The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is by Mark Twain. The companion piece to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, this book continues the tale of Huck Finn as he escapes civilization and floats down the Mississippi River on a raft with the runaway slave Jim. The dialect in this book can be overwhelming for modern readers, but it is well worth the effort. While this book is every bit as anti-slavery as Uncle Tom's Cabin, it is less pointed in its critique. Huck really struggles with what he believes in his heart and what he has been taught to believe. This work is a must read historical fiction classic. It does use the "N" word as it was used at the time and is full of examples of racial bigotry and hatred. A sometimes daunting, but exceptional read.

Ratings: 9th grade - 10 out of 10.

The Raven and Other Poems

The Raven and Other Poems is by Edgar Allan Poe. Scholastic put together this excellent collection of Poe's better known poetry. It is a great introduction to Poe's work. Some of the poems included are The Bells, To Helen, El Dorado, Annabel Lee, Ulalume, and course The Raven. The introduction to the poems is written by Philip Pullman of His Dark Materials fame and is very well done. Like all poetry these poems are meant to be read aloud and are wonderful examples of Poe's dark, but beautiful, style.

Ratings: 7th grade - 10 out of 10.

A Living Nightmare

A Living Nightmare is by Darren Shan. The first book in the Cirque Du Freak fantasy series. Darren and his friends find a flyer for a Freak Show, and as all teenage boys would, want to attend. The problem is there are four of them and only two tickets are available. Darren and Steve get to go and that's when the problems begin. Darren steals a poisonous spider from a vampire; his friend Steve gets bitten and to save his life Darren must become a vampire himself. Boys will LOVE this series. It is gross, exciting, entertaining, easy to read, and in a word - creepy! If the rest of the series is this good, move over Stephen King. A great horror story, especially for young boys.

Ratings: 8th grade - 10 out of 10.

The Arm of the Starfish

The Arm of the Starfish is by Madeleine L'Engle. Adam heads for Portugal the summer before he goes to college to work for a noted marine biologist and finds himself in the middle of international espionage and intrigue. He's caught between the beautiful Kali and the enchanting Poly. Whose father is the good guy? Which girl is telling him the truth? How do you decide what is right and wrong? Deals well with the ethical questions and complications that can arise from scientific research. I have seen this book rated for 6th graders, but I think most 6th graders will have trouble with the language and style of writing - unless they are very good readers. It is a great book and a fun and exciting realistic fiction read.

Ratings: 7th grade - 9 out of 10.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is by Mark Twain. Classic Americana at its best! A must read for everyone, especially young boys. The engaging tale of Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, and Becky Thatcher growing up in turn of the century Hannibal, Missouri. It has everything from tricking your friends into doing your chores, to loving the girl next door, hating school, hiding in the graveyard with your best friend, exploring caves, to witnessing a murder and doing the right thing. A true classic and a must read! This is a historical fiction period piece and does use the word "nigger" as it was used at that time in history. It also uses the dialect of the period which can be hard for some modern teens to readily grasp.

Ratings: 7th grade - 10 out of 10.

Blood Roses

Blood Roses is by Francesca Lia Block. A set of nine short fantasy stories in typical Block style; easy to read, some profanity, non-graphic sex references, and very strange. Teenage girls seem to love Block's work, but she is definitely an acquired taste. These stories deal with vampires, changelings, fairies, aliens, and other oddities. If you are a fan of Block's work you'll love these as well. Block knows how to relate to teenage girl angst and her style is compelling; I just happen to prefer stories that make a little more sense - I guess I'm getting old (deep sigh).

Ratings: 9th grade - 6 out of 10 - P (profanity) - S (non-graphic sexual references).

Owl in Love

Owl in Love is by Patrice Kindl. Kindl's writing reminds me of Francesca Lia Block, though not as graphic or strange. Owl is a fourteen-year-old were-owl. She is struggling to fit in with humans she doesn't really understand and be true to her owl nature at the same time. Oh, did I mention she thinks she's in love with her science teacher; can we all say ewwww! One night she notices a boy in the woods outside Mr. Lindstrom's house. Why is he there? What is it about him that Owl can't seem to resist? An interesting, if fantastical, look at crushes, coming of age, and first love from a very different perspective. It took a while to get into this fantasy, but once in was hooked.

Ratings: 7th grade - 8 out of 10.