Great YA Books for Adults

This past year, a lot of focus has been given to our Children’s Department, and staff (including me) has succumbed to the influence of our Children’s Coordinator and read a whole lot of kids’ books, moving far beyond the Harry Potter series. Some of them are just fabulous. I’m certainly hooked.

Adults in our library have already been discovering Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief. It’s incredible if you read it, but equally good in audio. It takes place in Germany during the Second World War, and it’s about this German girl whose family ends up hiding a Jew in their basement. It’s about her world, her neighbourhood, and most of all, friendship.

If you want an absolute page-turner, then take The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This author wrote the delightful Underland Chronicles series (again, AMAZING in audio), but this book is even better. Each district has to surrender a boy and a girl to the Hunger Games, where they compete to the death and are watched by cameras the whole time. Along with the population in the story, we follow the kids in District Twelve and root for their survival in these harrowing and often brutal games.

Another book I just read that I thoroughly enjoyed was Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. It’s got a fairy-tale quality, and Lynn Redgrave reads it splendidly, if you opt for an audio version. The third instalment of this book just came out, though I haven’t gotten to it yet. You do have to read them in order. In the first book, Meggie and her father Mo, a bookbinder by trade, are visited one night by an old ‘friend’ named Dustfinger, who comes to warn them about the imminent arrival of Capricorn, the very vilest of villains. They flee to Aunt Elinor’s house, which is filled to the brim with books. Capricorn and his crew succeed in finding Mo, and they want to make use of a special ‘gift’ he possesses. There’s adventure, enchantment, and lots of books in this wonderful tale.

Lastly, I have to mention the Twilight series, which has taken the world by storm since the release of the movie this fall. Definitely geared towards females, this series is part of an ever-growing genre called ‘paranormal romance’. Set in a small-town called Forks in Washington State, Bella is in love with Edward, a gorgeous vampire. He loves her, but he’s not the only one, as Jacob (werewolf) is in the picture too. Then there are those nasty vampires who come to town and cause trouble... This series is enjoyable and easy to read, if the subject matter appeals to you.