Best Young Adult Books: Top Picks from YA Bloggers in the Know, #1
By Nicki Richesin, The Children’s Book Review
Published: April 9, 2012
We were excited to read the recent debate over “The Power of Young Adult Fiction” in The New York Times. Together, the contributors pose the question: why should we be reading YA novels and why do they matter? To better explain why YA fiction has become such a phenomenon, even with adults, we’ve asked some of the best YA bloggers around to weigh in with their picks for the best new titles. Could they convince you to read YA? We think they’re up for the challenge! In our first monthly installment of Best Young Adult Books, we’ve asked Andrea Chapman of Reading Lark to share her spring and summer must reads.
Andrea Chapman: There are so many books coming out this spring and summer that I am excited about, but I am narrowing down the list to the top 5 that I think all fans of YA should put on their “To Be Read” lists.
Insurgent (Divergent #2)
I am a little late joining the party, but book one in this series, Divergent, is taking the world (and twitter) by storm. This is the first dystopian series since The Hunger Games to catch my eye. I am not typically a big fan of books within this realm, but after having so many friends recommend this one I had to give in. I’m not a fan of cliffhangers when the next book is not set to release for a lengthy period of time so I will be reading Divergent right before the release of Insurgent on May 1st.
In Veronica Roth’s creation, citizens choose a faction to spend the rest of their lives serving. The idea of choosing one path for your life at such a young age is intriguing. Each of the factions stands for different beliefs and serves varying functions for the society. Dystopian novels have carved out an interesting niche in the YA market. They can inspire and teach lessons that other YA novels can’t.
Ages 14-17 | Publisher: HarperCollins | May 1, 2012
Hemlock
I am a self-proclaimed paranormal junkie so it’s no surprise that I would have a werewolf book on this list. Before the eye rolls begin, hear me out. This is not your typical werewolf book. Imagine that a werewolf novel and a murder mystery joined forces to create a story that combined the best of both in a highly addictive manner. The werewolf lore in this one is standard fare, but the additional m
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