There are only so many Diary of a Wimpy Kid Books

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, by Jeff Kinney, is one of the most popular series at the St. Peter Claver library.  In fact, it's one of the most popular series in the US right now!  At SPC, students from second grade to eighth grade love checking out and reading about Greg, Rowley, Rodrick, and the rest of the crew.  They love the humor, the drawings, and the real-life situations.  But there are only so many Diary of a Wimpy Kid books!  (Nine, to be exact.)  What do you do when you've read them all??

I could give you a list of other books to try (starting with Dork Diaries, and Stick Dog in our library), but I think you're smart enough to search out new books yourself.  So instead of giving you a list of books, let me give you a resource.

www.fantasticfiction.co.uk.  You'll want to bookmark that page.  This site is great for people who love one author or one series, and want more books like them.  Try this: at the top of the page, type "Jeff Kinney" into the search box.  (Remember, he wrote the Wimpy Kid series.)  What shows up?  The Jeff Kinney page!  You can learn about Jeff Kinney (did you know he lives in Massachusetts?), but you can also FIND NEW BOOKS that relate to Jeff Kinney!

For example, did you know that Jeff Kinney wrote a novella called Unaccompanied Minors?  Maybe you should try reading that!  Or if you scroll down, you'll see some books Jeff Kinney recommends, like The Big Splash and Big Nate.  If Jeff Kinney, the author of your favorite series, likes those books...maybe you will, too!

Or, instead of searching for "Jeff Kinney," search for "Diary of a Wimpy Kid."  When that page comes up, you see a list of "Similar Books by other authors."  Maybe you could try reading those!

What I'm saying is, don't get stuck in one series.  Don't get stuck with one author.  If you want to read something new, but not too new, then use fantasticfiction.co.uk to help you find awesome recommendations that you'll actually want to read!

Literary List: 15 Book Series to Read If You Enjoyed "The Hunger Games"

Raise your hand if you liked The Hunger Games books or movies!

Me, too!  But once you finish the books, what are you to do?  BuzzFeed has the answer!  The list-full website has a list of "15 Book Series to Read If You Enjoyed The Hunger Games."  You can find BuzzFeed's list and opinions at http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariellecalderon/book-series-to-read-if-you-enjoyed-the-hunger-games*, but let me give you my two cents about the list!

I've Already Read and Enjoyed:
--Divergent, by Virginia Roth.  Love the strength of the main female character.  Can't wait to see it on film!
--Matched, by Ally Condie.  This one is an especially great read for teenage girls.
--The Mortal Instruments, by Cassandra Clare.  This series is also good for people who loved Twilight.
--Uglies, by Scott Westerfeld.  Could. Not. Put. It. Down.

I Can't Wait to Read:
--Unwind, by Neal Shusterman.  BuzzFeed says it's "SUPER creepy!"
--The Maze Runner, by James Dashner.  Great for adventurous boys.
--Graceling, by Kristin Cashore.  Got this from the library yesterday!
--The Lunar Chronicles, by Marissa Meyer.  Twisted fairy tales?  I'm in.
--Gone, by Michael Grant.  Teens: would a world without adults be awesome or awful?
--Delirium, by Lauren Oliver.  Love is a four-letter word in this book!
--Legend, by Marie Lu.  As BuzzFeed says, "if you have a thing for fearless girls and bad boys, this series is for you!"
--Partials, by Dan Wells. The cover art for this book really gets me excited!
--Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card.  A classic, and the beginning of a genre!
--The Last Survivors, by Susan Beth Pfeffer.  Started this last night, and I'm hooked.
--The Dwellers, by David Estes.  Living underground sounds like my worst nightmare--so I'll read about it, instead!

Many of these books are about DYSTOPIAN societies, which means societies that are the opposite of paradise.  In each of these series, the societies have at least one major flaw.  Which flaw do you think is the worst?  Taking away people's free will?  Arranged love-matches?  Interacting with species that are only semi-human?  Read these series and decide for yourself!

*Parents, BuzzFeed is a great resource for lists such as this, but please do not let your child surf this site without parental supervision.

Recommended Read: The Kingdom Keepers

The Kingdom Keepers, by Ridley Pearson
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Genre: Fantasy

Finn, Charlene, Maybeck, Willa, and Philby are mostly normal teenagers with one thing in common: they have been filmed and recorded as Disney Host Interactives (DHIs), holograms that act as tour guides at Walt Disney World in Orlando.  The five teens each start to experience strange, vivid dreams that take place inside the Disney park.  During one dream, Finn meets Wayne, a worker at Walt Disney World.  Wayne explains that the dreams Finn, Charlene, Maybeck, Willa, and Philby are having are not dreams!  Their DHIs have become a kind of extension of their bodies and minds, and their DHIs are having adventures in real-life Walt Disney World!

The five DHI kids are given a mission by Wayne: to protect Walt Disney World from take-over by the Disney villains, led by Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty.  The mission is more dangerous than it sounds: Maleficent has real, magical powers with real, really bad consequences for the teens!  Finn, Charlene, Maybeck, Willa, and Philby are also helped by Amanda, who has a strange unknown connection to the park; and they are confused by the presence of new friend Jez, who may be on Maleficent's side!

If you've ever been to Walt Disney World, you should read The Kingdom Keepers: it will make you see the park in new ways!  If you've ever seen a Disney movie, you'll never look at villains the same again!  And if you have an imagination, the characters and plot will keep your mind working!  This book is also a great introduction to the fantasy genre.  Middle- and high-school students will identify with the diversity of cultures, opinions, and personalities shown by the main characters, and the popular setting firmly establishes the possibility of the events in the book.  And if you like this book, then you can keep reading in the series!  The Kingdom Keepers currently has six sequels.  You can also explore more online, at thekingdomkeepers.com.