Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline

In the year 2044, the world’s societies have collapsed.  Most people seek to escape their misery by retreating into a virtual world called OASIS, a computer-generated virtual reality which holds a universe of hidden secrets.  Before his death, the mysterious creator of OASIS hid a series of “easter eggs” inside his program, with the promise to leave his enormous fortune to any gamer who could find them all.  Years have since passed, and a legion of egg hunters (or “gunters”) spend endless hours following a trail of clues relating to geek knowledge and the popular culture of the 1980s.  Wade Watts is just one more anonymous gunter, spending endless hours in the OASIS with his avatar “Parzival,” until the unexpected moment when Parzival finds the very first easter egg!  Suddenly, a huge race for the prize develops, with Parzival and the other gunters being pursued by a powerful corporation with a goal of seizing the entire OASIS.

I loved the way that this book was so fast-paced, but still managed to include a treasure trove of fun facts about the 80s.  This book will be an instant classic to anyone who grew up during that era, but even though the references might not click as quickly with younger readers, kids today will be able to gather lots of research material on the Web.  Taking a few minutes away from the story to pull up a Youtube clip from movies like “War Games” or “The Breakfast Club” will allow readers to feel like they’re discovering a hidden part of the OASIS right along with Parzival.  It’s a brilliant way to make the book almost seem like an interactive adventure, and readers will feel themselves sinking deeper into the OASIS.

Even with the moderate violence and sexual references in this book, I wouldn’t give it more than a PG-13 rating.  Reading this book is kind of like playing an awesome video game, actually, and the end result is a huge literary geekfest.  If you’ve been searching for a book that would be awesome enough to make a young gamer power down his system for a few days, look no further than Ready Player One.

               

               

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

Scout Finch is a precocious six-year-old from rural Maycomb County, Alabama.  Her father, Atticus, enjoys a quiet life as a successful lawyer in the 1930s, but the family’s lives are turned upside down when Atticus takes on an unpopular case.  Tom Robinson is a black man accused of raping a white woman, and the entire town seems to have judged his guilt in advance of the actual trial.  Despite Atticus’ heroic efforts in the courtroom, it’s apparent that the residents of Maycomb just aren’t ready to take the word of a black man over that of his white accusers, even when there’s no hard evidence of Tom’s guilt.

Yes, there are several mature subjects in this book, such as sexual assault, mob violence and racial epithets.  It is not overly graphic, however, and I feel that Ms. Lee did her best to paint an honest picture of the attitudes that were common during this time.  Given that the book was probably aimed at adult readers, I thought it was extremely interesting that this book was narrated by a six-year-old girl.  The perspective of a youthful outsider allows us to get a great look at the emotions involved in this scandalous crime, as well as the biases that were inherent in the judicial system of that era. 

One final reason to like this book (or if you’re like me, to LOVE it!) is the fact that it was Ms. Lee’s only novel.  Also, despite the fact that “To Kill a Mockingbird” is one of the best-selling books of the past fifty years, Ms. Lee refuses to do any personal publicity!  She still lives in Monroeville, Alabama, the town where she was born, and maintains a very private lifestyle.  By refusing to comment the inspiration for her novel or the hidden meanings of certain parts, it’s almost as if she’s choosing to let her book speak for itself.  I think her taking a stand like that is incredibly cool, since it’s exactly what writing is all about!  Even long after you’ve passed away, the words you’ve written will still be there to live on.

Going Bovine, by Libba Bray

Cameron Smith is a high school slacker who suddenly begins to suffer from hallucinations.  Over time, he learns that he’s come down with Creutzfeldt-Jakob variant BSE, more commonly known as the deadly “mad cow disease”.  Fearing that he may be dying, Cameron escapes from the hospital with help from his dwarf friend Gonzo, an honest-to-goodness angel named Dulcie, and a Norse god named Balder who’s been cursed with the appearance of a lawn gnome.  These unlikely friends set off on one last wild Spring Break adventure that’s almost too insane to be real!

Even though this book has a couple of mature themes, I’d feel comfortable recommending it to most high schoolers.  The tough issues that Cameron faces are dealt with in a very respectful manner, and Ms. Bray’s writing presents a raw, unvarnished picture of a less-than-perfect kid.  With all the drama involved, this book might have become a real downer if it wasn’t so absolutely hilarious!  The situations that Cameron and his crew encounter are completely over-the-top, and there were some points when I felt like I was dreaming this story instead of simply reading it! 

One of my favorite parts about “Going Bovine” was that it made me wonder if Cameron was actually dying, or if the whole story was simply a sickness-induced hallucination.  Either way, it made for a fun experience since everyone has considered the possibility of their own death at some point.  And if you’re ever stuck for ideas on a writing project, you couldn’t ask for a better prompt than imagining what you might do if you only had a few weeks left to live.  If Ms. Bray could create this amazing story from that one simple idea, just imagine the story you could write!  

Crash, by Jerry Spinelli

John “Crash” Coogan is a seventh-grade football star, and I’ll go out on a limb and call him kind of a bully as well.  Crash enjoys the fast-paced, macho world of sports, and he lives every other part of his life with the same intense passion.  His head-long behavior continues when he meets a new neighbor, Penn Webb, who’s basically the exact opposite.  Penn is a quiet, thoughtful boy whose Quaker family doesn’t condone violence, eat meat, or seek out material things.  When Crash strikes up a reluctant friendship with Penn, he’s forced to re-think many of his own behaviors.

I loves the way that this book unfolded over the course of the entire school year, so it gives the reader a chance to get to know Crash while organizes his life priorities.  The year holds a lot of surprises for Crash, including changes in his parents’ employment, his little sister’s growing social activism, and new friends at school.  The most serious concern is his grandfather Scooter’s sudden illness, which serves to remind Crash that having a healthy family and supportive friends is much more important than having nice clothes, toys, or even being popular.  At the end of the book, I really appreciated the way that Mr. Spinelli intentionally left the conclusion kind of open and unresolved, almost as if he realized that Crash wasn’t a perfect person but he still wanted to give him more time to improve.  It was a very cool and thought-provoking way to close out a fun book!

This book would hold a lot of appeal with any upper-middle-grade readers, especially young men who consider themselves to be sports fans.  The hilarious circumstances and quick pacing make “Crash” a fast read, even though it’s not necessarily a short book.  Pass a copy along to the jock in your life and I guarantee, this is one book that they won’t be embarrassed to be seen reading in public!

The Black Stallion, by Walter Farley

Alec Ramsay is a young boy returning from visiting his uncle in India.  While his steamship is stopped at an Arabian port, Alec witnesses the crew struggling to bring an untamed black horse aboard.  Days later, after a terrible storm at sea, the ship goes down with the only survivors being the horse and Alec!  Alec soon learns that his new horse is built for speed, but any dreams of the racetrack will have to wait until after they can be rescued!

I enjoyed this book because it’s a story that’s half adventure and half sports.  Also, even though the book was a contemporary novel when it was published in 1941, it reads more like a well-researched historical novel today.  When Alec eventually gets rescued by a passing freighter, his parents send him a telegram with instructions to book a ticket on the next ship bound for New York.  I thought that was hilarious, compared to the availability of instant messaging and jet travel that we take for granted nowadays!

Even though this book is nearly seventy years old, it’s still just as exciting to read today.  “The Black Stallion” is pure escapist fantasy about a boy and his horse, the two of them alone against the wild world.  Whenever you mix together ocean travel, deserted islands, wild animals and athletic championships, that recipe is sure to be a success with boys who love to read!       

The Year of Billy Miller, by Kevin Henkes

Billy Miller is nervous about going back to school.  After suffering a concussion over summer vacation, he’s worried that he may not be smart enough for the second grade!  On top of the stress that comes from meeting a new teacher, Billy’s struggling to get along with his little sister, his parents, and his friends.  It seems like there’s always something going on at the Miller household, and Billy’s usually right in the middle of the action!

One thing I liked about this chapter book was how the reader gets the chance to follow Billy through the entire school year.  It’s not a minute-by-minute, day-by-day account, but rather an in-depth look at some of the more memorable events as Billy sees them.  Mr. Henkes gives a lot of attention to the simple things, like Billy’s diorama project and his class’ poetry recital.  These might not be major societal issues that we’re talking about, but they’re certainly huge milestones for a second grade student!

This one is a little bit longer than the traditional chapter book, but it’s nicely broken down into shorter sections so that even the most methodical reader will be able to make steady progress.  Not only is this book a great story about a very cool kid, but it’s a strong choice to prepare young men for the longer novels that they’ll see in upper grades.  Keep a copy of this book on hand and I guarantee, it won’t be long until all the pages start looking dog-eared and worn!

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie

Even though he’s a goofy-looking kid with a history of medical issues, socially awkward Arnold “Junior” Spirit still shows a lot of promise.  He’s one of the best students at his school on the Spokane Indian Reservation, and he’s also a talented cartoonist and basketball player.  As Junior starts to become aware of the dead-end lives that his fellow Indians are living “on the rez”, he comes to realize that in order to have a future he’s going to have to get out.  Enrolling in the “white school” across town is an extremely unpopular decision with his friends and neighbors, but it’s a choice he has to make.  It’s tough to imagine how Junior’s life could get any harder…until, of course, it does.

This is a raw, honest book that doesn’t pull any punches.  I appreciated the way that Mr. Alexie was very blunt in discussing Junior’s struggles, both as an adolescent and as a Native American growing up in poverty.  I don’t know very much about the culture of American Indians, so it was awesome to get a sneak peek inside a modern-day reservation.  Mr. Alexie was brutally honest in his portrayal of the Spokane Indian Reservation, including descriptions of alcoholism and domestic violence.  “The Rez” came across as a sad, desperate kind of place, and it’s easy to see why Junior would work so hard to get out.

This novel seemed like a short read, but that might just be because it’s such a page-turner.  The outstanding illustrations by Ellen Fortney were both hilarious and heartfelt as well.  It’s important to note that several school districts have banned this book because of some graphic content, but I didn’t feel like it was anything that would be unfamiliar to today’s teenagers.  What really bothered me was that the supposed “objectionable content” involved normal issues from Junior’s adolescence, and hardly anyone seemed to be bothered by the tragic circumstances of everyday life on the reservation!  This is just my personal opinion here, but maybe people who haven’t actually read this book are getting upset about the wrong things!  In any case, this was one of the best modern young adult novels that I’ve read since starting this project, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to any (older) boys!