Topics For YA Readers

Here are a couple more YA picture books and graphic novels I read last week:
A Midsummer Night's Dream retold by Bruce Coville--There are young adults who can not understand Shakespeare. The book jacket reveals, "Like a classic fairy tale, this retelling is ideal for older readers who will find much to savor." I would use this to introduce the play before having the students read it or see it. In it Hermia is in love with Lysander, but her father wants to give her to Demetrius instead. She will be put to death if she refuses. Lysander comes up with a plan to run away with Hermia to his aunt's house. They will meet in the forest at night. I'm sure you all know this famous Shakespeare play, so I will not retell the whole thing. Bruce Coville does a great job of making the four lead character distinguishable from on another. He also cuts short the retelling of the last part of the play when Bottom acts in "Pyramus and Thisby."

The Books of Magic by Neil Gaiman--A boy is visited by four magic strangers who decide to teach him the ways of magic power and see if he wants to use his talent. The first stranger takes him back to the beginning where we see Lucifer's fall, the demons that inhabited Earth for millions of years after, the Mage-lords of millions more years who watched civilizations come and go, more recent Greek and other cultures, and finally those who are magic in the present world. The book is illustrated in a dark, graphic novel style.