What would go on your list? What were the best things you read, watched, heard or played this year? Why?
Here are the seven books Times editors chose as the best Young Adult fiction of 2013. Have you read any? Do you agree?
“BOXERS and SAINTS.” Written and illustrated by Gene Luen Yang. (First Second, $18.99 and $15.99.) In these companion graphic novels, Yang, a Michael L. Printz Award winner, tackles the complicated history of China’s Boxer Rebellion, using characters with opposing perspectives to explore the era’s politics and religion.
“ELEANOR & PARK.” By Rainbow Rowell. (St. Martin’s Griffin, $18.99.) A misfit girl from an abusive home and a Korean-American boy from a happy one bond over music and comics on the school bus in this novel, which our reviewer, John Green, said “reminded me not just what it’s like to be young and in love with a girl, but also what it’s like to be young and in love with a book.”
“FANGIRL.” By Rainbow Rowell. (St. Martin’s Griffin, $18.99.) In her second Y.A. novel published in 2013, Rowell cleverly interweaves the story of an introverted girl’s freshman year in college — and first romance — with the “Harry Potter”-like fan fiction she writes in her spare time.
“THE 5TH WAVE”. By Rick Yancey. (Putnam, $18.99.) Yancey’s wildly entertaining novel, in which aliens come to Earth, manages the elusive trick of appealing to young readers and adults alike.
“PICTURE ME GONE.” By Meg Rosoff. (Putnam, $17.99.) Mila, a young Londoner with an uncanny gift for empathy, accompanies her father to upstate New York to search for his best friend. Questions of honesty and trust are central to this novel, a National Book Award finalist.
“THE RITHMATIST.” By Brandon Sanderson. Illustrated by Ben McSweeney. (Tor/Tom Doherty, $17.99.) A boy longs to join a magical cadre defending humanity against merciless “chalklings” in this fantasy, set in an alternate version of America.
“ROSE UNDER FIRE.” By Elizabeth Wein. (Hyperion, $17.99.) In Wein’s second World War II adventure novel — the first, “Code Name Verity,” was highly praised last year — Rose, 18, an American transport pilot and aspiring poet, struggles to survive in a women’s concentration camp after her plane is grounded in Germany.
Students: Please comment on the following questions. Please comment on at least TWO comments from your class.
- Which Times culture category most interests you — books, movies, television, theater, music, art & design, dance or video games?
- What would you put on your list that came out in 2013 in any of those categories? For instance, you might list movies you loved, television shows that were especially good this year, books you’d recommend, albums you listened to over and over.