5 Books You Should Read Before Graduating 

Carley Burrows

I love reading and read as much as I have time to.  I love all genres, but my favorites are mystery and fantasy. Some of my favorite authors include James Patterson, Rachel Ward, and Sharon Creech. There are so many times when people ask me for book recommendations, and I have lists of books that would be good for people to read.      

In this list, a mix of both standalone novels and multiple trilogies are mentioned. The books in this list are ordered by how much I enjoyed the books, with my favorite first. 

  1. First is the Numbers trilogy, written by Rachel Ward. The three books in this series are Numbers, The Chaos, and Infinity. These books can be read as standalone novels, but I recommend you read them in order because the 2nd and 3rd books talk about characters who are found in the first book. These books are about three family members who all have the same gift, which has to do with how and when people die, and their gift always causes trouble wherever they go. So unfortunately, they are almost constantly on the run so their gift doesn’t cause more trouble. You can buy these books at Walmart, on Amazon.com, and they are now available for download on Amazon Kindle.  

 

2.  Chasing Redbird is a standalone book written by Sharon Creech. This book is about Zinnia Taylor, the middle child from a large family. She often feels overlooked by all her family except her aunt and uncle. When her aunt passes away, she feels lost until she finds this old trail behind her house. What will be uncovered on this trail? Will some family mysteries finally come to light? Go read this book and find out! This book can be found on Amazon, Amazon Kindle, or at Barnes & Noble.

 

 

3. The Chosen, written by Chaim Potok, is a standalone book. This book is a great representation of how tension can rise in small communities over things such as religious beliefs. This book follows the life of young Reuven Malter as he tries to become friends with Danny Saunders. Danny is a boy who lives just down the street from Reuven, but because of their different religious beliefs, the rivalry between them is so intense it is nearly impossible for them to be friends. Will they be able to overcome the rivalry and stay friends, or will they get torn away from each other? Read this book to find out! This book is available for purchase at Amazon.com or on Amazon Kindle, as well as from the high school English classroom.

4.  Remember Me is a trilogy, but all three books have been combined into just one book. This trilogy was written by Christopher Pike. The protagonist in this book is Shari Cooper, who is killed at a friend’s birthday party. From the beyond, she decides to find her killer with the help of a few other spirits she meets along the way. With the killer now after the rest of her family, will she be able to stop them in time? This trilogy is available on Amazon Kindle, at Barnes & Noble, and at the Belfast Public Library.

 

 

5. The Good Girls Guide to Murder trilogy was written by Holly Jackson.  The main character in this book is Pippa “Pip” Fitz-Amobi, who has decided that she doesn’t agree with the conclusion that was reached during a possible murder-suicide. So as her senior project, with the help of one of the victim’s brother Ravi, she plans to solve this murder the right way. In the other two books Pip finds herself in similar situations to the first murder she solved. Can she solve the murders, or will she die trying? Read this trilogy to find out. These books are all sold separately on Amazon, Amazon Kindle, and at Walmart. 

 

Stay tuned for part two of this list, where I will list five more books you should read before graduating high school!