Thirteen Reasons Why (New York Times Bestseller)

  Asher, Jay. (2007). Thirteen Reasons Why. New York: Penguin Group.

  Thirteen Reasons Why is on the New York Times Bestseller for Children’s list.

  Thirteen Reasons Why is a book that deals with issues that some parents might find offensive or, at least, unsettling. There is drinking and drug usage. And it centers around the suicide of a teenage girl. On the day she kills herself, she sends audiotapes to 13 people, explaining that there are 13 reasons why she committed suicide. I found this book disturbing and yet so compelling. I believe anyone who has objections to their teen reading it should take a closer look at the issues. Suicide, bullying, and indifference all exist in our schools and it’s up to us as the adults to bring them to light and help teenagers see the right way to treat people. I highly recommend this book for high school students and I will definitely recommend it to them once school starts again.

 

The Girl Who Could Fly (New York Times Bestseller)

  Forester, Victoria. (2008). The Girl Who Could Fly. New York: Feiwel and Friends.

  The Girl Who Could Fly is on the New York Times Bestseller for Children list.

  I kind of went into the book with an expectation that it was trying to be Harry Potter, except with a female protagonist. But it really is its own book. The girl, Piper McCloud, comes from a humble background but has a huge talent. She can fly. She ends up in a school for special children, where she discovers she is not alone in her uniqueness. What does happen, is an evil plot surfaces that aims to take away the talents of the kids in the school. So, while it is definitely a fantasy, in that the children have talents that don’t exist in real life, it is not nearly as fantastical as the Potter books. I liked The Girl Who Could Fly and I like the message it sends to it’s middle school audience. It’s okay to be different.

 

Harry Potter And The Chamber of Secrets (New York Times Bestseller)

  Rowling, J. K. (1998). Harry Potter And The Chamber of Secrets. New York: Scholastic.

  Harry Potter And The Chamber of Secrets is on the New York Times Bestseller for Children’s list.

  This is a series that I am familiar with, having gotten involved in the whole Harry Potter craze from the first book, the Sorcerer’s Stone. I read that one with my daughter when she was fairly young. I am definitely a fan of the series. I find it clever and compelling. In Chamber of Secrets, Harry returns to Hogswarts to school where the legend of the Chamber of Secrets becomes known. Only the true heir will be able to control the monster within. Although these books have predictable endings (not many books don’t), the characters are so well developed and the plots are complicated without being confusing. I love the creativity and I would definitely recommend any of the Harry Potter books for all ages, including adults.