Beyond the Bestsellers: So You've Read Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. In the spirit of continuing the discussion of diversity, it seems appropriate to talk about one of the few books that’s hit the New York Times Young Adult Bestsellers list in recent memory written by an author who identifies as Native and whose main character is not white: Sherman Alexie’s Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. While Alexie’s novel is a regular on the bestsellers list and has been awarded major accolades, including the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, sales of the book spike when the title is being challenged (you may remember this happened last year when one parent called the book “racy” and said it was akin to “Fifty Shades for kids“). If you’re a fan of Diary, there are a lot of next reads worth trying. I’ve included a mix of possibilities that tackle some of the most appealing parts of Alexie’s novel. Why You Like Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Try One Of These Books Next If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric Gansworth.
Beyond the Bestsellers: So You’ve Read DIVERGENT | BOOK RIOTBeyond the Bestsellers: So You've Read DIVERGENT. “Beyond the Bestsellers” is a new feature I hope to run at least once a month that highlights YA books that make excellent next reads for those who have been there and done that with the bestsellers. If you’ve read all of John Green and you finished up The Hunger Games series, where do you go next for a satisfying read? I’ll dissect what it is you probably liked in those books and offer up three new books or authors for you to explore. These will be books you’ll find in the stacks of your library or book store — not just the big ones sitting on an end cap. While I have a huge list of authors and books I want to tackle, I’d love to be able to open it up for requests, too, so if you have a young adult book or author you’d like me to consider for the feature, leave the name or title in this Google Doc. As always, your mileage may vary. Why you like Divergent It’s a dystopia, one of the most popular science fiction subgenres.
Try one of these next. Beyond the Bestsellers: So You’ve Read Sarah Dessen | BOOK RIOTBeyond the Bestsellers: So You've Read Sarah Dessen. Welcome to the second installment of “Beyond the Bestsellers.” Last month, I talked about Veronica Roth’s “Divergent” series and what books readers who loved that series should visit next that weren’t the ones everyone already knew about or recommended. This time, I’m going to go in a different direction and talk about what to read next if you’re a fan of YA superstar Sarah Dessen. You may be familiar with Dessen from her latest books, including The Moon and More and What Happened to Goodbye, both of which have appeared on the New York Times Bestsellers list. But Dessen’s career has spanned much further than that — in fact, she’s been writing YA fiction for twenty years.
She’s a foundational writer and a mainstay of realistic YA. In my mind, Dessen is one of the most underrated YA authors, as well as one of the most underappreciated for the depth, complexity, and style within each of her books. Why You Like Sarah Dessen Try One of These Authors Next Elizabeth Scott Jessi Kirby Sara Zarr. Beyond the Bestsellers: So You’ve Read Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children | BOOK RIOTBeyond the Bestsellers: So You've Read Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. You’ve discovered next reads for the “Divergent” series and for Sarah Dessen so far in the “Beyond the Bestsellers,” but this month, let’s shake things up completely: let’s look at next reads for fans of the mega hit Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. Sure, this is a book that would probably be best talked about during early fall, when we’re all in the mood for something slightly creepy and frightening.
But with the recent release of the graphic novel based on the book from Yen Press at the end of October and the forthcoming release of the sequel Hollow City on January 14 from Quirk, there’s no better time to talk about what readers may enjoy if they dig this book. Why You Like Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children Riggs’s book skirts the line between YA and Adult, depending upon whom you ask: the New York Times places this one squarely on their YA Bestsellers list, but USA Today lists it within their general adult list. Try One of These Next. Beyond the Bestsellers: So You’ve Read Ellen Hopkins | BOOK RIOTBeyond the Bestsellers: So You've Read Ellen Hopkins.
Ellen Hopkins is not only a New York Times Bestselling author, she’s a perennially popular author. No matter how many copies of her books I have at the library, I end up having to purchase more copies because they end up disappearing and/or the demand for her books continues. One of the things I love about readers who love Ellen Hopkins, though, is that most of them are so open and eager to trying books that are like hers but written by other people. It’s not that fans of other books aren’t that way, but in my experience, it’s easy to pinpoint exactly what it is readers love about Hopkins’s books.
Making a recommendation becomes fun because you know there’s going to be a satisfied reader who then goes on to find other books and authors to become just as passionate about. Why You Like Ellen Hopkins The realistic, edgy, no holds barred stories are what bring readers in and keep them interested in Hopkins’s books. Try One Of These Authors (or Books) Next Courtney Summers Thalia Chaltas. Beyond the Bestsellers: So You’ve Read “The Lunar Chronicles” by Marissa Meyer | BOOK RIOTBeyond the Bestsellers: So You've Read "The Lunar Chronicles" by Marissa Meyer. Beyond the Bestsellers: So You've Read SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson.
For this month’s edition of “Beyond the Bestsellers,” I’m going to do something a little bit different. This series has focused on finding the best next reads to bestselling young adult titles and authors (including Ellen Hopkins, Sarah Dessen, “The Lunar Chronicles,” the Divergent series, and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children), and today, I thought instead of being specific to a variety of appeal factors, it would be worthwhile to talk specifically about content.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and one of the most influential and bestselling titles in young adult fiction tackles this topic head on: Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak. In honor of April’s awareness campaign — and in honor of Anderson’s novel turning 15 years old this year — here’s a guide to what to read next in order to raise your own knowledge about sexual violence within YA fiction. This is a heavy topic and one that can elicit strong reactions from readers. That’s the point. Fault Line by C.