The "Uglies" series by Scott Westerfeld. For students who liked The Hunger Games (or, for students who aren't quite ready for the intensity and violence of The Hunger Games), Uglies is a similar type of story, about a dystopian future in which teenagers challenge a broken system and fight for a better world.
-Laura K.
Do Over by Robin Hemley was by far one of the best books I've read this year. Hemley is at once insightful, funny, honest, confused, humble, and open in his approach to learn from his past "mistakes." I respect the courage it takes for someone to address the "goofs" they've made in their lives, especially when it takes the form of doing a task over, which is what Hemley attempts - over and over again. In each "do over," Hemley articulates the difficulty in identifying the "right thing to do" as he plays the role of both child and adult (often at the same time). This book helped me see how my students can struggle to impress adults, and I think many adults who read it may gain perspective on the value of second chances.
-Kristi H.
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers-- because it's a beautiful memoir, and is an honest story of true humanity. It is full of emotion, and reminds the reader to spend time in gratitude and to enjoy the little things in life.
-Michelle W.
The Taqwacores. It's similar to The Catcher in the Rye but from the perspective of individuals in the Muslim punk rock movement.
-Chandani J.
The Secret Life of Pronouns is a fascinating non-fiction book. It's about how our use of the simplest, most boring words in the English lanugage reveals so much about our personalities - without us even realizing it! In the Woods by Tana French is a gorgeously written and suspenseful mystery that takes place in Ireland. If you like Law and Order and luscious prose, you should definitely pick it up.
-Sonja F.
For ages 12 - 15: The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by AVI or Fallen by Lauren Kate
These books both have the drama of the Kardashians, but would challenge a student in one of two ways. Confessions deals with more complex relationships and societal conflicts, but is told as a historical fiction. Fallen deals with all of the common teenage emotions, but from a different viewpoint of the world. It could be related to Twilight, I suppose, but the main character is stronger. This story is about fallen angels, the war of good and evil, and (probably most importantly to a teenaged girl) the beauty, power, and strength of eternal love.
For ages 16 & up: Identical by Ellen Hopkins or Sula by Toni Morrison
These books both deal with the complex relationships of women who love each other and hate each other at the same time. I think that they would be great for a more mature student who wants all the drama of gossipy women, while also challenging their reading skills. Identical is the story of twin sisters and how they separately deal with their parents' messed up relationship told entirely in the form of poetry, which is unique and impressive. Sula is about the lifelong relationship of two frenemies as told by the amazing Toni Morrison, so of course the writing style is unique, beautiful, and ambitious. I would, however, be careful with these books because they both do deal with some adult issues, such as confusing sexual relationships, drugs, and abuse.
-Jessica S.
Peeling the Onion by Gunter Grass is an artful memoir of the Nobel Laureate, which recounts his childhood up through the writing of his first novel. He grew up in Germany as the Nazi party was taking hold. He was a member of the Hitler Youth and fought in the last year of the war for Germany. He discusses the accountability and guilt associated with these events, even though he was only 17 when the War ended. It's a very good read and gives a good background for understanding his novels, such as The Tin Drum and The Flounder.
I would also strongly recommend The Man Who Loved Only Numbers by Paul Hoffman. It's a loose biography of the prolific mathematician Paul Erdos, an infamous eccentric in the mathematical community, who contributed greatly to the fields of number theory, combinatorics, probability theory, etc. Even though it deals with mathematics, this is a very playful biography and discusses mathematical puzzles in a very intriguing and refreshing way. It is very informative and fun!
-Meagan D.
Anything by Ayn Rand will make someone think. Anthem for younger students. We the Living if they're into historical fiction and The Fountainhead for older students. I wouldn't recommend Atlas Shrugged until someone is in college. For high school students, Ray Bradbury's Farenheit 451 is also an excellent and thought provoking work.
-Pari S.
-Pari S.
-Gretchen S.
102 Minutes: The Unforgettable Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers and Miracle on the Hudson. Both books made me think about how people react in high stress situations and made me wonder if I could have done some of the things those people did on that day.
-Jackie D.
The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman discusses the events leading up to WWI, all the government secrets, paranoia and treaties that resulted. Not a Good Day to Die by Sean Naylor is a great non-fiction about the failings of those in command (micromanaging, withholding critical intelligence, refusal to provide needed support), but how those on the ground prevailed regardless.
-Peter K.
Right now I'm reading Little Bee by Chris Cleave about a Nigerian refugee and her friendship with a British widower. It's really good!
-Gabrielle S.
Did we miss your favorite book? Let us know in the comments!
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