What Are They Reading for Fun?
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compiled by Marlene Charnizon -- School Library Journal, 11/23/2009 11:46:00 AM
Eliza Langhans, Hatfield Public Library, MA:
Hatfield has a population of fewer than 3500 people and a strong independent tradition. Although other area towns regionalized their school systems, Hatfield remained independent and now has the smallest high school in the area with only 206 students in grades 7-12. Since resources are limited, the school and public libraries work together to get books out to local teens. Kelley Armstrong's The Summoning (2008) and The Awakening (2009, both HarperCollins) are in demand, but authors like Mike Lupica and Gordon Korman, who sometimes seem sidelined by all the vampires, zombies, and werewolves, retain a steady following. Like many libraries, we have requests for an endless stream of (mostly classic) manga, but we also have an autodidact in philosophy busily plowing through Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil and Kafka's The Metamorphosis. One young woman took home Tana French's powerful (and long) adult debut mystery, In the Woods (2007), and came back practically the next day for the author's equally intense second novel, The Likeness (2008, both Viking). Sometimes I catch myself feeling surprised when teens skip traditional YA fare for densely written adult novels or heavy works of nonfiction. Then I remember–at that age I did the same thing.
D. Maria LaRocco, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Strongsville, OH:
In our busy suburban library 30 miles south of Cleveland, zombie, werewolf, and vampire books continue to have the edge with teens. Favorites include L.J. Smith’s “The Vampire Diaries” series (HarperTeen); Darren Shan’s ninth title in “The Demonata” series, Dark Calling (Little Brown, 2009); Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games (2008) and Catching Fire (2009, both Scholastic); and Daniel Waters’s Generation Dead (Hyperion, 2008). Some teens are sampling adult authors and reading Harlan Coben’s thriller Long Lost (Dutton, 2009) and Sophie Kinsella’s amusing Twenties Girl (2009) and Shopaholic books (all Dial Pr.). Sapphire’s brutal Push (Vintage, 1997) is also being sought after. Local author Cinda Williams Chima’s Heir books (Hyperion) maintain a following, as do Meg Cabot’s Princess Mia novels (HarperCollins). Requests for Jack Canfield’s “Chicken Soup for the Soul” titles (Health Communications) are continuous and graphic novels, especially Star Wars, are gaining a steady following.
Kelley Siegrist, Farmington Community Library, MI:
Our teens are always looking for the next great read. Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games (2008) and Catching Fire (2009, both Scholastic) are at the top of their lists right now. Close seconds are James Patterson’s “Maximum Ride” series (Little, Brown) and Tera Lynn Childs’s Oh. My. Gods (Dutton, 2008). Darren Shan’s “Cirque du Freak” (Little, Brown) is making a comeback due to the movie release. For older teens, books by Jodi Picoult, Nancy Werlin’s Impossible (Dial, 2008), and Kelley Armstrong’s “Darkest Powers” titles (HarperCollins) prove popular. Of course, anything vampire related flies off the shelves. But, zombies are the new vampires, and Dan Waters’s Generation Dead (2008) and its sequel, Kiss of Life (2009, both Hyperion), are catching up. For those who love mean girls, Lisi Harrison’s “The Clique” series (Little, Brown) is still hanging in, along with Sara Shepard’s Pretty Little Liars (HarperTempest, 2006). As for nonfiction, skateboarding is all the rage with the city’s new state-of-the-art skateboard park, and Steve Badillo’s Skateboarding: Legendary Tricks (Tracks Pub., 2008) fills the bill.
