Diary of a Wimpy Kid

by Jeff Kinney.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a "novel in cartoons" that records the experiences of middle-schooler Greg Heffley, a self-described wimp. Accompanied by many cartoon drawings, the entries are pretty hilarious and Greg's experiences are ones that just about any middle schooler or former middle schooler can relate to: Greg gets in big trouble with his parents, is disappointed with his Christmas gifts , has a falling out with his best friend and experiences his first haunted house to name a few.

Diary of Wimpy Kid is unusual in that it began life as a series of journal or blog entries on the FunBrain website. In fact, you can still read journal entries for the "Wimpy Kid" on the website. Check here for library holdings of this "wimpy" book. And coming soon: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules.

What My Mother Doesn't Know

by Sonya Sones

I'm going to be lazy today and use other people's words; so, lifted from the back cover:

"My name is Sophie.

This book is about me.

It tells

the heart-stoppingly riveting story

of my first love.

and also of my second.

And, okay, my third love too.

It's not that I'm boy crazy.

It's just that even though

I'm almost fifteen

it's like

my mind

and my body

and my heart

just don't seem to be able to agree

on anything"

And to borrow from someone else again:

Booklist (a magazine librarians read to find good books to buy) says this book is "Fast, funny, touching" which is very true. And I will add, realistic. Check here for library's holdings.

Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

by Sherman Alexi

14 year old Junior lives on the Spokane Indian Reservation. He has a lot of medical problems and is picked on and beat up all of the time. Junior decides one day that he wants to attend Reardan, the rich, white high school 22 miles from "the rez".

His alcoholic parents agree to let him attend, but can't guarantee that they'll always have money to buy gas for the car to drive him there.

Junior, of course, has a difficult time fitting in at Reardan. Things start to gradually change for the better,though, when Junior punches "Roger the Giant", one of the school jocks. Junior is used to fighting by the "unofficial and unwritten Spokane Indian rules of fisticuffs" which pretty much guarantees many fights in one's lifetime. Roger, however, doesn't play by the "rules" and walks away when Junior punches him.

The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian will make you laugh and cry. It's a quick read that both boys and girls in grades 8 and up should enjoy. And unlike most novels for teens, it has illustrations.

Check library holdings here

The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

The thief in this story is Gen. Gen has been plucked from prison to help steal a precious stone in a remote temple of the gods. There is plenty of action and suspense, great storytelling and surprising revelations in this first book of a trilogy. And the book is well written. For those of you interested in such things, the book was a 1997 Newbery Honor book.

The Thief is one of those books with wide appeal. Males and females from grades six through adult should enjoy it. Look here for the library's copy.

Sold by Patricia McCormick

13 year old Lakshmi's peaceful yet hard-scrabble life in Nepal is shattered when she is sold into prostitution by her gambling stepfather. Lakshmi is taken hundreds of miles away to a brothel in India where she is held virtually a prisoner.

This is not an easy book to read. The language is sparse and poetic which makes the book a fast read. But the topic is unfortunately all too realistic. In the author's notes at the end of the book, Patricia McCormick discusses her research and her encounters with girls who have had similiar experiences to her character, Lakshmi. Look here for the library's copy.

Watership Down by Richard Adams

This is an older, long book about a bunch of rabbits (yes, rabbits) who need to find a new place to live. Sound boring and childish? It is most definitely not.

On the surface, Watership Down is an adventure story about a warren of rabbits who need to find a new home when their's is threatened by a land developer. The leader of the rabbits is Hazel. On their quest, Hazel and his compatriots encounter a Hitler-like rabbit, General Woundwart. General Woundwart captures some of the rabbits and one of the rabbits, Bigwig, masterminds a daring escape. (BTW, the book has nothing to do with ships or the sea. Watership Down is the name of the place where the rabbits find a safe haven.)

The main characters in the book ARE rabbits. These aren't cute, cuddly bunnies who speak English and walk on their hind legs like humans. These rabbits are very rabbit-like and yet, we human beings will have no trouble relating to the lives of the rabbits. That is part of the genius of this book. Richard Adams does a masterful job of making this book relevant to OUR lives. He is especially adept at conveying the importance of our role in nature, either to help or to destroy. Although this book was written over 30 years ago, the environmental themes are as relevant today as they were "back then".

Watership Down is on many people's lists of best books they've ever read. It's on mine. Try it some time and see if it might end up on your list.

Look here for the library's copy.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Tally can't wait to turn 16. Not because she can get a driver's license, but because she can become a Pretty. Tally is tired of being an Ugly. In Tally's world, an operation transforms all 16 year olds into beautiful, perfect people who get to live in Pretty Town and whose only job is to have fun.

Tally's friend Shay is not sure she wants to be Pretty. And when Shay runs away to "the outside", Tally learns a lot about what's really going on in the pretty world - and it isn't pretty.

Uglies is the first book in a trilogy. Pretties is the second book and Specials is the third. This is a very exciting and action-packed series that kept me up past my bedtime as I read it. It should appeal equally to boys and girls in grades 7-12. And even though it is set in a futuristic society, it is not a heavy science fiction book.

Find Uglies at the Adrian Public Library

Find Pretties at the Adrian Public Library

Find Specials at the Adrian Public Library