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*Young adult, historical fiction set in 1981 Ireland during the “Troubles”
*18-year-old boy as the main character
*Rating: Bog Child is a wonderful story set in an unusual time/place for young adult literature. The main character’s charm carries the reader through a difficult, sometimes heartbreaking, story of a tumultuous time in Ireland’s history.
Short, [...]

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For an SCBWI writing workshop in Chicago in less than two weeks, I was assigned to read The Pricker Boy by Reade Scott Whinnem. Now I am reviewing it, providing some discussion/activity ideas, AND offering a BOOK GIVEAWAY CONTEST. Please leave a comment below about this book or your favorite [...]

Yes, you read that right. . .you can win your very own hard cover copy of Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (the sequel to The Hunger Games) by leaving a comment below. I’m not even going to make you do anything special in your comment if you don’t want to–you can just say “pick [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Young adult novel, contemporary fantasy/sci-fi
14-year-old girl as main character
Rating: A good contemporary fantasy/sci-fi book for teens.

Short, short summary: Patterson starts this series off by introducing you to six genetically-altered children, ranging in ages from 6 to 14. Each of them is 98% human and 2% bird, and so they have [...]

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Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Young adult novel, fantasy (sort-of), set in “once upon a time. . .”
15-year-old girl as main character
Rating: An interesting twist on the classic Cinderella tale–with politics and everything.
Short, short summary: Ella has been to the ball and swept away by the prince, once he found [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Young adult novel, contemporary
High school guy and girl as main characters
Rating: This is one of the best YA books I’ve ever “listened” to. The story is well-told, realistically in two distinct voices. I would recommend this to anyone–young or old.
Purchase Thirteen Reasons Why

Short, short summary: Clay Jensen receives a [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Young adult novel, contemporary, sports
8th grade girl and boy as main characters
Rating: Okay, I LOVE basketball, but that is not the only reason I love this book. It has a lot of action, mystery, voice, humor, and two teen heroes!
Short, short summary: Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson are [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Young adult novel, edgy, contemporary
Teenage twin girls as main characters
Rating: Hopkins’s wonderful verse combined with an important story and frightening tale (not to mention surprise ending) make this a great choice for older teens.
Short, short summary: This ya novel tells the story of twins–Kaeleigh and Raeanne–and what happens to them [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Young adult novel, contemporary
A teenage boy and a teenage girl as main characters
Rating: Refreshing ya novel with incredible timing, pacing, and voice!
Short, short summary: Told in both Nick and Norah’s POV, this novel starts with an interesting premise and a pick-up line that I’m sure many guys have tried using [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Young adult sports novel, Contemporary
16-year-old boy as main character
Rating: I had trouble putting this book down and kept thinking about it when it was over.
Short, short summary: Nick Taglio is a high school hockey stud with a hot girlfriend, sort of cool parents, a goody-two-shoes younger brother, and a future [...]