Every summer I read like mad, and many of the books I read are young adult (YA) fiction. I thank the Brown Middle School PTA for paying for the books I’m going to mention here. They’re available to check out in my classroom.
Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale
The hero Miri lives in a mountain town, one big quarry, where the only work is cutting rock for the rich folks in the lowlands. She’s chosen to attend an academy meant to educate potential princesses. For Miri, the adventure is in learning to read, and finding out about the larger world.
Of course, since this is a princess book, there is a prince to compete for, but the real story is about self-discovery.
Fantastic Mr. Fox, by Roald Dahl
It’s hard to say much about this classic, except that the foxes do outsmart the awful humans. It’s short, funny, and I’m going to watch the DVD now.
When you Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead
This is the winner! This book has everything i love in a book: science fiction, mystery, a great setting and fascinating characters. It’s almost impossible to tell much without giving things away. The main character Miranda receives some tiny and very cryptic notes asking her to do odd things. If you loved A Wrinkle in Time, you’ll love this.
