Attention (Short Story Book 13)

Great Books for Boys

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2. ''The Semplica-Girl Diaries'' by George Saunders

That is, until he up and quits. But Jack is done. Millicent Min Trilogy by Lisa Yee first book in series: Millicent Min, Girl Genius: Millicent Min is having a bad summer. Her fellow high school students hate her for setting the curve. Her fellow year-olds hate her for going to high school. And her mother has arranged for her to tutor Stanford Wong, the poster boy for Chinese geekdom.

But then Millie meets Emily. She actually thinks Millie is cool. The haunting story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment.

Reluctant Reads - Ages 7+

Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community. Lyra Belacqua is content to run wild among the scholars of Jodan College, with her daemon familiar always by her side. But the arrival of her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, draws her to the heart of a terrible struggle-a struggle born of Gobblers and stolen children, witch clans and armored bears. And as she hurtles toward danger in the cold far North, Lyra never suspects the shocking truth: Redwall series by Brian Jacques first book in series: The question in this first volume is resoundingly clear: What can the peace-loving mice of Redwall Abbey do to defend themselves against Cluny the Scourge and his battle-seasoned army of rats?

If only they had the sword of Martin the Warrior, they might have a chance. But the legendary weapon has long been forgotten-except, that is, by the bumbling young apprentice Matthias, who becomes the unlikeliest of heroes. First Team by Tim Green: With his strong left arm, Brock knows he can be a great quarterback, and with the help of his new friend, Mak, he has a plan to make the first team.

But the coaches have plans of their own, especially for the kids from the wrong side of the tracks, which is exactly where Brock now lives. Will Brock finally be able to navigate his new life, or will his past force him back on the run? Spy School series by Stuart Gibbs first book in series: Can an undercover nerd become a superstar agent? Ben Ripley sure hopes so—and his life may depend on it! The Five Ancestors series by Jeff Stone first book in series: Then one terrible night, the temple is destroyed.

Fu and his brothers are the only survivors. Charged by their grandmaster to uncover the secrets of their past, the five flee into the countryside and go their separate ways. Book 1 follows Fu as he struggles to find out more and prove himself in the process. Ted and Kat watched their cousin Salim board the London Eye, but after half an hour it landed and everyone trooped off—except Salim. Where could he have gone?

How on earth could he have disappeared into thin air? Ted and his older sister, Kat, become sleuthing partners, since the police are having no luck. Despite their prickly relationship, they overcome their differences to follow a trail of clues across London in a desperate bid to find their cousin. And ultimately it comes down to Ted, whose brain works in its own very unique way, to find the key to the mystery.

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. The Search for Wondla: When a marauder destroys the underground sanctuary that Eva Nine was raised in by the robot Muthr, the twelve-year-year-old girl is forced to flee aboveground. Eva Nine is searching for anyone else like her: Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson: In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the s and s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement.

Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become. Joey Pigza series by Jack Gantos first book in series: Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key: Sometimes Joey makes bad choices. Joey ends up bouncing around a lot — and eventually he bounces himself all the way downtown, into the district special-ed program, which could be the end of the line. As Joey knows, if he keeps making bad choices, he could just fall between the cracks for good. But he is determined not to let that happen. Al Capone series by Gennifer Choldenko first book in series: Al Capone Does My Shirts: Today I moved to a twelve-acre rock covered with cement, topped with bird turd and surrounded by water.

Plus, there are a ton of murderers, rapists, hit men, con men, stickup men, embezzlers, connivers, burglars, kidnappers and maybe even an innocent man or two, though I doubt it. I never knew prisons could be picky, but I guess they can. You get to Alcatraz by being the worst of the worst. I came here because my mother said I had to. Children of the Red King series by Jenny Nimmo first book in series: Midnight for Charlie Bone: A mysterious case, the search for a missing girl, and a legacy of magic.

Once there, he realizes that some of his classmates have equally mysterious powers, and Charlie becomes absorbed in uncovering their dangerous secrets.

Books for Boys 5 and older

The Penderwicks series by Jeanne Birdsall first book in series: This summer the Penderwick sisters have a wonderful surprise: Tifton is not as pleased with the Penderwicks as Jeffrey is, though, and warns the new friends to stay out of trouble. Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father when the single-engine plane in which he is flying crashes. But now Brian has no time for anger, self pity, or despair—it will take all his know-how and determination, and more courage than he knew he possessed, to survive.

The Tail of Emily Windsnap: For as long as she can remember, twelve-year-old Emily Windsnap has lived on a boat. And, oddly enough, for just as long, her mother has seemed anxious to keep Emily away from the water. With a sure sense of suspense and richly imaginative details, first-time author Liz Kessler lures us into a glorious undersea world where mermaids study shipwrecks at school and Neptune rules with an iron trident — an enchanting fantasy about family secrets, loyal friendship, and the convention-defying power of love.

The 39 Clues series by Rick Riordan first book in series: The Maze of Bones: Minutes before she died Grace Cahill changed her will, leaving her decendants an impossible decision: Everyone from Napoleon to Houdini is related to the Cahills, yet the source of the family power is lost. Frindle by Andrew Clements: Is Nick Allen a troublemaker? Who says a pen has to be called a pen? Why not call it a frindle? Things begin innocently enough as Nick gets his friends to use the new word.

Then other people in town start saying frindle. Soon the school is in an uproar, and Nick has become a local hero. Liberty Porter, First Daughter: As Liberty moves into the White House, she vows to make herself indispensable to her country—but can she get past her run-ins with the Chief of Staff? The Secret Series by Pseudonymous Bosch first book in series: The Name of this Book is Secret: Or about how a mysterious box of vials, the Symphony of Smells, sends them on the trail of a magician who has vanished under strange and stinky circumstances.

You see, not only is the name of this book secret, the story inside is, too.

For it concerns a secret. Planet Middle School by Nikki Grimes: A game of basketball with the boys-especially her friend Jake-was all it took to put a smile on her face. Baggy jeans, T-shirt, and hair in a ponytail were easy choices. Then suddenly the world seemed to turn upside down, and everything changed at once. Her best girl friend is now flirting with her best guy friend. Her clothes seem all wrong. And worst of all, there is this guy, Santiago, who appears from. What lengths will Joy go to-and whom will she become-to attract his attention? There are great biographies that make famous people really come alive to kids.

Go to the biography section at the local library and grab whatever might look interesting, or try these two series and see what you think. Childhood of Young Americans Series. El Deafo by Cece Bell: Going to school and making new friends can be tough. But going to school and making new friends while wearing a bulky hearing aid strapped to your chest? She really just wants to fit in and find a true friend, someone who appreciates her as she is. Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi first book in series: After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great-grandfather, but the strange house proves to be dangerous.

Em and Navin, desperate not to lose her, follow her into an underground world inhabited by demons, robots, and talking animals. Eventually, they enlist the help of a small mechanical rabbit named Miskit. Together with Miskit, they face the most terrifying monster of all, and Em finally has the chance to save someone she loves.

It begins, as the best superhero stories do, with a tragic accident that has unexpected consequences. The squirrel never saw the vacuum cleaner coming, but self-described cynic Flora Belle Buckman, who has read every issue of the comic book Terrible Things Can Happen to You! What neither can predict is that Ulysses the squirrel has been born anew, with powers of strength, flight, and misspelled poetry — and that Flora will be changed too, as she discovers the possibility of hope and the promise of a capacious heart. Martin and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier first book in series: Whatever comes up — cranky toddlers, huge dogs, scary neighbors, prank calls — you can count on them to save the day.

But no matter what, the BSC have what they need most: Danny is an all-American boy: The Monkey King has lived for thousands of years and mastered the arts of kung fu and the heavenly disciplines. Each of these characters cannot help himself alone, but how can they possibly help each other? Sisters by Raina Telgemeier: They are sisters, after all. Try also Smile and Drama by the same author. Friendship to the max! Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney first book in series: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Popularity by Lincoln Pierce: Dealing with School Picture Day, playing on the basketball team, and coping with crushes are just some of the hijinks Nate gets into in this comics collection.

Mouse Guard series by David Petersen first book in series: In the world of Mouse Guard, mice struggle to live safely and prosper amongst harsh conditions and a host of predators.

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Thus the Mouse Guard was formed: The Guard patrol borders, find safeways and paths through dangerous territories and treacherous terrain, watch weather patterns, and keep the mouse territories free of predatory infestation. They do so with fearless dedication so that they might not just exist, but truly live. Read classics that you might have loved out loud with your kid. Websites have FAQs, extra resources, and announcements for book readings or when their next book is coming out.

NPR has an excellent podcast series called Backseat Book Club where they interview authors and review books. There are great recommendations on there, and hearing the authors talk about their inspiration and why they wrote their stories might inspire kids to pick up the books.

15 un-put-downable books for short attention spans

Watch the movie then read the book or vice versa, then talk about what you might have liked from each. There might be productions and local theater companies performing shows based on books as well, so keep an eye out for those! Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh movie. Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers movie. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl movie. Matilda by Roald Dahl movie and Broadway musical. Hoot by Carl Hiaasen movie. Holes by Louis Sachar movie. Fox by Roald Dahl movie. Coraline by Neil Gaiman movie. Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program. Another classic and unforgettable American short story in which a family road trip turns into something else.

You can guess what's going to happen, yet you're still not prepared for it. Alice Munro is the master of the disturbing, multi-layered short story, but when she turns her attention to the behavior of children, she truly outdoes herself. The office frustrations of an unassuming middle-aged man quickly spiral out of control in this tale by the author who brought us the deceptive story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Jorge Luis Borges is a master of magical realism, and this story will make you contemplate the universe.

You slowly start to realize that something isn't quite right in this story, although the monomania probably tipped you off.

George Saunders' unsettling short story unfolds from the diary entries of an unreliable narrator. Want more great book recommendations from Mashable? Join MashableReads , Mashable's social book club.

Against the Attention Economy: Short Stories Are Not Quick Literary Fixes

You'll have the chance to win free copies of new novels, and participate in conversations with various authors. Authors in Conversation with MashableReads. We're using cookies to improve your experience. Click Here to find out more. Culture Like Follow Follow. There are short stories, and then there are short stories that shake you to the core.

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson This is one of the most famous short stories in American literature with a memorable ending that's sure to rock you. An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce This story of a Civil War execution plays with time and has an ending that makes the story even more confusing, if that's possible.

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