Young Adult Books

I love the whole series and I recommend it for anyone ages 11 and up. Meg Cabot is my favorite author and this book WOW'd me more than any other book I've read by her! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

THIS WAS THE BEST OF THE FIRST 4 BOOKS!! Seriously, my favorite!! From the beginning to the end is amazing and very surprising. I didn't want to stop reading. Im a girl of 13 years old and I seriously recomend the series to grade 7 to up.

My daughter got me hooked on this series and I was surprised at the great writing.

I love this book , and I love the character Jesse. This book is nothing but nonstop action and thrills , and some parts are so sad , and how Suze does to get Jesse back is certainly is unexpected. Although the new character Paul is very intriguing and I like his character , I can't wait to read the next book to find out about him.And I love the ending . Meg cabot really undone herself this time!

The fourth book of the series The Mediator did not fail to deliver a great and wonderful thrill. Susannah is still trying to live a normal teenage life without any ghosts interfering, besides Jesse her ghost friend that haunts her room. Susannah soon finds out its going to be harder than she thought, when she discovers a young boy who is a mediator just like herself. Things also get worse when she discovers that the young kid's brother Paul has a crush on Susannah.
While she is trying to deal with all this stuff, her stepbrothers accidentally dig up Jesse's dead body in their backyard. Since Jesse's body was discovered Jesse has no reason to stick around in the real world and gets sent to the ghost world. Now Susannah wants to bring Jesse back to the real world, but when Susannah finds out that Jesse was killed by his girlfriend many years ago, Jesse's girlfriend comes back from the dead to try to stop Susannah from finding out anything else. How is Susannah going to get Jesse back and deal with everything that's going on at the same time? Read the book to find out
I loved this book this was the best book of the series so far, because it added new enemies that Susannah has to worry about. I liked this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes mystery and action books. I would also tell them to read the whole series first because they are all good books.

Melissa Fox is totally messed up because her boyfriend Will Simmons dumped her and she can't understand that so she takes 27 sleeping pills to end her pain, but she ends up in the hospital. But before this all happened she turned almost everyone in the school against Jessica Wakefield because Will and Jessica like each other. But now Jessica feels the responsible when Melissa commits suicide. Will is always taking Jessica's side and that's one of the reasons why Melissa hates Jessica. But Jessica started going out with Jeremy and doesn't feel comfortable around him, she thinks she likes him but she actually likes Will.
Conner DeMercott and Elizabeth Wakefield like each other so they start dating. The problem is that Elizabeth's best friend Maria Slater likes Conner and she told her that. So Conner and Elizabeth decide to keep it as a secret. They mostly make-out but at the end Maria found both of them kissing in Conner's kitchen. Maria started to cry and she left.
This book is about love, life and time.

Melissa Fox is totally messed up because her boyfriend Will Simmons dumped her and she can't understand that so she takes 27 sleeping pills to end her pain but she ends up in th ehospital. but before this happened she turned almost everyone in the school against Jessica Wakefield because Will and her like each other. Will keeps on taking jessica's side and that's one of the reasons why Melissa hates Jessica. But Jessica started to go out with Jeremy and doesn't feel comfortable around him, she thinks she likes him but she actually likes Will.
Conner DeMercott and Elizabeth Wakefield like each other so they start dating. But Elizabeth's best friend Maria Slater likes Conner and told her that. so Conner and Elizabeth decide to keep it as a secret. They mostly make-out but at the end Maria found them kissing and she started to cry and left.
This book is about love, life and time.

i LOVE SWHSY it is the best book series i really liked this book because i LOVE seeing liz and conner together. i think i am the ONLY person who feels sorry for melissa, i mean will cheated on her and she obviously has issues i think if she had let jess explain things would have turned out differently. all in all it was a great book but im tired of everyone thinking jess is so mush Better looking than liz THEYRE twins i know everyone has thier "twin" and liz is mine keep on the look for me in the future im on to the next book

okay, we all love jess and liz and want to destroy anyone who goes up against them.this is how i first felt about melissa. she started all these rumors about jess. wait- before i go on ,i let you know i have only read a few of the senior year books. anyways, this book helped me understand liss more. she is not just completely evil, she has problems. like the deal with her mother. doesn't anyone else feel for her? SO in the end my oppinion of liss has slightly wavered from hatred to sympathy.

This is one of the best books of the series. I love the Conner-Liz thing. However... I just wanted to point out, I think in this book something like Maria and Liz go into the Riot and laugh as Tia pull them into the crowd. It's something like "Liz laughed then coughed at the second hand smoke." Smoking's been outlawed in California bars for a while. Just a comment.

This is such a lovely series. Miss Wrede has a great talent for creating fun, witty characters that are instantly likeable. Humor is abundant and the story is delightful!

I loved this set. It wasn't like I thought it would be from what I read about it, it was better! This is a very unique set and I must say that if all of Patricia Wrede's books are as surprising as this one, I would love to get more of her books. This is definitely a fairy tale, but it has so much comedy mixed in with it, plus there's the romance and all the other good stuff you want in a book. Buy this set, and you won't be sorry. Unless, of course you're the type of person that just wants the same boring fairy tale stuff.

This series is one of my oldest favorites. I first read them in elementary school and now in college I still love them. They are classics that you will go back to again and again. Short and sweet I turn to them if I need that fantastical escape.

This is a fun series for young girls, starring a self-sufficient princess and a coven of dragons of a variety of temperaments. Superficial, fluffy reading, but still fun and relaxing to read. The last book in the series kind of annoyed me because I hate it when there are characters who are in the dark about their history and they just bumble around trying to figure out what's going on. Still, there was a happy ending, of course, and it all turned out in the end.

One of the best series I have ever read. I personally place it next to Harry Potter. They teach that manners are important and it's okay to be different. Great gift for Good readers around 9 and older, if they don't mind a bit of a challange with the length.

This is a beautiful, wonderfully written book. Though a work of fiction about a young man named "Punky", author Wood's wrote this book as a tribute to her late brother. I myself am a sibling of a man with Down Syndrome and as such this book is very close to my heart. People with Down Syndrome possess personality traits such as blunt honesty, obsessive/compulsive-like reliance on routine, stubbornness, finding great joy in simple things and in a job well done. Wood's depiction of Punky, who possesses all these traits and more, is dead-on. So much in her characterization of Punky describes my own brother. I am also from Missouri, where the story is set, and can attest to her descriptions of the settings being very accurate. I own this book in paperback and only wish I could still find it in hardback because it will be a permanant part of our family library.

This book is a "must-read", it is sad at parts but I won't spoil the book for you!!! If you are looking for a great book read this, you should also read the sequel Turtle On A Fence Post, it is also great! The Man Who Loved Clowns is about Delrita, a girl who's uncle "Punky" just turned 35 years old, he has down-syndrome.I won't tell you any more but trust me READ THIS BOOK!!!

This is the greatest book. Perfect for children of all ages. ITs a heart touching story, and shows how families need to stick together no matter the circumstance. This story is a great example of how no families are perfect. Punky is a wonderful character/person, he touched my life. This book makes you want to smile and cry at the same time. Its an amazing book, don't just take my word for it, go ahead and read it yourself.

This is the most sincere book that I have ever read. I actually read it aloud to my 6th grade students. We were all moved and touched so much by the main characters, Punky and Delrita. This book exposed my students to many morals and excellent character traits as they learned the importance of accepting others, even if they are different. My students have missed this book so much since we finished it. I think it will leave an everlasting impact on their lives, and they will always treasure this story that we shared together.

Delrita moved to Tangle Nook from a small town. She lived with her mom,dad and uncle Punky. Punky has a disease called Down's syndrome and just turned thirty-five, and it's very unlikely for someone with Down's syndrome to live past forty. Delrita meets Avanelle Shackleford, and her brother Tree. Delrita, and her family pack up and go to Silver Dollar City. While they are there Punky "trades" a clown for clown. That led them to meeting Whittlen Walt. Walt came in handy later when Delrita's parents get in an accident and Walt is there for Delrita, and Punky.
In my opinion this book is an excellent book. It is most definitely highly recommended in my mind.

The book is age appropriate and I read it before I gave to my 18 year old niece for her birthday. She wants to buy the whole set. She found it interesting to read.

Great teenage stories that draw students to want to read the book. I can't keep the series of books in my classroom. As soon as it's checked in it's checked out by someone else.

I recently purchased this book for my fourteen year old daughter, she told me it was a great book. In fact I am looking at purchasing more in the series. She said it was not too religious for her- she could relate with the main character.

Most book's about Christian teenage girls there life is perfect. Which in real life could never happen. This book is about a teenage girl named Catlin O'Connor. She is 15 years old and struggles with many things in her life. She goes from being a Christian just because her parents make her go to church every Sunday to really loving God and having a personal relationship with him. In the begging she wants to be popular and gets to be but after awhile she realizes that it wasn't how she had thought it was.
Well I don't want to tell the whole story so I will now give my opinion.
It sure wasn't a typical Christian book, it was actually better. I liked it because it was real. It was probably the best diary I have ever read.
I loved it. It actually reads like an teen was writing it. And the best
thin about it is that it is Christian.
This book is for Christian teens or preteens. Or if you want to become a
Christian. This is a really good book.

Caitlin O'Conner is a 15 year old girl who has a true best friend called Beanie Jacobs. Caitlin really likes a girl called Jenny who is a popular cheerleader. When Jenny suddenly wants to be Caitlin's friend, she ditches Beanie to be friends with Jenny. Caitlin realizes that Jenny's life isn't too good. Caitlin then has a crush on jock boy, Josh Miller who Jenny is dating. Caitlin realizes then that she needs someone more then being popular, Jesus. She begins to find out more about Jesus and makes most of her dating life but then she remembers about Beanie after she finds out about her dating life but she realizes it's too late for Beanie because Beanie is pregnant. You'll laugh and cry and realize, Caitlin is a true friend.

I do detest the ending however I don't think I'll spoil it for you but never the less still good story.

This entire Trilogy is just amazing. I was given a present of the first book when I was about 7 (10 years ago), and I immediately wanted the next two! I fell in love with Julian there and then, and was never able to understand why Jenny didn't just choose him! I've read these books over 20 times, and they're all falling apart. Everybody in the entire world should read them, because you're missing out if you don't. I highly recommend them. The last book is a nice finish, but it's incredibly sad. I wish it had ended differently! (...)

In the trilogy of the Forbidden game i thought that the first and third were the best books I've ever read, and although the second was good it didnt even compare to these. I thought the game was great but if I were jenny I'm afraid I would miss out on it because one look and a few words from Julian and I would run away with him straight away. The books were made to be so real that I'm still searching for my own door, call me sad but you have to admit if Julian wanted you, you wouldn't be able to resist!

This was the first LJS book I ever read and it awakened me. Never before had I realised what a book could truly do to a person. This, the final book of the Forbidden Game trilogy, really gives the reader an insight to all the characetrs. It shows how they have developed, especially Julian. It also brings out different feelingsof the main characetr, Jenny. She learns so much about Julian and learns to understand. This book is definatly the most important and is a wonderful way to end the trilogy.

This is my favourite book, only challenged by other of L J Smith's works. She is an amazing woman and it is well worth reading her stuff.

In the final book in The Forbidden Game Trilogy Jenny and her friends cross over into the shadow world to rescue Tom, her boyfriend, and Zach, her cousin. Once they enter the shadow world a new and even more deadly game begins because in this world, their nightmares are more real than ever. Trapped in a demonic carnival they are at the mercy of not only Julian, but all the other frightening creatures of the shadow world. Will Jenny and her friends all make it out or have they bitten off more then they can chew?

I was fairly pleased with the conclusion to the series although the ending was a bit disappointing. This is probably the most well written book out of the three. I nearly cried during some of the scenes. I was also happy that Michael got some character development at last. Actually the characters in general were handled very well, especially Julian. Besides the slightly disappointing ending, the only other complaint I have is that it was far too short. The first book in the series still remains my favorite but this one comes in at a very close second. I highly recommend this series.

I can't believe I missed out on this one as a child... but it's just as good coming to it as an adult. The perfect lazy Sunday afternoon book to read. Adults can also escape to the wilds of Lake Windemere (Lake District), to sail up the Amazon, do battle with pirates and search for buried treasure on Cormorant Island.

The year is 1929 and story is about four children - John, Susan, Titty and Roger (in age order) - who are holidaying on the shores of Lake Windemere with their mum and baby sister, Vicky. The children are an adventurous lot and love sailing in their boat, the Swallow. Towards the end of their holiday they persuade their mum to allow them on an adventure for a week. They're allowed to sail across to the island not far away and make camp there by themselves.

This is a great adventure for these intrepid explorers. They discover a retired pirate, camp, bathe in the lake, fish and cook for themselves, and are threatened by a rival group of bandits, the Amazons (otherwise known as Nancy and Peggy). All in all a great week of fun and adventure is had by all - brilliant to read about, although there are very few children who'd be allowed to do this now! Inspired by the author's own childhood holidays at the south end of Coniston in the Lake District.

This wonderful book was written about 75 years ago, but is still extremely popular today. It is ageless. I first read it as a nine or ten year old and have read it several times since then. The last time I read it I was in my late 50s or early 60s. Every young person should enjoy it immensely as a fictional story. But there are many moral and ethical issues that are slyly inserted into this novel. The biography of the author and how he came to write this book, which was the first in a series of 9 or 10 novels, is a fascinating story in itself.

The Swallows and Amazons series was one of my favorites when I was a child. The story, set in the Lake District of England where Wordsworth and other great poets grew up, is a gentle adventure tale about children camping out on an island and rigging a little sailboat. It is slower paced than children are used to today. But I think a sensitive boy or girl would find it reassuring that the children solve their own problems of navigation etc.

While it didn't bother me as a child that the language was distinctly British, as I'd been prepared by the Winnie the Pooh stories, and Wind in the Willows, I would recommend Swallows and Amazons as a bedtime story to be read aloud by an adult reader. The reader could then explain the language. A map of the UK would help too, as the story is set in the Lake District.

An adult storyteller might be interested in a biography of the series author, Arthur Ransome, who led an adventurous life - including work in the Soviet Union and marriage to a Russian woman.

Enchanting
It's hard to explain what makes this book so charming: The writing, the way the children and their relationships with each other are shown so clearly and believably, the very real adventures they have, the sense of place....but listing those traits doesn't do the book justice. It's also really funny in places! Ransome creates a world that is clearer and lighter and more enchanting than the one most of us live in -- but he's also written a realistic book. The Lake District DOES look the way he describes it, and there could be children like the Swallows and their friends the Amazon pirates.

The books are for all ages, and I think they are also inspiring and a good influence! They make me want to have adventures -- and they encourage parents by example to let their children have them. The parents in the books are responsible, teach their children well -- and allow them to adventure on their own. They can do that because they've taught the children to have good judgment and be responsible.

Arthur Ransome's own favorite in the series was WINTER HOLIDAY, which I also loved. Once the original characters leave the series, it loses its interest (for me, anyway) -- children who enjoyed the first books will also probably like Blow Out the Moon by Libby Koponen and all the E.Nesbit books.

About 60 years ago I read as many books from this series that I could find in my local public library. I had passed through a phase of devouring the Dr. Doolittle fantasy series (so damaged by the motion pictures using that title - how could they cast tall lanky Rex Harrison in the role of a short cuddly grandfather-like figure?) Another series in which, as an American boy fascinated by warplanes during the Worl War II era - I went on to become an aerospace engineer - I was enthralled, was "A Yank in the RAF", which I don't think would translate to the 21st Century very well. But the series that made the most impact on me was Ransome's Swallow family. As with Hugh Lofting's Doolittle, the author's drawings enhanced the books.

I have not visited there yet but I plan on touring Britain's Lake District (I don't think I was cognizant of where the tales took place, except I knew the children were British. They liked to drink ginger beer; in the US we had a ginger ale drink, but not ginger beer and I was curious to have some.) I have long wanted to live somewhere that would allow me to experience the thrill of mastering the small sailing boats of the story. The closest I came was living near the Pacific in California and near the Potomac River. But the boats in those regions were larger and not terribly accessible. I did go sailing with friends and tried to sail on my own in a marina with a rented boat (a too narrow and crowded venue for a novice just learning to tack and unfamiliar with how to dump wind from the sail when being carried in the wrong direction.) I have gotten to taste ginger beer. I have also used the children's means of including coded messages in their letters in the form of dancing stick figures around the page's margin (the secret was to ignore other parts of the figures and concentrate on the positions of the arms, which were standard semaphore code.) I introduced the code to one of my daughters when we were in the "Indian Princesses" organization. (Is the name and programs of that organization offensive to American Indians? I'm sure its founders weren't sensitive to the fact that American Indians still existed.)

I will introduce this series to my precocius 6 year old grand daughter when I think she is ready.

The best reading experience is being taken to a different time and place by a protaganist who captures your heart. Possum propels you into her world with a unique voice. Her feelings become your own. Grieving and spunk combine in this rich character. No, not a character, church truth Possum is living, breathing real. I look forward to the rest of her story.

This tale has the ring of truth to a Southern girl who also experienced deep grief as a child. Ms. Laso shows her impressive talent not only by writing in the voice of a 10-year-old girl, but also by sprinkling in clever sentences that zing with insight ("Plus the big rock stuck in the throat ... it's hard to get past, words out or food in." "And the people left behind have to find the way and the will to crush the quiet before it crushes them."). Ms. Laso has accurately conveyed the dialect, successfully captured the sensations of grief and carefully balanced pain and humor to produce an honest, bittersweet account of an emotionally charged phase of life.

I loved keeping company with Possum and her Southern friends. The setting brought me back to the hours I shared with Lee Harper's Scout and the evenings I spent with John Boy on Walton's Mountain. Possum's narrative and Maria Lazo's lyrical voice told a tender story about painful life transitions- a timeless theme that's relevant in any era and local. In Possum's words, "I was so full of sorrow, I don't guess I would've had the strength to blow the dander off a danderlion." And yet, remarkably, eventually she was able to go "back to doing the things that needed doing, like shooing crows out of Momma's pecan tree, helping Daddy in his woodshed, and naming cloud animals, among my other chores and daily travels. Felt like I had a good hold on things." Learning how to get a 'good hold of things' despite loss and pain is a lesson for not only Possum, but everyone who loves.

Maria D. Laso's ability to draw in this reader to Possum's world was evident from the story's first line. Ms. Laso paints a vivid, textured portait of an earlier time and place that breathes with authenticity. Possum speaks as a child but with a wisdom not found in many of the adults in her world. I was truly sad the excerpt ended when it did. I long to find out what happens with Possum, her dad and the brown lady. "The Morning Come" is a first-rate work by a talented writer.

From the first sentence, Possum's engaging voice and perceptive nature drew me in. The "down home" language lends a rhythm to the sentences, creating a charming first person narrative of this coming of age story of a young girl growing up in 1930's Appalachia and coming to grips with loss, loyalty and love. Her mother and new baby sibling has died in childbirth and Liz Betty "Possum" and her father are left with "sorrow storming inside" and must, as Possum says "find the way and the will to crush the quiet before it crushes them." Possom's humorous turns of phrases resonate with the naive wisdom of an observant, quick-minded, self-confident young girl, and make for delightful reading.

The first chapter introduces Possum and her father each dealing with grief in their own way and the Crow Ladies who come "...fixing to stick their beaks in our business." Possum handles the Crow Ladies with resourceful mischief. In the course of the narrative of the next two chapters we meet Miz Justice, a near-blind old lady with a touch of the Sight, Possum's friend June May, who is ten, a year younger than Possum, and whom Possum describes as having "a coon's compass for a brain," and a Yankee lady, newly come to town, whose charm Possum mistrusts right away. In three chapters, skillfully written, Maria D. Laso presents what promises to be an entrancing coming of age story.

wow! did you ever have the feeling that since you'd never heard anyone else talk about a book (or something else) you loved, you were the only person in the world that loved it? i had always felt this way about this CP book! it is by FAR his best YA book, leaps and bounds above the others. i was way into reading his books when i was about 12 or 13 (a little young for the material but i was an avid reader!) and this is the one that has always stuck in my brain like a piece of bubblegum. it is just everything a good book should be- creepy, imaginative, well-written, descriptive, eerie, memorable. i have looked far and wide for this book and just thought to look here and i ordered it! being 24 now it's been a long time since i've read it and i can't wait for it to get here. please read this book! i would recommend this book to people of all ages, it's that good.

I'm 30 years old now and this book still gives me chills. It is literally a groundbreaking book you will never forget.Pike's master form of writing scares unlike any other.
It is symbolic and creepy at the same time.Quite possibly one of the best books I have ever read~and I have read hundreds!

This was a great book, but not scary. This had an amazing plot, great charecters, and Betty Sue was great. Betty Sue was actually a witch for any one who wants to know. The ending though is confusing, was it a dream, or was it real? Only thing we know is Rox died during the abortion.

I read this when I was in middle school and absolutely loved it. I admit I was a little young for the mature subject matter but he wrote it brilliantly. It has been stuck in my head to this day and I am actually buying it to read again.

I would recommend this book.

Whisper of Death has an intriguing premise. What if you woke up and all the people of the world had vanished? That is what happens to eighteen year-old Roxanne (Rox) and her boyfriend Pepper. All the stores are open and stocked with goods, and eventually they find three other teens: jerk Helter, nerd Stan, and beautiful Leslie. The teens soon find that the situation has something to do with Betty Sue, a classmate who killed herself three weeks ago.

The premise was great, and so is the writing in the first third of the book. I keep a journal, and if I see a quote I like from a book, I jot it in my journal for future inspiration. I wrote three sentences from Whisper of Death. The writing was that beautiful.

But as the story progresses, and the true horror of the situation is revealed, the story is too bleak and depressing. I didn't feel the end wrapped things up. I do not agree with the reason for the dead world - Pike said some statements about God that suggest He is not All-Powerful.

Last, there was a lot of sex in the story, and suggestions of incest. I don't think teens should be having sex. However, Pike discusses abortion a bit, which I feel is well-done.

Character development is great here, as well as the eerie setting. I don't feel the plot development built to a strong middle and powerful ending. It just kind of petered out.

I bet there is a few people who are thinking about buying this for a younger relitive, thinking it's like the 4kids anime....you better back away unless you want your 7-10 year old pulling the perverted prank "panty tank". Yu-Gi-Oh! was originally intended for teens until 4kids messed it up so if your looking for some Yu-Gi-Oh! for your kids try "the pyrimid of light" ani-manga (its colored and has the same dialoge as the movie its self)

This is a good volume, of course it starts the series so don't expect anything too deep.The art is okay compared to takahashi's later style in duelist.The best story in this volume is duel 1:the puzzle of the gods cause that is where it starts.The others are fair but in my favorites includes duel 4 and 5.Note this is not for kids since it's too violent,doesn't feature the cards and the names and storyline are completely different from the edited tv show.

The first 7 volumes of the manga is pretty much what happened in the series that wasn't shown in the US. I recommend this to manga readers 11+ but be warned, there is violence and a lot of swears in this manga. I am 13 years old

Try, for a moment, to put aside all you think you know about Yu-Gi-Oh! and imagine something completely unexpected. Forget about the children's TV series. Don't give the card games another thought. And try to get past the tons of merchandise featuring Yugi's image. Let's begin to reconceptualize the character of Yugi.

That is, essentially, all that is needed in order to more fully enjoy Kazuki Tanahashi's creation, Yu-Gi-Oh! In the Manga, Yugi isn't the tough-talking little Goth boy you might expect. Instead, Yugi seems to be the polar opposite of this characterization - and deliberately so. A comparatively small teen with awkwardly-proportioned hands and feet, the slightly-effeminate Yugi struggles daily with schoolyard bullies, cruel adults, and even the doldrums which epitomize teenage life. While everything seems stacked against him from the get-go, Yugi finds himself optimistic, enjoying life whereas other similarly-affected kids would be beaten down by these oppressive forces.

And this is because he has a mind which is constantly stimulated by the games his grandfather provides him with. You see, Yugi loves puzzles more than anything, and can make a game out of anything. This is the quality that both alienates him from his peers, and gives him limitless courage to face each trial of the schoolyard. In this sense, there's some degree of all of us - after all, who doesn't love a good game? Who among us hasn't daydreamed about getting lost in some fancy labyrinth, or of solving a particularly challenging mind game?

As a result of his passion for puzzles, Yugi becomes someone different from time to time - a personality over which he has no conscious recollection or knowledge. This Yugi is a sadist, one who has no qualms over hurting those who tread upon the weak as a means of poetic justice. This Yugi plays games of a different sort, ones which torture the players unfortunate enough to lose ("Penalty Games," dished out to those who seemingly deserve such extreme punishments - blindness, insanity, death by fire, etc.), but only those who have manipulated others and exploited their helplessness. This Yugi later becomes known as "Yama Yugi" (or, "Dark Yugi").

In creating this series, creator Mr. Tanahashi explains that he had no concept of how popular his little character would become in the marketplace and in the media. Having met with no prior success, Mr. Tanahashi had no way of anticipating what would become of his little "strange story... that centered around 'The Mysterious' in everyday life." The first appearance of the ubiquitous card game based on the Manga does not even make an appearance in this first volume (a 7-issue series which spins off into Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist and nearly concurrently, Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium World, and today's hot property Yu-Gi-Oh! GX).

While this book is - as one might expect - very popular with the kids, it certainly isn't the average American-written "kids' book." Inside these pages are tales of abuse, murder, torture... and, sometimes, even some bawdy humour ("Never play basketball in a skirt," says Anzu, the book's female protagnist). Certainly, it is filled with goofy stories light on the plot and occasionally, heavy on the characterizations - so it's a nice, light read. It's a children's title by way of Suzuki Koji, much the same way Hayao Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro was almost a grown-up movie disguised as kids' fare.

Yu-Gi-Oh! is a fun ride, packed with calculated fear and excitement, and endowed heavily with humanizing imagery (especially poignant is the image of Yugi reaching into a box, having nearly completed the 3-D puzzle he had kept with him for eight years, his clumsy hand searching for the final puzzle piece... only to discover it was missing, for all his pains. After watching him get beaten and extorted by a much larger classmate, knowing that the puzzle was what gave poor Yugi the most enjoyment out of life... This painful little scene is almost too much for dry eyes to absorb). It may not be the best of the genre, but it does deserve the attention it has received.

It also deserves a little more respect as well, but with marketing ever the ceaseless beast, this probably isn't too likely.

Many American children, especially those in the 7-12 age bracket, watch Yu-Gi-Oh regularly. Kids love the action and strategy. Parents love the 'appropriate' factor. Teens, however, hate the kiddiness, and anime purists abhor the editing.

Guess what? It's a lucky day for teens and anime fans.

Threats, fist-fights, and disturbing games (with disturbing conclusions) run rampant in this first volume of Yu-Gi-Oh, and although most people will love it, parents need to be warned--this is not for children under the age of 12.

Also, you won't find the card game 'Duel Monsters' anywhere in this first volume--in fact, it doesn't become the main part of the story until later on in the Yu-Gi-Oh anthology. Instead, however, you'll find out the origins of Yugi and his friends (with their original, un-Americanized names). And while all of this was originally created for a Japanese TV show, when 4Kids brought YGO over to the US, they skipped over the first few story arcs, and got right to the card battles.

Also, it's important to note that as this is a manga (Japanese comics, for the uninitiated) graphic novel, it reads from right to left, in traditional Japanese fashion. Of course, this means that you read the panels and text bubbles from right side to left side, but the translated text is written from left to right. It's ok if you don't understand--VIZ (the publishing company) provides a key in the graphic novel to help you learn how to read it. After 30 or 40 pages, reading like this will become second nature, so don't fret about that.

VIZ translates the sound effects, which is nice. The artwork is very nice (though not amazing), consistent, and easy to look at. The translation is very well done, with footnotes explaining any Japanese pop-culture references you might miss.

Overall, I'd highly reccomend it--to anyone over 12, and especially to older Yu-Gi-Oh fans who want to see a little bit darker take on the story.