Adult Books for High School Students—Best Books 2005

The reading tastes of teens are unlimited by genre, format, or subject. The following 21 titles have been selected from books reviewed in the Adult Books for High School Students column in 2005 and represent these eclectic appetites. Memoirs, history, realistic fiction, historical fiction, and science fiction are by turns poignantly humorous, oddly funny, and frighteningly speculative, reflecting the ever-broadening global social and recreational interests of older teens.—Jackie Gropman and Susan Woodcock, chairs, Adult Books for High School Students

See also Best Books 2005 and Great Reads for Grown-Ups

Anderson, Ho Che. King: The Complete Edition. illus. by author. Fantagraphic. 2005. pap. $22.95. ISBN 1-56097-622-5.

Great storytelling combines with eye-popping artwork to create a memorable and moving fictionalized account of the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Sept.)

Bailey. John. The Lost German Slave Girl: The Extraordinary True Story of the Slave Sally Miller and Her Fight for Freedom in Old New Orleans. Atlantic Monthly. 2005. Tr $25. ISBN 0-87113-921-9.

This fascinating court case obsessed and polarized New Orleans from 1843 until its shocking conclusion in 1849. Full of mysterious disappearances, surprise witnesses, and unexpected twists and turns, it’s sure to hold readers’ attention. (Mar.)

Balint, Christine. Ophelia’s Fan: A Novel. Norton. 2004. Tr $24.95. ISBN 0-393-05925-1.

The hauntingly authentic and compelling portrait of Harriet Smithson, great Shakespearean actress of the early 19th century and muse of the composer Berlioz, is chronicled in this fictionalized account inspired by the thespian’s own memoirs. (May)

Beard, Philip. Dear Zoe. Viking. 2005. Tr $21.95. ISBN 0-670-03401-0.

Tess DeNunzio, 15, loses her stepsister in a freak hit-and-run auto accident on September 11, 2001. This epistolary novel, chronicled with honesty and wit, is a tribute to the power of love to heal and celebrates a teen’s resilience in a world inhabited by less-than-perfect adults. (Oct.)

Charlesworth, Monique. The Children’s War. Knopf. 2004. Tr $24.95. ISBN 1-4000-4009-4.

Compelling parallel stories tell of Ilse and Nicolai, two resourceful 13-year-olds of differing backgrounds and perspectives who must fend for themselves in Germany and France during World War II. (Mar.)

Coryat, Sonja Heinze. Sunny, Ward of the State: Calamity Strikes a Family During the Great Depression. PublishAmerica. 2004. pap. $24.95. ISBN 1-4137-1523-0.

Four children who were taken from their parents and placed in an orphanage during the 1930s find humor at unlikely moments in spite of their impoverished conditions. (Apr.)

Diamond, Jared. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. Viking. 2005. Tr $29.95. ISBN 0-670-03337-5.

An eloquent and persuasive description of the ecological and social problems that led to the collapse of previous civilizations and threaten us today. (June)

Foer, Jonathan Safran. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: A Novel. Houghton. 2005. Tr $24.95. ISBN 0-618-32970-6.

Nine-year-old Oscar, a budding inventor, uses flawless kid logic to track down the secret behind a key found among his father’s possessions after the man’s death in the World Trade Center. Written with offbeat humor and witty puns and wordplay, the story will touch the heart of even the most jaded reader. (July)

Friedman, Thomas L. The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century. Farrar. 2005. Tr $27.50. ISBN 0-374-29288-4.

A brilliantly paced, articulately written explanation of today’s world of globalization and collaboration. An essential book that will resonate with young adults. (Nov.)

Furgurson, Ernest B. Freedom Rising: Washington in the Civil War. Knopf. 2004. Tr $30. ISBN 0-375-40454-6.

This panoramic view of Washington, DC, during the Civil War vividly portrays a colorful population of patriots, politicians, spies, con artists and struggling citizens. Particular attention is paid to women and African Americans. (Mar.)

Griffith, Gail. Will’s Choice: A Suicidal Teen, a Desperate Mother, and a Chronicle of Recovery. HarperCollins. 2005. Tr $24.95. ISBN 0-06-059865-4.

A gripping account of a teen’s attempted suicide and hopeful recovery, recounted by his mother with candid input from the young man himself. (Aug.)

Hornby, Nick. A Long Way Down. Riverhead. 2005. Tr $24.95. ISBN 1-57322-302-6.

Four strangers meet on a roof on New Year’s Eve in London, intending to jump to their deaths, but instead they form an unlikely friendship. A combination of dark humor and a deep humanity makes this book special. (Nov.)

Ishiguro, Kazuo. Never Let Me Go. Knopf. 2005. Tr $24. ISBN 1-4000-4339-5.

This dramatically scripted tale of a private English school for “special” students uses chilling revelations to show the darker reality behind the tranquil façade. The cool detachment of the narrative voice enhances this story of an experiment in bioethics. (Aug.)

Kirkpatrick, Stephen. Lost in the Amazon: The True Story of Five Men and Their Desperate Battle for Survival. W Publishing. 2005. Tr $21.99. ISBN 0-8499-0015-8.

A wildlife photographer’s hastily planned expedition into the Peruvian Amazon results in the group becoming hopelessly lost. Subsequent adventures confirm the author’s religious faith and provide readers with a suspenseful and humorous reading experience. (Nov.)

Lee, Edward Jae-Suk. The Good Man: A Novel. Bridge Works. 2005. Tr $21.95. ISBN 1-882593-94-4.

This intriguing tale of a Korean War veteran who returns to his boyhood home in rural Montana after a 40-year absence deftly interweaves past and present and builds to a powerful climax. (July)

McCraig, Ian, Warren Fu, & Derek Thompson. Star Wars Visionaries. illus. by Aaron McBride, et al. Dark Horse. 2005. pap. $17.95. ISBN 1-59307-311-9.

An excellent resource showing how ideas, artwork, and printed materials come together to create a movie. (Nov.)

McKenzie, Elizabeth. Stop That Girl: A Novel in Stories. Random. 2005. Tr $22.95. ISBN 1-4000-6224-1.

Hilarious, poignant, and embarrassing situations with friends, family, neighbors, and love interests are featured in these coming-of-age stories. A perfect selection for teens who enjoy reading about high-spirited, outlandish characters. (July)

Picoult, Jodi. My Sister’s Keeper: A Novel. Atria. 2004. Tr $25. ISBN 0-7434-5452-9.

This frighteningly thought-provoking page-turner relates the story of a 13-year-old girl trying to emancipate herself from her parents to avoid yet another donor operation to save her older sister. (Jan.)

Pritchett, Laura. Sky Bridge. Milkweed. 2005. Tr $22. ISBN 1-57131-046-0.

A gritty, bittersweet, ultimately triumphant story of a young woman in rural Colorado raising her younger sister’s child. Libby copes with the baby’s demands, the loss of her job and her boyfriend, her sister’s illegal activities, and her mother’s alcoholism while holding tenaciously to her sense of self-worth. (May)

Rawles, Nancy. My Jim. Crown. 2005. Tr $19.95. ISBN 1-4000-5400-1.

An American classic is turned on its head with this story of Sadie Watson, the wife Jim left behind when he joined Huck Finn on his adventure down the Mississippi. Even readers unfamiliar with the classic will be captivated by this poignant love story and the vivid account of Jim’s life as a slave, husband, and father. (May)

Winspear, Jacqueline. Pardonable Lies: A Maisie Dobbs Novel. Holt. 2005. Tr $23. ISBN 0-8050-7897-5.

Indomitable, spirited detective Maisie Dobbs takes an intriguing case that becomes increasingly frightening. Set in 1930, this novel provides readers with a great feel for the time between the world wars. (Aug.)