Young readers recommend titles for peers
Peer pressure’s not so bad when it comes to reading. A popular book has the power to sweep up even reluctant readers as word of its greatness catches on. Nobody knows better than ’ tweens and teens what books to recommend to their peers, so we asked them: “What would you tell your friend to read?”
Check out these ’ tween and teen recommendations, old and new, and see if one — or more — will hook your kid, too:
Dork Diaries series by Rachel Renee Russell, age 8+
This middle- school saga with a strong female main character is up to book 11 and still going strong. Some plots are thin and have some stereotypes ( mean girls, jocks, clueless parents), but others are fresh and realistic glimpses of ’ tween life. Either way, ’ tween girls can’t seem to resist. The Crossover by Kwame Alexander, age 9+
This poignant novel in verse mixes basketball, family and coming- of- age themes with serious issues regarding a parent’s life- threatening condition. It won the 2015 Newbery Medal and a Coretta Scott King Author Honor and portrays a loving, supportive, intact family — a rarity in middle- grade fiction. Auggie & Me: Three
Wonder Stories by R. J. Palacio, age 10+
More of a spinoff than a sequel to the much- acclaimed Wonder, these short tales follow three students in vastly different circumstances learning important lessons. It digs deep into themes of kindness, friendship, accountability and integrity with a deft understanding of middle- school social drama. Timmy Failure: Mistakes
Were Made by Stephan Pastis, age 10+
This graphic novel from the creator of the comic strip Pearls Before Swine is the first in a series about a clueless 11- year- old boy who fancies himself a great detective. It’s a funny, off- the- wall yet poignant look at the life of an unusual kid who lets his imagination run away with him. Great for
Wimpy Kid fans. The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann, age 10+
This is the first of a six- volume dystopian series about a caste of creative kids who are doomed to be thrown into a lake of boiling oil. Then they discover another world, where each individual is valued and encouraged to grow. The kids must rely on their creativity in a violent battle between the two societies. Great for reluctant readers. I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest, age 12+
Combining colorful characters, fantasy elements and an absorbing mystery, this illustrated novel tells the story of 17- year- old May, who discovers an anonymous web comic based on her own childhood stories. The only problem is that there are details in the comic that only she and her now dead best friend know. Unbroken ( The Young
Adult Adaptation) by Laura Hillenbrand, age 12+
This version of Hillenbrand’s acclaimed biography of an Olympic runner and World War II POW takes the compelling, poignant true story of Louis Zamperini and makes it accessible for a younger audience. Zamperini shows perseverance and courage from his childhood as a track star to his struggle to survive in this detailed work of historical nonfiction. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey, age 13+
The first in an intensely engaging apocalyptic trilogy, this story begins after a deadly alien invasion wipes out most of humanity. Cassie Sullivan, one of the few survivors, struggles to reunite with her younger brother, but faces danger, treachery and mysterious ( handsome) strangers on the way. Incredibly hard to put down.
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, age 14+
Two misfits meet on the bus to school, begrudgingly become friends and eventually fall in love. It’s a simple story, but Rowell perfectly captures the overwhelming emotions that go along with first love. Eleanor and Park are witty, believable characters, and the passion that grows between them will leave readers wanting more.