The Undead - The Forest of Hands and Teeth

They've read Twilight, Hunger Games and even Graceling. What else to suggest to a reader who wants thrilling action, some romance, and elements of fantasy and distopia? The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan may fit the bill. In a future that is divided into them and us - them being an army of zombies - Mary lives in an isolated village, which may be the last on earth. Life is dictated by the Sisters, and they keep many secrets from the community. One day, though, Mary finds the Sisters are hiding a girl who has come to their community from the outside. Does this mean there are other villages in the world? Can Mary travel to them? The night before she's bound to marry a man she doesn't love (the brother of the man she does), the village's defenses are breached, and soon she's on the run. Sometimes the narrative bogs down and becomes repetitive, but when those zombies are hunting the village's seemingly last survivors, it gets pretty exciting.

"Little Brother" and Flobat's song "Handlebars"

My daughter sent me this very powerful, animated video by Flobats. The song is called "Handlebars" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuK2A1ZqoWs and it reminded me of Little Brother by Cory Doctorow. This is a great book about technology and its abuse by the powerful. At the same time, though, that tech is being misused, a group of teenage rebels use their tech knowledge to organize protest. Some intense teen sex perhaps limits recommendations to 8th grade and up, but this is a great book for kids who want a fast-paced book that also is meaty and issue-oriented. Luckily the rebels in the book fare better than the protesters in the video - which I dare you not to be moved by.

Adventure Alert!

It's often hard to think up, on the spot, a book to recommend to boys from 5th-8th grade that features adventure and fantasy - something with the appeal of Kenneth Oppel's "Airborn" series (which, by the way has a new sequel Starclimber). That's where the next title comes in handy to know.

Heroes of the Valley by Jonathan Stroud (of the "Bartimaeus" trilogy) is about brave ancestors, a dull present, and a boy who wants to liven his life up by avenging the death of his uncle. Along the way he teams up with a spunky heroine and together they push the boundaries of old taboos keeping their clans nestled in a homeland no one ventures beyond. The opening is a bit slow, but once the adventure starts, the pace doesn't let up.