2016 Summer Reading Recommendations (FICTION)
Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan
CJH students love Rick Riordan’s series. This is the first book in Riordan’s new series (yes—another one!); enough said.
Booked by Kwame Alexander
"Alexander understands reluctant readers deeply, and here hands them a protagonist who is himself a smart, reading-averse kid who just wants to enjoy the words that interest him on his own terms. With accessible poetic forms and engaging formatting, Booked ’s pages will be turned swiftly and enthusiastically." — Horn Book Magazine
Nick’s humor and love of soccer help him deal with a variety of life issues.
(For fans of sports novels, Mike Lupica, and Crossover).
Jackaby by William Ritter
William Ritter was one of the featured authors at the Cavalcade of Authors at Pacific Lutheran University this year; the CJH students who attended his workshop, loved his energy and humor. Jackaby is a mystery, adventure book with a protagonist described as a hybrid of Sherlock Holmes meets Dr. Who.
(For fans of mystery and the paranormal.)
Sing Down the Stars by L. J. Hatton
“When the aliens came they were noninteractive—they simply hung in the sky like jellyfish. And when they suddenly left, some newborn girls were "touched," born with supernatural powers. To hide his touched daughters, Magnus Roma created a traveling circus. Penn is the fifth daughter, a Celestine who can call down the stars. When trouble comes looking for her family, Penn has a choice. Should she use the power she has always tried to hide?” –School Library Journal
(For fans of action, fantasy, and steampunk; Legend, Leviathan, The Taking)
I Become Shadow by Joe Shine
“A new kick-butt, funny heroine who could hold her own in a ring full of tough, independent girls like Katniss Everdeen, Tris Prior, and Lela Santos.” –Booklist
Ren Sharpe was kidnapped at age fourteen and trained to be an agent of FATE – a human weapon charged with protecting “FIPS” – future important people. I Become Shadow is a funny, light read, with plenty of action and adventure.
(For fans of Hunger Games, Graceling, and Alex Rider.)
The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
New York Times bestseller and 2015 National Book Award finalist!
“After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting-things don't just happen for no reason. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory--even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy's achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe...and the potential for love and hope right next door”. --Amazon
(For fans of realistic fiction and Sarah Dessen novels; Wonder, Saving Zoe, If I Stay)
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
"This haunting gem of a novel begs to be remembered, and in turn, it tries to remember the thousands of real people its fictional characters represent. What it asks of us is that their memories, and their stories, not be abandoned to the sea."—Booklist,starred review
A wonderful and truly sad fictional story based on little known WWII events.
(For fans of realistic fiction, WWII, and ship disasters; Shades of Gray)
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer Smith
"A sweet, character-driven, romantic comedy with plenty of twists to keep readers engaged and is sure to delight teens from beginning to end. Young adult readers will enjoy reading about Hadley and Oliver, two characters who are familiar, witty, and have terrific chemistry together. This book is highly recommended and would be a great addition to any library serving teens who enjoy romance and realistic fiction. Be prepared to have this book fly off the shelves."
―VOYA (starred review)
(For fans of Sarah Dessen, Jenny Han, and Susane Colasanti)
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
“Bardugo has created a wildly imaginative story of six young people who have been commissioned to pull off the greatest heist of all time. They are to nab the creator of jurda parem, a highly addictive product that enhances the innate paranormal powers of the Grisha peoples, in the hopes of creating weapons of war that will upset the balance of power and destroy the economies of rival governments. Kaz, the hero of the story and mastermind of the plot, recruits five others to aid in his quest for revenge for the loss of his brother and the promise of vast wealth. Taking what could have been stock characters of young adult fiction—the loner, the rebel, the outcast, and the con artist, the author has fashioned fully fleshed out, dynamic protagonists who will engage and enchant readers. What a thrill it is to return to the world she created with her popular "Grisha Trilogy" (Holt).” –School Library Journal
(For fans of the paranormal, fantasy, the Grisha Trilogy)
Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older
“Summer has just started, and Sierra plans to enjoy it, hanging out with her friends in their Brooklyn neighborhood and painting a mural at the local junk lot. Then things start to get weird. While she is talking to fellow artist Robbie at the first party of the summer, a zombielike creature disrupts things, Robbie disappears, and she is left to discover that she lives in a world full of magic that she knows nothing about. As she slowly pieces together the mystery of her heritage, Sierra discovers her own powers of ancestral magic and battles the evil professor who is trying to steal them.” –School Library Journal
(For fans of fantasy and magic.)
Listen to the Moon by Michael Morpurgo
“This is a superbly written, gripping novel of friendship, family, healing, and war that is primarily geared toward middle school readers but will appeal to adults as well. By framing Listen to the Moon as a historical study, quoting fictional primary sources, and including helpful background information, Morpurgo may also inspire students to interview relatives and document their own family stories.” – School Library Journal
(For fans of historical fiction, WWI, ship disasters)
Nation by Terry Pratchett
“Worlds are destroyed and cultures collide when a tsunami hits islands in a vast ocean much like the Pacific. Mau, a boy on his way back home from his initiation period and ready for the ritual that will make him a man, is the only one of his people, the Nation, to survive. Ermintrude, a girl from somewhere like Britain in a time like the 19th century, is on her way to meet her father, the governor of the Mothering Sunday islands. She is the sole survivor of her ship (or so she thinks), which is wrecked on Mau's island. She reinvents herself as Daphne, and uses her wits and practical sense to help the straggling refugees from nearby islands who start arriving.”—School Library Journal
(For fans of His Dark Materials trilogy, Harry Potter, and Robinson Crusoe)