REALISTIC FICTION

GENRE + FAVORITE AUTHORS

Alma Flor AdaSherman AlexieRudolfo AnayaLaurie Halse AndersonJoan BauerLibba BrayDon BrownMeg CabotAlly CarterSandra CisnerosRobert CormierSharon CreechPriscilla Cummings Sarah DessenJennifer DonnellySarah FitzgeraldGayle FormanJohn GreenCarl Hiaasen

Maya AngelouIshmael BeahCandace FlemingJack GantosLaura HillenbrandFrancisco JimenezKaren LevineFrank McCourtMilton MeltzerWes MooreSonia NazarioRichard Peck David PelzerVictor RiosLuis J. RodriguezCynthia RylantJeannette WallsLaurence Yep

Ellen HopkinsE.L. KonigsburgPatricia McCormickWalter Dean MyersKatherine PatersonPam Muñoz RyanJennifer SmithSonya SonesJordan SonnenblickGary SotoNicholas SparksJerry SpinelliVince VawterCynthia VoigtSarah WeeksRita Williams-GarciaJacqueline WoodsonPaul Zindel

Tom AnglebergerGeorgia ByngAndrew Clements Jack GantosJeff KinneyJames PattersonPhyllis Reynolds NaylorJon Scieszka

AUTOBIOGRAPHYBIOGRAPHY

HUMOR

REALISTIC FICTION / URBAN Matt de la PeñaAllison van Diepen S.E. HintonVictor Martinez Walter Dean Myers Rene Saldana, Jr.Alan SitomerJordan SonnenblickNic Stone Coert Voorhees Jacqueline Woodson

Jennifer Allison Jennifer Lynn Barnes Jennifer Bertman T. Ernesto Bethancourt Ally Carter Agatha Christie Caroline Cooney Joan Lowery Nixon Brian Selznick Alexander McCall Smith Roland Smith Trenton Lee Stewart

Avi Sheila Burnford Charles Higson Will Hobbs Anthony Horowitz Gordon Korman Walter Dean Myers Scott O’Dell Gary Paulsen James Riley Eliot Schrefer Anna Sewell Roland Smith Trenton Lee Stewart Theodore Taylor Eric Walters Rawls Wilson

MYSTERY

Noel AlysonJoan Bauer Meg CabotAlly CarterPatricia Reilly Giff

ADVENTURE

Edward Bloor Chris Crutcher Carl Deuker John Feinstein Tim Green Nick Hornby Robert Lipsyte Mike Lupica

SAVE

Marilyn HiltonJennifer SmithSonya SonesSarah Weeks

REALISTIC FICTION / GIRL INTEREST

SPORT

Lloyd AlexanderAmelia Atwater-Rhodes Victoria AveyardLeigh BardugoFrank BeddorHolly BlackHeather Brewer Marion Zimmer BradleyMichael BuckleyAnne CameronCassandra Clare Eoin Colfer Suzanne CollinsRoald DahlTerry DearyKimberly DertingT. DiTerlizziCatherine Fisher Becca Fitzpatrick John FlanaganCornelia FunkeKami Garcia

Laurie Halse AndersonAviAdam BagdasarianSusan Campbell BartolettiJohn BoyneJulie ChibbaroChristopher and James CollierChristopher Paul CurtisMelissa de la Cruz Allan Eckert Paul Fleischman Paula Fox K. M. Grant Virginia Hamilton Patricia McCormick Jennifer Nielsen Scott O’Dell Ann Rinaldi N.H. Senzai Ruta SepetysMichael Shaara Eugene Yelchin Jane Yolen

Caroline B. CooneyLois DuncanNeil GaimanMary Downing Hahn April Henry Anthony HorowitzMollie Hunter

Douglas AdamsIsaac AsimovAlexandra BrackenPierce BrownRay BradburyOrson Scott Card Ernest ClineSuzanne CollinsAlly CondieMichael Crichton Sylvia EngdahlRichard Paul EvansJames Dashner Roderick GordonFrank HerbertMargaret P. HaddixMarie LuPatrick NessJames Patterson Veronica Roth Philip ReeveAlexander G. Smith Neal ShustermanH.G. Wells Mark WaldenRick Yancey Scott Westerfeld

HISTORICAL

HORROR / Thriller

SCIENCE FICTIONFANTASY

Ernest Cline Neal StephensonJames Dashner Matt WhymanCory DoctorowWilliam GibsonJess C. Scott

CYBERPUNK

HISTORICAL FICTION / WARSusan Campbell Bartoletti

Julie Berry * Anne Blankman * John BoyneJoseph Bruchac Pat Lowery Collins * Morris Gleitzman* Alan Gratz * Sharon Hart-Green* Monica Hesse Anne Holm* Kathy Kacer Harold Keith* Thomas Keneally * Philip Kerr* Leon Leyson

* HOLOCAUST

Stephen KingJonathan MaberryRichard PeckRodman Philbrick Neal ShustermanWilliam SleatorTodd Strasser

Robin HobbBrian JacquesRobert JordanKathryn LaskyIngrid LawMadeleine L’EngleUrsula K. Le GuinMarie LuRobin McKinleyMarissa MeyerGarth NixChristopher PaoliniJames PattersonPhillip PullmanRansom RiggsRick Riordan Patrick RothfussJK RowlingAngie SageBrandon SandersonJ.R.R. TolkienLaurence Yep

Patricia McCormickSusan Meyer* Jennifer NielsenRichard PeckMal PeetRodman PhilbrickMargi PreusErich M. Remarque* Tatiana de Rosnay* Ruth Minsky Sender* Ruta Sepetys* Rob SharenowSherri L. Smith* Jerry SpinelliYoshiko Uchida* Elizabeth E. WeinDon Wulffson

STUDENT RECOMMENDED LIST………….

Ada, Alma-Flor and Isabel Campoy Yes! We are Latinos

Alender, Katie Bad Girls Don’t Die

Allison, Jennifer Gilda Joyce (mystery series)

Alexie, Sherman The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Anonymous Go Ask Alice

Anderson, Laurie Halse Fever 1793, Speak

Angleberger, Tom Fake Mustache, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

Asimov, Isaac I Robot

Avi Wolf Rider, Nothing But the Truth, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Crispin

Bardugo, Leigh Shadow and Bone (series)

Bartell, Susan Campbell The Boy Who Dared

Bauer, Joan Hope Was Here, Rules of the Road, Close to Famous

Beddor, Frank Looking Glass Wars (series)

Benioff, David City of Thieves

Bertman, Jennifer Book Scavenger (series)

Black, Holly White Cat

Boyne, John The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket

Bracken, Alexandra The Darkest Minds (series)

Brooks, Terry The Sword of Shannara

Brooks, Max World War Z

Bruchac, Joseph Code Talker

Buckley, Michael The Sisters Grimm series: The Fairy Tale Detectives (series)

Burnford, Sheila The Incredible Journey

Cabot, Meg Haunted, The Princess Diaries (Princess series), Shadowland (Mediator series)

Cameron, Anne The Lightning Catcher (series)

Card, Orson Scott Ender’s Game

Carter, Ally Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy

Carman, Patrick The Dark Hills Divide, Skeleton Creek The Crossbones

Cashore, Kristin Graceling (series)

Christie, Agatha Murder on the Orient Express …. Check https://bookriot.com/2018/01/09/best-agatha-christie-books/ for best reading order of Christie’s mystery/detective series centering around Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, or Tommy and Tuppence

Clare, Cassandra Clockwork Angel (Internal Devices series), City of Bones (Mortal Instrument series)

Cline, Ernest Ready Player One

Colfer, Eoin The Wish List, Artemis Fowl (series), Airman

Collins, Pat Lowery Hidden Voices: The Orphan Musicians of Venice

Collins, Suzanne The Hunger Games…Catching Fire….Mockingjay, Gregor the Overlander

Cooney, Caroline B. The Face on the Milk Carton (Trilogy), Both Sides of Time, Code Orange

Conde, Ally Matched, Crossed, Reached

Cormier, Robert I am the Cheese, The Chocolate War

Cornish, D.M. Monster Blood Tatoo (series)

Creech, Sharon Chasing Redbird, Walk Two Moons

Crichton, Michael The Andromeda Strain, Jurassic Park, Prey, Timeline

Cruz, de la Melissa Alex and Eliza (series about the Hamiltons)

Cummings, Priscilla The Red Kayak

Dahl, Roald Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Witches,

Dashner, John The Maze Runner (series), The Eye of Minds (series)

Davidson, Craig The Fighter

Deary, Terry Fire Thief (series)

Delaney, Joseph The Last Apprentice (series)

Dessen, Sarah Keeping the Moon, The Truth About Forever, Just Listen

Doctorow, Cory Little Brother

Draper, Sharon Copper Sun, Tears of a Tiger (Hazelwood High series), Out of My Mind

Duncan, Lois Ransom, Who Killed My Daughter

DuPrau, Jeanne City of Ember (series)

Eckert, Allan Incident at Hawk’s Hill

Ellis, Deborah Breadwinner, Parvana's Journey, Mud City (series)

Engdahl, Sylvia Enchantress from the Stars

Erskine, Kathryn Mockingbird

Evans, Douglas MVP

Evans, Richard Paul Michael Vey (series)

Fisher, Catherine Incarceron (series)

Flake, Sharon Begging for Change

Flanagan, John Ranger's Apprentice (series), The Royal Ranger (series), Brotherband (series)

Funke, Cornelia Inkheart, Inkspell, and The Thief Lord

Gaiman, Neil The Graveyard Book, Norse Mythology, Coraline

Garcia, Kami Beautiful Creatures (series)

Gardener, Sally I, Coriander, The Silver Blade

George, Jean Craighead My Side of the Mountain

Grant, K.M. Blood Red Horse

Green, John Looking for Alaska, The Fault in Our Stars, Paper Towns

Haddix, Margaret Peterson Double Identity, Among the Hidden (series), The House on the Gulf

Hahn, Mary Downing The Old Willis Place, All the Lovely Bad Ones, Look for Me by Moonlight…

Hautzig, Esther The Endless Steppe

Herbert, Frank Dune Chronicles (series)

Hiassen, Carl Flush, Hoot, Chomp, Scat

Higson, Charlie Silverfin, Double or Die (Young James Bond series)

Hinton, S.E. The Outsiders

Henry, April Girl Stolen

Hesse, Herman Out of the Dust

Hobbs, Will Jackie's Wild Seattle, Crossing the Wire

Hoffman, Alice Aquamarine

Holm, Anne I Am David

Holm, Jennifer Penny From Heaven, The Fourteenth Goldfish

Hopkins, Ellen Crank (series)

Horowitz, Anthony Stormbreaker (Alex Rider series), Raven’s Gate (The Gatekeepers series), The Falcon’s Malteser (Diamond Brothers series)

Hunter, Erin Seekers (series), Warrior Cats (series)

Hunter, Mollie A Stranger Came Ashore

Jacques, Brian Redwall (series)

Jimenez, Francisco The Circuit, Breaking Through

Keith, Harold Rifles from Watie

Kinney, Jeff The Wimpy Kid (series)

Korman, Gordon Son of the Mob

Kuhlman, Evan The Last Invisible Boy

Lasky, Kathryn The Capture (series), Beyond the Divide

Law, Ingrid Savvy, Scumble

Le Guin, Ursula A Wizard of Earthsea (series)

London, C. Alexander Tides of War (series)

Lowry, Lois The Giver, Gathering Blue

Lu, Marie Legend, Prodigy, Champion, Young Elites

Martinez, Victor Parrot in the Oven: Mi vida

McCormick, Patricia Never Fall Down, Sold, Cut

McKinley, Robin The Hero and the Crown

Meyer, L.A. Bloody Jack, Curse of the Blue Tattoo, Under the Jolly Roger

Meyer, Susan Lynn Black Radishes

Meyers, Walter Dean Fallen Angels, Hoops, Monster, Shooter

Moore, Wes The Other Wes Moore

Naylor, Phyllis Shiloh

Nix, Garth The Keys to the Kingdom series

Nuzum, K.A. A Small White Scar

O'Dell, Scott Island of the Blue Dolphins

Paolini, Christopher Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, Inheritance

Paterson, Katherine Jacob Have I Loved

Patterson, James Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment (series)

Paulson, Gary Hatchet, The Rifle, Tiltawhirl John

Peck, Richard The Ghost Belonged to Me

Pelzer,David A Child Called It, The Lost Boy

Plath, Sylvia The Bell Jar

Preus, Margi Shadow on the Mountain

Reeve, Philip Fever Crumb, Mortal Engines

Remarque, Erich All Quiet on the Western Front

Riggs, Ransom Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Hollow City, Library of Souls

Riordan, Rick The Lightning Thief (series) Magnus Chase (series)

Rios, Victor Street Life

Rodriguez, Luis J Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A., It Calls You Back: An Odyssey through Love, Addiction, Revolutions and Healing

Roth, Veronica Divergent (series), Carve the Mark (series)

Rowell, Rainbow Eleanor & Park

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter series

Ryan, Pam Munoz Becoming Naomi León, Esperanza Rising

Rylant, Cynthia The Islander, Missing May

Sage, Angie Magyk, Flyte, Physik, Queste, Syren, Darke, Fyre

Sanderson, Brandon Mistborn (series)

Scott, Michael The Alchemyst

Selznick, Brian The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Wonderstruck

Sepetys, Ruta Between Shades of Gray, Salt to the Sea

Shusterman, Neal Everlost (Skinjacker Trilogy series)

Sleator, William The Boy Who Couldn't Die

Smith, Jennifer This is What Happy Looks Like

Smith, Roland I, Q (series), The Captain’s Dog: My Journey with the Lewis and Clark Tribe

Snicket, Lemony A Series of Unfortunate Events (series)

Sones, Sonya What My Mother Doesn’t Know

Sonnenblick, Jordan Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie

Spinelli, Jerry Crash, Loser, Stargirl, Milkweed

Steer, Dugald Wizardology: The Book of the Secrets of Merlin (ology series)

Stewart, Trenton Lee The Mysterious Benedict Society (series)

Stroud, Jonathan The Amulet of Samarkand (series)

Taylor Reynolds, Phyllis Blizzard’s Wake, Shiloh

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King

Trueman, Terry Stuck in Neutral, Cruise Control

Uchida, Yoshiko Journey to Topaz

Voorhees, Coert Brothers Torres

Walden, Mark H.I.V.E.: Higher Institute of Villainous Education (series)

Watts, Jeri Kizzy Ann Stamps

Weeks, Sarah So B It

Wilhelm, Doug A Wicked History (series)

Wilson, Rawls Where the Red Fern Grows

Wulffson, Don Soldier X

Yancey, Rick The Fifth Wave (series), The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp

Yolen, Jane The Devil's Arithmetic, Girl in a Cage

MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS by Agatha Christie* Detective Hercule Poirot* murder victim found aboard luxurious Orient Express (train)* thirteen likely suspects

SPORTSTHE BIG FIELD (970 L)by Mike Lupica* Hutch…..shortstop on baseball team until better player, Darryl, arrives* plays second base and struggles playing his best before championship* father-son relationship problems

FANTASY/ADVENTURE

THE LIGHTNING CATCHER (1070 L)by Anne Cameron * Angus McFangus….11 years old….mysteriously whisked to island….apprentice to study weather* parents, famous lightning catchers, kidnapped by villain, Scabious Dankhart* need to find parents before villain takes over the world

RANGER’S APPRENTICE (series) (800s, 900s L)by John Flanagan* Will….15 years old….training to be a Ranger…. dark cloaks and shadowy ways…. * protect kingdom… highly trained* large battle brewing…. the exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night

MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN (890 L)by Ransom Riggs* Jacob…..sixteen years old….grandfather with bizarre stories and photos* journeys to island off coast of Wales where grandfather grew up….realizes the truth* spine-tingling, haunting vintage photography

THE HOBBIT (1000 L)by J.R.R. Tolkien* Bilbo Baggins, hobbit…..Gandalf, wizard…Thorin and dwarves….Smaug, dragon* great adventure to Lonely Mountain….goblins….black forest…..giant spiders….elves* Gollum and one powerful ring

THE BAD BEGINNING (A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS) (1000 L)by Lemony Snicket* Violet, 14, loves inventions…..Klaus, 12, likes to read….Sunny, baby, only understood by siblings* orphans who have to live with Count Olaf…..schemes to steal the children’s fortune* living in evil environment….forced to do chores

SCIENCE FICTION/ADVENTURELOCKDOWN (series) (1010 L)by Alexander Gordon Smith* Alex….fourteen-years-old … put in prison for murder did not commit* Furnace – a prison buried a mile beneath the earth’s surface* pure evil… inhuman creatures in gas masks… giants in black suits dragging screaming inmates away

H.I.V.E.: HIGHER INSTITUTE OF VILLAINOUS EDUCATION (series) (900-1000 L)

by Mark Walden* Otto, 13 years old…..kidnapped with other students to secluded island* students - most athletic, smartest, technically advanced….training to be supervillains* cannot leave for six years ….. or will they?

EARTHFALL (series) (990 L)by Mark Walden* Sam, teenager…..whole world changes when alien vessels fill up sky in London* surviving on own since everyone is brainwashed……hiding from Walkers and drones* drone injury should have killed him……adventure with others who also survived invasion

steampunkFEVER CRUMB (1000 L)by Philip Reeve* Fever Crumb …..girl, adopted by Dr. Crumb….a member of the order of Engineers…memories not her own* assisting archeologist Kit Solent … top-secret project…. particular interest in finding out memories * singled out by city dwellers… say she is part Scriven (not human)

ADVENTURE

ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS (1000 L)by Scott O’Dell* Karana, Indian girl…..deserted on island in Pacific…blue dolphins…sea elephants….otters* waiting for ship to rescue her* learning to survive…making shelter and food…..fighting wild dogs

HATCHET (1020 L)by Gary Paulsen* Brian….13 years old…..parents divorcing…on plane to visit father….crash in wilderness of Canada* learns survival skills with nothing but a hatchet* action-packed….animals….insects and storms ….oh my

BLIZZARD’S WAKE (910 L)by Phyllis Reynolds Taylor* Kate….fifteen years old …. Sad and angry about her mom’s death * Zeke Dexter…in jail four years for accident that killed Kate's mother* March 1941 North Dakota blizzard….danger… facing emotions

REALISTIC FICTION

SO B. IT (860 L)by Sarah Weeks * Heidi….mom is mentally disabled…. Bernadette, caring neighbor, * mysterious word….find out truth….cross-country journey in search of secrets of past

PRINCESS IN PINK (series) (1010 L)by Meg Cabot * Mia Thermopolis….high school sophomore … 15th birthday* boyfriend Michael…. Prom or no prom? * Grandma... poodle to party…. complete chaos….national strike of food and hotel industry… funny

DRUMS, GIRLS, AND DANGEROUS PIE (940 L)by Jordan Sonnenblick

* Steven….thirteen-years-old …. drums in the All-Star Jazz band…. crush on the hottest girl in school* annoyed by his five-year-old brother, Jeffrey….. leukemia….. world turned upside down* deal with his brother's illness … parents' attempts to keep family in one piece

THE CROSSING (1150 L)by Gary Paulsen* Manny, 14 year old, living in Juarez, Mexico….bullied….. begs on streets* wants to cross Rio Grande for new life* Robert Locke, US army sergeant, goes to Juarez to forget

DEAD END IN NORVELT (920 L)by Jack Gantos* Jack….11 years old…..grounded for life* told to help old neighbor….types obituaries of people from his town* Eleanor Roosevelt, Girl Scout cookies, homemade airplanes….surprising and funny

HISTORICAL FICTIONSOLDIER X (740 L)by Don L. Wulffson* Erik…. sixteen-years-old…. ½ Russian ½ German… drafted … Hitler’s army… 1944… * unimaginable sights… huge battle… seriously injured… * hospital… new identity… meets nurse Tamara

BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY by Ruta Sepetys * Lina…. fifteen-years-old…… Lithuania…1941….World War II….. paints… draws * Soviet Union officers force family into train …separated from father… work camp Siberia, cruel conditions* Stalin’s orders… fight for lives… takes risks … draws the events

FORGOTTEN FIRE (1050 L)by Adam Bagdasarian* Vahan Kenderian… wealthy Armenian family in Turkey… 1915… * Family taken …. Killed in front of him … ¾ of Armenians in Turkey killed… a lost nation* on the run… begging… hiding…basements and outhouses…unspeakable horrors… based on true events

BOY IN THE STIPED PAJAMAS (1080 L)by John Boyne* Bruno… nine years old… father is SS Commandant for Auschwitz Concentration Camp* explores new home… finds the fence…talks to Shmuel…Jewish boy inside camp * best friends…. wants to help Shmuel… gray-striped pajamas

ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY (series) (920 L)by Mildred D. Taylor* Cassie, 9 years old….Stacey, 12…..Christopher-John, 7…..Little Man, 6* southern rural Mississippi…..racism during Great Depression* standing up for what is right…….true friendship

THE MARK OF THE THIEF (series) (740 L; Roman Empire setting)by Jennifer Nielsen

* Nic, slave in the mines…..Rome…..discovers lost treasure of Julius Caesar* ancient bulla, an amulet that belonged to Caesar…. filled with magic* center of conspiracy to overthrow the emperor and start Praetor War

NONFICTION…… TOPICS

BLACK POTATOES: THE STORY OF THE GREAT IRISH FAMINE by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

KIDS AT WORK: LEWIS HINE AND THE CRUSADE AGAINST CHILD LABOR by Russell Freedman, photos by Lewis Hine

CHILDREN OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION by Russell Freedman

SHIPWRECK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD: THE EXTRAORDINARY TRUE STORY OF SHACKLETON AND THE ENDURANCE by Jennifer Armstrong, illustrated by Frank Hurley

THE OMNIVORE’S DILEMMA FOR KIDS: THE SECRETS BEHIND WHAT YOU EAT by Michael Pollan

AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL/MEMOIR/BIOGRAPHY

STREET LIFEBy Victor Rios* Victor Rios … Oakland, California… poor… in gang at 13… dropped out of school at 16* witnessed murder of best friend…. changed his attitude…* returned to school… success…

ENRIQUE’S JOURNEY (830 L)By Sonia Nazario* Enrique…. boy from Honduras….family has no food… mother leaves to work in the U.S. * tired of waiting… trip alone… only his mother’s North Carolina telephone number* hunted like animal… gangsters control tops of the trains… robbery…. death…

A CHILD CALLED IT (850 L)by Dave Pelzer* Dave…..one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history* brutally beaten …. starved …. emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother* learns to play mother’s games in order to survive … not a person…. an IT

THE CIRCUIT: STORIES FROM THE LIFE OF A MIGRANT CHILD (880 L)by Francisco Jiménez* independent, intertwined stories….migrant family…. picking cotton …strawberries …topping carrots… and back again - over a number of years* family of four grows into ten….. poverty …. faith… hope…

ALWAYS RUNNING and sequel IT CALLS YOU BACK (830 L)By Luis J. Rodriguez

* Chicano gang member surviving streets of East Los Angeles* acts of violence….. imprisonment* drug addiction…. writer