We often see young adult readers crossing over into the adult section of the library, but rarely do adults delve into the treasures the YA section holds (with, of course, the exception of the Harry Potter series). Well, it’s time we started. There are some great YA books that everyone can share and enjoy.
My first recommendation is for those of us mourning the end of the Harry Potter Series. The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan should help fill the need for great fantastical adventure stories. In the first book, The Lightning Thief, we meet Percy Jackson, a wise-cracking, good-hearted twelve-year old with a knack for landing himself in big trouble. The kind of trouble that has gotten him kicked out of countless schools. This year is looking particularly bad for Percy, especially after his pre-algebra teacher turns into a monster and attempts to kill him. But, Percy’s crazy life finally starts to make some sense when he learns that his is the son of a Greek god. Percy is sent away to a camp for Half-bloods (half-human, half-Greek god/goddess) and finally finds a place where he belongs. Unfortunately for Percy, his new life, as well as all of humankind, is threatened and it will take an old-fashioned heroes’ quest to put things right again.
This 2008 Nutmeg award nominee is really a book that the entire family can enjoy and talk about together. What I most love about this series is that young Percy and his mythological friends truly act heroic by protecting the weak, staying loyal to friends and the cause and, perhaps most importantly, trying to do the right thing (while continually delivering humorous quips and insights).
Whimsicallibrarians 
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