Divergent by Veronica Roth is a futuristic science fiction survival story set in Chicago.  The reader will recognize many landmarks as the story progresses.  16 year old Beatris Prior is the heroine who will make some very life changing decisions for her life style and career path.  Something has happened to the great city and she must choose from 5 factions each with a unique code of government, ethics, culture and appearance. The faction will take priority over the originating family in an attempt to create a perfect society.  As she progresses through a series of tests she begins to discover she does not fit into one faction but several.  This is most dangerous as events will reveal in the story.  This is a suspenseful read for middle school students.

The sequel is the book Insurgent which takes up the story after Initiation Day and war has begun between the factions as a plot is discovered.  There are shifting relationships, grief, discoveries, twists, romance and more to delight and keep the teen reader hooked.
I look forward to the rest of this series for middle school and up.

The author Veronica Roth's web site:
http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com/2012/04/but-i-read-divergent-year-ago-your.html

Discussion Guide:
http://files.harpercollins.com/HCChildrens/OMM/Media/Divergent%20DG.pdf

Review
BookBrowse
http://www.bookbrowse.com/bb_briefs/detail/index.cfm/ezine_preview_number/6255/divergent

Novel Novice
http://novelnovice.com/2011/05/03/divergent-whats-your-faction-writing-contest/

Other

http://www.kindual.com/p/divergent/B004CFA9RS

Inheritance is book 4 in the series about dragons, elves, dwarves, and
humans.  The races of beings got along well until Galbatorix became an evil tyrant in the land of Alagaesia creating an evil empire.  Similar to the Hobbit there are special languages, varied geography, mysteries to unfold and
people with unusual powers.  This volume continues with the saga of adventure and surprises as Eragon, healed from a grievous wound by the spectral dragon of mysterious origin in an elven ceremony,  embarks on a campaign to recover lands taken in the war with the empire.  Arya is his faithful friend and warrior partner in many battles.  Eragon and Saphira, his dragon, continue to have their relationship grow.  As the story progresses new discoveries lead them to the ancient home of the dragons on Vroengard Island to the city of Doru Araeba.
They discover a city under many spells that lay in ruins but they also discover something incredible.  In the end as Eragon moves into his destiny the ending leaves something to be desired  with some loose ends still not resolved in the major characters.  What will happen to Arya in the future and will her friendship with Eragon deepen?  What will happen to the dragon eggs? What will happen to Eragon as he and selected elves help create a new dragon home and training for found dragons?  Will there be a book 5 down the road although  the author is not planning for one right now?  This is a great adventure fantasy for middle school students and up.

Book Review: Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

www.kidzworld.com/article/26314-inheritance-by-christopher-paolin

Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle

www.alagaesia.com/

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini - review | Children's books ...

www.guardian.co.uk/...books.../inheritance-christopher-paolini-revie...

The Hobbit Glog

This is beautiful too:
http://rheeter.edu.glogster.com/the-hobbit/

The Diary of Anne Frank Glog

Look at this beautiful idea for a book review:
http://kaitlinjadeee.edu.glogster.com/diary-of-anne-frank-5982/?

Alex is camping in the upper peninsula not far from Lake Superior when an electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky destroying all electronic devices.
This is a suspenseful tale of danger, terror, and surprises.  There is a touching romance between some of the survivors.   Billions are killed, the coasts are burning, and people need to reorganize themselves.  Who can you trust when it is every man for themself?  In the country the amish and some farms can still function.  Cars no longer work except for the rare mechanical one.

What was Alex doing in a wilderness park in the first place?  She meets other survivors and forms a loose family group.  Tom is a soldier with experience overseas, knowledge of EMP explosions, and weapons.  Ellie is 8 years old with a faithful dog.  They notice some people are changed by the EMP and others have enhanced senses.  Some become zombies. Alex can smell things.  Dogs like her, even wild ones.   This is a haunting epic that will have two sequels.  Survival in a shattered world presents terrifying challenges that will keep you guessing.

Review: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705390602/Book-review-Ashes-powerful-but-chilling.html
To date I did not find any teacher's guides or reader's guides.  This is very new.  Please comment if you find a good guide.  This is good reading for October if you like scary stories.

The Young Man and the Sea

The Young Man and the Sea by Rodman Philbrick is a wonderful adventure has elements of realistic fiction in it.  Skiff Beaman is really on his own.  His mom has passed away and his dad is lost in grief on the couch.  Skiff has to take care of both of them.  He has guts.  He wants to repair the family fishing boat.
There are kindly neighbors and people in town who want to help him.  Soon he is catching lobster and crabs and earning some money.

There are also a bully in town, Tyler who torments Skiff.  He steals Skiff's traps, cuts the bait bags off of others and generally does whatever he can to be mean.  Skiff gets a grapple on a line to try to find his traps.
It is hard work.  Then he hears about what a blue fin tuna could bring in if by some miracle he can catch one.  The real suspense begins.  The income from a tuna would solve lots of problems including repair the family fishing boat.  Will it happen?  Will Tyler spoil this effort?  Read and find out.

Review, literature circle activities, and teacher's guide:
http://www.state.lib.la.us/empowerlibrary/YOUNG%20MAN%20AND%20THE%20SEA.pdf

KidsReads.com: http://www.kidsreads.com/reviews/0439368294.asp

Literature Guide from Scholastic:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/clubs/pdfs/youngman_t.pdf

Angel

Max and Fang are going off in different directions.  Fang organizes a new group from contacts he has made through his blog.  These are all kids with special enhancements.  Max is hurt and confused by loosing her close friend and first boyfriend.

She has yet to really accept Dylan who was created out of her DNA to be her soul mate.  Now that leaves lots of questions of who, why and for what?  She knows she must blend her group with Fangs if they are to successfully accomplish anything.  Max has grown up a lot and invites more participation. Angel encourages her and volunteers to go undercover to find out things about the Doomsday Group.

In the end the two groups go off to Paris to investigate a Doomsday Group public gathering.   They penetrate the tunnels below Paris and Angel gets kidnapped.  This books ends on a cliff hanger as it continues the saga.  This is a fun read for both boys and girls.

Maximum Ride web site: http://www.jamespatterson.com/books_max.php
Newsletter: http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/features/maxride/index.html
Review of the book: http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/books/3859526-421/review-angel-by-james-patterson.html
Review by teens: http://firesidebookchat.podbean.com/2011/06/02/maximum-ride-the-angel-experiment-by-james-patterson-a-book-review-by-manny-part-1/

Teachers's webquest that can be adapted to this book: http://teacherweb.com/CA/StMichaelSchool/MrsCalhoun/ap10.aspx
Teacher's ideas: http://www.max-dan-wiz.com/page/educators-1