What Are They Reading for Fun?
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compiled by Marlene Charnizon -- School Library Journal, 5/21/2008 1:29:00 PM
Books for when “the living is easy.”
Lori A. Guenthner, Baltimore County Public Library, Randallstown, MD:
Last summer, two of the most requested books were J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Scholastic, 2007) and Stephenie Meyer’s Eclipse (Little, Brown, 2007). A close third was Ann Brashares’s Forever in Blue (Delacorte, 2007). The latter two will probably get a resurgence of interest this summer because of the upcoming movie releases. And Meyer’s Breaking Dawn, the last book in the “Twilight” series, is scheduled for August. Conn and Hal Iggulden’s The Dangerous Book for Boys (Collins, 2007) has been going strong since it was issued last year. Christopher Paolini’s Eragon (Knopf, 2003), Eoin Colfer’s “Artemis Fowl” books (Hyperion), and Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely (HarperTeen, 2007) were hardly ever on the shelf. The same was true of James Patterson’s “Maximum Ride” (Little, Brown) and Anthony Horowitz’s “Alex Rider” (Philomel) series. Sara Shepard’s “Pretty Little Liars” books (HarperTempest) and Anne Schraff’s “Bluford High” series (Scholastic) have been popular, too.
Caitlin Augusta, The Darien Library, CT:
Tweens and teens request an eclectic mix of favorites. The Lord of the Rings and Little Women circulate alongside Anna Godbersen’s The Luxe (HarperTeen, 2007) and Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief (Knopf, 2006). Last summer, there was no escaping Harry Potter, but also Brian Selznick’s The Invention of Hugo Cabret (Scolastic, 2007), Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief (Hyperion, 2005), and Conor Kostick’s Epic (Viking, 2007). We hand out mysteries like Peter Abrahams’s Down the Rabbit Hole (HarperCollins, 2005) and Jennifer Allison’s Gilda Joyce, Psychic Investigator (Dutton, 2005) often. Series? Yes; mostly Lisi Harrison’s “Clique” novels (Little, Brown), “Alex Rider,” and “Twilight.” New installments from Susan Beth Pfeffer, Trenton Lee Stewart, Rick Riordan, Meyer, and Paolini are already generating a buzz. I’ve also noticed an upsurge of interest in urban fantasy like Cassandra Clare’s City of Bones (S & S, 2007) and Charles de Lint’s Little (Grrl) Lost (Viking, 2007).
Jennifer Barnes, Homewood Public Library, IL:
Last summer, kids visited the library in droves to escape the cacophony of cicadas outside; the littlest ones came in wanting anything with a superhero, while their older counterparts returned to their favorite series, like Lemony Snicket’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events” (HarperCollins). Teen visitors left our shelves bare of books by Maureen Johnson (HarperTeen) and Anthony Horowitz (Philomel). This summer, we’re sure the release of the movie The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian will bring kids back yet again to C.S. Lewis’s series (HarperTrophy). For teens craving sci-fi, we expect that Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother and teen author Isamu Fukui’s Truancy (both Tor, 2008) will rarely grace the shelf. With the recent announcement of two Illinois state book lists, we also expect upper elementary and middle schoolers to flock to the Rebecca Caudill titles and high schoolers to the Abraham Lincoln list.
