Young Adult Books

Cooper's first two novels (Amnesia and Delirium) are amazing books and deal with very subtle corners of human mind; they left me nightmarish for days, and they are not terror novels, they are just extremely disturbing. I love them both: they are intelligent and strange and rich in every sense.

I ordered Milrose Munce as soon as I realized it was published, and was not dissapointed. It is written by the same witty and inteligent author, although in his playful side...and he certainly has one. If you want to check that out, look into his web page, dysmedia.com.

I'm extremely happy that this book exists, and hope to see it translated into many languages soon.

Do read it!

f you're bored of reading what everybody else is reading then you're
going to be a happy girl when you pick this book up. It's the most
unboring thing I've read this year, actually that's an insult, it's
GUT RIOT HILARIOUS and actually really smart. Thisis the kind of book
Emily the Strange would write if she wrote books, or she'd at least
want someone to write this book about her. Actually there are a lot
of characters which remind me of Emily the Strange, so if you like
that whole thing, or love it like I do you should definitely
DEFINITELY read MM.

Lad, I regret to inform you that your book is wonderful; sweet and weird and irreverent, absurdly light on its feet -- and infectious in timbre. I'm not particularly inclined to be so supportive -- leastways not 'til you come across with a little quid pro quo -- but the goofy good mood engendered by
the book so demands. Consider me a reluctant convert. I'll buy plenty.

Eh, I don't buy much other than graphic novels these days. Not because I'm illiterate, but because they're just BETTER, for the most part. I was pressured to buy Milrose Munce, because a friend of mine - brilliant cartoonist - is in love with the cover. So I bought it, and read it, and... Damn. The novel's EXCELLENT, it's hilarious. (So's the cover, btw - this SHOULD be a graphic novel.) If you haven't heard about it yet, it's an ridiculously wacky Young Adult novel - more like a spoof of YA, for kids who are too self-consciously ironic to read the really sappy stuff. It has THE weirdest love story I've ever encountered (and I've seen some strange ones). Buy it. And frame the cover. Do it now.

A cunningly subversive young-adult novel from one of the only living writers of English who knows how to craft a sentence.

Nearly every sentence in this book is elegantly fashioned. Some examples:

"Milrose did sometimes wonder whether his school produced more dead students than the average."

"No, he had never been the sort of boy to laugh at his own shortcomings, and when the pellets he dramatically swallowed turned out to be not Vitamin C but instead expensive first-class rat poison, he was deeply annoyed."

"Being late for Math was something Milrose occasionally enjoyed, and yesterday had felt like the right kind of day to be irresponsible."

"The dear decayed on the third floor were nothing like the dull dead on the floors below."

"Kelvin bent to sit down, and immediately shattered into ice cubes, which melted mournfully all over the floor."

"On a tedious Monday a few months back Kelvin had been particularly inspired."

"The gigglers became squealers as the skeleton whirled daintily in their direction."

"Mr. Loosten, who affected an insincere, jocular informality with the students, sat partially on the desk, with one foot on the floor and the other swinging."

"She was wearing faded crushed velvet, once something like violet: a dress far too long for her, and whose worn fringe trailed behind her like the train of a weird wedding gown."

"It was a game of chicken, but slow and infinitely strange."

"The hallway itself turned that way, and all they had to do was follow it."

"The words _comfortable_ and _cozy_ seemed to vie with each other for status as the bigger whopping lie with respect to Massimo Natica's den."

"Displayed in various places around the den were singular objects, some propped against the walls, others in glass vitrines---possessions that were clearly dear to the den's proprietor."

"Although he wasn't entirely keen to, Milrose opened one of the drawers. The drawer was clearly teasing him."

"Each had a tiny bulb above the drawer's metal-framed label, and these bulbs all seemed on the verge of winking out completely."

Dennis Anthony Cooper may be his generation's Nabokov.

---Joseph Suglia, the author of WATCH OUT

I was thrilled to find that the story of Modac has been written as a children's picture book. I read the book Modac to my fifth grade class and they sat enraptured. My small grandchildren listen just as intently to the picture book.When they are older, I'll read Modoc aloud to them too. There are many lessons woven in this story. The love between a boy and an elephant, courage, faith, perseverance, and keeping a promise. I promise you won't be disappointed when you choose this book.

Fabulous account of a true story interpreted from the novel, "Modoc", for children of all ages with beautiful illustrations and a condensed but still touching story.

This story alone is incredible. Add the beautiful illustrations, and you have a truly wonderful book! EXCELLENT! I can't say enough good things about it. Everyone should read this story! Highly recommended!

I just read this for the first time yesterday with my daughter.
This is an amazing story with beautiful illustrations by Ted Lewin.
A wonderful book!

This was a wonderful "trip" through the lives of the two main characters. It is so awesome, you have trouble believing everything that happens to both of them on their life journey. You will not be able to put this book down. My husband, who hardly ever reads, would not put it down until he was finished. It brought tears to his and my eyes. Can't say enough.

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.

Have you ever read a book that you can relate to?
Well I just a read a book that was just like that.Diary of a teenage girl book 5: My name is Chloe.I found that it was very easy for me to relate to the main character,Chloe.This book has to do with a teenage girl struggling to fit in and dealing with Christianity.
The book is about this girl Chloe Miller.Most people see her as a rebel she wears long weird clothing.She has piercings,her hair is cut in a weird way.She dyes it all sorts of different colors.She feels like there's nothing important in her life.She feels as though no one understands her.She doesn't have a lot of friends people are afraid of her.Her parents aren't all that different her mother doesn't approve of how she looks.She then make friends with an african american christian girl Laura and a girl Allie who's practicing witch craft.She and Allie become christians.They start playing music together and form a christian band.
I really enjoyed reading this book.The words and the message was really powerful.You could tell that the author was writing straight from her heart.It was very spiritual.I highly recommend it.

Have you ever felt extremely left out? Like you have don't have friends and no one loves you? Well that's how Chloe Miller, a very confused teen, felt. She had used to be such a good girl, but suddenly her life was changing. It seemed as if she had crossed over to the dark side. She began wearing ratty clothes and she always seemed unhappy. When Chloe thought that everything in her life was as horrible as it could get, she realized she was wrong. On one rainy night in her favorite cemetery, she decided to invite Jesus into her heart and become a Christian. Her life then took another dramatic change as Jesus began to solve some of her problems. She started to easily make new friends, went to church, and started a band. You'll have to read the book to see if Chloe's new life will really work out the way she plans.
This book was very interesting and a lot of things happened that I wasn't expecting. I like the Diary of a Teenage Girl series because the books are written like an actual girl's diary. One of my favorite parts was when Chloe decided to become a Christian. Her life took one drastic change and I really felt happy for her. The only thing I didn't like about the book was the way Chloe started out. She was very unhappy and had different friends. But then, if she hadn't been that way, nothing exciting would have happened.
I have a feeling that only girls would probably like this book. There really isn't anything about these books that guys would be interested in. So, if you think it sounds good, I recommend it to you.

This novel is very inspirational and should be read by every teenage girl. Chloe Miller struggles with your everyday teenage problems, fitting in at school, parents, and searching for faith. Chloe surrenders her life to God and forms the all girl Christian band Redemption.

This book is a really easy read. It is written in the form of the diary of the main character, Chloe Miller. This gives it such a real feel, the way it is simply written as a teenager would write. It really helps you relate to the character on a personal level. You read what she goes through and her thoughts and emotions, and you feel them too as you read. I love the way Melody Carlson writes. Her characters are so real, so true to life. Each of the people she describes in this story reminds me of someone I know who is like that. Her descriptions are so detailed, that you even imagine the wrinkles in their faces. She really diversifies her characterization. The three girls in the band are so unique and different from each other. There's, of course, Chloe, the fun-loving, sensitive songwriter who takes her faith very seriously. She dresses very creatively and is laid back about her style. Then there's Laura, the very proper and well kept bass player. She's very tidy and self conscious about her appearance and has a very strong sense of morals. Then there's Allie, the drummer. She is bubbly and hyper and never seems to rest. She's boy crazy and altogether silly, and although she's confident in most situations, she still gets stage fright once in a while. The plot of the story is also very strong. When the girls are performing their first concert, you feel their stage fright with them because of Carlson's elaborate description of the setting, and their emotions. So if you're a girl and into music, you should definitely read this book, it'll teach you things about friendship, struggle, music, and God.

As a teenage girl Chloe has many struggles in her life: no friends at school, getting tormented by bullies, and having her parents not fully accepting her for who she is. Working through these problems can be really hard for Chloe when she has no one to express her thoughts and feelings too. For Chloe she finds relief in playing her guitar and listening to music. She also goes to a graveyard and visits this one specific grave to just sit and think about what is going on. At school one day Chloe meets some friends that are into drugs and stuff that isn't good for your body, she stays in contact with them-specifically one girl-but never gets into the whole drug thing. Later on she visits the graveyard again where she makes a huge change in her life. Chloe accepts Christ into her heart. From that point on everything seems to get much better for her, Chloe and two other girls are starting a band, her parents take notice of her now, and she just feels better as a person. Through weeks of practice the band has gotten really good together. They are now performing at the Paradiso (a small coffee house in town). There next gig is at the Battle of the Bands competition. With help from Willy, someone from Chloe's church, the bands goes through a tough week of practice to insure that they are ready for the competition. When it arrives they perform and didn't really do all that great but it was ok. After all the bands played their song the winners were announced and to their surprise they got second place. Now what will happen that their band has been noticed by important people in the music business?
I would recommend this book to any teenage girl. This book is categorized as a Christian Fiction but it's also suspenseful in a way. You do not have to read the Caitlin books first to understand this story. There are many sequels to this story that I'm sure are really good. If you just like a good story you'd like this book. I liked pretty much everything about this book; I don't have any negatives to mention. The thing I liked most about this book is how I could take the story and relate it to my own life.

i enjoyed this book the first time i read it in high school, and i just read it again almost 12 years later and its still my favorite!

I am a college sophomore and I recently read this book for the second time. As a senior in high school the book touched my heart and my life, but I attributed that to the proximity of the year that I was reading about. Now, two years later, the book spoke to me with an even louder voice. It evoked nostalgia, which in turn made me both laugh and cry hysterically. A book that is meant to transport you into the life of a senior in high school should do no less...anyone who has ever been at that point in their life knows the unbelievable highs and lows that will be encountered. Michael Fitzgibbons' accurate, satirical, purposeful, and piercing characters, themes, and story lines cut right to the heart of matters. This man surely was writing about something of which he has a distinct and thorough knowledge. If you've never been a senior in high school read it and marvel at what you missed. If you have, read it and be amazed at the truth it reveals. I can't wait to see what else this author comes up with!!!

I read this book through a friend who knew the author and I was amazed at how accurately a high schooler was portrayed by this author. It brought back some fond and not so fond memories of my own high school experience. I have since passed the book on to several friends, as well as my mother and they have all said the same thing- it is awesome. It evokes such emotions and memories it is hard to put down. I really think that students should read it before their senior year to know what they might encounter, parents should read it to know the difficulties their kids are up against and teachers should read it to see why students sometimes have their problems. All in all a great book.

I am a student of Mr. Fitzgibbons and he showed me a copy of the manuscript before it was published. When it was published and able to be sold, I bought it and read it within two days. The only time I put it down was to eat, take a shower, and for the few hours of sleep at night. I would read until 2 am and wake up at 5 to begin reading again. This book goes into the world of a senior in high school and gives life to the ideas that truly go through our heads as students in high school. It helps us realize the difficulties of being a teenager, and the many trials that we have to over come. I recommand this book to anyone in high school and anyone who has ever been through high school. It's a great read! It can make you laugh, think, and even get mad at certain characters. You can relate to what Sully has to go through...Congrats Mr. Fitz, you did it! I love the book!

This captivating novel by Mike Fitzgibbons will have you in stiches as you discover how closely Sully's high school stories relate to your own experiences. My Senior Year will take you on an enlightening journey of self-discovery.

What a delightful read! Jenny B. Jones has done it again with her second Katie Parker Production book.

Katie Parker moved in with her foster parents, James and Millie, six months ago and has adjusted well. Life is finally settling for her. Then a tornado hits her town of In Between and leaves more than just debris and broken houses in its wake.

Immediately after the tornado, Katie's world is invaded when Maxine her eccentric foster grandmother, moves in with them temporarily. Maxine's apartment was damaged by the storm. Maxine invades Katie's bedroom, space, privacy and life. As Katie tries to adjust to that, the family finds out Millie has breast cancer. The rattles Katie's already weakened sense of security. Will James and Millie want her around as they deal with this cancer? Or will they send her back to the children's home? Add to these circumstances, relationship issues at school between Katie and her best friends, preparations with her drama classmates for a school show, the school science fair, a bully girl named Angel, her own attraction to the school's version of Prince Charming, and Katie's life becomes worse than the tornado that hit her town. Can Katie find her way through the whirlwind of her life to the things that matter most and realize the love and family she always wanted is truly right at her fingertips?

Jenny Jones wrote a most entertaining book. Katie is a likeable teenage girl and your heart will be drawn to her life. As you read this book you will laugh out loud one minute and wipe away tears the next. I highly recommend this book for teens and up. Wait until the end when you realize you have fallen in love with Charlie Benson, too. I look forward to the next Katie Parker book.

Another great book by Jenny B. Jones. I was so happy for another dose of Katie Parker, whose infectious attitude combines with a heart of gold--a heart that aches for something deeper and more meaningful than the life she'd grown accustomed to. Jones does a masterful job of delving into tough emotions while softening the drama with hilarity. I give this book my top recommendation!

I enjoyed reading Jenny B. Jones second novel of the Katie Parker series. It's hard enough to be a teenager. Fifty years ago I entered the teens and I can testify it's not for sissies.

I appreciate the realism of the cast of characters. Although it's a YA novel It's not filled with only teens. I enjoyed the antics of Katie's foster grandmother, Maxine. Since I've been a teenager and am now a great grandmother I got a kick out of the interaction between them.

Laughter is the best medicine and you can't read this book without letting out a chuckle now and then. But it's not all fun and games. Katie's foster mom is fighting cancer. The long lost daughter comes home. A girl who is dearly loved and who Katie feels she can never live up too. And as if that isn't enough, high society, Chelsea tries to win Prince Charming.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING.

I absolutley love this book!! Like many others I would laugh out loud (and get some pretty weird looks from my family as i did so!) I was sorry when the book ended because I wanted to read more. I cannot wait until act 3 comes out. If you are deciding whether or not you should buy this book, please do not hesitate, it is totally worth it!

I never thought that as a married, mom-to-be, I'd still love reading YA as much as I do - largely in part to Jenny B. Jones! This Katie Parker series of hers is beyond amazing. It brought back the typical angst of my own teen years, and showed me that some things really don't change regardless of if you're 15, 25, or 55. Each of the extremely witty and realistic characters were relatable in some form or fashion.

In "On The Loose", I found myself laughing out loud and sometimes crying right along with the characters, upset when they were upset, sad when they were sad, and hysterical when they were being silly. I've noticed before that its easy for YA books to all read alike - but this series by Jenny is fresh and fun. DON'T miss out on this novel. It'll encourage, inspire, and challenge you. I ask you to read it, and I DARE you to pass it on to a teen in your life! =)

As I tend to go for LONGER books, this one was an appitizer to me. It was a quaint story.. that I devoured in less than a day. Easy reading.. Somewhat predictible story line.. that could have been rendered from a lifetime movie for sure. It does show the struggles of a 15 year old girl, and the thinking that she has (that we have all had)... But it also has a nice little pink bow ending.. and we all know that life doens't happen that way, however much we might really want it to.. However, if that is what you like.. a nice wrapped up ending with no strings sticking out.. this book is for you.

It was a fine book, but not one of my top ten.

Anna is 15 years old and her mother is constantly leaving her. When her mother is gone she has to take care of five year old Mandy her sister and 11 month year old Casey. Her mom is always making bad choices. One day her mom never comes home like she usually does when she leaves. Anna is always worried that the authorities will come and put her in a foster home seperate from her brother and sister. I liked this book because it is realistic. I give the book four stars. I really enjoyed reading this book!

This is such an awesome book! I recommend it to young adults everywhere!

I read this book last year, and it was outstanding. This book is about Anna O'Dell and her two younger siblings, Mandy and Casey who are abandoned by their alcoholic mother. Since her father is dead, Anna soon assumes the role of a mother and finds out how hard it really is to be a parent, especially at the age of 15.I highly recommend this book to anyone. When I read it, I couldn't put it down. I read this book in school with some of my friends as a group, and we all loved it. Some of them even cried. It is touching and very realistic, and you will be sad when it ends, because you won't want it to end.

A place to call home!

This is a very interesting book that inspires and tells a life story about a girl named Anna and her other two siblings. Casey, at the age of 11 months, and Mandy, at the age of 5. Anna's mother is an alcoholic. She is a regular about leaving Anna to take care of the children for about a day or so but when she leaves this time Anna doesn't think she is coming back! Anna is pretty much a mother at the age of 15. Anna try's to get through the time of her life being a kid but that isn't very possible. Since Anna has 2 siblings to look out for Anna doesn't have a lot of time for boys. So when Nate a very cute boy in Anna's eyes comes along she can not spend time with him! Anna gets her first kiss, and would like to spend time with Nate but now that she knows that her mom is not coming back Anna can't trust anybody. Anna and Mandy are always very scared that the foster care is going to come and separate their family. Mandy and Anna are always looking out for each other and will try to never separate. I liked this book because it is inspiring and it is a life telling story. I really liked this book and I hope you have a fun time reading it too!

Have you ever heard the cliche that High School can be hell? Well, imagine for a moment that it really is. Not in the figurative sense but literally hell. That's what happens in the book, PROM DATES FROM HELL. Maggie Quinn is on the newspaper staff and is the Yearbook photographer and doesn't want to go to her prom. One day while photographing the Spanish club for the Yearbook, Stanley, the school nerd, asks her out. She's horrified but what happens next is even worse. The resident Jocks and Jennifers come along at that moment and torment Stanley. After Maggie takes a photo and threatens to put it in the newspaper, something happens. Stanley threatens all of them. No one takes him seriously, that is until Maggie starts sensing things and smelling brimstone at the school.



Later things start happening to the in crowd--the same ones who'd tormented Stanley. Now it's up to Maggie to find out what's going on. Putting on her Nancy Drew hat she searches to see what's going on and finds out that the prom is mandatory if she hopes to save the school from demons.

I enjoyed this tale. Think Buffy meets Nancy Drew. The catchy dialog pulled me right into the story. Throw in a cute college student, who happens to be researching paranormal happenings and is in her father's college class, a cute Jock, and a foggy demon, who likes to leave messages on her window. Oh, and also some witchy cheerleaders.

What I really enjoyed about this tale was the interaction of Maggie to her father. So often stories have the parents either obvious to their teen or the bad one. Maggie's father is very supportive of his daughter even when he can't see the demon. And her Debbie Reynolds like Grandmother is a gem.

This is a fun ride that makes you wonder if maybe that smell in high school might be something more sinister!

I loved this book. Suspenseful, clever and funny, Clement-Moore is obviously a skilled storyteller at weaving a complex plot that adults and teens enjoy. I left my teenage years a while ago, but I really liked these characters, especially Justin. Maggie Quinn is a character I want to read in future sequels.

This was seriously one of my favorite books of all time!
Rosemary Clement-Moore really outdid herself in this thrilling novel.

I got this book over a vacation. I knew nothing about it, or the author, but I bought it because it looked funny. I finished it in 2 days. (One of which was a 14-hour car ride.) As soon as I finished the book in the car, it was scooped up by both my older brother and mother, because i wouldn't stop raving about it. They have been fighting over it constantly, and both enjoy it. Just goes to show how the book appeals to a wide audience! Definitely worth reading!!!

I was very surpirsed at how good this book turned out to be. Most teen lit books I read are very well targeted toward the teen audience, but this was not. It can be enjoyed by readers of all ages!

I also loved the main character Maggie. She's someone I would have been friends with back in highschool and someone who I could relate to. It was very well written and is a great mixture of mystery and the supernatural. I really hope for a sequel because Maggie was such a likeable character.

Varina has always thought of herself as a normal teenager until her Uncle Jim gets attacked and when a strange boy tries to convince her that she's in danger. Varina willing goes with Chase when she almost gets attacked. Now Chase is trying to convince Varina that she is a scientific experiment or in other words, a clone and that an evil scientist wants them and the other clones distroyed. Varina doesn't believe that she is a clone but she is still willing to help find the others to warn them before the evil scientist can get them first.

I liked this book. It was just soo cool. I like the way the awesome writer L.J. Singleton makes this wonderful piece of fiction seem a reality.

The events in this story sound like it could really, really happen.

Of course it would be amazing if they did. It deals with action, a hint of romance (it's not THAT bad. This book is for kids and YAs. The romance here is like Brock from Pokemon crushing on Nurse Joy or something.), and, of course, adventure.

What a FANTASTIC new series! Besides being well-written, and a real page-turner, it is totally intriguing because it COULD happen! WOW! I couldn't put it down. L.J. Singleton has created a compelling cast of characters who are in big trouble. I can't wait to read the next book and find out what happens. I highly recommend this book!

Varina has been living a fairly normal life with her Uncle Jim, but then she comes home one day to find the house trashed and her uncle seriously injured in the study. Then things get worse. A stranger called Chase tries to ell her that she is a clone - one of five - but she doesn't want oto believe him. Because her uncle wanted her to, Varina helps Chase track down the other three clones. As they search they are hunted by Dr.Victor and his companion Geneva - both want to test them and then destroy them.

I found this novel both gripping and well written. Varina is the kind of character who gets under your skin and makes you pay attention. The stroy of this novel is strong and I found myself on the edge of my seat each time a new snippet of information came through.

Cloning is a hot topic for novels at the moment - Replica is the best known series, but it has come up in other novels like "Starsplit" by Kathryn Lasky. The scariest thing about these novels is that you can picture it happening somewhere out there. This series is similar to some extent to the Replica series, but this is more challenging and more interesting - after twenty-odd novels Replica is getting just a little bit boring. Regeneration is both using an old idea and making it original.

You have got to try this book and make a decision for yourself - but I don't think you will regret picking this novel up.

I met Linda Joy Singleton at a Literary Writing Conference my school held a few months ago. I had a little class with Mrs. Singleton. She was very nice and taught us a lot about writing and publishing books. "Regeneration" is an awesome book with a fun, mysterious, and creative story that you are sure to love. The five books in the series are so good that it takes you a while to find another type of book as entertaning. I would recomend this book to anyone. ~Diandra M. Age: 14

oh man i just finished this for a book report and this books AWESOME. it keeps u guessing till the end but the auther gives little clues along they way. READ THIS BOOK!!!!ITS AWESOME!!!!!!!!

man i just finished it. that was awesome! u have no clue till the end. its SICK. READ IT!

i LOVED this book!!! it is wonderfully written and i couldnt put it down. seriously!!! i read it in one day!!! it has suspense, adventure, murder, shakespear, imposters, hostages... EVERYTHING!!! (...)

The Ruby Raven is the best book I have ever read. It kept me guessing until the very last word! If you are looking for an exciting, easy to read novel, the Ruby Raven is for you!

The book The Ruby Raven by Michael Dahl is a Suspensful and fun to read.This book starts out with a boy named Finn and his uncle Stoppard.They were entered in a contest for the ruby raven and a million dollars.They had to write a mystery book to enter.They traveled everywhere like Paris and Africa.Someone tries to kill uncle Stoppard in the story.
When I started it was a little boring.As I went through it got a lot better.I learned stuff about places.There were sooo much mystery and red herrings.If you like mystery you'll love this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I first read A Rustle in the Grass in gradeschool. From then on (I'm 16), I haven't read a better book. Every last character is very well made, from Dreamer to Storyteller to the Spider. This book might look childish when you first see it, but it is an excellent tale for all ages.

As a kid I was very interested in social insects. I had an ant farm, I absorbed hundreds of books on ants, bees, wasps and termites. I watched PBS specials and National Geographic shows whenever the topic was about any one of the above creatures.
So, when I found this book only a few years ago I bought it on the spot.
The story is good but I have been spoiled by my knowledge of how social insects, like ants, really work together, so much of the story seems silly to me. As a child I would have loved it but as an adult who finds facts to be more wonderful than any fiction, it didn't really do anything for me.
It is fantasy, pure and simple, yet it reminds us about another world. While hiking only a few weeks ago, me and a friend, found a few yards of the path covered with a swarm of large ants. They seemed to be searching, foraging, all working together - none that I could see were fighting each other so I assume they were all from the same nest. There must have been thousands on the path and in the grass bordering it. My friend pointed out that there was a jungle right under our feet.
The ants ignored us even as we tried to walk down the path without stepping on them. We were not of their world - not even dangerous giants to flee from. Maybe we were like a storm or a flash flood - a part of nature that they can't do anything about so why get upset over it?
A good book for a child but not really for an adult unless that person had it as a child and had good memories of it.

I first discovered this book when I was nine years old. My parents went to a flea market, and I had a quarter that I was determined to spend. The only thing I found for a quarter was this book- "A Rustle in the Grass." I bought it.

As a fourth grader, it took me nearly two months to finish. But it became my favorite book until this day. (I am now 24.) I made a habit of reading it once a year. When I was in sixth grade, my teacher told the class that she would read our favorite books after lunch time, if we would bring them to her. Naturally I brought this book to her. But I guess she was skeptical, b/c somehow all the other books that kids brought got read first (and some of them were pretty dumb). Finally, a week before school was out, I begged her to start the book. She did. We got through about three chapters and school was done. My teacher asked to borrow the book over the summer. I let her, and the following year received it back. Two years later my younger sister was in sixth grade and had this same teacher. She said in our classroom bookshelf there was a 20-copy set of this book for all of the students to read. Apparently my teacher also loved it.

As time went by I let someone borrow my copy and never saw it again. I had to order another copy from Barnes and Noble (they don't carry it) and then I ended up giving that one to a friend. I bought another used copy but I never seem to be able to keep something so good to myself. Last year I got married, and I just bought a new used copy. I am quite excited to read this book to my husband.

Although relatively unknown and unheard of, this is by far the best fiction book ever written. I love it, and I have no doubt that anyone who reads it will as well. It is a magical story that tells the tale of human nature, the good and the bad, as portrayed by the inquisical little creatures known as ants.

I love this. I picked it up on a whim when I was very young and ended up stealing it from the school library, still have it too. This is one of those books I buy, whenever I see a copy somewhere, just so I can give it to someone or their kid. The story is enchanting, the biology well-used, and the characters are simply unforgettable. Storyteller still fills me with wonder.

There are very few books that make me nostalgic for innocence and childhood. This one easily tops the list. Buy a used copy, for yourself, for your kids, for any reason at all. Treasure this.

OK- here's the carrot- if your kids are the bookish, quiet introspective types (boys or girls) and you want to maintain that, if not reinforce and foment that- GET THEM THIS BOOK.

used copies pop up often. I've got a few saved up for birthdays and the like.

The characters are so well-constructed, and they're ants!!! Rarely has an anthropomorphic take on the insect world worked so well, at least in my eyes. I haven't messed with an ant since I read this when I was around 10 and I still bristle with anger when someone else does. Dreamer and Storyteller, Snake's Toungue, Spider, The Queen... Every character is well-developed and perfectly used. The writing is deceptively simple- i'd say elegant even. The parables that Storyteller weaves throughout are worth the price of the book alone.

Also, it's one of those books that leave you wanting to know more. I remember sitting around and imagining what else happened to Dreamer, wondering about his adventures...

I re-read this one every few years, it takes me back- a wellspring for nostalgia and fond remembrances. It's one of the books I used to get my little brother to love reading... it's wonderful, honestly masterful- succinct chapters, fantastic morals, a celebration of hope and courage and dignity in the face destruction. I kid you not, this book is a panacea for empty, nihilistic trash.