The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I've moved into reading The Book Thief, which I probably wouldn't recommend to my 7th graders but would to high school students and adults. Set during the time of World War II and the Holocaust, the story is told through the eyes of an intriguing narrator - Death himself. However, he carefully chronicles the experiences of a young German girl named Liesel (otherwise known as "the book thief"). Liesel's life changes drastically when she is forced to leave her mother and brother and is taken to live with foster parents (Hans and Rosa). Eventually, she accepts her situation and grows to love her foster family (though Rosa has an unusual way of showing her love when she calls Liesel various German versions of "pig").

As I've progressed through the book, the cast of characters has grown as well. I've been introduced to Rudy, Liesel's school buddy, who is known in town for the "Jesse Owens' incident"; Ilsa Hermann, the mayor's wife, who allows Liesel access to her library; Arthur Berg, leader of a group of boys that Liesel and Rudy join to steal food; and a Jew named Max.

In addition to the characters, the author's style has totally grabbed and kept my attention. He shares the story using Death's point of view, which is abrupt, sarcastic, and starkly realistic. Still, humor shines through frequently, yet one is always reminded of the dark times surrounding the humor - poverty, hunger, and the persecution of Jews in order to achieve Hitler's goals. Death often drops hints about the future of the characters, and I know some of the characters I've grown fond of will not make it to the end of the book. Still, Liesel's determination through a horrific period of history is the light that will guide me to the end of the story, and I look forward to reading how the author concludes this amazing novel.

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

My latest book is the first book of the Alex Rider series, Stormbreaker. I have about 60 pages left of the book, and I totally understand why many of my middle school students are "into" this particular series.

Alex Rider, the main character, is led into a world of intrigue and spying quite accidentally after his guardian and uncle (Ian) dies. Alex soon discovers suspicious circumstances surrounding his uncle's death and that his uncle wasn't just a finance manager at a bank. Instead, Uncle Ian, who really was involved with a top-secret intelligence agency, was killed when he got "too close" to unraveling the mystery behind what turned out to be his last mission. Ian's "co-workers" recruit and train Alex in the ways of spies (very quickly, mind you), and he and a few cool spy tools (i.e. zit cream that can melt metal) are thrown directly into his first case. Main players in Alex's first mission include a man named Herod Sayle, developer of a rockin' computer known as "Stormbreaker," the Russian hit man Yassen Gregorovich, the poor Mr. Grin whose face has been majorly damaged, and a German woman named Nadia Vole. Of all of his skills, Alex's greatest asset is his mind; his quick thinking allows him to overcome multiple obstacles (for example, being chased by killers on 4-wheelers) and sticky situations (maneuvering through an underground railway line, part of which has been submerged beneath water). I look forward to reading how Alex finishes his first mission. (Of course, we know he'll be successful; there's about 5 more books in the series!)

To learn more about the author, Anthony Horowitz, and the other books in his series, check out Mr. Horowitz's website.