Click here for some authors we’ve talked to about their books and their process.

And click below for some recommendations from some authors we trust.

 

Click here for Everyone

Jon Skovron

Jon Skovron is the author of Struts and Frets, Misfit, and most recently, Man Made Boy. His short stories have appeared in anthologies such as Defy the Dark, GRIM, and the forthcoming Apollo’s Daughters.

The first three suggestions here are for younger readers, suggested by Jon’s sons, Logan and Zane, aka the SkovBros.

The next three books are for somewhat older readers, suggested by Jon.

 

 

  • The Strange Case of Origami Yoda
  • Tom Angleberger

  • “It’s a mystery with a lot of Star Wars jokes and funny pictures. And at the end of each book, it shows you how to make a different Star Wars character.”

  • How to Grow Up and Rule the World, by Vordak the Incomprehensible
  • Vordak T. Incomprehensible

  • “It’s about a super villain. And it’s funny. There should be more books about funny super villains.”

  • Bunnicula
  • James Howe

  • “It’s about a vampire rabbit who sucks the juices of vegetables. My dad liked this book when he was a kid. It’s still good.”

  • The Pawn of Prophecy
  • David Eddings

  • “Swords, sorcery, spies, gods, adventure, and humor. I’m not sure what else you need. This is the first book in The Belgariad series, which hooked me on reading forever.”

  • White Cat
  • Holly Black

  • “Mafia gangsters with magic.”

  • I Hunt Killers
  • Barry Lyga

  • “The son of a serial killer catches serial killers. Not for the faint of heart or the weak of stomach.”

Jarrett J. Krosoczka

  • Where The Wild Things Are

  • Three words: "The Wild Rumpus!" It doesn't get much better than that!

  • James and the Giant Peach

  • This book has everything — adventure, bugs . . . and a giant peach!

  • The Mouse and the Motorcycle

  • When I was a kid, I wished that I had a mouse who could ride a motorcycle. And now that I'm a grown-up, I still do!

  • The Chocolate Touch

  • I’m a huge chocolate fan, but this book sure made me think twice about what I wished for!

  • The Celery Stalks at Midnight, Bunnicula

  • A cute bunny that sucks vegetables dry? Yikes! These books kept me at the edge of my seat.

  • Fudge-a-mania

  • Start with a Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and read all the way through the books until you get to Double Fudge. These books are hysterical and relatable!

Peter Brown

is an illustrator and a writer.  Probably best know for his books about a dog named Chowder.  But he’s working on plenty of new books right now.

  • I can't overemphasize how perfectly James Marshall balances sweetness and absurdity in these stories.

  • Everyone Poops

  • Everyone Poops is a continuous source of 'inspiration.

  • James and the Giant Peach

  • Witty dialogue, fantastical adventure and a wonderfully dark sense of humor seem to effortlessly flow from Roald Dahl's pen.

  • This series is perhaps the most unique, thoughtful, and provocative fantasy I’ve ever read.

  • 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

  • I was mesmerized by the way Verne describes the science and logic of the world in which this story takes place.

Stephen Emond

Stephen Emond is an awesome author and illustrator whose engaging blend of novel and art is perfect for reluctant readers and guy audiences (among others). His novels include Happyface, Winter Town, and Bright Lights, Dark Nights.

Jason Reynolds

JASON REYNOLDS is crazy. About stories. After earning a BA in English from The University of Maryland, College Park, he moved to Brooklyn, New York, where you can often find him walking the four blocks from the train to his apartment talking to himself. Well, not really talking to himself, but just repeating character names and plot lines he thought of on the train, over and over again, because he's afraid he'll forget it all before he gets home. When I Was the Greatest is his debut novel. His next, The Boy in the Black Suit, comes out in 2015. He's also the co-author of (in our opinion) the criminally-overlooked poetry/art hybrid memoir My Name is Jason. Mine Too.: Our Story. Our Way.

From his website: "Here's what I know: I know there are a lot - A LOT - of young people who hate reading. I know that many of these book haters are boys. I know that many of these book-hating boys, don't actually hate books, they hate boredom. If you are reading this, and you happen to be one of these boys, first of all, you're reading this so my master plan is already working (muahahahahahaha) and second of all, know that I feel you. I REALLY do. Because even though I'm a writer, I hate reading boring books too."

  • The Young Landlords
  • Walter Dean Myers

  • It's a brilliantly gritty story about a bunch of kids who get swindled into taking over a slum building. Super creative, yet totally feasible in New York City.

  • Kira-Kira
  • Cynthia Kadohata

  • The story takes place in the sixties in the segregated south. Black people know where they stand. White people know where they stand. But what about a Japanese family?

  • Noggin
  • John Corey Whaley

  • Smart and hilarious story about a young man who is dying and his parents decide to cryogenically freeze his head. A few years later, he's back from the dead. And he's still in high school.

  • The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey
  • Walter Mosley

  • One of the gems that flew under the radar because Mosely is so prolific. But it's a sweet, yet biting story about an elder man, Ptolemy Grey, suffering from dementia.

  • Erasure
  • Percival Everett

  • It's a weird book about a stuffy writer and his hatred for the industry. His frustration with his agent wanting him to write a "sellable" book pushes him to pen "street fiction" just as a middle finger to the corporate publishing structure. Madness ensues, and it's downright hilarious.