The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

In all my reading life, I have never cried so hard over a book.  I cried because it's a book about war.  I cried because I'm so sad my time with the characters came to a close.  I cried because everything beautiful about this book is ultimately everything human.

Now I realize what I've said so far isn't going to inspire kids to read this book (especially boys) but oh, how I want EVERY kid to pick up this book.  Because there's something in this book for everyone...

• War
• Bullies
• Soccer
• Nazi Germany
• Stealing
• Foster care
• Friendship
• Death (after all, Death is the narrator)
• Creativity

Pick up this book today.  Take your time reading it's pages.  This book will stay with you.  It will haunt you and change you.  Pick it up and tell me what you think.

Ghostopolis by Ned TenNapel

This graphic novel amazed me.  It's full of various surprises, scary creatures, historical figures, and real life tragedy.  Some parts frightened me, some parts humored me, but all of it enthralled me.

The story seems simple...a young boy is mistakenly sent to the underworld- Ghostopolis.  Once there, Garth finds only a handful of characters willing to help him get back to the real world, and he stumbles across others who don't want him to make it home.  Eventually, he finds himself in an epic battle with the King of Ghostopolis.  To find our if he beats the king and makes it back home, you'll have to pick up the book.  Believe me, it's a treat.  Read it now! (before the movie comes out...)

Keep reading, everyone!
-stenson

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

This books is about death and grieving.  This book is about life and loving.  17 year-old Lennie is still trying to figure out how weird everything has gotten now that her sister has died unexpectedly.  She tries to use her poetry and her music to help her find her way back into life of the living since she finds it too troubling to rely on her best friend or her eccentric grandmother.  However, two very different boys have her thinking and acting in new and inexplicable ways even if she's still devastated by the loss of her sister.  This story is definitely for mature readers who are willing to think carefully about the power of grief and love and life.

This a soothing story interrupted with genuinely funny moments of how unscripted life can seem.  The symbolism and figurative language lulls readers until the end of story, leaving readers with a smile on their faces and the lives of Lennie & Company forever in their hearts.

Click on the picture to see the book trailer.

Enjoy the read!
-stenson

The Mystery of the Third Lucretia by Susan Runholt

Two 14-year old best friends from St. Paul stumble into the ride of their lives when they find themselves in the middle of a stolen art mystery.  The books takes readers to Paris, London, and Amsterdam as they follow the protagonists trying to uncover the mystery of the "Gallery Guy".  Many aspects of this book are enjoyable:

• the friendship the girls have...it's not perfect, but it's reflective of how friendships go in 9th grade.
• the history of art lessons...I didn't know I was so interested in classic, museum-esque type art!
• the places the book takes you...I can't wait to go to Europe to see those places for myself
• the mystery...I love a caper!  
• the MN connection...since these girls live in St. Paul, there are references I recognized from being a St. Paul-ite myself.  Fun!

Hope you enjoy it.  It looks like it's going to be the first in the Lucas and Kari series. Just another reason to fall in love with this book.  Let me know if you pick it up!  Keep reading, everyone!

thanks to letsbuyit.co.uk for the image!

Harry Potter Books 1-3: Winter Break 2010

Harry Potter and friends have been keeping me company this winter break.  The series has swept me up, and all I can hope for is for 2011 to be filled with as much fun, adventure, and wisdom as these books.  I would love to have some students join me on this ride.  The magic, the wizards, the legends will captivate you!

While I had hoped to read the first five books over break, I got sidetracked by some other grown-up books.  Moonlight Mile by one of my favorite authors Dennis Lehane and National Book Award Winner Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann.  But like I said, I don't think middle-schoolers will like these but I do recommend these to my grown-up reading friends.

Keep reading, everyone!
-stenson

*Photo found on wizardingworldpark.com

Extra! Extra! Hear all about it!

'Tis the season for the Best of 2010 lists!  I can't get enough of these recommendations, and it's fun to see what titles show up on a bunch of these lists. There's gotta be something for everyone.  Check it out.

Here's the list from the Reading Rants blog.  Enjoy!

cool chic with a megaphone image is from the Reading Rants website too.  Pretty cool pics AND very good books...gotta love the site.

Where did November Go?

Oh my goodness!  I feel terrible for not posting anything last month.  I guess I was too busy reading my own grown-up books that I forgot to tell blog about books that should not be missed by kids.

Since it is already December!, I guess I'll steal, copy, cheat my way to the first post in this last month of 2010...

This article includes books that seem more like high school books than middle school books, but I can't leave a "Best of" list alone.  Here's the first one of the season, found on NPR.com written by Gayle Forman (author of If I Stay).  Enjoy!

This is the picture from the article.  Love it!  Aaron Meshon is credited with the work.  If only my students' lockers looked like that!