Reviews written by Megan Kelly

In my search for lists of novels in verse, the name Helen Frost continued to pop up as an author to watch. My library had a copy of KEESHA'S HOUSE, a Printz Honor book. Through poetry, it tells the stories of seven high school students who end up with no...

PANDEMONIUM is the perfect name for Lauren Oliver's second entry into the Delirium series. While the first book had protagonist Lena slowly awakening to the fact that love should not be illegal, this novel has her paying dearly for having loved. Lena spends PANDEMONIUM in a constant state of flight,...

The new graphic novel series, My Boyfriend Is A Monster, explores teen relationships under the most trying circumstances: zombie invasions and monster attacks. I LOVE HIM TO PIECES pairs up athletic Dicey Bell and budding scientist Jack Chen to co-parent an egg for health class. Their...

Paul D. Storrie's entry to the "My Boyfriend Is A Monster" series is confusing and not nearly as charming as the first book. Centered around Maria McBride, a shy orphan violinist, and the burly new student Tom B. Stone (yep), this strange take on Frankenstein...

Smart Pop Books is celebration the release of the first The Hunger Games film with a movie edition of their book, THE GIRL WHO WAS ON FIRE. Edited by Leah Wilson, this collection of sixteen essays examines Suzanne Collins’ series from a variety of angles. Written by young adult authors,...

As the oldest of eight children, sixteen-year-old Lupita has a lot of responsibilities, but never resents it because her loving family takes care of each other, especially after moving to the United States from Mexico. Lupita excels in drama class, but suddenly her tears become easier to fake. Her mother...

You guys. This book. I have to share the original moment I lived while reading this book. I was on the bus, riding home from our field trip to a science museum, sharing a seat with a 6th grade girl who used JUSTIN BIEBER twice as...

Margarita Engle continues her streak of novels in verse about life in Cuba after the wars for independence from Spain. THE WILD BOOK is a charming story that will appeal to middle grade readers who enjoy poetry and anyone who has struggled to read. Fefa has...

Amber has planned a day to herself, full of things she loves, because tomorrow her entire world will change. Early into her adventure, she meets Cade, who is also on a mission to live this day to the fullest. Both hide secrets about what they're running away from, but it...

Last year, Brooklyn's boyfriend Lucca died in a car accident. His best friend (and the driver) Gabe has just passed away of a drug overdose. Unlike Lisa Schroeder's other novel in verse, I Heart You, You Haunt Me, Brooklyn isn't being visited by the ghost of her boyfriend...instead it's a...

I knew I wanted to read Shiver the minute I saw its gorgeous cover. It includes everything that I am interested in in a cover. Happy me, the story inside was really satisfying as well. Probably inspired by the success of Twilight, this novel tells the...

Author Kirsten Hubbard and I could have some conversations. From reading Wanderlove, I can tell that she has traveled widely and on a budget. In my eight years of living abroad, I did my share of backpacking and also led semester-long experiential education trips abroad. We may have even crossed...

I kept hearing great things about Kelly Bingham's book and when I learned that it was written in verse, I knew I had to check it out. The writing style of this book will really appeal to my students. It flows with Jane's thoughts, letters received,...

I've heard so many great things about Paper Towns and have been waiting to read it and see if it is appropriate for middle school students. I love books that feature mysterious and captivating characters (see: the parents in If I Stay) and Margo Roth Spiegelman is...

Lisa Schroeder's I Heart You, You Haunt Me has many appealing aspects--the romance, the great cover, the supernatural, the easy writing style--that I can confidently say it is a book that will convert reluctant readers. At fifteen, Ava's boyfriend Jackson has died and she feels responsible for...