Harry Potter is front and center again this summer. With the release of movie #3, chances are fans will be picking up the books to re-read them and brush up on all the details. But after that, where will Harry Potter fans turn to satisfy their appetite for adventure and another great book?
I have turned to the experts for help with this problem—young adults themselves. Believe me, these kids know a good read when they find one and never steer me wrong. The following is a list of books my young friends have read and assure me that each one is well worth an afternoon spent in a hammock or on the porch.
Garth Nix. Any book by this Australian author, and you’ve got to read them all! Start with Sabriel, Lireal: Daugher of the Clayr, or Abhorsen and get caught up in adventures to defeat great evils. Also look for his The Seventh Tower series that includes The Fall, Castle, Aenir and Above the Veil.
A series of books by another author, William Nicholson is The Wind on Fire which includes The Wind Singer, Slaves of the Mastery, and Firesong.
Books by Marianne Curley include The Named and The Dark. And Mary Hoffman’s Stravaganza: City of Masks and StravaganzaII: City of Stars also are exciting.
British writer Phillip Pullman’s trilogy His Dark Materials, is intriguing reading which is heady work for even the most accomplished readers. But I have been assured that although these books can be read on various levels, the fact that they are “awesome” is all that matters. The trilogy is comprised of The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass.
For animal lovers, David Clement-Davies has written two remarkable novels The Sight and Fire Bringer. Both books examine real lives of actual animals (wolves and deer respectively) and place them in a fantastical setting. Wonderful books!
Eragon: Inheritance, Book 1 has developed a lot of notoriety this year, not only because the story is being hailed as a “classic” fantasy, but also because it was written by a teenager. Read what a young adult can conceive.
The best book of the past year for young adults may be Breath by Donna Jo Napoli. Legend has it that in 1284 the city of Hameln suffered a plague of rats of which they tried to rid themselves by hiring a piper to lead the vermin away. When the residents reneged on their payment to him, he led their children away, as well. Now Napoli includes the potent elements of ergot poisoning and suspected witchcraft in her plot, which is narrated by 12-year-old Salz-a boy whose frequent, serious illnesses render him almost useless on his family's farm. (An afterword explains that he has cystic fibrosis.) The author vividly describes the frightening conditions facing the townspeople and their increasingly desperate attempts to understand and overcome the torrential rains; the rat infestation; the diseases afflicting their livestock; and the physical, mental, and sexual maladies that beset them.
Finally, three remaining titles, The Angel Factory by Terence Blacker, is about Thomas Wisdom the child of angels selected to save the earth. Like any normal teen, he rebels. Great for discussions on freedom vs. predetermined perfection.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman is a creepy and frightening fairy tale that will keep you hooked until the end.The wonderful black line drawings add interest and intrigue to this unsettling but captivating ghost story.
The Waterstone by Rebecca Rupp uses magic, little people, and attention to details to bring the reader into a wonderful fantasy world. The results are an unforgettable adventure t
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