House Rules by Jodi Picoult

Can you imagine not beign able to connect to those around you?  What if you are never able to be understood?  What if you were charged with First Degree murder?  This is exatly what happens to 18 year old Jacob in this book by Jodi Piccoult.  Suffering with Aspergers Syndrome, he doesn't know how to relate with people at all.  He frequently breaks down.  He CANNOT stand the color orange and runs from it.  Every day was assigned a different color, and all his clothes and food must be that color on that day.  He also has a strong interest in forensic science.  One day, his social skills teacher is found dead, wrapped in his quilt.  He is immediately arrested for First Degree murder.  Join Jacob on his journey through jail, a trail, and find out what really happened.

A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard

If you ever want to read a true story about a girl who was kidnapped, A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard is the book to read. It is her memoir of her kidnapping and captivity in her captor's backyard. For eighteen years she was held against her will. Jaycee was kidnapped at age 11, and wasn't rescued until she was 29. She was continually raped until she was 17, when she became pregnant with her second child. This is a dramatic heartbreaking story about a violated young girl. It is a story of survival. I'd recommend this book to anyone. Jaycee created a foundation where others can donate to help recovering families and to help facilitate awareness. After reading her story, the reader cares about her life and the lives of others who have been effected by this awful criminal activity.

No Child's Game by Andrea White

No Child's Game Reality TV 2083 by Andrea White is a book aobut adventure, fear, and death. Five kids are chosen to go to Antartica and survive the cold with only the supplies that Robert Scott had when he made the journey in 1910. Many of these kids have never even seen snow, except for on television. Calamaties have been planned for them along the way. Everything will filmed, with thier own eyes. This book is filled with suspense and excitement! I recommend this good read.

Briar Rose by Jane Yolen

Briar Rose is a retelling of the classic story of Sleeping Beauty, with a twist. Yolen incorporates both the holocaust and the fairy tale “Sleeping Beauty” and comes up with a wonderful story of discovering one’s heritage. Becca, the main character has heard her grandmother’s version of “Sleeping Beauty” throughout her whole life. When her grandmother is on her death bed, Becca makes a promise to her grandmother that she will find her castle and prince charming. Becca makes this promise because Gemma, her grandmother, believes in her old age, that she is Briar Rose. Becca goes on an incredible journey, and slowly discovers piece by piece what happened in her grandmother’s life. I would recommend this book to anyone with any interest in fairy tales, or who just likes to read a good book. Briar Rose is a wonderful telling of a girl’s journey and her promise to the grandmother she dearly loved.