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Best Teen & Young Adult Survival Stories

Mockingjay (Hunger Games Trilogy, Book 3)
The greatly anticipated final book in the New York Times bestselling Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year. While I didn't know every detail, of course, the arc of the story from gladiator game, to revolution, to war, to the eventual outcome remained constant throughout the writing process. In the novel, you never leave Katniss for a second and are privy to all of her thoughts so you need a way to dramatize her inner world and to make it possible for other characters to exist outside of her company. Q: Are you able to consider future projects while working on The Hunger Games , or are you immersed in the world you are currently creating so fully that it is too difficult to think about new ideas? A: I have a few seeds of ideas floating around in my head but--given that much of my focus is still on The Hunger Games --it will probably be awhile before one fully emerges and I can begin to develop it. Q: The Hunger Games is an annual televised event in which one boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts is forced to participate in a fight-to-the-death on live TV. A: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle Lord of the Flies by William Golding Boris by Jaapter Haar Germinal by Emile Zola Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury Grade 7 Up Following her subversive second victory in the Games, this one composed of winners from past years, Katniss has been adopted by rebel factions as their symbol for freedom and becomes the rallying point for the districts in a desperate bid to take down the Capitol and remove President Snow from power. But being the Mockingjay comes with a price as Katniss must come to terms with how much of her own humanity and sanity she can willingly sacrifice for the cause, her friends, and her family. Collins is absolutely ruthless in her depictions of war in all its cruelty, violence, and loss, leaving readers, in turn, repulsed, shocked, grieving and, finally, hopeful for the characters they've grown to empathize with and love. Mockingjay is a fitting end of the series that began with The Hunger Games (2008) and Catching Fire (2009) and will have the same lasting resonance as William Golding's Lord of the Flies and Stephen King's The Stand .
Reviews
"All in all, this is a really good book which are a great gift for every Hunger Games fan!"
"However, it is almost given that unlike the Enders series that turned more and more unreal as well as more distant from the subjects of the first book, this one could develop with more continuity."
"As a 64 year old military veteran familiar with injuries and PTSD, I found the author's descriptions of combat, traumas and the after-effects of each to be chillingly realistic, but not overdone. In short: The story presented in the Hunger Games trilogy will haunt you for a long time, but you will not regret reading it."
"Catching Fire is different than most of the other young adult fiction books, because of the character development, and the relationship from book to movie."
"So much has been said and written about this series of books, and that is a good thing."
"If she suspects you of. 1. not telling her everything she want to know immediately. 2. of not having approved (by her) thoughts or. 3. not agreeing with her in every way. she cuts you off with a childish temper tantrum and you are not allowed to offer any defence. .You then have to come crawling back at least twice and a sufficient period of time out must elapse before you are reluctantly her friend again. In one scene she and another minion shoot down a couple of enemy bomber aircraft with.....bows and explosive arrows???????????"
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The Hunger Games (Hunger Games Trilogy, Book 1)
The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Collins delivers equal parts suspense and philosophy, adventure and romance, in this searing novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present. Reviewed by Megan Whalen Turner. If there really are only seven original plots in the world, it's odd that boy meets girl is always mentioned, and society goes bad and attacks the good guy never is. Rather less 1984 and rather more Death Race 2000 , hers is a gripping story set in a postapocalyptic world where a replacement for the United States demands a tribute from each of its territories: two children to be used as gladiators in a televised fight to the death.Katniss, from what was once Appalachia, offers to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, but after this ultimate sacrifice, she is entirely focused on survival at any cost. Every generation projects its fear: runaway science, communism, overpopulation, nuclear wars and, now, reality TV. When Katniss is sent to stylists to be made more telegenic before she competes, she stands naked in front of them, strangely unembarrassed. Grade 7 Up -In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Collins's characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds; the plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing.
Reviews
"All in all, this is a really good book which are a great gift for every Hunger Games fan!"
"However, it is almost given that unlike the Enders series that turned more and more unreal as well as more distant from the subjects of the first book, this one could develop with more continuity."
"As a 64 year old military veteran familiar with injuries and PTSD, I found the author's descriptions of combat, traumas and the after-effects of each to be chillingly realistic, but not overdone. In short: The story presented in the Hunger Games trilogy will haunt you for a long time, but you will not regret reading it."
"Catching Fire is different than most of the other young adult fiction books, because of the character development, and the relationship from book to movie."
"So much has been said and written about this series of books, and that is a good thing."
"If she suspects you of. 1. not telling her everything she want to know immediately. 2. of not having approved (by her) thoughts or. 3. not agreeing with her in every way. she cuts you off with a childish temper tantrum and you are not allowed to offer any defence. .You then have to come crawling back at least twice and a sufficient period of time out must elapse before you are reluctantly her friend again. In one scene she and another minion shoot down a couple of enemy bomber aircraft with.....bows and explosive arrows???????????"
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The Maze Runner Series (Maze Runner)
A must-have gift for every collection—from the die-hard Maze Runner fan to the YA book lover just coming to the series to the binge reader who’s catching up before The Death Cure movie hits theaters in 2018! The first and second books, The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials , are now major motion pictures, with the third— The Death Cure —coming to theaters in 2018, and feature the star of MTV's Teen Wolf , Dylan O'Brien; Kaya Scodelario; Aml Ameen; Will Poulter; and Thomas Brodie-Sangster! Praise for the Maze Runner series: A #1 New York Times Bestselling Series. A USA Today Bestseller. A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of the Year. An ALA-YASLA Best Fiction for Young Adults Book. An ALA-YALSA Quick Pick "[A] mysterious survival saga that passionate fans describe as a fusion of Lord of the Flies , The Hunger Games , and Lost . James Dashner is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series: The Maze Runner , The Scorch Trials , The Death Cure , and The Kill Order , as well as The Eye of Minds and The Rule of Thoughts, the first two books in the Mortality Doctrine series.
Reviews
"I see a lot of reviews talking about how the characters were without personality, boring, unreadable, flat. For me, it would only make sense for a stagnant environment to produce stagnation in the people occupying it. I know that may be reaching a little bit - but it's what has helped me to manage through the book with a peaked interest. Honestly, I think the biggest issue that most people can agree with is the lack of personality in the characters."
"The Maze Runner has been recommended by tons of my friends, and I have been wanting to see the movie ever since I have heard about it. What has also interested me was the other book the author James Dasher wrote, which was the Eye of Minds. Thomas is just a 16 year old boy, who has been thrown into this huge place, and he has no idea what has happened to him. I think James Dasher is my new favorite author because of his amazing writing skills and his adventure filled books!"
"Just ripped through Kill Order and Maze Runner and I believe the story line is a fresh approach to the apocalypse genre, sans zombies. How the apocalypse came about was well explained but dropped the characters in to Maze Runner abruptly with out any memory leaving to many questions to be answered."
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Best Children's Science Fiction Books

Mockingjay (Hunger Games Trilogy, Book 3)
The greatly anticipated final book in the New York Times bestselling Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year. While I didn't know every detail, of course, the arc of the story from gladiator game, to revolution, to war, to the eventual outcome remained constant throughout the writing process. In the novel, you never leave Katniss for a second and are privy to all of her thoughts so you need a way to dramatize her inner world and to make it possible for other characters to exist outside of her company. Q: Are you able to consider future projects while working on The Hunger Games , or are you immersed in the world you are currently creating so fully that it is too difficult to think about new ideas? A: I have a few seeds of ideas floating around in my head but--given that much of my focus is still on The Hunger Games --it will probably be awhile before one fully emerges and I can begin to develop it. Q: The Hunger Games is an annual televised event in which one boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts is forced to participate in a fight-to-the-death on live TV. A: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle Lord of the Flies by William Golding Boris by Jaapter Haar Germinal by Emile Zola Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury Grade 7 Up Following her subversive second victory in the Games, this one composed of winners from past years, Katniss has been adopted by rebel factions as their symbol for freedom and becomes the rallying point for the districts in a desperate bid to take down the Capitol and remove President Snow from power. But being the Mockingjay comes with a price as Katniss must come to terms with how much of her own humanity and sanity she can willingly sacrifice for the cause, her friends, and her family. Collins is absolutely ruthless in her depictions of war in all its cruelty, violence, and loss, leaving readers, in turn, repulsed, shocked, grieving and, finally, hopeful for the characters they've grown to empathize with and love. Mockingjay is a fitting end of the series that began with The Hunger Games (2008) and Catching Fire (2009) and will have the same lasting resonance as William Golding's Lord of the Flies and Stephen King's The Stand .
Reviews
"All in all, this is a really good book which are a great gift for every Hunger Games fan!"
"Catching Fire is different than most of the other young adult fiction books, because of the character development, and the relationship from book to movie."
"She unwillingly and reluctantly has become the symbol of the rebellion and the rebel leaders urge her to exploit this via video feeds to the 12 Districts. Katniss at first feigns infirmity but eventually caves in after negotiating an agreement with the rebel leaders that they will not harm Peeta or the other Hunger Games survivors if they assume leadership."
"The problem with most dystopias is that the oppressed do not resist oppression in a realistic way. That being said: in this third volume of the series, there is a peasant rebellion. Recommended- but read the whole series!- for those fond of dystopias and/or peasant rebellions."
"If she suspects you of. 1. not telling her everything she want to know immediately. 2. of not having approved (by her) thoughts or. 3. not agreeing with her in every way. she cuts you off with a childish temper tantrum and you are not allowed to offer any defence. .You then have to come crawling back at least twice and a sufficient period of time out must elapse before you are reluctantly her friend again. In one scene she and another minion shoot down a couple of enemy bomber aircraft with.....bows and explosive arrows???????????"
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Best Teen & Young Adult Spy Story eBooks

The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage (Book of Dust, Volume 1)
Philip Pullman returns to the parallel world of his groundbreaking novel The Golden Compass to expand on the story of Lyra, "one of fantasy's most indelible characters." Malcolm's parents run an inn called the Trout, on the banks of the river Thames, and all of Oxford passes through its doors. When she asks Malcolm to keep his eyes open, he sees suspicious characters everywhere: the explorer Lord Asriel, clearly on the run; enforcement agents from the Magisterium; a gyptian named Coram with warnings just for Malcolm; and a beautiful woman with an evil monkey for a daemon. "People will love the first volume of Philip Pullman's new trilogy with the same helpless vehemence that stole over them when The Golden Compass came out." It’s been nearly two decades since Pullman wrote The Amber Spyglass , so it was both thrilling and terrifying ( please be amazing, please be amazing… ) when I first cracked open The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage and began to read. Neither prequel nor sequel to His Dark Materials trilogy—Pullman calls this an “equel” and La Belle Sauvage is the first volume of a companion trio that can stand on its own. There are some familiar faces—most notably an infant Lyra Belacqua and her daemon Pantalaimon--and a particularly delightful new one: a boy named Malcolm whose kind heart, curious mind, and unerring sense of good, are the reason baby Lyra makes it to the safety of Jordan College. As in his earlier books, Pullman explores themes of religious and political freedom, the nature of good and evil, science and philosophy. The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage is a glorious adventure that delivers heart-in-your-throat moments and much to think about as we wait (not so patiently) to see what will happen next… --Seira Wilson "Reading this novel is like standing in a room in which suddenly all of the windows have blown open at once." The story becomes darker, deeper and even more engrossing when a cataclysmic flood overtakes Southern England. "— Bustle " The Book of Dust passes by in one tumultuous wave of literature, that leaves you queasy, but wanting the next volume as quickly as possible. La Belle Sauvage reveals the incredible ways in which 'ordinary' children can react whenplaced in extraordinary circumstances: with kindness, bravery and cunning. ". — Vox "This tense, adventure-packed book will satisfy and delight Pullman's fans and leave them eager to see what's yet to come" — Publishers Weekly , starred review. " Magisterial storytelling will sweep readers along; the cast is as vividly drawn as ever; and big themes running beneath the surface invite profound responses and reflection." "Pullman demonstrates that his talent for world building hasn’t diminished, nor has his ability to draw young characters—here, Malcolm, who is layered enough to carry an adventure through multiple dimensions."
Reviews
"The Book of Dust, Phillip Pullman's "equal" (both before and after His Dark Materials) is a delight--a wonderfully welcome return to the familiar but strangely different parallel world of Lyra Bellacqua, Lord Asriel and the chilling Mrs Coulter. They're little angels compared to the positively terrifying Sisters of Obedience who are running what is essentially a child abuse and slavery racket. In addition to Organized Evil (religion), there is just plain wickedness, personified in the wonderfully smarmy and grotesque character of Gerard Bonneville complete with a leg-gnawing hyena daemon. Malcolm reminds one of the adage "still waters run deep" and like Lyra and Will Parry he is young enough to be naive but a bit reckless in his bravery; not classically educated but instinctively intelligent, and always curious. He and his daemon Asta (who hasn't settled into a single form yet) create a character whose depth and humanity is surprising in one so young but entirely believable. He and his motley crew--the scholar Hannah Relf, Gyptian Coram von Texel and Alice the kitchen maid are a formidable force for Good. There are no gay angels falling in love or Serafina Pekkalas bashing about on a "broom" of pine branches, no Subtle Knives, peculiar Texans or talking polar bears with a drinking problem dressed in armor."
"As in the previous trilogy, His Dark Materials, Malcolm, like everybody in this imagined world, has his own daemon, an opposite sex animal familiar tied to him both geographically (if the familiar moves away from her master, the master must follow) and psychically. He knew that would be a silly thing to say, so he held his tongue, but that was his impression all the same: it was unexpected that something so small should be so perfectly formed. Asta pretended to snap at a small insect and thrust it down the baby daemon’s gaping mouth, which satisfied him, making Malcolm laugh harder, and then the baby laughed so hard she got the hiccups, and every time she hicked, the daemon jumped. “ 'There, there,' said Sister Fenella, and bent to pick her up; but as she lifted the baby, Lyra’s little face crumpled into an expression of grief and terror, and she reached round for her daemon, nearly twisting herself out of the nun’s arms. Astra was ahead of her: she took the little chick in her mouth and flew to place him on the baby’s chest, at which point he turned into a miniature tiger cub and hissed and bared his teeth at everyone. All the baby’s dismay vanished at once, and she lay in Sister Fenella’s arms, looking around with a lordly complacency. La Belle Sauvage (the name of Malcolm’s most treasured possession, a canoe) inhabits the same world of magic-physics as the preceding trilogy –sub-atomic dust leaking in through cracks of the world, scientists’ exploitation of the uncertainty principle, a weird but believable instrument that lies half way between astrology and physics and is called the alethiometer, which measures truth but uncertainly. Like those books, La Belle Sauvage offers small (turns of phrase, particular descriptions of places or people) and large (scary, powerful bad guys, and good guys with interesting characters and pasts; a large-scale, almost cosmic fight for noble goals) pleasures."
"Being new to Philip Pullman's style, it took me a minute to engage in this book."
"While I don't know if it gave me that same "Wow" factor as when I read "The Golden Compass" for the first time, "The Book of Dust" is a really excellent read, and great return to Lyra's Oxford."
"I'm not normally a fan of fantasy fiction, with a handful of exceptions (Game of Thrones)."
"We now look at two people who did the most to ensure that Lyra would have the chance to achieve her full potential."
"This is the prequel to His Dark Materials, and give the background story."
"Its good, the story Pullman spins grabs you but even more, makes you think about the cosmic world we live in."
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Best Teen & Young Adult Dystopian

The Hunger Games Box Set: Foil Edition
All three Hunger Games books in one gorgeous package! “Fans will be happy to hear that Mockingjay is every bit as complex and imaginative as Hunger Games and Catching Fire." “At its best the trilogy channels the political passion of 1984, the memorable violence of A Clockwork Orange, the imaginative ambience of The Chronicles of Narnia and the detailed inventiveness of Harry Potter." “Unfolding in Collins' engaging, intelligent prose and assembled into chapters that end with didn't-see-that-coming cliffhangers, this finale is every bit the pressure cooker of its forebears. * “This concluding volume in Collins's Hunger Games trilogy accomplishes a rare feat, the last installment being the best yet, a beautifully orchestrated and intelligent novel that succeeds on every level."
Reviews
"All in all, this is a really good book which are a great gift for every Hunger Games fan!"
"Catching Fire is different than most of the other young adult fiction books, because of the character development, and the relationship from book to movie."
"She unwillingly and reluctantly has become the symbol of the rebellion and the rebel leaders urge her to exploit this via video feeds to the 12 Districts. Katniss at first feigns infirmity but eventually caves in after negotiating an agreement with the rebel leaders that they will not harm Peeta or the other Hunger Games survivors if they assume leadership."
"I know what you're saying what took you so long to read this book, to be honest I just have a crazy insane TBR list and it just kept getting pushed back. So when my son got The Hunger Games for Christmas on DVD we watched Christmas Night and I knew immediately I had to read the book afterwards."
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Best Teen & Young Adult Parents Fiction

Hatchet (Brian's Saga Book 1)
Suddenly, Brian finds himself alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but a tattered Windbreaker and the hatchet his mother gave him as a present—and the dreadful secret that has been tearing him apart since his parent’s divorce. This Newbery Honor book is a dramatic, heart-stopping story of a boy who, following a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness, must learn to survive with only a hatchet and his own wits. Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. Grade 8-12 Brian Robeson, 13, is the only passenger on a small plane flying him to visit his father in the Canadian wilderness when the pilot has a heart attack and dies.
Reviews
"on the comment side one commented and mention the story of Brian in the 'hatchet', i got intrigue and look for the book in amazon. i found it and when i start reading it i can not put down the book, though i know it's fiction but the comment is true, a 13yo boy survive alone without anything except his hatchet."
"Still trying to get 9 year old Reed to read this."
"This book was a required read for me in school; I loved it then and I still love it today."
"Still one of my all time favorites."
"I'm excited to give this book to our nephew."
"Life turns on seeming capricious moments. A selfish foolish boy alone, beyond all help, turns to his own resources and hurries through chapter after chapter in a race with the coming winter, to bring himself into connection with the world around him, and out of the wilderness."
"I know it's a little weird to be reading this book for the first time at 28 years old, but I have to admit that I though this book was an excellent read!"
"It's a good book, a nice short story to read on a camping trip or something."
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Best Teen & Young Adult Orphans & Foster Homes Fiction

The Book Thief (Anniversary Edition)
The 10th-anniversary edition of the #1 New York Times bestseller and modern classic beloved by millions of readers. Markus Zusak is the author of I Am the Messenger, a Printz Honor Book and LA Times Book Award finalist, and the international bestseller, The Book Thief.
Reviews
"It is by no means a piece of high literature, which one might associate with writers like Proust, D.H Lawrence, Conrad, or Dickens, but it is just as compelling and its creative force and greatness lies in an unbelievable cast of characters, an amazing story, and an honesty that rings out loudly and clearly. I shed many tears while reading this book, and laughed many times, and the rollercoaster of emotions I experienced were well earned by the masterful storytelling and writing by its author."
"Having lived in Germany during the time Markus Zusak describes, I can appreciate the settings described, although my family was sophisticated and never used a "four-letter-word.""
"He's not the usual scythe and darkness death we have seen before but a death who is just doing his job and trying not to get too distracted by the strange lives of the living he passes by. However words become so much more to our young heroine: a bridge connecting her to her foster Papa, Hans Hubermann; a way to escape the horrors happening around her, both figuratively and literally; a way to emotionally relate and communicate to the young Jewish man the Hubermanns hide in their basement. How else might a young German girl, a member of the local Hitler Young group, deal with the unwarranted hatred she sees being thrown at Jewish people like the young man in their basement she has come to love like family? Another unforgettable character is Papa, a man who seems to have unlimited amounts of kindness and another character who refuses to let the propaganda of the Fuhrer dement what he knows to be the right way to be."
"The Book Thief by Markus Zusak follows the life of a girl named Liesel Meminger in Germany during World War II. The majority of the story encompasses Liesel’s journey in Molching with her foster parents, the Hubermanns, where she learns to read, builds connections, steals books (as implied by the title), and lives through the struggles of war. Liesel’s best friend was “permanently hungry.” Liesel and her foster parents also hide a Jewish man named Max in their basement for a share of the story. Zusak brings a more human lense to the people in Germany, and demonstrates that they struggled in the war."
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Best Children's Self-Esteem Books

Wonder
Over 6 million people have read the #1 New York Times bestseller WONDER and have fallen in love with Auggie Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face. "Wonder is the best kids' book of the year," said Emily Bazelon, senior editor at Slate.com and author of Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy . More than that, Wonder touches the heart in the most life-affirming, unexpected ways, delivering in August Pullman a character whom readers will remember forever. Entertainment Weekly: "In a wonder of a debut, Palacio has written a crackling page-turner filled with characters you can't help but root for." The New York Times: "Rich and memorable...It's Auggie and the rest of the children who are the real heart of 'Wonder,' and Palacio captures the voices of girls and boys, fifth graders and teenagers, with equal skill." The Wall Street Journal : "What makes R.J. Palacio's debut novel so remarkable, and so lovely, is the uncommon generosity with which she tells Auggie's story…The result is a beautiful, funny and sometimes sob-making story of quiet transformation.”. - Patricia Reilly Giff , two-time Newbery honor-winning author of Lily's Crossing and Pictures of Hollis Woods. Starred Review, Publishers Weekly : “Few first novels pack more of a punch: it's a rare story with the power to open eyes--and hearts--to what it's like to be singled out for a difference you can't control, when all you want is to be just another face in the crowd.” Starred Review, Booklist : “Palacio makes it feel not only effortless but downright graceful, and by the stand-up-and-cheer conclusion, readers will be doing just that, and feeling as if they are part of this troubled but ultimately warm-hearted community.”. Starred Review, School Library Journal : "Palacio has an exceptional knack for writing realistic conversation and describing the thoughts and emotions of the characters...A well-written, thought-provoking book. ".
Reviews
"I'm a 54 year old grandfather who served in the Marine Corps (just for a little context). Palacio...I can't believe how she so accurately and consistently pegs human nature."
"The most emotional moment for me came toward the end of the book when Auggie's father tells him that he loves the way Auggie looks, because that it exactly how my husband and I feel about our son."
"Author R.J. Palacio writes the book in multiple voices -- Auggie's, some of his friends', his sister's -- and the different points of view are mostly very well-realized and show the inner feelings of the different characters."
"There are so many things we forget that are important and R.J.Palacio gently reminds us as we learn from Angie, his hard-won friends, and his spectacular family."
"I rarely see a movie after I've read the book because the movie is not usually as good."
"He was born with facial defects that have been treated with many surgeries, but he remains obviously and strikingly unusual."
"Awesome book."
"The book is the story of a severely deformed boy told from his perspective, his family members and friends as he tries to make it in the fifth grade in a normal school after years of studying at home."
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Best Teen & Young Adult Pirate Action & Adventure

The Girl from Everywhere
Its sparkling wit, breathless adventure, multicultural cast, and enchanting romance will dazzle readers of Sabaa Tahir and Leigh Bardugo. As the daughter of a time traveler, Nix has spent sixteen years sweeping across the globe and through the centuries aboard her father’s ship. “History and mythology fans will love this fast-moving ride through time, where mythological maps take Nix and the crew to real places with items and creatures true to the map’s design…This must-have fantasy adventure will appeal to fans of Rick Riordan’s ‘Kane Chronicles.’” (School Library Journal (starred review) ). A lushly written time-traveling adventure with an imaginative magical twist, real heart and real heartbreak, and a major dash of swoon.” (Alwyn Hamilton, author of Rebel of the Sands). A riveting and far-reaching fantasy that crosses seamlessly across the centuries, posing questions about fate, loyalty, and belonging.” (Publishers Weekly).
Reviews
"I adore maps and mythologies and I am completely enthralled by both the concept and the gorgeous writing behind The Girl From Everywhere. I think what I love most is the use of nautical/oceanic metaphors and similes and how they are worked into everything: the bend of Nix's hair, the floating seeds ... everything. It can be handled in a ham-handed, obvious way and I tend to resent those clumsy efforts, but in Heilig's craft, it appears natural and easy which means there was a lot of work behind it."
"Her use of language was deceptively straightforward, but textured and rich as only the finest of rare things can be, like the silk that Nix's beguiling friend Kashmir, the thief, demands at the dressmakers' shop. The pillows were sewn from scraps of silk, and scattered around the room were wooden statues and stone bowls and bone knives and strings of seeds, tiny treasures that could be slipped into a pocket." Nix is a good friend but can't allow herself to fall in love, as she has lived in suspension between reality and myth, being and nonbeing, for her entire life. Slate's ceaseless, fixated search between times and places for Nix's mother makes him seem like some opium-addicted Captain Ahab looking for the ever-elusive Moby Dick on the high seas. As far as the plot goes, the author knew just how much to tell us, and how much to leave out, letting us use either our deductive powers or our imaginations to fill in the misty areas. There is even one particular twist to the plot that came late in the book, which left me gasping and ruffling back the pages to check whether I could possibly have understood correctly!"
"I love how each book usually has a unique reason for why the time travel can happen and Heidi Heilig's The Girl from Everywhere is no exception. I would've liked a few more descriptions of different parts of the town, but I love what Heidi did with one of the places the characters travel towards the end of the novel (and I'm not saying where because it's a total spoiler). The Girl from Everywhere definitely seemed plot-heavy to me; obviously you can't have a book without one, but I felt more time was devoted to resolving the problems and getting the map Slate wants than to developing the characters."
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Best Teen & Young Adult Fantasy Action & Adventure

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Then, on Harry's eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is left only with a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, curiously refined sensibilities, and a host of mysterious powers to remind him that he's quite, yes, altogether different from his aunt, uncle, and spoiled, piglike cousin Dudley. Of course, Uncle Vernon yells most unpleasantly, "I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" So far it has won the National Book Award, the Smarties Prize, the Children's Book Award, and is short-listed for the Carnegie Medal, the U.K. version of the Newbery Medal. After 11 years of disregard and neglect at the hands of his aunt, uncle and their swinish son Dudley, Harry suddenly receives a visit from a giant named Hagrid, who informs Harry that his mother and father were a witch and a wizard, and that he is to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry himself.
Reviews
"SPECIAL NOTE: For U.S. customers purchasing the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, you will notice the text has NOT been converted to the "Americanized" version of the original U.S. releases (with the exception of changing all "Philosopher's Stone" mentions to "Sorcerer's Stone"). Good or bad is naturally for each reader to decide--just know, if you plan to read the books while listening to Jim Dale's audiobooks, you'll notice a few superficial differences. The quality of this new illustrated edition is phenomenal. All chapter intros are illustrated."
"IMPORTANT: For U.S. customers purchasing the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, you will notice the text has NOT been converted to the "Americanized" version of the original U.S. releases. This difference isn't as prominent or noticeable as it was with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone, but still something to keep in mind. Also, to answer a question that has come up quite a bit, this is the FULL BOOK and not an abridged or shortened version. Underneath the book jacket, the novel is bound in a sturdy orange hardback with green lettering on the spine."
"I was ravenous to get my hands on my copy as soon as it was delivered this morning, but was quickly disappointed. But when I took a close look at my dust jacket, I was extremely upset to find that the gold foil lettering for "Harry Potter" had been rubbed away and destroyed completely in some places leaving ugly, black matte in its place-- pock marking the otherwise handsome gold lettering. Needless to say I'm in awe how Bloomsbury has managed to put together such an incredible project, with JK Rowling's remarkable literature and Jim Kay's otherworldly illustrations-- and allowed it to be put together in a low quality binding! Not all alone in a box... Update (October 9th): I have finally received my new book and it was in much, much better condition. The cover and spine were tight, intact and falling apart from the binding like my original copy."
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Best Teen & Young Adult Science Fiction Action & Adventure

The Hunger Games Box Set: Foil Edition
All three Hunger Games books in one gorgeous package! “Fans will be happy to hear that Mockingjay is every bit as complex and imaginative as Hunger Games and Catching Fire." “At its best the trilogy channels the political passion of 1984, the memorable violence of A Clockwork Orange, the imaginative ambience of The Chronicles of Narnia and the detailed inventiveness of Harry Potter." “Unfolding in Collins' engaging, intelligent prose and assembled into chapters that end with didn't-see-that-coming cliffhangers, this finale is every bit the pressure cooker of its forebears. * “This concluding volume in Collins's Hunger Games trilogy accomplishes a rare feat, the last installment being the best yet, a beautifully orchestrated and intelligent novel that succeeds on every level."
Reviews
"All in all, this is a really good book which are a great gift for every Hunger Games fan!"
"I felt that it started out strong and Katniss showed some serious hope and depth in terms of her character and what she wanted and how she was not going to compromise, but then it became a little boring, the characters in District 13 were not very interesting and the absence of Peeta, as another reviewer carefully mentioned, took away that balance - that harmony - that common sense side of Katniss. Also I do wish there was a clarity as to what in the world had happened behind the scenes between President Snow and Coin but no explanation."
"However, it is almost given that unlike the Enders series that turned more and more unreal as well as more distant from the subjects of the first book, this one could develop with more continuity."
"Catching Fire is different than most of the other young adult fiction books, because of the character development, and the relationship from book to movie."
"She unwillingly and reluctantly has become the symbol of the rebellion and the rebel leaders urge her to exploit this via video feeds to the 12 Districts. Katniss at first feigns infirmity but eventually caves in after negotiating an agreement with the rebel leaders that they will not harm Peeta or the other Hunger Games survivors if they assume leadership."
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Best Teen & Young Adult Mystery & Thriller Action & Adventure

His Dark Materials Yearling 3-book Boxed Set (His Dark Materials (Paperback))
***** Includes a preview of. THE BOOK OF DUST, the long-awaited new novel from Philip Pullman set in the world of His Dark Materials, and. hailed by the New York Times as "A stunning achievement"***** The Golden Compass. , The Subtle Knife , and The Amber Spyglass are available together in a collectible His Dark Materials boxed set perfect for any fan or newcomer to this modern fantasy classic series that has graced the New York Times , Wall Street Journal , San Francisco Chronicle , Book Sense , and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. Phillip Pullman’s spellbinding His Dark Materials trilogy has captivated readers for over twenty years and won acclaim at every turn. He is best known for the His Dark Materials trilogy ( The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass ), which has been named one of the top 100 novels of all time by Newsweek and one of the all-time greatest novels by Entertainment Weekly . He has also won many distinguished prizes, including the Carnegie Medal for The Golden Compass (and the reader-voted "Carnegie of Carnegies" for the best children's book of the past seventy years); the Whitbread (now Costa) Award for The Amber Spyglass ; a Booker Prize long-list nomination ( The Amber Spyglass ); Parents' Choice Gold Awards ( The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass ); and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, in honor of his body of work.
Reviews
"Indeed as I was reading through the entire series (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass) I had thoughts and feelings which I have only experienced when reading books of supreme quality and worth such as Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey series, or Stephen Baxter's Xeelee Sequence."
"Favorite childhood series. A fantastical adventure series that challenges concepts of innocence, experience, and antiquated belief systems."
"Awesome series, I really enjoyed it!"
"A great read, somewhat disheartened to learn that some people see it as 'young adult reading' ... while I understand that the main characters are young .. the themes running through the books are valid to all and still relevant today."
"There are two kinds of great stories -- those that fit seamlessly into the body of thought and make you wonder why no one thought of it before, and those that are remarkably imaginative and compelling and make you wonder how the author thought it up at all. Pullman's trilogy fits into the latter category."
"I love hardback books, which makes this perfect."
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