required summer reading

detox ...
Even the best stories are hard to swallow sometimes when they are forced upon us. For all you high schoolers who may need some down time after those required summer reads, here are some YA picks matched to your specific detox needs.
try



after
Lord of the Flies
by William Golding
To shake off the terrifying chaos of disintegrated law and order …
Geek Charming
by Robin Palmer
… a more uplifting breakdown of social order, in which friendships cross prom queen/AV club social boundaries.
or
Wildwood
by Colin Meloy
… a quirky, adventurous journey into the wild in which you won’t get nervous that children might start eating each other.



after
The Sound and
The Fury
by William Faulkner
To start to think more clearly after the extreme stream of consciousness …
Fangirl
by Rainbow Rowell
… a story where thoughts are pretty clear, because everyone can read each others minds.
try
or
Don't Even Think About It
by Sarah Mlynowski
… a journey through inner turmoil that gets more progress and resolution.


after
Invisible Man
by Ralph Ellison
To get some space from that eerie feel of always being used to someone else’s end…
try
Where the Mountain Meets
the Moon
by Grace Lin
… a middle-grade story in which a young protagonist is empowered to make choice after choice in seeking her future, like whether to trust talking goldfish.



after
Moby Dick
by Herman Melville
If you’re tired of unending obsessions…
try
Uncommon
Criminals
by Ally Carter
… in which the best in history has to remember that she is a teenaged-thief with some limitations.
or
Bras & Broomsticks
by Sarah Mlynowski
… a story of a girl letting go of the possibilities of magical powers, because her little sister is the one who got them.



after
Jane Eyre
by Charlotte Bronte
If you’re still lost in the gothic mists …
If you kept waiting for a bit more of Jane’s youthful fire…
try
The Scorpio Races
by Maggie Stiefvater
… a story that brushes you with sea waves, salty air and the golden hints of the horizon for more atmospheric pleasure.
try
Throne of Glass
by Sarah J. Maas
… with a lionhearted heroine who will not disappoint.
fin.
a young adultica infographic

after
To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
Okay, but really this is THE best story. Maybe just read it again.