Young Adult Fiction! discussion
just getting into YA lit
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of course, i don't know what the "kids these days" are into... but i really liked those books when *I* was an early teen

I would have to know the child's likes and dislikes before truly recommending anything for them to read, however, I can say that books such as The Once and Future King, by T. H. White or Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury are very good "beginner" books.
I remember when I was younger, I would read anything I could get my hands on. I even read travel books! I also formed a great appreciation for gothic lit as well as horror when I was 12, so it really depends on the child.

I would instead recommend the older character Judy Blume books (like Forever or Tiger Eyes) for girls (those are what I read at that age). Other titles: Stargirl, The Giver, Speak, Before We Were Free, Holes, The Westing Game, Out of the Dust. As far as authors: Gary Paulson, Ann Rinaldi, Jerry Spinelli, and Chris Crutcher.

We make it easy at the library I work at, since we have a YA section downstairs by the adult area, and upstairs by the children's area we have a YA2 section, with books appropriate for 6th through 8th graders.
that's a really interesting system, i've definitely never seen anything like that at the libraries near me.

what would be the best choice for First young adult book to read?