Books for Junior High and High School

I have had some ask for ideas for books for older students. I know this can be difficult because the type of books that our junior high and high school students are reading right now are often not books that are appropriate for our schools. I’m sure most of you have noticed the heavy emphasis on fantasy, vampires, dystopian societies, and more in the young adult literature these days.

Unfortunately, it seems there is very little that is being put out by our SDA church that is interesting to this age group. I see mostly books for adults and books or reprints for the younger children, but we seem to be neglecting our earliteens and teenagers. If I have missed some books, please let me know.

However, I have found some books that I believe would be interesting to this age and also appropriate for our libraries.

If you don’t have the Dahveed series by Terri Fivash in your library, I would highly recommend these books as an immediate purchase. I used this for an advanced reading group of junior high students and they absolutely loved them! They bring the people of Biblical times to life. Written for adults, the books are nevertheless appropriate for grade 7 and above. I have had some younger siblings of the junior high read them as well, but they are also exceptional readers. Trudy Morgan Cole is also a great writer and her Esther book is really good. (Bradley Booth also wrote an Esther book that was used for the programming at a recent Oshkosh Pathfinder Camporee. His book is for the middle grades.) There are quite a number of books written about Biblical characters in recent years. I believe that most of them are well done and appropriate for our school libraries.

These authors are published by our SDA publishers.

Fivash, Terri Dahveed series, Ruth and Boaz, Joseph
Morgan-Cole, Trudy Esther and more
Rizzo, Kay D Chloe Mae series, individual titles (may be out of print)
Robinson, Glen If Tomorrow Comes
Edwards, Josephine Cunnington Swift Arrow, Alice Princess, The Enchanted Pillowcase
Carson, Ben Gifted Hands

These authors are published by another Christian publishing house or are about Christians.

Oke, Jeanette Love Comes Softly series, Canadian West series, other titles
Lewis, Beverly Amish books, other series books on various reading levels.
Jackson, Dave Forty to Life (suitable for guys)
Karon, Jan The Mitford series (novels about Father Tim - an Episcopal priest, his life and the people in his town)
Gulley, Phillip The Harmony series (novels about a Quaker minister, his family, and his congregation)

These books have proved to be popular with students at Rogers. Most of them are higher level reading and would be fine for high school students, as well.

Chicken Soup for the Soul
Austen, Jane Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Northanger Abby, etc.
Brink, Carol Ryrie Caddie Woodlawn, Magical Melons, etc.
Hiaasen, Carl Flush, Hoot, Scat, Chomp, etc.
Hobbs, Will Far North, Jason’s Gold, Jackie’s Wile Seattle, Crossing the Wire, etc.
Speare, Elizabeth George Sign of the Beaver, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Calico Captive
Bauer, Joan Hope Was Here, Rules of the Road, Best Foot Forward, Close to Famous, Peeled, Backwater, Stand Tall
Avi Stick to his historical fiction which are excellent. He also writes fantasy, but certain of his books may not be what you want in your library.
Horvath, Polly Everything on a Waffle, Northward to Home, A Year in Coal Harbor (new sequel to the ‘Waffle’ book)
DeFelice, Cynthia Nowhere to Call Home, Wild Life, The Missing Manatee
McManus, Patrick His books appeal to boys and are humorous
Meyer, Carolyn Recently I bought a few of her historical fiction about queens - Mary, Bloody Mary; Beware, Princess Elizabeth; Doomed Queen Anne; Duchessina
Rinaldi, Ann Also writes great historical fiction
Smith, Roland Peak, Storm Runners series, Zach’s Lie, Jack’s Run, Jaguar, Elephant Run, etc.

Right now I am reading a new book that won a Newbery Honor this year. It is called Paperboy and is about a boy that has a stuttering problem. I am about a third into the book and found one line where a neighbor yells at his drunk wife and tells her to get her drunk ass up to the bathtub. I am sorry that that is in the book because it is really interesting how the boy deals with his stuttering problem. So far, I just crossed the word ‘ass’ out. I’m sure that some may have a problem with the neighbors being drunk, too.

That is my list, so far. If any of you have found books that our older students really enjoy reading, please let me know. I have a list that I have complied and would really like to add to it.

Have a great week.

Audrey