Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

"Wilcox had books but no family. Minnie had a family now, but those babies would keep her from reading for a good long time. Some people, like my aunt Josie and Alvah Dunning the hermit, had neither love nor books. Nobody I knew had both."

It is the early twentieth century, and Mattie Gokey is a farm girl in the Adirondacks. Mattie is brilliant and filled with potential, but tied to her father's farm since the death of her mother and her brother's desertion. Her seemingly impossible dreams of college in New York City conflict with her loyalty to her family and her duties on the farm. When she takes a job at the Glenmore Hotel, Mattie finds herself entangled in the aftermath of a young woman's mysterious death. Mattie's story voice examines feminism, poverty, and racism set against Donnelly's romantic description of the Adirondacks at the turn of the century. I found myself wondering the same as Mattie, why can't a girl have books and boys? Oh, and the part about the mysterious death is a true story!

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SLJ reccommends grades 8 and up.

Book Thief by Markus Zusak

" It's just a small story really, about, among other things:
* A girl
* Some words
* An accordionist
* Some fanatical Germans
* A Jewish fist fighter
* And quite a lot of thievery

I saw the book thief three times."

This epic-length novel takes place during World War II in Germany, so you know it will be an emotionally wrenching read. Zusak, ever the creative storyteller, however does not set his story in a concentration camp or on the battlefield. Instead, his story takes place in a small working-class German town and follows the lives of the residents of Himmel Street as they react and respond to the events of the time. Moreover, this story is narrated by an unusual and formidable narrator, Death. The characters in this story share a passion for language and words from the Mayor's wife in her library to the main character Liesel the Book Thief to the Jewish refugee hiding in her basement. All of these characters come to understand that words can inflict pain as well as provide salvation. Zusak's text is embroidered with poetic, evocative language. This, combined with the subject matter, makes for an important novel. Although this book is being marketed to teenagers, there is plenty for an adult audience to appreciate as well.

SLJ recommends grades 9 and up.

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River Between Us by Richard Peck

At the dawn of the Civil War, a Mississippi steamboat brings a pair of strangers to Grand Tower Illinois--the mysterious and seductive Delphine Duval and her companion Calinda. They quickly become a controversial fixture in the Pruitt household. When Noah Pruitt can no longer resist the lure of battle, Mama sends her daughter, Tilly, and Delphine to bring him home. Secrets are revealed and tragedy falls.

Tilly's story, in itself, is a unique female perspective of the American Civil War and rural life. Delphine's secret adds an additional layer dealing with a little discussed aspect of American life. Tilly's entire recollection is bookended by a future visit to Grand Tower by the Pruitt grandchildren. What the oldest boy discovers about his family tree and his reaction to it provide a final layer for the reader to ponder. Peck's novel gets off to a slow start but quickly gains steam with the Delphine's arrival, coming, in time, to a thoughtful end.

A discussable bookclub choice.

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Subjects: Young Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction, Civil War, African Americans, Illinois, New Orleans, Death, Grandparents

(SLJ recommends this book for grades 7 & up)

Minister's Daughter by Julie Hearn

Set in 1645 England, Nell is the village midwife's granddaughter. Grace and Patience are the daughters of the local puritan minister who is dedicated to wiping out the old ways...ways which Nell, her grandmother, and the villagers continue to practice. When Grace gets herself into trouble, witchcraft becomes the scapegoat, and it doesn't take much to guess who will be targeted.

Told from the perspectives of Nell, Patience, the piskies, and a third person narrator, the reader experiences the events of the story from several points of view. A heavy 17th century atmosphere is brightened with fantastical elements like faeries and piskies, while a silly fantasy is given weight by rich descriptions of life in the 17th century. In addition, this tale is filled with strong women forced into situations that test their strength--for the better and worse. Though parts of Hearn's tale feel contrived, overall it is an engrossing read filled with important questions about the nature of evil, respect for life and nature, and reaping what you sow.

This is an utterly discussable book that would make a great bookclub selection.

*A note on the audio book: Heather O'Neill, the reader adds even more life to an absorbing novel. Each character voice is subtly different, defining the different points of view from which the story is told and adding even more interest to already colorful characters without distracting from Hearn's written text.

Learn more at HCL, Amazon, and here .

Subjects: Young Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Witches, England, Sibling Rivalry, Bookclub

(SLJ recommends this book for grades 7 & up)