Hunger Games By Suzanne Collins

Book Type: Young Adult

Rating: A

Recommended For: Older Grades 5/6 +

Genre: Action, Adventure

Themes: Survival, Murder, Death, Friendship

Main Character: Female with Male Supporting Role

Annotation: A young woman's land must send one person a year to participate in the Hunger Games. The whole books focuses on the Games: drawing the names for the game, preparing for the games, competing in the games and life shortly after the games. A battle to the death, the games are exciting and not too gory but I wouldn't let my 3rd grader read this book. A lot of people are murdered. I personally love the survival element in this book as each contestant tries to out last all the rest. It is well written and captivating but I have to admit that the very ending was a disappointment. The book is a series and it does leave several questions unanswered...I can't stand that.

Watchers: Last Stop By Peter Lerangis

Book Type: Young Adult

Rating: Amy gives it an A

Anderson (age 13) gives it an A

Recommended for: Grade 3+

Genre: Suspense/Thriller

Themes: Disappearances/Friends/Dimensions

Main Character: Male with supporting Female

Annotation Both Anderson and I agree that this was a really good, quick read. We each read it in under two hours. Despite the creepy cover this is not a scary book, just very intriguing. It is the first book in the Watchers Series. A teenage boy is struggling to cope with the disappearance of his Father when he begins to see things that no one else is able to see. He fears he is losing his mind as he and a friend try to make sense of his visions.

The Misadventures of Maude March By Audrey Couloumbus

Book Type: Young Adult

Ratings: Amy gives it an A

Alison gives it an A

Alicia gives it an A

Recommended For: Boys and Girls of all ages Grade 3+

Genre: Western/Adventure

Themes: Orphans/Going West/Girls Disguised as Boys/Gun Slingers

Main Characters: Two sisters-but don't let that keep the boys from reading this one. These ladies are dressed as boys and get in some real hootin' shootin' trouble

Annotation: After being orphaned for a second time, two sisters head out West in search of their long lost uncle.

This Book was Recommended to Me By: Alison

Other Audrey Couloumbus Books: Getting Near to Baby (A+)
Maude March on the Run (Haven't Read yet)

Eleven By Patricia Reilly Giff

Book Type: Young Adult

Rating: A

Recommended: Anyone/ Any age

Genre: Drama/Mystery

Themes: Quest for Identity/Family/Wood Carving

Main Character: Male with supporting Female

Annotation: After discovering he once had a different last name, a young boy secretly searches for answers to who he is and where he came from. My only disappointment in this book was that the cover lead me to believe it would be more suspenseful than it actually was.

Other Books By Patricia Reilly Giff: Pictures of Hollis Woods A+ (One of my favorites!)