Miss Barnes's Top 10 of 2007

These are what I consider the ten best books I’ve read that were published in 2007 and thus in consideration for major literary awards (for teen books) in 2008.

1. Absolutely True Diary of Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie YA FIC ALE “A hilarious experience, full of insight, but also touched with tragedy. A rare look at the contemporary life of a Native American teen.”

2. The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt JH SCH “Easily one of the smartest, most well-written books of the year. If you’ve ever wondered what it would have been like to grow up in the 1970s as 7^th grader, then this is the book for you.”

3. Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr YA FIC ZAR “Achingly real, this is the story of a girl who just wants to escape her past, but who keeps seeing reminders of it everywhere she turns.”

4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling JH ROW “The book that needs no introduction! When I finished, I thought, okay, what do I do with my life now?”

5. Cures for Heartbreak by Margo Rabb YA FIC RAB “I never thought a story where the mom dies could be entertaining, but that’s exactly what this book was!”

6. Anatomy of a Boyfriend by Daria Snadowsky YA FIC SNA “The author Googled my review on the blog and then wrote about it on her blog as the best review she read of her book! Oh wait, I’m not supposed to be bragging here! One of those fun girly reads that keeps you from doing what you need to be doing. Like showering…”

7. Breathe My Name by R.A. Nelson “I was lucky enough to get my hands on an advance reader’s copy of this and I couldn’t put it down. A thriller that kept me guessing to the very end – and I usually figure that stuff out, too!

8. Tyrell by Coe Booth YA FIC BOO “A gripping look at what it’s like to grow up on government aid that’s still filled with hope.”

9. In Defense of Our America by Anthony D. Romero 323.4 ROM “I’m not one to read a whole lot of non-fiction, but I breezed through this one because every chapter was written like a narrative. Written by the head of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) this book takes a look at civil liberties in post-9/11 America. Totally gripping stuff that you can’t believe is happening in this country.”

10. Boy Toy by Barry Lyga YA FIC LYG “I’m not even finished with this one but I’m still putting it on the list. A ripped from the headlines story that’s entirely real and heartbreaking. It’s full of baseball talk, which is another plus for me. A very intense, painful read at times, but extremely well-told.”