Kid Lit Picks: YA

As promised, here are ten more of my favorite kid lit books. I'm completely incapable of choosing my top ten, so these are simply ten of my favorites. They fall into the YA (Young Adult) age range, but since many adults enjoy YA novels without even realizing they're reading a YA novel, you may have read some of these or may want to put them on your to-read list and than give them as gifts:

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien - Join a young Bilbo on his adventure-the adventure that brings the "ring of power" into The Shire.

The Lord of The Rings (trilogy) by J.R.R. Tolkien - I know I just said that I can't choose my top ten, but this is the one exception. This series definitely takes the number one slot in my all-time-favorites list. If you don't know the story, I'm not sure where you've been the past twelve years! The movies have brought these books into virtually every book store in the states.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - It's WWII Nazi Germany, an orphaned girl picks up and delivers laundry for her foster mother. One of the homes she visits is the mayor's who has a room full of books.

The Giver by Lois Lowry - A dystopian future in which everyone is numbed by taking a pill every day from the time they hit puberty. Except The Giver. His job differs from that of everyone else's.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - A humorously written story about a very common guy with a friend who isn't as human as he looks and who saves his life by hitching a ride or two around the galaxy.

Anne of Green Gables (series) by Lucy Maud Montgomery - Growing up on St. Edward Island as an orphan (with red hair no less) and living with her aged aunt and uncle has its trials and joys.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett - An orphaned girl discovers a neglected garden on her uncle's estate.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee - A story of racism and kindness.

Crank by Ellen Hopkins - Difficult to read because of the subject matter and based on the author's experience with her daughter, Crank is an eye-opening look into a teen drug-addict's world and how quickly a "good" girl can become a part of that world.

The Call of The Wild by Jack London - A story of tenacity and courage.

Happy Reading!