Balliett

__The Danger Box__ by Blue Balliett

__Murder at Midnight__ by Avi

__Grooves: A Kind of Mystery__ by Kevin Brockmeier

__13 Treasures__ by Michelle Harrison

__Paper Daughter__ by Jeanette Ingold

__Trash__ by Andy Mulligan

__The Westing Game__ by Ellen Raskin

__The Chaos Code__ by Justin Richards

__Doll Bones__ by Holly Black


 * __Realistic Fiction:__**

__Jeremy Finke and the Meaning of Life__ by Wendy Mass

__Every Soul a Star__ by Wendy Mass

__Becoming Naomi Leon__ by Pam Munoz Ryan

__Waiting for Normal__ by Leslie Connor

Brian’s Saga series (__Hatchet__, __The River__, __Brian’s Winter__, __Brian’s Return__, and __Brian’s Hunt__) by Gary Paulsen

__Whirligig__ by Paul Fleischman

__Maniac Magee__ by Jerry Spinelli

__Wringer__ by Jerry Spinelli

__Loser__ by Jerry Spinelli

__Notes from the Midnight Driver__ by Jordan Sonnenblick

__Slam__ by Walter Dean Myers

__A Corner of the Universe__ by Ann M. Martin

__So B. It__ by Sarah Weeks

__Walk Two Moons__ by Sharon Creech

__Olive’s Ocean__ by Kevin Henkes

__Rules__ by Cynthia Lord

__Gathering Blue__ by Lois Lowry

Mike Lupica books (sports books – good for male readers) such as __Travel Team__

__Sunrise Over Fallujah__ by Walter Dean Myers – mature content

__Fallen Angels__ by Walter Dean Myers – mature content and high reading level

__Mockingbird__ by Kathryn Erskine

__Kissing Doorknobs__ by Terry Spencer Hesser - mature content

__The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nigh-time__ by Mark Haddon - mature content

__Mindblind__ by Jennifer Roy

__A Long Walk to Water__ by Linda Sue Park - based on a true story - multicultural

__Little Cricket__ by Jackie Brown - multicultural

__The Breadwinner__ by Deborah Ellis - multicultural

__Rain Reign__ by Ann M. Martin

__Saving Mr. Terupt__ by Rob Buyea

__Fish in a Tree__ by Lydia Mullaly Hunt

__Counting by 7's__ by Holly Sloan


 * __Historical Fiction:__**

__Esperanza Rising__ by Pam Munoz Ryan

Crispin series (__Crispin: The Cross of Lead__, __Crispin: At the Edge of the World__, __Crispin: The End of Time__) by Avi

__A Long Way from Chicago__ and __A Year Down Yonder__ by Richard Peck

__Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry__ by Mildred D. Taylor

__My Brother Sam is Dead__ by Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier

__Soldier’s Heart__ by Gary Paulsen

__The Witch of Blackbird Pond__ by Elizabeth George Speare

Dear America… Diaries by a variety of authors

Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder – easy reading level

__Witness__ by Karen Hesse

__A Single Shard__ by Linda Sue Park

__Rodzina__ by Karen Cushman

__A Boy at War: A Novel of Pearl Harbor__ by Harry Mazer

__One Crazy Summer__ by Rita Williams-Garcia

__The Watson's Go to Birmingham 1963__ by Christopher Paul Curtis

__Fever 1793__ by Laurie Halse Anderson

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson


 * __Biography/Autobiography/Memoir:__**

A book about/by any person who interests you

__Bad Boy: A Memoir__ by Walter Dean Myers

__Woodsong__ by Gary Paulsen - a memoir

__My Life in Dog Years__ by Gary Paulsen – autobiography

__The Lost Garden__ by Laurence Yep

__Going Solo__ by Roald Dahl

__Knots in My Yo-Yo String: The Autobiography of a Kid__ by Jerry Spinelli

__Anne Frank Remembered__ by Miep Gies

__Brown Girl Dreaming__ by Jacqueline Woodson