Am I Hip or What?

Okay, probably not if I am still using the word “hip”. I am up-to-date in what's the rage in reading with the younger crowd. I finished my book yesterday and picked up the next one on my shelf. It was “Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins. According to the Edmonton Journal in their A & E Section on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010, about the latest release of “Mockingjay”, the final volume of the Hunger Games trilogy, “This is going to be probably the biggest YA (young adult) book of the season.” And that's not all — Wednesday morning was the day I picked up the book to read. How is that for a coincidence?

Why do I have “Hunger Games” on my shelf? Well, I love to read, but don't necessarily like to be depressed. Adult fiction, and let's face it, Canadian adult fiction, can be pretty depressing. I have found over the years with my children that a lot of fiction geared to teens is very good. I just never know what to choose. That's when I found Greenwood's Bookstore in Edmonton. They have great staff in their Children's book section who have read many of the books on their shelves. I go in, tell them what I like in fiction and they go through the books with me pointing out the ones that they think would suit my tastes. They have always given good recommendations.

Some of my favorites are the “Wee Free Men” by Terry Pratchett (funny!), Phillip Pullman's Dark Materials Trilogy (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass), “After Hamelin” by Bill Richardson, Scott Westerfeld's trilogy – “The Uglies, The Pretties, and The Specials”, Lois Lowry's trilogy – “The Giver, Gathering Blue and Messenger” and YES, I am a “Harry Potter” fan. I still fantasize about going to school at Hogwarts. I am sure there are lots more but these are the ones that easily come to mind (and it isn't that easy having things come to mind anymore!).

So far, so GREAT, reading this book. I am giving it a good thumbs up and if you need a break from what's on your bookshelf, get this book. It does have a dark theme but young adult fiction manages to do dark in a captivating way. Enjoy!