Okay, here’s another blog on youth adult books. We do read-alouds in our family. This means that most nights (and sometimes breakfasts and lunches if the book is really good) we get together with some treat, anything from a pot of tea to chocolate to ice cream, and I read aloud. Yes, I even do the voices until my throat is scratchy, usually day 6 or 7 of the read-aloud. Currently, we’re reading the book Queste, which is actually, middle grade. It’s in the Septimus Heap series. Even though it’s middle grade, my family indulges me reading it because the characters are engaging, the writing is good (though the third book was not up to the quality of the rest of the series), and the books are witty.
Before Queste, I started reading Max the newest in the James Patterson Maximum Ride series, but the kids had a conniption. The first couple of books were good—the premise of mutant avian kids while not quite believable was fun, and I genuinely liked the characters. But then Patterson started beating his environmental drum so loud it ruined the story, at least for us. One of the cardinal rules of writing is “Don’t preach—tell a story.”
One more good book, Found, Book 1 of The Missing Series by Margaret Petersen Haddix. It also is middle grade. But hey, a good book is a good book, and I already told you that there aren't too many good YA books that aren't girly books. At any rate, I don't want to be a spoiler for Found, but just imagine that you aren't who you think you are...and neither are some others. Enjoy!
Our mother also reads aloud, with voice and everything. The "Percy Jackson" Series was so good, we read them during almost every meal for an entire week.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I didn't like the "Maximum Ride" Series all that much. Even the first couple of books didn't appeal to me all that much.
Maximum Ride never had the appeal of Artemis Fowl or Percy Jackson.
ReplyDeleteHave you guys ever heard of The Sister's Grimm? It is a series. I only read the first book so far. But they are very witty and fun to read. Again, they are for middle schoolers...ug
ReplyDeleteGrace Duke
The second book in the Septimus Heap series was lame.
ReplyDeleteHave you guys read "The Great Brain" Books? Like many books you recommend on your blog, they aren't targetted for the older males, but they're still entertaining to read. I read some time ago when I was younger, and David has been reading them recently. We've both enjoyed them quite a bit.
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