It has been a great summer.  I have had lots of time to hike, swim, go camping, hang out with friends, and, of course, to read. But now the fall is fast approaching and I'm turning my mind to the classroom and some of the things I want to see happening.

For me this year is a new beginning.  After 10 years, I am moving to a new high school.  In some ways I'm apprehensive about having to start over again.  But, for the most part, I am feeling really excited.  I am looking at the move to Kwalikum High School as a new beginning - an opportunity to shake myself up and try new things.  One of my biggest goals for this year is to see my students reading a lot more, and to that end, I am changing my practice to allow for more choices in reading.  Of course, choices are confusing, especially if you don't read much.  So I am going to begin with some book suggestions.  There are both older books, and some that are "hot off the press."

If you like science fiction:

The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare is great to sink your teeth into.  The first book is City of Bones and there are three more (so far.)  I just finished reading City of Fallen Angels.  While I would say that the first book is the best so far, I have found all of the books to be page turners.  This series is about young adults with all sorts of amazing powers grappling with adults who want to control them for their own ends.  The hero, Clary is an entertaining narrator and there is plenty of excitement.

Another new book I read this summer is Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve.  It is a winding narrative of a young girl in a dystopian world.  Raised by a protective community of academic men, she is overwhelmed when she is thrust into the world of future London (a wild and scary place.)  By the end of the book, I really loved it - the combination of old, new, and other(!) technology is so imaginative and playful.  There is a second book out, and I wanted to get it, but it is still in hardcover, so that is a future purchase.

The House of Scorpion  by Nancy Farmer is another futuristic story based again on a dystopian theme. It follows a young boy growing up as a clone in a society that regularly makes clones for all sorts of disturbing purposes - for organs, as cheap labor etc.  The book makes you think about what makes a person human, and whether the clones of the future should have the same rights as us.  I found it fascinating.


If you like Horror or Fantasy:

Of course, if you are thinking of horror, the king of horror, Stephen King comes to mind.  Look at some of his earlier books.  The two I will recommend are Carrie and The Shining.  Stephen King has really set the bar for modern horror, and these two books are classic.

If you want something a little less skin-crawly, but you like the fantasy theme, look at Kelly Armstrong.   She has an amazing array of books.  Recently there is her Darkest Power series.  This is an entertaining series about a group of teens who have been used as a science experiment, and have developed powers beyond the abilities of the adults around them to control.  They find themselves in a struggle for their lives, not knowing whom they can trust.  It's fun.  Her earlier stories, beginning with Bitten are about vampires and werewolves (sound familiar? Did to me too!) They are also really fun reads.

If you like Realistic books:

A book I really enjoyed this summer was called Lost in the River of Grass by Ginny Rorby.  This book tells the story of two teenagers - a boy and a girl - who, through a series of unfortunate mistakes, find themselves stranded in the Florida Glades.  They have to make their way back to civilization, tackling all sorts of risks - from alligators and snakes, to dehydration and drowning.  It is really interesting - especially for someone (like me) who knows nothing about the Florida Glades.

Finally, I found a new favorite author of young adult books this summer.  His name is John Green.  The first book I read was The Fault in Our Stars.  This story blew me away.  I could not put it down.  It is the story of a 16 year-old girl dealing with terminal cancer.  I normally avoid 'sad' books about people with cancer, but this story was not like that at all.  It was insightful, funny, sarcastic, and, yes, sad too. It was a wonderful read.  Another book I read this summer was Will Grayson, Will Grayson also by John Green with David Levithan.  This story was hilarious at times, but also insightful.  The narrator is dealing with the challenge of having a gay best friend.  I loved both of these books and would highly recommend them!

So there are a few book suggestions to start out with.  I challenge you to find a book you will enjoy and start reading!