msjamgochian'sinfinitebooklist

I've been considering this book for the One Book, One School program. It ties in nicely with our school's Afghanistan fund-raiser and also addresses issues of growing up in the international school system and how that can effect a life. My only problem is, I had a hard time getting through this book. I started it over the December holiday and still haven't read every page. I almost made it through but the final chapters failed to captivate me. Perhaps Mortenson's new book, Stones Into Schools , will be an easier read.

The Anthropophagi are man-eating headless monsters (their mouths are below their chest and their eyes are on their shoulder blades); the mythical creatures have been mentioned throughout history by Herodotus, Tertullian, Shakespeare, and other scholars. Rick Yancey has brought them to life and set them in 1888 New England. The book is presented in the form of journals written by William Henry, who, as an orphaned assistant to a monstromologist, recorded his experiences battling the Anthropophagi alongside of his master, monstromologist Dr. Pellinore Warthrop. A twisted gothic horror tale replete with grisly scenes that will delight fans of Darren Shan. Don't miss Yancey's website for all the extras. Grade 7+

Please click here for the NY Times book review .

Cecily shows up for her first day of college and does something unusual: she turns around and heads back home. She isn't sure why - and at the end of the book I was still feeling a little confused about it myself. The book is written in realistic prose similar to John Green, but not quite as entertaining. Nevertheless, this book will find an audience with fans of Looking for Alaska or How To Say Goodbye In Robot. Grade 9+

I have to admit, my initial attraction to this book was the cheeseburger on the cover. It looks just about right. Anthony gets a job at O'Dermott's, a fast food burger joint. He falls in love with Diana and thinks she likes him, too. When he sees her making out at a party with the town superjerk Turner, he sinks into disbelief and depression. He formulates a plan for revenge with co-worker Shunt, an anti-globalisation activist who lives in the bushes. A funny depiction of first love and first rejection told from a guy's point of view. Click here for a hilarious book trailer . Give it to reluctant readers and fans of I Love You Beth Cooper . Grade 8+

Charles and Emma won the first YALSA excellence in non-fiction award. It's also a Michael L Printz honor book, and is a finalist in the LA Times book prize in the young adult category. Heiligman tells the story of Charles and Emma's romance: a relationship that lasted 43 years, until Charles' death. It serves as an excellent introduction to Darwin; it covers his career from start to finish and highlights his research process and his individual works. Behind it all is Emma Wedgwood Darwin, a brilliant mind in her own right, who helped Charles with his work in spite of her own religious beliefs. Give it to students who enjoy Jane Austen. Click here for the book trailer . Grade 7+

An unusual romance told from his point of view told in Garret-Freymann-Weyr's unique style. New Yorker Leigh moves to Maryland and changes high schools his senior year to be closer to his half sister after her father's death. He meets Maia, a disturbed girl with anorexia and cutting habits. He falls in love with her, becoming her protector and life coach, but when Maia's life spins out of control, he makes a choice that has severe consequences for their relationship. Freymann-Weyr's talent lies in creating complicated families and relationships, and After the Moment doesn't disappoint in those areas. Worth getting past the slow start. Give this to teens looking for romance from a guy's perspective. Grades 9+

I finally found a dystopian fantasy that is almost as good as The Hunger Games. Thomas wakes up in an elevator with a severe case of amnesia. He doesn't know who he is, where he came from, or how he ended up in The Glade - a verdant space enclosed by immense concrete walls that close every night and open in the morning revealing an endless ever-changing maze. The Gladers aren't surprised by Thomas's arrival; every two weeks supplies and a new Glader are sent from an unknown provider via an elevator. Strangely enough, two weeks after Thomas arrives, a girl is sent for the first time (all the Gladers are boys) carrying the cryptic message: She's the last one. Ever. Thomas decides to join the Mazerunners, a group of boys who map the maze by day and analyze the results by night, trying to find a way out. Their progress is impeded by Grievers, a nasty combination of slug and sword that come out at night. A fast-paced book full of plot twists with an ending that leaves you wa

In this dystopian fantasy, the people of the burrows are little more than slaves to Company. When his father is taken by the Whips and sent to work in Deep Salt, Hari vows to rescue him. He meets Pearl, the daughter of a Company official, who is fleeing an unwanted marriage, and Tealeaf, Pearl's teacher and companion. They are traveling to Tealeaf's village so that Pearl can develop her gift of mindspeaking. When Tealeaf discovers that Hari is able to speak with animals, she invites him to join them. Hari and Pearl soon discover that the substance being mined drains the workers and leaves them empty husks-and that Company is attempting to form it into a weapon to take over the world. Salt succeeds in being not only plot driven and fast paced, but also character oriented. Readers will appreciate the growing friendship between dark-skinned, aggressive Hari and lily-white, pampered Pearl as they discover that they are not as dissimilar as they believed. Gee presents a well-realize

Nina Lacour has created a haunting, beautiful, and ultimately realistic depiction of what it's like to live through a best friend's suicide. Caitlin is angry, sad, and guilty after her closest friend Ingrid kills herself. Finding Ingrid's journal under her bed gives her a glimpse of what Ingrid was going through, allows her to move past self-blame and, in the end, let go of Ingrid. The Bay Area setting, well-developed supporting characters, and Mia Nolting's illustrations make this a special book. Check out the trailer on Lacour's website . Give it to fans of Garret Freyman-Weyr and John Green. Grade 8+

If you're looking for a suspenseful mystery with endearing characters, look no further. The Uninvited tells the story of Mimi Shapiro, who's just had a really crappy freshman year at NYU; Jay, who's just finished college and is working on his music; and Cramer, who works two jobs to pay the bills for his crazy mother and is obsessed with Mimi and Jay. Their lives couldn't be more different but somehow entwine via a little cabin on a snye in rural Canada. The twist at the end will surprise you. For a full summary, visit Canadian author Tim Wynne-Jones' website .Grade 8+