A close friend has suggested I put together a collection of Young Adult
(YA) fiction. Although I do not normally
collect this genre, my wife is a retired librarian and has worked with children
of all ages. The two of us have
collected quite a few books we remember from our own childhoods and she pointed
out that quite a few titles in our collection might be appropriate for younger
readers. All merit 5 stars.
Let’s start off with the beautiful classic novel, Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. This story explores the question “what if you
could live forever?” as young Winnie discovers a spring on her family’s
property whose waters grant immortality. Natalie Babbitt is considered one of
the best authors and illustrators in children’s literature. Tuck Everlasting has been adapted into two
feature films and a Broadway musical.
When I was young, I loved stories about animals. Some of my favorites were The
Black Stallion and others by Walter
Farley. My original copy is long
lost, but I have finally found one with the identical dust jacket. Another favorite author was Rutherford G. Montgomery, whose Carcajou
I read over and over again. Carcajou,
the main character, was a wolverine. The
book was out of print for a number of years, so you’re likely to find some high
prices for it on Amazon if you want the original edition. It was reprinted in 2000, so more reasonably
priced editions are available.
I
Capture the Castle by Dodie
Smith came to my attention from a trusted book-buddy in our circle. First published in 1948, this novel is a
timeless view of growing up and falling in love. I highly recommend this
excellent novel, but I’m not the only one.
J.K. Rowling says “this book has one of the most charismatic narrators
I’ve ever met.”
Another “coming of age” story, but one more recently published, is The
Lovely Bones by Alice
Sebold. It begins with the memorable
line “I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973.” Susie tells the story of her death while she
observes, from heaven, the actions and reactions of her friends and family.
And speaking of death, don’t miss Marcus
Zusak’s The Book Thief, which is an unforgettable story set in World
War II. Death, the narrator, sees Liesel
on the train to Munich with her mother as her little brother dies, and as she
steals her first book at his gravesite.
In Munich, Liesel is left with a foster family and rescues another book
from a Nazi bonfire. Death continues to
watch over Liesel as she becomes witness to the atrocities of war and other
heartbreaking events. The book is over 500 pages long, but I couldn’t put it
down!
Next is Ellen Foster by Kaye
Gibbons. This was one of Oprah’s
early book club selections, and it too, has a memorable first line that took my
breath away: “When I was little I would think of ways to kill my daddy.”
Eleven-year-old Ellen has been abused, neglected, and orphaned. She tells of being passed from one member of
her family to another. She dreams of a better life with a loving home and
mother.
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