Book Discussion Kits: Part 1, Young Adult Titles For Everyone

Posted by Staff

Is your book discussion club looking for something interesting to read?  How about trying books written for the Young Adult audience?  Don't be tempted to think they are all about vampires and hormones.  On the contrary, many YA novels deal with serious topics and are very well written.  One benefit for older readers is that the books are quick reads compared to those for older audiences.  A good reason to read more than one!  

Our Youth Department has created a series of book discussion kits for our patrons to check out and use.  Each kit contains 10 copies of the book, a series of discussion questions and a box in which to carry everything.  The kits can be checked out for three weeks with two renewals. The person checking out the kit is responsible for all items and they must be returned together. Although the kits were prepared with educators in mind, the are a perfect fit for bookclubs and family book discussions.  Request one today!

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak  Trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II, Death relates the story of Liesel--a young German girl whose book-stealing and story-telling talents help sustain her family and the Jewish man they are hiding, as well as their neighbors.  Made into a film in 2013.

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson  As the Revolutionary War begins, thirteen-year-old Isabel wages her own fight...for freedom. Promised freedom upon the death of their owner, she and her sister, Ruth, in a cruel twist of fate become the property of a malicious New York City couple, the Locktons, who have no sympathy for the American Revolution and even less for Ruth and Isabel. When Isabel meets Curzon, a slave with ties to the Patriots, he encourages her to spy on her owners, who know details of British plans for invasion. She is reluctant at first, but when the unthinkable happens to Ruth, Isabel realizes her loyalty is available to the bidder who can provide her with freedom.

The Giver by Lois Lowry  Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives.  Made into a film to be released summer of 2014

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle  Meg Murry and her friends become involved with unearthly strangers and a search for Meg's father, who has disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government.