Book Recommendations

Interested in starting or building up a classroom library? Want to start reading young adult books but don't know where to start? This is by no means the end-all be-all list, but it'll certainly get you going. I'll be adding to this as I read more, so check back every once in awhile. I'm a contemporary girl at heart, so you'll find this list contemporary-heavy--sorry in advance. While many of my books were read and loved by many students, a * indicates books I couldn't keep on my classroom shelves and for which I needed a waiting list! (Thanks to my amazing sister for the linky-links!)

Note for teachers: All of these books were in my 8th grade classroom. While I did not believe in censoring my classroom library--I found kids could do the censoring all on their own--some of these are "heavy" books that deal with tough topics and some of them have lots of cuss words. I never had a parent question a book on this list, but that doesn't mean it couldn't happen. I found the best way to judge whether or not a book was "appropriate" for any given student was to read as much as I could and talk to the students about what they're reading. While it's impossible to read every single book out there, feel free to contact me at joynhensley@gmail.com with questions about any book on this list!

Life-Changing Books	Contemporary
*These Gentle Wounds by Helene Dunbar	Something Like Normal by Trish Doller
The Chance You Won't Return by Anni Cardi	Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller
*Winger by Andrew Smith	Side Effects May Vary by Murphy
Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos	Tease by Amanda Maciel
*Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews	Since You've Been Gone by Lynn Matson
*If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch	Snitch by Allison Van Depien
*Faking Normal by Courtney Stevens	Marcelo in the Real World by Franciso Stork
*Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Quick	*The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
*Stolen by Lucy Christopher	Open Road Summer by Emory Lord
The Walled City by Ryan Graudin	The F-It List by Halpern
Sci Fi	The Promise of Amazing by Constantine
All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrell	*Payback Time by Carl Deuker
Avalon by Mindee Arnett	Swagger by Carl Deuker
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness	*The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer Smith
Project Cain by Geoffrey Giraro	*Break by Hannah Moskowitz
*Across the Universe(#1) by Beth Revis	*Canary by Rachelle Alpine
A Million Suns(#2) by Beth Revis	13 Little Blue Envelopes(#1) by Maureen Johnson
Shades of Earth(#3) by Beth Revis	The Last Little Blue Envelope(#2) by Maureen Johnson
Survival Colony 9 by David Bellin	Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstien
The Unhappening of Genesis Lee by Shallee McArthur	*Catching Jordan(#1) by Miranda Kenneally
Phoenix Island by John Dixon Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith	*Stealing Parker(#2) by Miranda Kenneally
Fantasy	*Things I Can't Forget(#3) by Miranda Kenneally
Snow Like Ashes by Sarah Raasch (10/14)	*Racing Savannah(#4) by Miranda Kenneally
Incarnate(#1) by Jodi Meadows	*Breathe, Annie, Breathe(#5) by Miranda Kenneally
Asunder(#2) by Jodi Meadows	No one Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale
Infinite(#3) by Jodi Meadows	*If I lie by Corinne Jackson
Throne of Glass(#1) by Sarah J. Maas	*Pushing the Limits(#1) by Katie McGarry
Crown of Midnight(#2) by Sarah J. Maas	*Dare You To(#2) by Katie McGarry
Heir of Fire(#3) by Sarah J. Maas	*Crash Into You(#3) by Katie McGarry
The Assassin's Blade (novellas) by Sarah J. Maas	*Take Me On(#4) by Katie McGarry
*Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone(#1) by JK Rowling	Breaking the Rules(#5) by Katie McGarry
*Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets(#2) by JK Rowling	Promise Me Something by Sara Kocek
*Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban(#3) by JK Rowling	*Panic by Lauren Oliver
*Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire(#4) by JK Rowling	*But I Love Him by Amanda Grace
*Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix(#5) by JK Rowling	*The Truth About You and Me by Amanda Grace
*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince(#6) by JK Rowling	*Leaving Paradise(#1) by Simone Elkeles
*Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows(#7) by JK Rowling	*Return to Paradise(#2) by Simone Elkeles
Paranormal	*Perfect Chemistry(#1) by Simone Elkeles
Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black	*Rules of Attraction(#2) by Simone Elkeles
Nil by Lynn Matson	*Chain Reaction(#3) by Simone Elkeles
*Storm(#1) by Brigid Kemmerer	*Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles
*Spark(#2) by Brigid Kemmerer	*Period 8 Chris Crutcher
*Spirit(#3) by Brigid Kemmerer	Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez
*Secret(#4) by Brigid Kemmerer	Running on Empty by Colette Ballard
Sacrifice(#5) by Brigid Kemmerer	My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
*Ripple by Mandy Hubbard	*Anna and the French Kiss(#1) by Stephanie Perkins
Twilight(#1) by Stephenie Meyer	Lola and the Boy Next Door(#2) by Stephanie Perkins
New Moon(#2) by Stephenie Meyer	Isla and the Happily Ever After(#3) by Stephanie Perkins
Eclipse(#3) by Stephenie Meyer	*Dangerous Boy by Mandy Hubbard
Breaking Dawn (#4) by Stephenie Meyer	No Place to Fall by Jaye Robin Brown
Salt and Storm by Kendall Kulper	Not in the Script by Amy Finnegan
Sweet Unrest by Lisa Maxwell	Fool Me Twice by Mandy Hubbard
Dystopian
*Divergent(#1) by Veronica Roth
*Insurgent(#2) by Veronica Roth
*Allegiant(#3) by Veronica Roth
*Taken(#1) by Erin Bowman
Frozen(#2) by Erin Bowman
*Defiance(#1) by CJ Redwine
Deception(#2) by CJ Redwine
Deliverance(#3) CJ Redwine
*Reboot(#1) by Amy Tintera
Rebel(#2) by Amy Tintera
Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne
*Matched by Allie Condie
*Quarantine #1 The Loners by Lex Thomas
Quarantine #2 The Saints by Lex Thomas
Quarantine #3 The Burnouts by Lex Thomas
Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
Winterkill by Kate Boorman
Tabula Rasa by Kristen-Lippert Martin
The Islands at the End of the World
The Revelation of Gabriel Adam by SL Duncan
The Knife of Never Letting Go(#1) by Patrick Ness