Witch & Wizard Series by James Patterson

James Patterson has written hundreds of books for adults and children, with a variety of genres and themes.  The latest series of stories I have read belongs to the Witch & Wizard book series. The entire series follows the lives of two teenage siblings as they discover the truth about their world and their own talents and destinies. The power the two possess could save the world they live in if they can only realize their own potential. The sister possesses a powerful gift that those in charge seek, and she is faced with many challenges that allow her to test her power and use it for good. This science fiction thriller is full of drama and adventure and will be sure to keep the pages turning!

Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli

Milkweed, a historical fiction book by Jerry Spinelli, is set back in Nazi Germany during World War II. It tells the story of a young orphan boy trying to survive in Warsaw, a poverty-stricken town controlled by Nazis.  The young boy, Misha, is faced with new challenges of survival each day.  Some days he doesn't know where he is going to sleep at night.  Other days, he sleeps in abandoned buildings, old barns, or underneath rubble.  Everyday he must find new ways to steal food for himself and the others.  He meets a young girl along the way, whose family is taken from their beautiful home to the ghettos.  Misha makes it his responsibility to take care of the family because unlike him, they are not used to living on the streets with no possessions and no food. Throughout the book, the Nazi soldiers torture, starve, and ridicule the Jewish population in Warsaw.  Many do not survive.  Does Misha? What about the the girl and her family?

I thought this book shared an interesting perspective of life during these unthinkable times in Germany.  Many accounts do not share the true details of life for Jews who lived in the streets.  Often we hear of stories of concentration camps, but not as much about life before the camps. Misha is a strong character who fights against so much adversity throughout the book that I felt myself rooting for him along the way. Jerry Spinelli is a remarkable young adult author, and I would recommend this book and his others to many middle school students.

Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger

Every now and then I like to read suspenseful, thrillers like Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger. This story is page-turning and has so many twists and turns along the way that keep you reading to find out what will happen next.  The main character, Ridley, wakes up one morning and her life is changed forever. She cannot go back to the way things used to be and is instead forced to investigate her own life to find out the truth.  She falls in love with a man along the way that has more ties to her than she realizes.  After many ups and downs, together  they pursue the truth and find out that what they thought they knew about their own lives was not necessarily accurate.  Find out what they discover and how they deal with it! The odds are against them, but somehow they keep going.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Wow! This is a must read! R.J. Palacio's NY Time's Bestseller, Wonder, is a tremendous read for anyone, but especially suited for teenagers! The story is full of emotion as it is told from various perspectives.  The book is split into different sections, each one told by a different main character, so the reader really gets a feel for the story that is taking place and how it affects everyone involved.  The main character, August, has been living with a facial abnormality his entire life and has undergone scrutiny from just about everybody. His mother has home schooled him up until this point, but the family decides to send him to a private school when he is in the 5th grade. The story highlights the good in some people, while revealing the bad in too many.  How does August deal with all that comes his way? Who supports him in his situation? What makes a good friend? Pick up a copy of Wonder and find out for yourself.  You might learn a little bit about yourself along the way.  I thought this story was very powerful, and one I'd like to see many people check out!

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

Sharon Draper's new book, Out of My Mind, is one of the choices for the 2013 Global Read Aloud that I plan to partake in with my students once again.  This story teaches so many great lessons on diversity, acceptance, differences, disabilities, bullying, perseverance, and much more so I am excited to introduce this book to my students. The story is told by the main character, Melody, who lives her life in a wheel chair with cerebral palsy. She shares her struggles and reveals what is going on in her mind that she cannot get out to the rest of the world.  After trying several methods of communication, Melody finally finds one that works for her and the world is astonished by all that she has to say. This is a remarkable story of a young teenage girl who finds a way to succeed against all the adversity that surrounds her.  It really teaches the reader something about dedication and hard work, while opening one's eyes to the hardships that exist for some people in our society. I highly recommend this inspirational read!

Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Every now and then we stumble across books that aren't our favorites, and The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald, is one of those books for me.  A lot of people remember the book as one they had to read in high school or college, but I was lucky enough to escape that! When the movie came out this spring, I thought the previews looked interesting so I set out to read the book before seeing the movie (something I always try to do!) The story itself is interesting, but I found the book rather difficult to read and I cannot imagine being in high school and trying to follow all that was going on. Basically, the story follows a young, wealthy man known as Gatsby.  He throws exuberant parties that become the talk of the town.  His close neighbor tells most of the story from his perspective as he encounters Gatsby and his friends.  The group goes out together frequently and they run into some criminal activities.  I had to put this book down several times and come back to it, because I just found myself wanting to read something else.  So I would read a chapter here and then between other books I was reading.  I'd still like to see the movie, because I think it might bring greater clarification to what was all happening in the book.  It might also help me understand the characters a little more thoroughly.

Just remember, it's perfectly fine to put a book down and find a new one! I try to come back to those books and finish them, but that doesn't always happen either! The point of reading for me is to lose myself in the story, and if I am having a hard time doing that, I know it's time for a different book!

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne, is one of those stories I always heard about but just never knew.  So after Keagan donated this great book to our classroom library, I thought it was the perfect opportunity for me to find out what the story was all about.  I am sure glad I did! This story is a heart-wrenching historical fiction account of a young boy's experience with the Holocaust.  As the son of a Nazi commander, Bruno is rather naive of the reality of the war even though his backyard is essentially a prison work camp.  While exploring, the young boy meets another young boy, but he is on the other side of a fence and always wears striped pajamas.  Bruno finds this rather curious and befriends the boy.  For several months, the boys meet at the same spot along the fence and have many conversations about life.  Bruno never truly understands the fence or the other boy's situation until that last day, when the cold, hard truth is revealed. Find out what happens to Bruno and his friend by picking up this quick and easy read!