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Adbooks Discussion Group has compiled this list, developed each year by the School Library Journal editors. Please note that only selections written for middle and older readers are included on this page.
Click on book titles for reviews and purchasing information from Amazon.com.
Anderson, M.T. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Party
A black youngster raised and educated in a household of philosophers in pre-Revolutionary War Boston learns that despite his seemingly privileged life, he’s actually a slave–and the subject of a scientific experiment to quantify the intelligence of Africans. This articulate, profound, and chilling novel delves into issues of freedom, humanity, and self-realization.
Boyce, Frank Cottrell. Framed
When their family-run garage goes bust, it is up to Dylan, his sisters, and their Mam to turn things around. The arrival of a crew from London’s National Gallery with priceless artworks to be stored in their remote Welsh town provides entrepreneurial opportunities. An endearing if unconventional story of family values told with great wit and charm.
Brooks, Kevin. The Road of the Dead
Even before his sister’s body is found on the moors, 14-year-old Ruben Ford instinctively knows that she is dead, and he and his 17-year-old brother, tough guy Cole, set off to find her killer. Well-developed characters and plenty of visceral detail make this a gripping read, but its real strength is the brothers’ tender relationship.
Bruchac, Joseph. Wabi: A Hero's Tale
A great horned owl falls in love with an Abenaki Indian girl and takes the human form of his ancestors, only to be ostracized by the fearful villagers. A riveting journey of self-discovery, fueled by powerful feelings of love.
Carbone, Elisa. Blood in the River: James Town 1607
Samuel Collier, insightful page to Captain John Smith, brings telling perspective to this story that begins aboard the Susan Constant as it wends its way to the New World. A masterful blend of fact and fiction, and characters real and imagined.
Draper, Sharon. Copper Sun
A 15-year-old Ashanti girl endures physical torture and unspeakable sorrow as she is torn away from her homeland and transported to the Carolinas as a slave. The cruel realities of plantation life and her ensuing friendship with a white indentured servant form the basis of this powerful novel about hope in the face of horrific inhumanity.
Fleischman, Sid. Escape!: The Story of the Great Houdini
Erstwhile magician Fleischman delves into the who, what, and why of the fabulous early-20th-century trickster whose name is still a household word. Contemporary photos and the author’s commentary round out an enthralling, “you-are-there” experience.
Fradin, Judith Bloom and Dennis Brindell. 5,000 Miles to Freedom: Ellen and William Craft’s Flight from Slavery
Against the backdrop of Southern plantation life and Northern abolitionist fever, the daring and dangerous escape of an enslaved husband and wife is told in gripping detail. Reproductions of broadsheets, archival photos, maps, and published news accounts add interest and information.
Freedman, Russell. The Adventures of Marco Polo
An illuminating text captures the highlights of this 13th-century traveler’s astonishing 27-year journey, including tales of shark- and pirate-infested waters, roaming bandits, and never-before-seen wonders. Intricate artwork, along with period maps and miniatures, takes readers on a thrilling expedition.
Freedman, Russell. Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott
The converging stories of the leaders of the yearlong boycott that gave birth to the Civil Rights Movement unfold with precision and confidence in Freedman’s skillful hands. A stirring tribute to the determination, courage, and dignity of Montgomery’s African-American community.
Frost, Helen. The Braid
The intertwined stories of two Scottish sisters who were separated by circumstances and who live on opposite sides of the Atlantic in the 1850s is presented in alternating narrative poems. An elegantly told, timeless tale of love, devotion, and family ties.
Garden, Nancy. Endgame
Fifteen-year-old Gray is bullied, taunted, and physically abused, until he finally cracks and starts shooting. Opening with his murder trial and concluding with his sentencing, this novel is a tense, suspenseful look at what happens when adults refuse to get involved and help a kid in trouble.
Going, K.L. Saint Iggy
Iggy Corso, born addicted to crack, is now 16 and without parental support. When he gets suspended from school, an older friend’s wealthy mother tries to come to his aid but creates a whole new set of problems for him. Told with gritty and evocative detail, this compelling narrative relates one kid’s desperate attempts to make a difference.
Hardinge, Frances. Fly by Night
Mosca escapes from her cruel uncle and takes to the road with Eponymous Clent, a quick-thinking, silver-tongued scoundrel. Complex, riveting, and totally original, this fantasy has as its foundation the power of words and the impact of books.
Hopkinson, Deborah. Up Before Daybreak: Cotton and People in America
Through the voices of enslaved people, mill children, and sharecroppers, Hopkinson recounts the history of the cotton industry in the United States and its profound effects on the lives of those who toiled in its fields and factories. Archival images bring their words home.
Johnson, Harriet McBryde. Accidents of Nature
Jean, who has cerebral palsy, has always viewed herself as “normal.” However, when she attends a summer camp for teens with disabilities, a new friend inspires her to question her perceptions and see herself and the world with open eyes. A thought-provoking book written with razor-sharp wit and honesty.
Klass, David. Firestorm
In this breakneck-paced eco-thriller, 17-year-old Jack Danielson rudely learns that he is not an all-American teen, but is a visitor from the future who has been sent to save the planet–if he can stay alive. An exhilarating and often philosophical read, laced with humorous insight into the human condition and affairs of the heart.
Krull, Kathleen. Isaac Newton
What he lacked in social graces, this stubborn and peevish man made up for in brains. In absorbing detail, Krull examines the life of the lonely, abandoned child and obsessive, eccentric genius whose work and theories revolutionized scientific thought.
Larson, Kirby. Hattie Big Sky
An orphaned teen is determined to prove up on her late uncle’s homestead claim in Montana. Her down-to-earth, often funny narrative voice captures the pioneer spirit as she grapples with financial hardships, uncooperative animals, and a deadline of 10 months to cultivate 40 acres.
Levine, Gail Carson. Fairest
Awkward and unattractive Aza has an amazing voice, and, in a kingdom of singers, is highly admired. When she meets the beautiful but tone-deaf new queen, she is bullied into using her voice to deceive the kingdom. A handsome prince, a gallant gnome, and a kindly king round out this enchanting story.
Lewis, J. Patrick. Black Cat Bone: The Life of Blues Legend Robert Johnson
This poetic paean to the “Godfather of the Blues” provides bits and snatches of what’s known about the musician’s short life and what’s become legend. Dark, brooding mixed-media images, a prose foreword and endnote, and excerpts of Johnson’s lyrics complete this poignant tribute to the man’s enduring legacy.
Lupton, Hugh and Daniel Morden. The Adventures of Odysseus
A fluid text and sumptuous artwork capture the drama of the hero’s journey and the many trials he faces on the way. This is a handsome and evocative introduction to the classic tale.
Lyga, Barry. The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl
A love of comics and an active disdain for everyone else in their high school unites two troubled teens. An irreverent and poignant portrayal of a tentative but invaluable friendship, the creative process, and the power of art to save lives.
Marcus, Leonard. The Wand in the Word: Conversations with Writers of Fantasy
In spellbinding interviews with 13 word wizards, Marcus draws out sometimes- humorous, sometimes-harrowing childhood anecdotes, traces myriad influences and inspirations, and extracts gems of wisdom about the genre. An incisive and insightful fantasy primer.
McCarthy, Meghan. Aliens Are Coming!: The True Account of the 1938 War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast
This delightfully wacky combination of radio play and broadcasting history tells the story of the widely believed invasion of the East coast by extraterrestrials. Broad painterly strokes in shades of black and white set the stage, and the scripted scenes burst into vivid color.
Montgomery, Sy. Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: An Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea
With thrilling immediacy, readers are taken high into the cloud forest to search for these rare and elusive creatures. The nuts and bolts of the expedition, scientific information gathering, and the flora and fauna of the remote locale are detailed in the lucid text and dramatically presented photographs.
Morrison, Taylor. Wildfire
An illuminating look at a ferocious force of nature, its fundamental role in the forest ecosystem, and the courageous individuals who battle blazes. Morrison takes readers into the smoldering danger with quotes from the fire line and informative, incandescent paintings.
Murdock, Catherine Gilbert. Dairy Queen
When an athletic farm girl is roped into training her rival high school’s quarterback, she is totally turned off by this seemingly pompous rich kid. By the time the final whistle sounds, though, she has learned a lot from him about herself, her family, and her peers. Witty, wise, and totally engaging.
Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw. The Buffalo and the Indians: A Shared Destiny
This fascinating and copiously illustrated history makes it clear that the white man’s attempt to eradicate the buffalo became a way to eliminate the Indian, whose existence and fate were entwined with that of this majestic creature.
Rampersad, Arnold. Langston Hughes
An overview of the poet’s life and his writing introduces this collection of 26 poems, each of which is accompanied by an animated folk-art illustration. The colorful mix of striking verbal and visual images reinforces the poet’s place in the pantheon of distinctive American voices.
Reeve, Philip. Larklight: A Rousing Tale of Dauntless Pluck in the Farthest Reaches of Space
When their home is taken over by elephant-sized white spiders, siblings Art and Myrtle embark on a wild sci-fi pirate adventure. An outrageous, clever story about a house that roams through space, delivered with a light touch but layered with Victorian sensibility and social commentary on the acceptance of diversity.
Roy, Jennifer. Yellow Star
Syvia was four when the Nazis invaded Poland, and this powerful free-verse narrative follows her through the war years, spent with her family in the Lodz ghetto. She endured mind-numbing stretches of time in hiding, lived with hunger and fear, and survived only through luck and her parents’ cunning.
Shusterman, Neal. Everlost
A series of accidents has thrown two teens together in Everlost, a limbolike world filled with places and things that no longer exist. They meet Mary Hightower, a guru for lost kids who reside in Manhattan’s Twin Towers, and try to make sense of what being an Afterlight is all about. The existential musings are blended into an exciting, wildly imagined adventure full of pirates, airships, and high-diving horses.
Siegel, Siena Cherson. To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel
This is a first-rate personal narrative about the childhood pursuit of an all-consuming passion, the realities of life at the barre, and the excitement of dancing professionally until age 18. The dynamic art is a perfect partner to the fluid and graceful story.
Stanley, Diane. Bella at Midnight
A girl supposedly of lowly birth uses her powers to change the destiny of the kingdom and save the prince she loves. Treachery, romance, and magic all blend harmoniously in this rousing modern fairy tale.
Sturtevant, Katherine. A True and Faithful Narrative
Defying 17th-century conventions (and her father’s wishes), Meg is determined to become an author, so when a would-be suitor returns to London after surviving a harrowing ordeal, she secretly agrees to write his story and soon finds herself reconsidering the truth found in words–and in her heart. A richly imagined tale with an unforgettable teenage heroine.
Todd, Mark and Esther Pearl Watson. Whatcha Mean, What’s a Zine?: The Art of Making Zines and Mini-Comics
With their roots in the chapbook and pamphlet, these independent handmade publications retain a decidedly fresh, witty, and often irreverent spirit. The authors take would-be zinesters through the creation process, providing lots of examples and tips, and a look at what the artform is all about.
Turner, Megan Whalen. The King of Attolia
In a slick political and personal maneuver, the former Thief of Eddis has married the Queen of Attolia and must convince her court and her countrymen that he is a competent and caring ruler. This rich and multilayered novel, the third about Eugenides, is told with verve, and will create legions of fans for the newly minted and largely misunderstood monarch.
Walker, Paul Robert. Remember Little Bighorn: Indians, Soldiers, and Scouts Tell Their Stories
Though they could claim victory over the U.S. government, this 1876 battle marked the end of a way of life for Native Americans. Walker’s outstanding, meticulously researched account of the historic two-day confrontation is accompanied by superb period photos and drawings and crystal-clear maps of the site.
Werlin, Nancy. The Rules of Survival
Matt and his younger sisters are terrorized by their mother’s volatile temperament while the other adults in their lives look the other way–until a sympathetic stranger becomes the impetus for change. Terse, tense, and terrifying, this psychological drama shows how one victim of abuse comes to terms with his childhood.
Winter, Jonah. Dizzy
From abused child to genius jazzman, this biography of the bebop trumpeter harmonizes rhyming text in varying fonts with dynamic mixed-media art for a rousing portrayal of the musician’s life, personality, and work. “Cooooooool.”
Wolf, Allan. Immersed in Verse: An Informative, Slightly Irreverent & Totally Tremendous Guide to Living the Poet’s Life
Wolf implores novice poets to pay attention to the sights, sensations, and situations around them and to transform what they notice into pithy observations. The chatty text and colorful cartoon art mesh to create a spirited and enticing guide for budding wordsmiths.
Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese
This heartfelt coming-of-age story, illustrated with crisp cartoon panels, blends traditional Chinese fables and legends with modern humor and school yard dynamics. An engaging graphic novel that addresses issues of racism, sterotyping, and spirituality.
Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief
Death narrates this brilliantly conceived, vividly realized World War II-era novel set in a small German town. He closely follows the plight of one child raised by foster parents through the rise of the Nazi regime and the horrors of the war that follows, and details the solace and redemption that the girl finds in the books that she comes to possess.