The Giver

The Giver (Lowry, Lois; Houghton Mifflin, 1993, 180 p. 9780395645666)
 
Lois Lowry establishes a setting without conflict, strife, or other forms of unpleasantness.  It is also a setting of sameness, one in which everything from the weather to collective memories are completely controlled and predictable.  Young Jonas, age 12, is about to receive his life assignment from the Elders in the community.  This ritual bestows a duty to each child based on the skills they have demonstrated, and Jonas unexpectedly receives the rare and prestigious job of being the Receiver of Memory.  Though an important honor, the proclamation terrifies Jonas.

Jonas trades playing games with his peers for training sessions with the man whose job he will take over, the aging Receiver who is now known as the Giver (as he will give the ability to remember to Jonas).  Jonas is surprised and alarmed at much of what he learns from the Giver.  One of the most disturbing things he learns is that when a member is “released” from their society (such as when the elderly become unwell or when members break society rules), they are not sent off to the mysterious “Elsewhere,” but rather they are killed.

Jonas’s misgivings about his new responsibility come to a head when he finds that a young child they have been fostering, Gabriel, is to be released soon for failing to grow at an acceptable rate.  Jonas must make an important decision:  remain faithful to his society and his role as the Receiver knowing that Gabriel will be killed, or attempt to save Gabriel by betraying everything and everyone he has ever known.

Lowry’s book has received many awards, including the Newbery Medal. 
 
--Ages 11-14

Hoot

Hoot

(Hiassen, Carl; 2002; Random House; 292 pages; ISBN 9780375821813)

The witty and altogether delightful Hiassen presents the story of Roy, a new kid at school (for the sixth time in his school career) who, in trying to find a place to fit in once again, finds himself caught up in a fight against developers to save an owl habitat.  Hiassen sends important social and environmental messages to young readers in a way that is funny, fun, and totally effective.

Ages 9-12

Astro Boy

Astro Boy (Tezuka, Osamu; 2002; 424 pages; Dark Horse; ISBN 9781595821539)

One of the original Manga series by the highly regarded Osamu Tezuka, Astro Boy is a robot with human traits who fights crime with his special powers and can experience human feelings as well.

Maniac Magee

Maniac Magee (Spinelli, Jerry; 1990; 184 pages; ISBN 9780316807227)

Jeffrey Magee, an orphan, leaves the unhappy home of his aunt and uncle in search of a better life.  The ensuing adventures of “Maniac” Magee delve into stories of heroic athletic endeavors and racial issues. Spinelli was awarded the Newbery medal for this book.  

(Ages 9-12)

Woods Runner

 

Woods Runner (Paulsen, Gary; Random;  2010;  164 pages; ISBN 9780385738842)
 
This novel, set during the Revolutionary War, tells the story of young Samuel, who sets out into the woods of Pennsylvania to try to find his family.  It serves as a realistic look at war and at this historic period.
 

View an interview with the author where he talks about why he writes here.

The Lightning Thief

The Lightning Thief (Riordan, Rick; Miramax Books/Hyperion Books for Children; 2005; 377 pages; ISBN 9780786856299)

The first book in the tremendously popular series, The Lightning Thief is the tale of 12-year-old Percy Jackson (an allusion to Perseus from Greek mythology).  Jackson is a demigod, the son of Poseidon and a mortal mother, and he seeks sanctuary at Camp Half-Blood along with other kids like him.  If traditional Greek myths do not appeal to some readers, surely this story will.

Lawn Boy

Lawn Boy (Paulsen, Gary, 2007, 88 p. ISBN 9780385909235)

Masterful Paulsen describes a small-time plan for a 12-year-old boy to earn enough money to buy a bike tire—by mowing lawns with a newly-inherited riding mower—quickly grows into a windfall and a lesson in money management. This short, funny story is appealing to a wide range of readers, but its length makes it particularly good for reluctant readers.

More Than a Game

More Than a Game [Motion Picture] (2009) Directed by Kristopher Belman, 105 minutes, rated PG; ASIN B002YMWQ2M

Any fan of basketball knows who LeBron James is, and like him or not, his talent as one of the best players in the NBA is undeniable.  In 1997, James was a sixth grader who loved to play hoops with his three best friends in Akron, Ohio.  The “fab four,” as they were known locally, rocketed through the amateur leagues and earned a reputation as small-time prodigies. 

This documentary film follows their journey from the streets of Akron to a private high school—which was perceived as a slight among many in the African American Akron community who assumed the boys would play for their local public school—where the four were most likely to continue to play as a unit.  The boys go from innocent elementary schoolers to cocky teens who begin to take their winning record for granted.  The film intersperses film from their early days and current interviews with the players, coaches, and sports writers who covered their meteoric rise.

Viewers know how this story will end for James, who signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers straight out of high school.  But many do not know the back story of how these basketball skills were born out of friendship and loyalty, nor are they likely to be familiar with the stories of the other three players who were all crucial parts of this legend. 

This is an excellent film for a sports fan, especially a basketball fan, and it provides enough of a human storyline to keep non-athletes riveted as well.  The story does not glorify James, despite the fact that he is the only one of the four who made it to megawatt status in the NBA.  Rather, it presents him as just one of these good friends.  While he is clearly the most talented of the athletes in this film, he is not the only one with a good story.  On the whole, it is a film with wide appeal.

See the trailer here.

Cirque Du Freak: A Living Nightmare

Cirque Du Freak: A Living Nightmare (Shan, Darren; Little, Brown and Company, 2001; 257 pages; ISBN 0-316-60510-7)

Darren Shan is a nice boy from a nice family.  He likes to hang out with his friends, play soccer, and oh yes, he has a fascination with spiders.  That fascination lures him to do something dangerous while visiting a freak show (in itself, a dangerous feat), and before long, Darren finds himself making a deal with a vampire to shuffle off his mortal coil and assist the creepy Mr. Crepsley as a half-vampire for the rest of his days.

Shan presents this story—the first in a series of 12 installments—as a first person account told from the perspective of a protagonist who shares his name with the author.  Are these true tales?  Shan hopes you will wonder, and surely many young readers will enjoy asking themselves if this premise could ever possibly play out.  These books predate the wildly popular Twilight series, but many young readers will discover and enjoy them in the current wave of vampire popularity.  Shan’s writing is fast-paced and entertaining.  The language is accessible for the middle and upper ranges of this age group.  As a nice bonus, he sneaks in opportunities to build vocabulary frequently (“Sir, what’s malformed mean?”).  He presents dialogue between tween-aged characters in a way that is realistic, not simplistic. 

Shan—the author—knows how to lure in a reader and keep him intrigued.  Darren—the character—is likable and layered—a good son and good friend who is truly conflicted when he must decide how to rectify a horrible situation for which he feels responsible.

Author's website

Big Nate in a Class by Himself

Big Nate in a Class by Himself (Pierce, Lincoln; Harper/Harper Collins, 2010; 214 p., ISBN 9780061944345)

Nate’s attempt to live up to his fortune cookie message that tells him, “today you will surpass all others.”  His dubious achievement of amassing more detention slips than any other student in history helps him to fulfill his destiny. 

Al Capone Does My Shirts

Al Capone Does My Shirts (Choldenko, Gennifer, 2004, 215 p. ISBN 0142403709 $6.99)

This fictionalized account of a family living on Alcatraz island in 1935 is charming, witty, and abundantly sweet.  Twelve-year-old Moose Flanagan narrates the tale of his family’s recent move that has brought his father to work on The Rock as an electrician and guard.  Moose is not happy about the move, which means he must leave behind his best friend and baseball-playing buddies, but his family is hopeful about getting his sister—who has autism, though that name and diagnosis do not yet exist—into a promising new school in San Francisco.  Moose is frequently torn between wanting to move back to his old, familiar life, and wanting to get help for the sister he loves.

Moose meets up with a new group of playmates, including the mischievous Piper—the warden’s daughter—who is always plotting a new scheme that is sure to land Moose in trouble.  The earnest and endearing Moose will appeal to a wide range of readers, including boys and girls from middle school on.  The author includes delightful details (many of which are probably true, as she explains in the notes) about Alcatraz at that time period, including Al Capone’s mother’s visit that sets off the metal detectors and sets the island abuzz.  It is a lovely tale of family loyalty, friendship, and finding one’s way in the difficult age of early adolescence.