Reviewed by: Mrs. Moran

Plot: Thirteen year old Anna is not sick, but she has undergone countless surgeries and hospital procedures. Why? To save her sister Kate. Kate has suffered from leukemia since childhood and Anna was deliberately conceived to be a bone marrow donor for Kate. As a teenager, Anna is starting to question her true existence what her purpose is on earth other than being a donor for her sister. Anna will make a decision that could tear her family apart forever. My Sister’s Keeper examines what a good parent is, what a good sister is and what a good person is. Is it morally right to do whatever it takes to save a child’s life when that means infringing upon the rights of another?

Why Read? My Sister’s Keeper is a thrilling novel that you won't be able to put down. Each chapter is written from a different character's perspective, making the book intriguing and addictive. My Sister’s Keeper is also Winner of the Margaret Alexander Edwards Award (the Alex Award) given by the American Library Association, the Best Book of the Year (Bookbrowse.com), Nominated for an IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, and nominated for a British Book Award, 2005. read more reviews

Reviewed by: Mr. Sislian

Plot: Broken into three parts, Life of Pi tells the story of a boy name Piscine, Pi for short, who helps his parents run a small zoo in India. Pi's parents eventually plan to move the animals to a newer zoo in Canada and while crossing the ocean, the boat is caught in a storm and sinks. Pi is able to survive, but soon learns that he is sharing a life raft with an orangutan, a wounded zebra, a hyena, and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Throughout Pi’s ordeal, he learns much about himself and humanity in general. Throughout the book Pi questions his ability to survive as well as his belief in spirituality and God.

Plot: Set in a fictional South American country, Bel Canto opens at the vice president’s mansion where a lavish party is taking place, thrown by the government in an attempt to woo investments from a wealthy Japanese business man, Mr. Hosokawa. The government’s ace in the hole is a performance by Roxane Coss, a world renown opera singer whose voice is the object of Mr. Hosokawa's respectful affection. The action of the novel begins immediately when the party is suddenly interrupted by an invasion of guerrilla terrorists who break in through the mansion's air conditioning vents and proceed to hold the guests captive for weeks... which turn into months. However, what begins as a terrifying ordeal evolves and morphs into something quite different as the plot and the action give way to the beauty and complexities of human interactions. Bel Canto is loosely based on the December 17, 1996 Japanese embassy hostage crisis that took place in Lima, Peru.

Why read? What is interesting about this novel is the way Patchett uses form and function to carry the reader through the varying stages of each character’s experience, much in the same way opera music has an individual yet forwarding influence on its listener. Just as the characters never leave the compound, neither does the reader—the setting remains the same throughout the entire novel, allowing Patchett’s transcendent use of magical realism to gently expose the frailties and fortitudes of humanity within the harsh reality of an aggravated situation.

Recommended by: Ms. Kenny-Stein

Plot: Sally and Gillian, sisters who are opposites in almost every way, have one thing in common: they are part of the Owens family, the family the town blames when anything goes wrong. Desperate to be loved and accepted, the girls make different choices to escape their pasts, but come back together when they realize they need one another. Oh, and did I mention that they’re witches?

Why Read? This novel is funny, moving, and beautifully written. It is MUCH better than the movie, but if you liked the movie, you’ll love the book. Hoffman infuses this world of magic with believable situations; at a very basic level, this novel is about understanding and accepting your own unique qualities.

The Penelopiad By: Margaret Atwood

Recommended by: Ms. Prevete

Plot: “Now that I’m dead I know everything.” So begins Atwood’s The Penelopiad written from the point of view of Penelope as she is reflecting on her life. Through her reflections, she answers many of our questions about herself and her thoughts and feelings while waiting for her husband, Odysseus, to return home from the Trojan War. Atwood puts a creative and comical twist on the character of Penelope and her view of her maids. Poems and comic interludes are also included between sections of Penelope’s story, written from the point of view of the maids expressing their feelings towards Odysseus.

Why read? You will fall in love with the voice of this Penelope and wish you could hang out with her! Penelope becomes a more realistic and complete person than she appears to be in The Odyssey. Prior knowledge of The Odyssey would help to identify references made, but is not necessary to enjoy the novel. The chorus of the hanged maids is hysterical and they make Penelope seem very human.

Recommended by: Ms. Grigal

Plot: Two young teenage girls become friends over the summer while on vacation. This is a story about how their relationship develops and changes over the years.

Why read? It has humor, heartache and joy and I think many young ladies would enjoy reading this book.

Recommended by: Ms. Hamer

Plot: A young girl who survives a family altering car crash, is sent to live with her grandmother in the hills of a mining community, far removed from the city life she grew up in until the crash. With her mother in a coma, the new adventures, school, lifestyle and relationship with her grandmother and younger brother make very compelling reading.

Why read? It is a combination of To Kill A Mockingbird and Huckleberry Finn. The writing is superb, the characters stay with you for a very long time, and you just want all things to turn out well for this young girl at the center of the story.

The Secret Life of Bees By: Sue Monk Kidd
Recommended by: Mrs. Forte

Plot: Great story about the things that are important in life, and how adversity can lead to strength of character.

Why read? The relationships between the characters are wonderful with strong female characters. This book has many words of wisdom that will leave a lasting impression.

The Man Who Ate The 747 By: Ben Sherwood
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk
Plot: As the keeper of records for the legendary Book of Records, J. J. Smith documents noteworthy feats involving tiddlywinks, fingernails, hiccups and cow chips. Then his orderly world is turned upside-down by a man eating an entire Boeing 747 to prove his love to a woman. As Smith tells us, "This is the story of the greatest love, ever."

Why read? Sherwood's modern fable expertly blends authentic world records with the abstract mysteries of love. If a man is willing to eat an entire airplane to prove his love to a woman, can she still say no?

Pride and Prejudice By: Jane Austen
Recommended by: Mr. Moran
Plot: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” Is that so? Do people decide to find money and then love—or vice-versa? Or neither? Austen’s novel follows the lives of Elizabeth Bennet and her 4 sisters as they test this proposition.

Why read? Austen wrote this novel when she was only a handful of years older than you are now—believe me, she “gets it” and knows what you experience while courting in the hallways and the mall. Plus, she’s terrifically intelligent and her observations about human nature—and its flaws—are as dead-on today as they were in her own time. Parts of the book are complex—but so is life. Don’t let the complexity intimidate you. Read the Divine Jane and find out what all the fuss is about! Read more reviews

A Prayer for Owen Meany By: John Irving
Recommended by: Mr. Pellicane
Plot: The story of a strange little boy who kills his best friend’s mom with a baseball.

Why read? Plenty of humor and an ending that will make your hair stand on end. Read more reviews

The Screwtape Letters By: C.S. Lewis

Recommended by: Jon H.

Plot: Basically, the book consists of 31 letters.  Each is written from Screwtape, a devil, who is writing to his nephew, Wormwood, about how to properly take over the soul of a human so that he will go to Hell (instead of Heaven) when he dies.

Why read? This book uses the exact opposite approach of most other Christian books. The Screwtape Letters describes true Christian beliefs and morals by using evil characters, making it both uplifting and interesting at the same time. Because of this it is not boring; it is one of the few Christian books I have read that takes a different path to uplifting the beliefs of Christians.

Pigtopia By: Kitty Fitzgerald
Recommended by: Mr Wolk
Plot: Disfigured Jack Plum has been rejected by society. To cope with his isolation, Jack creates a haven for his beloved pet pigs(his “Pigtopia”) and befriends a sensitive teenager, Holly Lock. Their unlikely friendship and Jack’s secret world are ultimately threatened by forces beyond their control.

Why read? Avoid this one if you have a weak stomach; it's not Babe or Charlotte’s Web. It is, however a deep/serious/moving tale of a unique friendship and society’s treatment of those who are “different”—with a “tip of the hat” to Frankenstein and Of Mice and Men.

Be More Chill By: Ned Vizzini
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk
Plot: NJ high school student Jeremy Heere is decidedly “uncool.” Then in the back room of a Payless Shoe Store, he purchases an illegal “squip”—a supercomputer in pill form that programs his brain to say and do “cool” things. Soon Jeremy leaves the ranks of the “geeks” for the social elite but not without some disastrous results.

Why read? Vizzini takes ordinary life in a New Jersey high school and gives it a surreal edge (as if it needed one). You'll want to draw connections to other works in which man needs to re-think the possible outcomes of clever technological innovations.

Nectar in a Sieve By: Kamala Markandaya

Recommended by: Ms. Acosta

Plot: This is a seminal work in Anglo-American fiction. It tells the story of Rukmani, who lives in a primitive village in India. She is married as a child bride to a tenant farmer she had never seen and works side by side with her husband to wrest a living from land that was ravaged by droughts, monsoons, and insects. She shows remarkable courage as she meets the challenges of extreme poverty and disaster. She sees one of her infants die from starvation, her daughter become a prostitute in order to provide food for her dying sibling, and her sons leave for jobs that she mistrusted. Rukmani’s whole life centers around the persistent battle to care for her loved ones.

Why read? It’s a moving, inspiring work that will make you appreciate all that you have.
 

About A Boy By: Nick Hornby
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk

Plot: Will(36) leads a carefree life, void of work, children, responsibility and long-term relationships. Marcus(12) worries constantly about the bullies at school and his suicidal mother. Their lives intersect when Will's scheme of dating beautiful single moms leads to a dead duck and other complications.

Why read? Hornby weaves an abundance of compelling relationships (Will & Marcus, Marcus & Fiona, Will & Rachel, Marcus & Ellie, Will & Fiona) into the rich tapestry of his novel. There's a poignant message here regarding the human condition and the ties that bind us.

Slam By: Nick Hornby
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk
Plot: Sam is an average English fifteen-year-old, who worships skateboarder Tony Hawk. When Sam’s sixteen-year-old girlfriend unexpectedly becomes pregnant, he must decide whether to run away or “do the responsible thing” and prepare for premature fatherhood. Help arrives in the form of a poster of Sam’s idol, which provides a spiritual link between Sam/Tony and helpful advice to solve life's most challenging problems.

Why read? On the surface, Slam is an ordinary tale of teenage pregnancy. At times, the book reads more like a movie script waiting to be filmed rather than a novel, though not quite as good as Judd Apatow’s recent work on a similar theme. Hornby elevates the material by utilizing a number of oddball twists including time travel episodes, the portrayal of Tony Hawk as Buddha-like prophet and an unpredictable conclusion.

Daniel Isn’t Talking By: Marti Leimbach
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk
Plot: Melanie Marsh seems to be living the perfect life until her son, Daniel, is diagnosed with a severe form of autism. After her spineless husband departs and all seems lost, Melanie finds hope/help in the talents of the inspirational and unconventional Andy O'Connor.

Why read? Try this one after reading Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident. The subject is again autism, but this time the story is told from the adult viewpoint of a parent. You'll love the relationship that develops between the heroic Melanie and the amazing Andy and find yourself rooting for them as they battle the extraordinary obstacles that life sometimes places in our path.

Mrs. Dalloway By: Virginia Woolf
Recommended by: Nicole M.
Plot: The story is a day in the life of Mrs. Clarisa Dalloway. As Mrs. Dalloway prepares for the party she is giving that evening, a series of events take place that question the role of England in the first World War, the role of women in the home and the role of Mrs. Dalloway in her own life.

Why read? Written in a stream of consciousness form, Woolf’s writing exemplifies the art of language.

The Tortilla Curtain By: T.C.Boyle
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk
Plot: Delaney and Kyra Mossbacher are “open-minded” Californians, with good jobs and a great home in a gated, hilltop community. Candido and America Rincon cross the Mexican border and live in a makeshift camp near the bottom of a ravine. When their worlds collide after an accident, the Mossbachers find their value system sorely tested.

Why read? Boyle’s illegal alien/immigration-themed novel has become “required reading” in California, where border crossing is an everyday fact of life. A master storyteller, Boyle makes the reader see and feel the human side of an issue that is often reduced to mere statistics.

Talk Talk By: T.C.Boyle
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk
Plot: Dana Halter, a law-abiding teacher at the San Roque School for the Deaf, finds herself accused of weapons possession/auto theft/passing bad checks after she becomes the victim of an identity thief. When local police offer little help, she and her boyfriend decide to launch their own pursuit of the wily William "Peck" Wilson.

Why read? Boyle creates a “thrill-ride” of a cross-country car chase and a suspenseful showdown between "Peck" and Dana. The ease with which Wilson fleeces his victims and his lack of conscience are downright scary. In the end, the reader is left to ponder whose identity has been lost, found, altered or stolen.

Sophie’s World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy By: Jostein Gaardner
Recommended by: Mr. Moran
Plot: Young Sophie Amundsen comes home from school one day to find two slips of paper in her mailbox. The first reads, “Who are you?” The second reads, “Where did the world come from?” More and more letters arrive—bearing more and more complex, intense and sometimes frightening messages—until Sophie finds herself drawn into a plot that defies physics and conventional ideas of what it means to be alive.

Why read? Don’t let the subtitle throw you—this is an engaging, page-turner of a book. If you ever wondered what philosophy is really “about,” or if you are the kind of person who likes mind-bending plots, try this novel.

Grendel By: John Gardner
Recommended by: Mr. Moran

Plot: If you’ve already read Beowulf, check out John Gardner's 1971 novel told from the monster's point-of-view.

Why read? Grendel’s voice is funny, intelligent and ironic—he’s the monster version of Holden Caulfield.

Inferno By: Dante Alighieri
Recommended by: George Z.

Plot: Medieval Italian poem on a man's journey through Hell. Dante, guided by classical Roman poet Virgil, recalls his encounters with sinners, demons, mythical creatures such as Cerberus and the minotaur, and Lucifer himself.

Why read? Dante's Inferno is the most influential text on the Christian Hell of all time. Its impact on modern religion and culture is profound.

Reviewer’s note: I recommend the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow translation.

Jane Eyre By: Charlotte Bronte
Recommended by: Mr. Moran

Plot: If you like your plots and characters’ emotions over-the-top, you’ll love Jane Eyre, the story of a governess whose romance with the shady Mr. Rochester will seem more and more like “real life” the more you think about it.

Why read? It’s got the only scene in literature where, at a wedding, the minister says, “If anyone here can say why these two souls should not be joined in sacred matrimony, let him speak now or forever hold his peace” —and someone actually speaks.

Fifth Business By: Robertson Davies
Recommended by: Dmitriy Y.
Plot: Fifth Business is the first (and best) of a trilogy written by Robertson Davies, a Canadian author. The title “Fifth Business” is a role in opera—“Those roles which, being neither those of Hero nor Heroine, Confidante or Villain, but which were nonetheless essential to bring about the Recognition or the denouement, were called the Fifth Business in drama and opera companies organized according to the old style; the player who acted these parts was often referred to as Fifth Business. You must have Fifth Business because he is the one who knows the secret of the hero’s birth, or comes to the assistance of the heroine when she thinks all is lost, or keeps the hermitess in her cell, or may even be the cause of somebody’s death if that is part of the plot. The prima dona and the tenor, the contralto and the basso, get all the best music and do all the spectacular things, but you cannot manage the plot without Fifth Business.” This is exactly the role Dunstan plays throughout his life. He is just a minor character in a larger story. But Davies shows us that everyone, including rich tycoons, rely on a Fifth Business, but that it is a very difficult role to fill. To be clear though, the book has nothing to do with opera. The book is written in first person from Dunstan’s point of view, but it examines the lives of the people around him and the strange relationships he has with them. It covers so many elements of life, such as childhood nostalgia to deep, lifelong guilt.

Why read? Every page is like poetry. Davies is a very underrated writer but is best known for this book. The language is very fluid and concise, and the plot never drags on. When Davies feels he made his point, Dunstan (in first person) lets you know and moves on. It’s a very very strange book, with some moments that will make you do a double take. But it was well worth reading for me last summer, and by far my favorite novel.

The Namesake By: Jhumpa Lahiri
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk
Plot: Gogol Ganguli is the son of parents who left India for Cambridge, Mass. in the late 1960’s. Though American-born, he can never be independent of the cultural values of his parents’ world. The Namesake details Gogol’s search for identity from his early years to college, a name change, dating, marriage and beyond.

Why read? If your own background has ever led to a clash of cultures, you’ll identify with Gogol’s struggles. The Namesake explores some of the same territory as Bend It Like Beckham but in a more serious and detailed fashion.

Then She Found Me By: Elinor Lipman
Recommended by: Iva G.P.
Plot: “My biological mother was seventeen when she had me in 1952, and even that was more than I wanted to know about her...” Then She Found Me is a funny look at a birthmother-daughter reconnection. April is a Latin teacher who has lived a very low-profile life, avoiding relationships and romance. Bernice, her biological mother, is at the opposite pole, an edgy, name dropping talk show host who’s always on stage, always cued to go.

Why read? The book is surprisingly funny and you won’t be able to put it down. It is a pretty easy reading, nothing complicated.

Water for Elephants By: Sara Gruen
Recommended by: Karen R

Plot: This is the story of an elderly man who reminisces about his life when he was a young man. Many of his early years were spent in the circus—he ran away from home and found refuge in a traveling circus.

Why read? The insight into the “glamorous” life of circus performers as well as the relationships they form with each other make for a great read! You will fall in love with the elephant!!!

The Space Between Us By: Thrity Umrigar
Recommended by: Karen R.

Plot: This is the story of 2 women in India- one an employer who is Parsi, and the other her employee who is Hindu. It provides an inside look into the relationship between these two women and their families.

Why read? This is one of my favorite books—I felt the writing was so fluid I hardly knew I was reading. I also learned a lot about India from reading it.

Bridget Jones’s Diary By: Helen Fielding
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk

Plot: Thirtysomething and still single, Bridget obsesses over her looks, her bad habits and her relationships (or lack thereof). She believes that she will someday be left for dead and eaten by wild dogs. After Bridget becomes involved with her boss, fiction’s most recent version of Mr. Darcy arrives to spice up the plot.

Why read? Fielding’s novel has spawned hundreds of “chick lit” and “lad lit” imitations. If the movie Clueless made you check out Jane Austen’s Emma, Bridget Jones’s Diary will make you again want to seek out the original source—Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

The Confessions of Max Tivoli By: Andrew Sean Greer
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk

Plot: Max Tivoli is born with a rare disease, causing him to age in a backwards fashion. When he is born in 1871, Max has the body of a seventy-year-old man but the mind of a child. As his body grows younger and his mind matures, Max journeys through social changes and lessons in love, fully aware that his “long strange trip” will somehow expire in the year of 1941.

Why read? “We are each the love of someone's life.” These are Max’s opening words, and they’re a great starting point for thought, discussion or a diary/journal entry. The fun here lies in watching Max pursue the love of his life (Alice Levy), who unfortunately for Max is aging in a totally opposite direction.

Zoology By: Ben Dolnick
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk

Plot: After flunking out during his freshman year at American U., Henry Elinsky’s life seems headed for disaster. When brother David invites Henry to New York, opportunity knocks in the form of a job at the Central Park Zoo, leading to life lessons involving Newman the goat and Margaret-"the sort of girl that people stare at on subways."

Why read? This one ranks right up there with the other great “coming of age” novels. The youthful author looks like your little kid brother in the book jacket photo but demonstrates a wisdom/maturity well beyond his years. Zoology is filled with quirky characters and memorable scenes that stay with you long after the last page is turned.

Never Let Me Go By: Kazua Ishiguro
Recommended by: Mr. Reck

Plot: Tommy has emotional outbursts, he gets mad when he isn’t picked for the team. Tommy isn’t so creative, but when eventually starts to draw, he constructs wildly detailed juvenile depictions of mechanical animals. He has two friends, one named Ruth who will become his girlfriend, and another named Kathy who narrates the story. Together, they form a very normal love triangle. But the question remains, do they have souls?

Why read? Kazua precisely captures the awkwardness of each level of education, but still avoids tackling the larger medical and scientific controversies he dips his pen into. Never Let Me Go is a wonderful standstill romance and genre-less oddity. You won’t be able to put it down, and when it finishes you will want to immediately force it onto someone else and share your reactions. Consider this me trying to force it onto you.

The History of Love By: Nicole Krauss
Recommended by: Mr. Reck

Plot: The History of Love concerns one Leopold Gursky, old Jewish man, writer. It is also about a fourteen year old girl, who is named after the main character in a book called The History of Love by one Zvi Litvinoff. Aside from Zvi, Alma and Leo, there’s also a little brother who thinks he’s the messiah, a lost son, lost wives, lost manuscripts, a grieving mother. And somehow Krauss manages to pull all of this together through a series of complex twists and turns that all come off as effortless.

Why read? The History of Love was painful to put down. Once you become entangled in the mysteries of who’s who and who wrote what and how each character is connected, you will find it difficult to take a break. Each chapter takes a different narrative stance, and once you think you’ve figured out the rhythm, Krauss adds a new slant, a new connection. The structure is simply brilliant.

Grab On To Me Tightly As If I Knew the Way By: Bryan Charles
Recommended by: Mr. Reck
Plot: What I initially read as awkward hubris from a first time writer is really a fairly accurate nostalgic window into the 1990’s that I remember as a teenager. Charles uses Vim to nail the essence of being a teenager at that exact moment. The passionate need to be loved by family and friends, balanced with the need for distance, the feeling of having a band and thinking it’s the most essential thing in the world, balanced with a debate between the personal and commercial aspects of writing garage rock, all of Charles’ themes are intertwined exactly how it actually was.

Why read? As a debut, Charles proves that he can depict his youth with charm and universality.

A Brief History of the Dead By: Kevin Brockmeier
Recommended by: Mr. Reck

Plot: The book does a balancing act between this world and the next. Here in life, a lone woman struggles to stay alive in the Antarctic wilderness after a freak plague wipes out the world's population. In the next world, those remembered by the living are denizens of a mystical—yet exceptionally normal—city. How these two worlds shrink and then intersect is a brilliant exploration of not just what happens to humans after they die, but also how many individuals a single person interacts with in a lifetime.

Why read? The truth is that even with the concentration on death Brockmeier has created a funny landscape of involving characters and managed to work in some social criticism as well. Brockmeier now ranks as one of my favorite writers.

The Nanny Diaries By: Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
Recommended by: Elizabeth F.

Plot: Nan, a nanny in the Big Apple, gets a job with a rich family, to babysit their child, Grayer. It shows how you’re treated while working with a rich family and how much the family cares about their only child. Follow Nan through her adventures of being the nanny in the X household.

Why read? The Nanny Diaries shows what life can be like when people don’t care, and what it can be like when the most unexpected person cares for you more than the people that should.

Dear Zoe, By: Philip Beard
Recommended by: Mrs. Rivera

Plot: 9/11 is synonymous with terrorist attacks and the fall of the twin towers. For Tess DeNunzio, it's the day her small town world fell apart- the day her three-year-old sister Zoe died in a hit-and-run car accident. As a form of therapy, Tess writes a letter to Zoe which includes snapshots of Tess’s tumultuous journey as a fifteen-year-old adolescent.

Why read? Beard uses a relatable voice/narrator to chronicle the life of a young girl and her healing process. Each chapter holds an important memory and allows the reader glimpses of life before and after Zoe. The novel illustrates the unbreakable bond between siblings—even after death.

The Bean Trees By: Barbara Kingsolver
Recommended by: Ms. Kenny-Stein

Plot: A girl graduates from a rural Kentucky high school and then hits the road to find a new life. Almost immediately, a toddler is dropped in her lap, her car breaks down in Tuscan, and her new life begins.

Why read? Kingsolver is a smart, but accessible, writer. Her voice is fresh and upbeat; even when her subject matter is serious, she doesn’t beat you over the head with it. I just reread this in a couple of days; it was the first book I’d picked up in a while that I struggled to put down.

The Wishbones By: Tom Perrotta
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk
Plot: The Wishbones tells the story of a wedding band from NJ. Band member Dave Raymond can’t decide whether to settle down or continue the pursuit of his rock‘n’roll fantasy. He’s also torn between his girlfriend Julie and a free-spirited poet named Gretchen. Other plot elements involve a musical based upon the Kennedy assassination and squabbles with rival bands.

Why read? If you liked the Sandler/Barrymore movie, The Wedding Singer, you’ll enjoy Perrotta’s first novel. Perrotta’s concise prose and storytelling abilities make you wish that you could hire him as a personal writing coach. The familiar NJ surroundings are a product of Perrotta’s early years in a New Jersey suburb.

Cranberry Queen By: Kathleen DeMarco
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk
Plot: After a break-up and a life-shattering tragedy, Diana Moore decides to flee from her life in NYC. To escape the bad memories, she gets onto the highway and drives to wherever the road will take her. “Wherever” turns out to be the Pine Barrens of NJ, where Diana encounters colorful eccentrics and tries to put her life back together.

Why read? Demarco’s setting transports the reader beyond the “suburban sprawl” to another New Jersey, full of beautiful forests, cranberry bogs and unusual landscapes. Cranberry Queen captures the resilience of the human spirit and our ability to “recover and come back for more.”

The Shipping News By: Annie Proulx
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk
Plot: After the death of his unfaithful wife, Quoyle departs (with his aunt and daughters) for the land of his ancestors. In the dark/strange/beautiful world of coastal Newfoundland, Quoyle writes for the Gammy Bird newspaper, discovers the secrets of his family's past and transforms himself from “loser” to responsible citizen.

Why read? The Shipping News has won both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. The unique setting, the colorful inhabitants of the icy Newfoundland world and the unforgettable conclusion make Proulx’s masterpiece worthy of inclusion in any literary Hall of Fame.

Flowers for Algernon By: Daniel F. Keyes
Recommended by: Cynthia D.
Plot: Charlie Gordon, a mentally retarded janitor volunteers to take part in an experimental intelligence-enhancing treatment. His progress parallels that of Algernon, a laboratory mouse who had been “enhanced” earlier. Charlie's experiment showed increasing comprehension and intelligence in the aftermath of the treatment, as he passes becomes a genius.

Why read? It is a very touching book of progress and failure. I read it in eighth grade and it changed the way I view each person for the rest of my life.

Brick Lane By: Monica Ali
Recommended by: Betsy W.

Plot: Nazneen is whisked into the alien world of London from her native country of Pakistan via an arranged marriage with a much older man. Everything and everyone with which she is familiar is torn away and she must depend on her own wits to survive her loveless marriage and her lonely life.

Why read? Nazneen goes through a transforming experience as time goes by; you will suffer and triumph along with her.

Reviewer’s note: This is an amazing first novel!!!

Armageddon Summer By: Jane Yolen & Bruce Coville
Recommended by: Michael D.

Plot: Marina’s mom is a Believer. So is Jed’s dad. That’s why they’ve dragged Marina and Jed to a mountain retreat with the rest of Reverend Beelson’s flock. From the Mountaintop the Believers will watch the Righteous Conflagration that will scour the world clean—and then they will descend to begin God’s world anew. But this world has only just begun for Jed and Marina, two teenagers who aren’t sure they believe in anything, let alone that everything they’ve ever known will soon vanish in a blaze of fire. Why should the world end now, when Marina and Jed have just fallen in love for the first time in their lives?

Why read? Humor, adventure, action, romance, concepts revolving around faith. Everything you want in a book is in here.
Reviewer’s note: Not recommended for people who are seriously against religion. I give it 10/10.

Town House By: Tish Cohen

Recommended by: Mr. Wolk

Plot: Jack Madigan lost his famous rock star father in a freak onstage snapping turtle accident. Now thirty-six, Jack is agoraphobic (afraid to leave the house) and sees a shrink due to panic attacks. To make matters worse, Jack’s bank wants to sell his only safe haven, a four-story Boston town home filled with memories. Salvation may come in the form of an unlikely cast of characters: a real estate agent who can’t sell anything, an ex-wife about to remarry, a rebellious teenage son, a neglected nine-year-old girl and a one-eyed cat named Mrs. Brady.

Why read? Written in just three weeks, Cohen’s dazzling first novel features flawless plotting and pacing. Jack Madigan's “condition” makes him an appealing protagonist, and the author includes an appendix of famous agoraphobes (Boo Radley...), along with a list of her favorite male characters (Owen Meany...) in literature and even casting suggestions (Jeremy Piven, Reese Witherspoon, Dakota Fanning...) for an in-the-works film adaptation. Reviewers have drawn comparisons to Sideways and Little Miss Sunshine.

Rainbow Six By: Tom Clancy
Recommended by: Matthew L.

Plot: Tom Clancy hits gold again with the book that started the hit series of video games by the same name. The novel focuses on an international team of counter-terrorist specialists that were made of soldiers from all corners of the world's military's special forces. The villains are a group of naturalists that believe that DRASTIC measures are needed to correct the environment.

Why read? The plot is just very enticing, involving action and politics very well. For a military oriented person, this is perfect.

A Peculiar Grace By: Jeffrey Lent
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk
Plot: Hewitt Pearce is a gifted, modern-day blacksmith living an isolated existence in the Vermont wilderness and attempting to escape the demons of his past. He remains haunted by memories of his father, a famous painter, who was never the same after his first wife and child died in a fire. Hewitt also can’t forget the recently widowed woman that he once “loved and lost” during his wilder/more youthful days in upstate New York. A more immediate concern involves unraveling the identity of a beautiful homeless woman taken in by Hewitt after he discovers her “camping” on his property.

Why read? The imperfect but well-meaning Hewitt Pearce is a fascinating protagonist. The author does a marvelous job of conveying the simple pleasures of Hewitt’s day-to-day life and work in rural Vermont, and the plot unwinds to a “perfect” conclusion. Comparisons of Lent’s work to that of literary heavyweights such as William Faulkner and Cormac McCarthy are well-deserved.

Lulu Meets God And Doubts Him By: Danielle Ganek
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk

Plot: Mia McMurray is a “gallerina” working at the Simon Pryce Art Gallery in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood. From behind her desk, she observes the comical efforts of her pretentious boss as he tries to become a "player" in the high stakes world of collectible art. After a little-known artist is hit by a car on opening night at the gallery, his obscure paintings are suddenly worth millions, and other surprises are in store for Mia and her cohorts.

Why read? Critical opinion suggests that Lulu Meets God will do for/to the art world what The Devil Wears Prada does for/to the world of fashion. However, you really don’t need to know anything about art to enjoy Danielle Ganek’s clever satire and get caught up in the lives of her expertly-drawn heroes and villains.

Blood brothers By: Richard Price
Recommended by: Osage L.
Plot: The book Blood Brothers is about a father named Tommy and his son Stony. His father has been waiting for his son to be old enough to work with him in the electricians union. But stony doesn’t want to work with his father, he wants to leave his family and work in a hospital with children. His father is really mad about that.

Why read? The book Blood Brothers is worth reading because it has sad, funny and scary parts in it. The book also shows a rough side of life, and hard decisions people have to make. The book is all around good and very interesting.
Reviewer’s note: I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a good book.

Before I Die By: Jenny Downham
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk

Plot: Tessa Scott is diagnosed with leukemia at the age of twelve and learns at sixteen that she has but a few months left to live. Throwing caution to the wind, Tessa composes a list of things to do before she dies and doesn't mind breaking rules (or laws) in order to achieve her goals. As the end draws closer, Tessa bonds with next-door neighbor Adam and hopes to live long enough to witness the birth of a child.

Why read? The last fifty pages pack more emotional punch than just about anything you’ll ever read, and it’s hard to avoid shedding a tear or two while absorbing them. Author (and actress) Jenny Downham adeptly intertwines a meditation on death with a celebration of life, love, family and friendship. Before I Die may be the finest British “classroom novel0 since Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident.

Bridge of Sighs By: Richard Russo
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk

Plot: Two boys grow up in a dying New York town. One of them, the unfortunately-named Lucy Lynch, is locked in a trunk by bullies and suffers from “spells” throughout his life. He learns to love everything about Thomaston, marries there, and never wants to leave. The other boy, Bobby Noonan, is victimized by an abusive father and can't wait to escape the town, eventually finding fame and fortune as a painter in Venice.

Why read? In the space of 500 pages, Russo can turn a small town into a captivating world that you're sad to leave when the final words arrive. After exploring themes of class, race, love and fatherhood, this instant best seller leaves us wondering whether true happiness can best be found by remaining “inside the box” of what we know or setting out on the “road less traveled.”

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian By: Sherman Alexie
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk
Plot: The future holds little hope for Arnold “Junior” Spirit. Growing up and attending high school on the Spokane Indian Reservation, he seems destined to lead a life ruined by poverty, violence and alcohol. To save himself, Arnold boldly transfers to more affluent Reardan High, improving his chances for success (as a student/boyfriend/cartoonist/basketball player), but also making him an easy target for both his new white classmates and the tribal community/school that he has “abandoned.”

Why_read? “Junior” Spirit is a captivating narrator, capable of making you laugh out loud in one sentence and breaking your heart in the next. Sherman Alexie’s culture-clashing coming of age tale is a great read for Amer. Lit., and Ellen Forney’s cartoons raise the novel’s appeal to a higher level. Neil Gaiman says, “I have no doubt that in a year or so it’ll be winning awards and being banned.”

The Flawless Skin of Ugly People By: Doug Crandell
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk
Plot: Hobbie and Kari are physically-flawed social outcasts, drawn to each other by their imperfections and the damage done to them by an abusive deacon. While she's away at a health farm, Hobbie reads her letters, defends his beloved dog from a bear attack and tries to unravel the mysteries of his family's past.

Why read? The jacket suggests that thanks to TV’s Ugly Betty, “we're finally ready to read a love story that isn’t sleek, slick, tucked, pulled or plastic." Over 200 "flawless” pages, Crandell explores beauty, ugliness, secrets, abuse, religion, spirituality and heavy metal, showing us along the way that the beauty of life here on Earth depends upon things far more significant than our outward appearances.

Hate You By: Graham Mcnamee
Recommended by: Yasmine G.
Plot: This book may not see much when you glance at the cover. But, its a suspenseful book with a profound message. Its about this girl, Alice Silvers and she has an abusive father who strained her vocal cords and she will never be able to sing again...or will she? Find out!
Why read: This book truly is deep and written from the heart of the main character, Alice Silvers. You won't regret reading it!

True Believer By: Nicholas Sparks
Recommended by: Cherry G.
Plot:This is a romantic book about a journalist named Jeremy Marsh who is sent to solve a mystery in small town, Boone Creek, North Carolina. There he thinks he can write a great story about that mysterious town. There he meets Lexie Darnell, the librarian with whom he falls hopelessly in love. They wonder how they are going to make their relationship work. Lexie would never leave her small town life and leave the people she loves and Jeremy has his job in New York. Jeremy is now faced with a difficult decision, whether to return to his beloved New York or to stay in Boone Creek to be with his true love. Why read? This book is amazing in the way the author describes each scene. It is an amazing romance novel. It has the right amount of mystery and the right amount of romance making it a great book. I would give it a 10 out of 10 because of the plot that keeps on the edge of your seat. Also the way Nicholas Sparks describes the characters makes the book so much better. The ending is amazing and after your done reading you don't want it to be over.
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