Another Series . . . Seriously?

Last summer when my family took our annual road trip, I randomly stumbled upon Veronica Roth’s dystopian novel, Divergent. My teenagers and I quickly became immersed in the story, and before we knew it, we’d all selected a faction and hedged bets on whether Tris and Four would end up together. The series hooked me instantly, and upon returning home I rushed to download Insurgent on my IPad while the characters were still fresh on my mind. Since then, I've shared the book with several friends, including my amazing little sister, Trinitie, who recently purchased me the best birthday gift ever— a Erudite T-shirt that says "Faction Before Blood" Can you say awesome?

This year, as we prepared to hit the highway bound for California, I scoured my daughters AP English summer reading list, looking for a YA book worth our time. Many of the titles I wanted to read were not available for download on our online library system, so as we traveled out west listened to music and embraced the silence. My bonus son, Hunter, had recently rediscovered the Harry Potter series, and he was hell-bent on finishing book six before we arrived in Palm Springs. Needless to say, I was disappointed we couldn't find an audiobook to listen to, but I figured we still had over 24 hours in the car on the return trip to Texas.

I launched the Overdrive Media app on my IPhone early Wednesday morning, and one of my holds had magically become available. I quickly downloaded Susan Pfeffer’s book, Life As We Knew It, and by the time we reached Las Vegas, we were all engrossed in the cataclysmic events unfolding in rural Pennsylvania. Apparently, my family and I are fascinated with books about the end of the world, and as Miranda faced dire circumstances, we all rooted for her to survive. We finished the book with about 20 minutes to spare, and as we pulled into the driveway, my bonus daughter, Chandler, commented, “Man! Tenille, why do you always choose series books? Now I have to read the next one!”

I finished The Dead & The Gone this morning. Waiting on book #3 @ the library! 

I’m not sure if I choose series books on purpose, but I know it brings me great joy to hear my teenagers beg for another book. I recently read a great post on the Nerdy Book Club blog by Sarah Mulhern Gross about summer reading. I’ve grown fond of a term she used, and I have grand aspirations to become the #1 book evangelist on my campus next year. Part of spreading book love starts in our own homes, and my hope is that Hunter and Chandler both become life-long readers who choose to read, not because their high school English teacher assigns a particular book, but because they are hungry for the satisfying feeling that washes over you when you turn the last page of a book and everything in the world feels right.

As I get ready to return to a 4th grade classroom next year, I’m on the hunt for a powerful middle grade series that appeals to both girls and boys. Suggestions are welcome!