The American Library Association's 2008 List of The Top 10 Best Books for Young Adults

Heartbreaking and hilarious! Two different combinations, one inspiring book of overcoming obstacles.

This book is a must read. It is a beautifully written account of the tragic childhood years of Ishmael Beah, who is forced to become a child soldier after his village is attacked and most of his family is murdered by rebel soldiers. in his native Sierra Leone. The subject matter is grave, yet Beah writes poetically and keeps you drawn in to the very end. Very poignant and moving tale of survival. My son and I had the chance to hear Mr. Beah speak in Dallas. He is mesmerizing and inspiring. Please read this book if you get the chance. You won't be the same after.

A teen book about a 16-year-old girl dying of cancer and she makes a list of the things she needs to do before she dies. Things that most people experience at one point during their years from 15-25... but she does not have that time. Really staying with me.

This book is a good way to get into Plath's poetry, which can sometimes be hard to "get." The author writes her own poetry, in various voices, to accompany Plath's poems and provide another angle on the events of Plath's life at the time of the writing. Overall, it's interesting from a writing-process standpoint, and a comfortable read.

A Man Booker Prize nominee, that absolutely should have won, this is a simple story about a small isolated island in the middle of a civil war and the outsider teacher whose teaching methods drive a wedge between a young girl and her mother. It's simply and gorgeously written, just a powerful read that I couldn't put down.

Oh my gosh, this book was so great! I love the witty and sarcastic banter. The action keeps you on your toes! I plowed through this in just a few days and didn't want to put it down. Definitely recommended!

This was honestly one of the best books I've read in a very long time. Mal Peet skillfully weaves the loves and losses of the main characters — Tamar, a fearless Dutch Resistance decoder transmitting messages in World War Two while tragically trying to protect his one true love, Marijke, the beautiful but fearless and tragically loyal lover of Tamar, Dart, another decoder in the Dutch Resistance battling boredom and tragically and ignorantly in love with Marijke, ready to risk his only real friendship for her love — as we switch back and forth between Holland in 1945 and England in 1995 where Tamar, the granddaughter of her dead grandfather, who tries to uncover the mysteries of her grandfather's past whilst finding her lost father and discovering the true, more beautiful Tamar within.

Wonderfully complex (almost as complex as my last paragraph!) and a book that will make your heart drop pushing you to the very edge of your seat with every turn of the page, Tamar: A novel of Espionage, Passion, and Betrayal is just that. It is truly flashlight worthy.

It's an engaging fish-out-of-water story about a young American man traveling to China to learn martial arts. He recounts his adventures in the Shaolin monastery — everything from living conditions, athletic training, dating, and just being an American in China. Polly is a lively, self-deprecating writer who will make you laugh and make you think.

We read this book for our book club, and it was loved by all. It's a huge book that may seem like too much for some readers, but it's a story told partially in pictures. It's not a babyish picture book either. The drawings are beautiful and really add to the story. At the book club, I was able to show the movie mentioned in the book (which made everybody laugh since they'd never seen a silent movie), plus we looked at some real life automatons. Overall, a great read and a great book club book.

The art is beautiful — detailed and whimsical. It's a book about a serious subject that adults can read with kids that will be both enjoyable and a springboard for discussion.