Divergent and Insurgent by Veronica Roth

I love reading good Young Adult Literature, but it can be hard to come by. For every Hunger Games, there are 100 copycats that don't measure up. However, Veronica Roth manages to write a great dystopian series without getting too close to the Hunger Games trilogy. Right now only the first two novels are out: Divergent, followed by Insurgent. I've been recommending these books to my students ever since I finished reading them! Apparently a theatrical version is being filmed in Chicago this spring, so this series will only be getting more popular.

Divergent is narrated by Beatrice Prior, a teenager who lives in a futuristic, dystopian Chicago. It is clear that Roth has spent time in Chicago, as the sights she mentions are well-known to a Midwesterner like myself. In Beatrice's world, though, there are five factions around Chicago. Each has a different raison de'etre, including bravery, selflessness, peacefulness, happiness, and honesty. When Beatrice turns 16, she takes a test to determine which faction she most fits in with, but then she gets to choose which faction she wants to belong to. Her position isn't guaranteed - she has to pass initiation or else risk becoming factionless (like being homeless forever). Like in any dystopian society, things aren't always as they seem, and not everyone can get along. I don't want to spoil too much of the novel, so I will stop there. I also won't tell you anything about the companion novel Insurgent, since that would be a huge spoiler as well!

These books really pull you in - I was disappointed when I found out the third book was not out yet! Hopefully the movies will be of the same caliber. I'd recommend this series to anyone who likes Young Adult Literature and/or dystopian novels. You won't be disappointed! 9/10 for both novels.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

I will preface this by mentioning that Wonder is YAL (Young Adult Literature), which as an English teacher I like to read. The good stuff, that is. I've found that the right YAL can really open students to reading more, and that is of course my goal!

Wonder is a really great book. Its audience level could be anywhere from 5th grade to adult, which is pretty amazing for any novel. I've already recommended this novel to the other two English teachers at my school, thinking they may be able to use it in their classrooms. As for me, it will be taking a place in my independent reading cabinet for anyone to borrow.

The main character in Wonder is August. He is a fifth grader, but he has been home-schooled up until now because of his facial deformities. His brain works perfectly fine; however, the judgement he receives from others is hard to bear, for him, his family, and the reader. We follow August through his first year of private school. That alone would probably be interesting, but the narrator changes throughout the novel. We get to read from his sister's perspective, her boyfriend, August's best friend, and more. The change in perspective is pretty eye-opening, and it's one thing that would make this a great book in the classroom.

One thing I like about this book is that while the ending is redemptive, it's not a Full House type of ending. Everything is not shiny and fixed at the end. It's heartwarming but realistic. I give this book a 9 out of 10. If you enjoy YAL, read it!