Young Adult Reading

I saw a great sign the other day that was posted in another library.  Someone thoughtfully put it up on Facebook for all to see and we have debated posting it in our young adult section here at Meinders.  It says:

“It’s Okay.  You have our permission.  These books are from our young adult section.  But it’s okay to read them even if you are no longer, by any stretch of the imagination, young.  In fact, you’ll find that they often have provocative themes and complex characters that are the equal of most of the books you’ll find on the “adult” fiction shelves these days.  So don’t sheepishly tell us it’s for your kids.  We read them and you can, too.”

Recently, I’ve picked up a few young adult novels that I think are some of the best fiction I’ve read in a long time – the plots are great, the writing is fantastic, and I don’t feel at ALL like I’m reading a book for younger readers.  I think authors are currently starting to figure out that we’ve been selling our teenagers short, and the books that are being put out for them really show how brilliant they really are.  These are good plots, people, and I highly recommend the following books – no matter how old you are!

Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

You KNEW this one would be on the list.  No matter its popularity, which sometimes turns people off from a book, this is a great series.  The heroine is bright, gutsy, and likeable (most of the time) and someone most readers can relate with.  Her thoughts are very realistic and the events that she survives are no less than miraculous.  The basic plot of the book is somewhere between the Running Man, Logan’s Run, and the Long Walk, pitting twenty-four teenagers against each other in an arena to fight to the death.  But that is an over-simplification and anyone who skips reading this book because of that summary is really missing out.  Collins does an excellent job with inter-personal relationships and a fantastic job showing how adverse trials often have deep reaching effects.  This is not shallow science fiction, this is a book you can connect with.

Shiver, Maggie Stiefvater

A very interesting take on the werewolf legends that takes place in northern Minnesota.  A young woman discovers there is more to the wolves she watches in her woods than meets the eye.  During the summer, there are a few more people in town, but once it turns cold, those people can no longer be found in Mercy Falls.  And the wolf population grows during the winter – are some of the town residents  running on four legs when it’s cold outside?  The beginning of a great series of books, which culminates in an unexpected ending.  I highly recommend these!

Graceling, Kristin Cashore

The beginning of a series that promises to be very intriguing, Graceling centers around a girl named Katsa who is Graced with the art of killing.  Anyone who exhibits a special skill is said to be ‘Graced,’ which leads to interesting situations when you are a teenager who is capable of killing a man with your bare hands.  Since she is the niece of the King, she works as a thug for the royalty, but all that is about to change.  An unusual friendship and the knowledge of a dangerous secret threaten the destruction of her kingdom and Katsa might be the only girl to stop it.

Tiger’s Curse, Colleen Houck

Fantasy romance at its best, this novel is the beginning of a series as well.  Kelsey finds herself spending her summer vacation trying to break a 300 year old Indian curse with the help of a strange white tiger named Ren.  When she comes into contact with magic spells and forces beyond anything she ever thought existed, Kelsey takes a huge chance and risks her life to find a way to break the curse forever.

Witch and Wizard series, James Patterson

Some of the most popular adult fiction writers have turned to writing young adult fiction and Patterson is at the top of that list.  This Witch and Wizard series centers around a brother and sister who are torn away from their parents and placed into a secret prison for no reason they can understand.  The world is a totalitarian mess, but in the midst of the insanity, the two siblings discover they have powers that they never dreamed of, powers that might be able to help them save the world.

Theodore Boone series, John Grisham

The first of this series is Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer.   Theo, 13, knows everyone involved in the law in his small town and longs to be a lawyer one day, fighting for justice.  But he ends up in the courtroom sooner than he thinks, drawn in as a witness to a murder trial.  He knows the truth, but will he be around long enough to tell it?

Event Update:  Meinders Library is taking reservations for a trip to see the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant in Walnut Grove on July 7^th.  The bus trip and tickets are free, but reservations are required as seating is very limited.  Stop in to fill out your waiver and sign up today!  Reservations cannot be taken over the phone as paperwork must be filled out first.

PAFL Update:  Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to join!  The Friends group works hard to promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the year.  Call for the date of their next meeting.

Book Club Reminder:  Book club regularly meets on the fourth Thursday of each month.  The next meeting is May 17^th at 7:00 in the Meinders Library conference room and everyone is welcome (please note there is a date change this month).  The book is Nineteen Minutes, by Jodi Picoult.    Call us for a copy!

If you have questions or have a book you’d like to reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507) 825-6714.  The hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM – 5 PM.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7^th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.