There’s no time like the present to find good books as presents for the kids and teens in your life.
Best Books for Elementary School Readers
American Girl books. The dolls, fun to dress and decorate, can serve as the Trojan horse for taking kids through decades of history, from before the American Revolution, to the Civil War, to the Great Depression, to the far-off year of 1999, and more. Some names, such as Samantha (1904) and Molly (1944), are classics that have been in the franchise for a long time. Others, such as Claudie (1922) and Courtney (1986), are newer faces with their own striking tales to tell. But one of the best things that American Girl can offer its readers is simple empathy; the relatability of almost all the characters, in their different ways (horse girl, diva in the making, etc.), make the past seem like the present, and that much more understandable through the comparatively simple day-by-day to the harder struggles that some girls are forced to face. Choose your own adventure with one character and it will be the start of many more with many more characters.
Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne. Siblings Jack and Annie discover a tree house with the power to transport them through space and time, and from there on out, it’s nonstop exploration and adventure. The siblings occasionally divert their journeys into legend and fantasy, but in between, they—and, by proxy, the reader—have many opportunities to learn history from all eras and locations. As Jack and Annie go through many quests, there are chances for the reader to be involved in meaningful, educational stories beyond bare-bones facts. Whether it’s in the American Civil War, the sinking of the Titanic, or Europe in 1944 CE, there are powerful lessons about tragedy and moving forward. Whether it’s the Mount Vesuvius eruption of 79 CE, San Francisco earthquake of 1906 CE, or the 1900 CE Galveston hurricane, there are reminders about the power of nature and the human will to survive and rebuild. And, no matter what, Osborne never disappoints in spinning a good yarn.
Gordon Korman’s books. Kudos to Korman for a forty+ years writing streak, and he hasn’t slowed down since. His older series such as contributions to The 39 Clues, On the Run/Kidnapped, or trilogies such as Island and Dive still retain their shine even beyond nostalgia. No nostalgia needed in recognizing the shine of newer works, though. Some particularly quality examples include The Unteachables, or, how a motely crew of misfit students and their burned-out teacher got their groove back (in ways both comedic and heartwarming); Linked, where a school tries to combat antisemitism through a community project to understand the Holocaust and one of its most popular students reckons with his heritage and growing up; The Fort, which is in many ways Stand By Me (or The Body) with a fort instead of a corpse, and no less engulfed in its protagonists’ coming-of-age and overcoming their home life’s struggles.
All of the Above by Shelley Pearsall. In the middle of his middle school math class, a long-time teacher, brought to the edge by poor funding and increasingly apathetic students, sets his class on a quest to break a record for the world’s largest tetrahedron. It takes all kinds to build a tetrahedron, whether a disillusioned artist, a neglected foster kid, a smooth-talker, or a brainiac overachiever, as the little pieces fall into place. The importance of teamwork to reach a greater, seemingly impossible goal is a lesson that needs teaching early on, and Pearsall’s story is thoroughly inspiring.
Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan. The Applewhite clan are born-and-bred-and-married free-spirited talented artists—except for twelve-year-old E.D., who longs for structure, sense, and scheduling. And now, they’ve welcomed middle school student Jake Semple into their ranks to homeschool him at their children’s Creative Academy, despite his delinquent reputation and record. He arrives at their family compound with skepticism and an affected rebellious persona, but one that might falter in the face of an unlikely opportunity. The Applewhite patriarch calls education “an adventurous quest for the meaning of life”, and that description applies just as easily to this free-spirited creative book.
Best Books for Middle School Readers
Alan Gratz’s books. It seems strange to describe an author’s works as “adult books for young readers”, but a willingness to tackle hard topics (although avoiding some of the most mature graphicness) combined with skill, the thriller tone of several books, and the abundance of quality makes such a description fitting. The highlight of Gratz’s oeuvre is almost certainly Refugee, with its parallels and historical power, but the likes of Ground Zero and Two Degrees alsopack mighty punches in excitement, insight, and relevance. Ban this Book and similar worksmight be comparatively low-key regarding setting and outright action, but no less relevant, insightful, or without an engaging plot. And no matter what the chosen book is, it’ll be all-around great.
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. All of Anderson’s books deserve praise (and reading), certainly the moving and raw Speak, but Fever 1793 manages to hook readers with a past-and-present terror of pandemics, society unraveling and scattered, and the need to rise to the occasion to survive. Mattie Cook is fourteen years old in Philadelphia when the yellow fever epidemic strikes, and the City of Brotherly Love quickly descends into chaos. Perhaps the only thing we have to fear is fear itself, but the likes of a rampant plague aren’t particularly reassuring when the bodies are piling up. Our protagonist initially faces the “regular” worries regarding growing up, but the disasters around her forces her to do so in overdrive, just as they set everything in society into overdrive. And with a well-written story woven with the themes of love, fear itself, learning, clarity, and more, this book is practically in hyperdrive. (For adults who remember Fever 1793, try reading The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhorn.)
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes. “Now, now, that’s an upsetting case. You can research it when you’re older.” “Why not now?” Yeah…what’s wrong with now? Jerome was shot and killed at 12 by a white police officer for the crime of having a (plastic) gun, but some pain can’t be forgotten when there’s unfinished business at work. Only one person can see him—Sarah, the daughter of the officer who shot him; he’s got his own ghost to mentor him, Emmett Till, who faced his own untimely end due to the deeply rooted system of racial injustice. This reviewer, who feels plenty but weeps rarely when reading, was brought to genuine and multiple tears when reading Ghost Boys a second time. One of the best points that the book raises as that too often, people try to soften the blow of learning about the history of bigotry and civil rights, by either postponing “upsetting” and “terrible” stories indefinitely or trying to portray racial violence as what could be considered “isolated incidents.” But Ghost Boys knows better, it shows better, and it teaches better. (Adults interested in some of the themes and questions behind Ghost Boys should give Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi a read.)
Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins. Before Collins created the world of Panem and the Hunger Games, she sent Gregor the Overlander on an adventure that began in his NYC apartment building’s laundry room. Falling through the chute didn’t send him or his toddler sister Boots into Wonderland, though; instead, it sent them to the Underland, a realm of giant cockroaches (ewww), bats, and more; a fierce centuries-long conflict between humans and rats; and a series of prophecies that speak of “the Overland warrior” and his role in the fate of the Underland…a warrior that seems to be Gregor. No matter the quest, trial, or war, Collins makes every moment vivid, every page memorable, and every book terrific.
Best Books for Young Adult Readers
Like A Love Story by Abdi Nazemian. Perhaps the greatest thing that Like A Love Story can do for its younger readers is remind them just how long the LGBT+ community’s been around, how many struggles needed perseverance, and how much diversity is and always has been present. In the 1980s, Reza (raised primarily in Tehran) has now moved to NYC, hiding his homosexuality out of fear of the rampant AIDS crisis. At his new high school, he meets an unlikely pair of best friends: Judy, a plus-sized budding fashion designer with an AIDS-inflicted uncle, and Art, the only out-and-proud gay student there with a passion for photography. There’s no time like the present (or the 1980s in NYC) to stop trying to pretend to be someone else, in love with someone else, no matter how painful it might seem or become. And there’s all kinds of love stories in this impactful book…including the one between its latest reader and the book.
Briar Rose by Jane Yolen. “What do you know about stories? What do you know about Briar Rose?” This isn’t your grandmother’s Sleeping Beauty…rather, Briar Rose is Becca’s grandmother’s (known to her as “Gemma”) Sleeping Beauty. As a child, her grandmother’s version was her favorite fairy tale, but the older she grew, the more dissimilarities between the more “classic” version and her grandmother’s version began to show, and the oddities in the not-entirely-happy ending. Gemma’s dying claim of “I am Briar Rose” and wish for Becca to find the truth sends her on a search through her grandmother’s mysterious history and the dark truth behind a fairy tale. Some histories are best understood through stories, and Briar Rose is an excellent one.
Roxy by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman. Tragic reality takes a mildly fantastical—and fantastic—turn in Roxy, which personifies drugs and alcohol as gods. Mary Jane is marijuana (and disappointed that she’s gone from rebellious to “legitimate”), Crys is crystal meth (the top of his “food chain”), Lucy is LSD; our main drugs/gods are Roxy (OxyContin) and Addison (Adderall). The story begins with the news that an “I. Wells” will fatally overdose in the unraveling of its tale, a tale centering around the siblings Isaac Wells and Ivy Wells, one needing pain relief after an injury threatening to derail his plans for an athletics college scholarship, the other needing help concentrating due to struggling with schoolwork and ADHD. Roxy and Addison are there ready to help in their own ways and competing with one another to bring each sibling to what is known as “the Party.” It’s an addictive story, informative and empathetic, no outside help needed to stay hooked and focused.
Sometimes We Tell The Truth by Kim Zarins. How do you keep a high school civics class in (relative) quiet and respectful order on a six-hour-long bus ride? Mr. Bailey sets out the terms for Jeff Chaucer’s class on their way to the Washington D.C. field trip: a competition, where everyone tells one story, and the student with the best story gets a free “A” and a clean slate. It’s game on, and everyone brings their best material to Story Time, including Zarins. The stories have powerful themes of chivalry, schadenfreude, and revenge—and that’s only the first three. Meanwhile, Jeff is worried about the destination as much as the journey, and the reckoning he faces when they finally arrive. For the reader regarding the book, the destination and the journey are both equally important, and equally awesome. (Don’t mention to the less-pretentious readers that it’s a retelling of The Canterbury Tales…at least, not until they’re finished.)
Classic Books To Read to the Younger Child
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. Dickens doesn’t seem like the most obvious author to recommend to contemporary readers, let alone younger ones. But the premise of Oliver Twist is a lot more appealing, and relatable to the present day, than many would presume before taking a closer look: “young orphan in an uncaring foster system gets embroiled in inner-city crime as he struggles to find a home and maintain his moral compass.” The best to wish the readers is that their eyes may be opened by experience—by the experience of reading this book. By its end, readers of all ages should be saying “Please, sir, I want some more.”
Around The World in 80 Days by Jules Verne. The Father of Science Fiction wrote several books well worth reading, but this book which mixes thrilling adventure, a grand world tour of the past as present, and the right touch of heart is perhaps the best to try using for younger readers. A high-stakes gamble, a relentless pursuer, and a race against time all combined to make an engrossing narrative that’s almost as exciting to read as it is to imagine living. When people talk about books taking their readers to faraway places, it’s works like these that they’re talking about.
Dracula by Bram Stoker. Although this novel might not be “the one that started it all” in terms of featuring vampires, it certainly played a large role in helping shape the perception and portrayal of vampires in modern culture. But the heroes and their quest to defeat the monster are all engaging: a group of ragtag heroes (including a real estate agent, a psychiatrist, a nepo baby, a teacher, a polymath professor, and a cowboy) team up to defeat a conquering lord of the UnDead. The epistolary format and the setting only make this book seem intimidating, but readers won’t be bored when they delve into Stoker’s tour de force of a horrifyingly awesome narrative.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. When Francie Nolan is born, her mother Katie asks her own mother what she must do to create a better world for her child; the response is “The secret lies in the reading and the writing. You are able to read. Every day you must read one page from some good book to your child. Every day this must be until the child learns to read. Then she must read every day, I know this is the secret.” One of the best words to describe this classic of American literature is “readable”—the prose never delves into the ostentatious or the too-blunt, but is always natural in its dialogue and descriptions, while the plot never gets dull and is always natural in the timeline and occurring events. Smith’s novel on Francie Nolan’s coming-of-age in the early 20th century in a poor Brooklyn family was relatable to the likes of WWII soldiers who read the honesty of her world, and for 21st century readers, the honesty of that world remains and is relatable. In Francie’s well-meaning alcoholic father Johnny, her tough-minded, tough-love mother Katie, her comforting, good bad girl Aunt Sissy, her hard-working little brother Neeley, a world of family and friends—and, of course, in insightful, determined, bookworm Francie herself—there’s someone for everyone to relate to and recognize. There is sheer life in this book about everything, and everyone who’s ever lived can, should, and will enjoy it.
By Grace Dietz
Grace is an Editorial Assistant at Technica Editorial
