Literary Circle Books: Fiction - Authors M-P

The Great War changed everything and the years following it were tumultuous - most of all for those who lived the war first-hand. Maugham himself is a character in this novel of self-discovery and search for meaning, but the protagonist is a character named Larry. Battered physically and spiritually by the war, Larry's physical wounds heal, but his spirit is changed almost beyond recognition. He leaves his betrothed, the beautiful and devoted Isabel. He studies philosophy and religion in Paris. He lives as a monk. He witnesses the exotic hardships of Spanish life. All of life that he can find - from an Indian Ashrama to labor in a coal mine - becomes Larry's spiritual experiment as he spurns the comfort and privilege of the Roaring '20s. Maugham's theme is the contrast of spiritual content between Larry and the growing materialism and sophistication of those he left behind - and the surprising irony of where both of those paths lead.

Don't miss the thrilling novel from #1 New York Times bestselling award-winning author Robert McCammon, in a book that Publishers Weekly calls "both a mystery that will satisfy the most finicky aficionado and a boisterous travelogue." Zephyr, Alabama, is an idyllic hometown for eleven-year-old Cory Mackenson-a place where monsters swim the river deep and friends are forever. Then, one cold spring morning, Cory and his father witness a car plunge into a lake-and a desperate rescue attempt brings his father face-to-face with a terrible vision of death that will haunt him forever. As Cory struggles to understand his father's pain, his eyes are slowly opened to the forces of good and evil that are manifested in Zephyr. From an ancient, mystical woman who can hear the dead and bewitch the living, to a violent clan of moonshiners, Cory must confront the secrets that hide in the shadows of his hometown-for his father's sanity and his own life hang in the balance.

Praise for War Brothers, the novel by Sharon E. McKay: War Brothers is a novel that very accurately portrays the criminality of adults who abduct kids to carry out crimes against humanity... This engrossing book is a vivid look at the hideous crimes committed by such groups and should be read by anyone wanting to know about Kony's LRA. -- Lieutenant-General Romeo Dallaire (Retired), international child soldier advocate The life of a child soldier is full of unthinkable violence ... But the human capacity to connect with others and for survival is remarkable. Jacob is a 14-year-old Ugandan who is sent away to a boys' school. Once there, he assures his friend Tony that they need not be afraid -- they will be safe. But not long after, in the shadow of the night, the boys are abducted. Marched into the jungle, they are brought to an encampment of the feared rebel soldiers. They are told they must kill or be killed, and their world turns into a terrifying struggle to endure and survive. In time, the boys escape. Hunted by the rebels, stalked by a lion, and even pursued by river crocs, they miraculously succeed in reaching safety. However, it is no longer enough. Jacob wrestles with the question of whether we are all really beasts inside. He decides the way through the pain is to record his story. Daniel Lafrance's powerful, striking, and poignant artwork and the crisp, evocative text vividly capture the haunting experiences of a young boy caught in a brutal war. This graphic novel is based on an award-winning YA novel by Sharon McKay. Sharon has spent time with child soldiers and based this story on real-life accounts.

A riveting middle-grade dystopian novel from New York Times bestselling Wake author Lisa McMann that Kirkus Reviews calls "The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter." When Alex finds out he is Unwanted, he expects to die. That is the way of the people of Quill. Each year, all the thirteen-year-olds are labeled as Wanted, Necessary, or Unwanted. Wanteds get more schooling and train to join the Quillitary. Necessaries keep the farms running. Unwanteds are set for elimination. It's hard for Alex to leave behind his twin, Aaron, a Wanted, but he makes peace with his fate-until he discovers that instead of a "death farm," what awaits him is a magical place called Artimé. There, Alex and his fellow Unwanteds are encouraged to cultivate their creative abilities and use them magically. Everything Alex has ever known changes before his eyes, and it's a wondrous transformation. But it's a rare, unique occurrence for twins to be divided between Wanted and Unwanted, and as Alex and Aaron's bond stretches across their separation, a threat arises for the survival of Artimé that will pit brother against brother in an ultimate magical battle.

Hairstyles of the Damned is an honest depiction of growing up punk on Chicago's south side: a study in the demons of racial intolerance, Catholic school conformism, and class repression. It is the story of the riotous exploits of Brian, a high school burnout, and his best friend, Gretchen, a punk rock girl fond of brawling. Based on the actual events surrounding a Chicago's segregated prom, this work of fiction unflinchingly pursues the truth in discovering what it means to be your own person.

A drug deal goes south and a cop has been shot. Lil J's on the run. And he's starting to get dope sick. He'd do anything to change the last twenty-four hours, and when he stumbles into an abandoned building, it actually might be possible. . . . Elements of magical realism intensify this harrowing story about drug use, violence, perceptions of reality, and second chances.

An exciting, eye-catching repackage of acclaimed author Walter Dean Myers' bestselling paperbacks, to coincide with the publication of SUNRISE OVER FALLUJA in hardcover. A coming-of-age tale for young adults set in the trenches of the Vietnam War in the late 1960s, this is the story of Perry, a Harlem teenager who volunteers for the service when his dream of attending college falls through. Sent to the front lines, Perry and his platoon come face-to-face with the Vietcong and the real horror of warfare. But violence and death aren't the only hardships. As Perry struggles to find virtue in himself and his comrades, he questions why black troops are given the most dangerous assignments, and why the U.S. is there at all.

TheNew York Times Bestselling story of first love, family, loss, and betrayal for fans of John Green, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else; an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they'd have a chance to remake their world. This radiant novel from the acclaimed, award-winning author of The Sky Is Everywhere will leave you breathless and teary and laughing; often all at once. "A wild, beautiful, and profoundly moving novel. Jandy Nelson's writing is so electric, so alive, her pages practically glow in the dark."; Ransom Riggs, New York Times bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and Hollow City "Jandy Nelson is a rare, explosive talent, and one of the best writers working today. Her prose is vivid, breathtaking, and drenched in passion, and her stories remind me why words can change the world." ;Tahereh Mafi, New York Times bestselling author of the Shatter Me series. "I love this book. Jandy Nelson is my new writing hero. Read this book. She'll be your favorite author as well."; Holly Goldberg Sloan, New York Times bestselling author of Counting by 7s "Jandy Nelson's writing is poetic and mesmerizing. More importantly, Nelson weaves a novel that seeps into your bones like fire on a cold day . . . I'll Give You the Sun is a novel that promises a story like nothing else and then delivers it; Garret Freymann-Weyr, author of Printz Honor book, My Heartbeat "This is a stunning, artfully woven story. My heart burst open at the blazing, unforgettable end. Magnificent."; Nova Ren Suma, author of Imaginary Girls and 17 & Gone "An extraordinary book! I've never read anything like it. Lyrical-unique-passionate-magical-tragic-hopeful; Nelson's characters will fly off the page and into your heart."; Nancy Garden, author of Annie on my Mind

A gripping, thought-provoking story about life after a nuclear holocaust, by a Newbery Medalist.

A classic work of American literature that has not stopped changing minds and lives since it burst onto the literary scene, The Things They Carried is a ground-breaking meditation on war, memory, imagination, and the redemptive power of storytelling.    The Things They Carried depicts the men of Alpha Company: Jimmy Cross, Henry Dobbins, Rat Kiley, Mitchell Sanders, Norman Bowker, Kiowa, and the character Tim O'Brien, who has survived his tour in Vietnam to become a father and writer at the age of forty-three.   Taught everywhere--from high school classrooms to graduate seminars in creative writing--it has become required reading for any American and continues to challenge readers in their perceptions of fact and fiction, war and peace, courage and fear and longing.   The Things They Carried won France's prestigious Prix du Meilleur Livre Etranger and the Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize; it was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Lauren Oliver's powerful New York Times bestselling novel Delirium—the first in a dystopian trilogy—presents a world as terrifying as George Orwell's 1984 and a romance as true as Romeo & Juliet. In an alternate United States, love has been declared a dangerous disease, and the government forces everyone who reaches eighteen to have a procedure called the Cure. Living with her aunt, uncle, and cousins in Portland, Maine, Lena Haloway is very much looking forward to being cured and living a safe, predictable life. She watched love destroy her mother and isn't about to make the same mistakes. But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena meets enigmatic Alex, a boy from the Wilds who lives under the government's radar. What will happen if they do the unthinkable and fall in love? Delirium received starred reviews from Kirkus and School Library Journal, and was named a Best Book of the Year by USA Today, Kirkus, Amazon.com, YALSA, and the Chicago Public Library and was selected as one of NPR's Top 100 Best Ever Teen Novels. Supports the Common Core State Standards

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, pushing aside thoughts of Alex, pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school, push, push, push, like Raven taught me to do. The old life is dead. But the old Lena is dead too. I buried her. I left her beyond a fence, behind a wall of smoke and ?ame. Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

This exciting finale to Lauren Oliver's New York Times bestselling Delirium trilogy is a riveting blend of nonstop action and forbidden romance in a dystopian United States. Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has transformed. The nascent rebellion that was underway in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight. After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven. Pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels. As Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain of the Wilds, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor. Requiem is told from both Lena and Hana's points of view. They live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge. With lyrical writing, Lauren Oliver seamlessly interweaves the peril that Lena faces with the inner tumult she experiences after the reappearance of her first love, Alex, the boy she thought was dead. Sophisticated and wide-ranging, Requiem brings the Delirium trilogy to a thrilling conclusion.

The hilarious, take-no-prisoners novel about a cynical, sex-obsessed teenager's pining love for an intelligent girl- now a major motion picture from Dimension Films starring Michael Cera SIX MONTHS IN THE LIFE OF THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS TEENAGER Youth in Revolt is the journals of Nick Twisp, California's most precocious diarist, whose ongoing struggles to make sense out of high school, deal with his divorced parents, and lose his virginity result in his transformation from an unassuming fourteen-year-old to a modern youth in open revolt. As his family splinters, worlds collide, and the police block all routes out of town, Nick must cope with economic deprivation, homelessness, the gulag of the public schools, a competitive type-A father, murderous canines, and an inconvenient hair trigger on his erectile response-all while vying ardently for the affections of the beauteous Sheeni Saunders, teenage goddess and ultimate intellectual goad.

*This is a young adult book series. Each chronicle will feature Dean's struggles as he tries to survive in this new world. And thus the name, The Zombie Chronicles. I hope you enjoy this series, and thank you for giving book one a chance.* BOOK TRAILER: http: //youtu.be/ociUHiL1g70 Val was bitten by a zombie and now she's scheduled for lethal injection. Breaking all the rules, eighteen year old, Dean Walters snags an experimental serum. But it can't be tested until Val turns into a zombie: something authorities won't allow. Her execution is scheduled to happen before transformation is complete, giving Dean only hours to break her out. When their helicopter crashes straight into the heart of Zombie Land, his rescue mission becomes a fight for survival...and giving up on Val is NOT an option.

This paperback version is books 2 & 3 of the Apocalypse Infection Unleashed Series. You get two books for the price of one. The Zombie Chronicles - Book 2 - Dean and Nick will stop at nothing to save their sister, Val, who was bitten by a zombie. When their helicopter crashes into the middle of Zombie Land, the three siblings must fight to survive. Things suddenly get more complicated when a drifter steals the precious vials needed to save Val. The hunt is on to find the scoundrel and get their vials back. The Zombie Chronicles - Book 3 - When Nick and Dean chase Tahoe into a city where he's taken refuge, they learn that this city is more bizarre and mysterious than they ever thought before. Ignoring their instinct to leave, they put on a brave front and continue their search for Val who has turned into a zombie...and is out on the loose. Dean feels they're closer than ever to getting the vials back, but when he learns about a deadly secret the city hides, his mission turns into a life and death struggle...literally.

Three siblings fight to survive in a zombie infested world. When they get caught in a flood during a rainstorm, the group is forced to take refuge. They are thrust into a mystery they can't explain, and when things slowly begin to unravel, they learn they have to play by a new set of rules.

This is the longest book in The Zombie Chronicles at nearly 80,000 words. Blurb: My name is Dean Walters and I'm eighteen years old. We had saved Val, Jackie, and Claire with the precious vials in our possession, but they weren't 100 percent effective. Those who had taken the serum, the so-called miracle cure for zombie-itis, were easy enough to spot, since they had glowing green eyes and were suddenly equipped with night vision that would have made the average bat jealous, but that was only one side effect. Much to our dismay, the other side effect wasn't quite so tolerable. Some cured people turned back into zombies but retained control of their reasoning, logical minds, virtually turning them into cannibals capable of thinking, calculating, stalking, and killing their victims. We'd decided to call them hybrids, and I feared that my sister, my girlfriend, and my potential future cousin-in-law were about to morph into just that. Is it only a matter of time? Does that happen to everyone who takes the serum, or are some immune to that side effect? Our only hope for answers was to go to the lab, and I hoped the answers we'd finally get would be honest-and good news.

Seventeen-year-old Marisa's parents expect her to live an ordinary life and help the familia. Her calc teacher thinks she can into engineering school. Caught between the expectations of two different worlds, Marisa isn't sure what she wants.

Bring history to life with compelling stories,sweeping scope, and a welcoming sense of diversity Historical fiction helps students connect to their middle schoolsocial studies classes Reading skill instruction and cross-curricular connections improvecomprehension of historical fiction Strong multicultural flavor reflects the rich tapestry of our sharedAmerican heritages Jamestown's American Portraits, a saga of American families and friends,traces the history of America from the founding of Jamestown to the CivilRights Movement. This is a unique, enriching series designed to teachreading strategies appropriate for historical novels used in middle schoolreading, language arts, or social studies classes. Reading Level 5-8 Interest Level 6-8

As John Green, New York Times bestselling author of The Fault in Our Stars said, "King Dork will rock your world." The cult classic from Frank Portman, aka Dr. Frank of the Mr. T. Experience, is a book like nothing ever done before--King Dork literally has something for everyone: At least a half-dozen mysteries, love, mistaken identity, girls, monks, books, blood, bubblegum, and rock and roll. This book is based on music--a passion most kids have--and it has original (hilarious) songs and song lyrics throughout.    When Tom Henderson finds his deceased father's copy of J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, his world is turned upside down. Suddenly high school gets more complicated: Tom (aka King Dork) is in the middle of at least half a dozen mysteries involving dead people, naked people, fake people, a secret code, girls, and rock and roll. As he goes through sophomore year, he finds clues that may very well solve the puzzle of his father's death and--oddly--reveal the secret to attracting semi-hot girls (the secret might be being in a band, if he can find a drummer who can count to four.    A brilliant story, King Dork includes a glossary and a bandography. And look for King Dork Approximtely, the sequel to King Dork, available in winter 2014. Praise for King Dork: "Basically, if you are a human being with even a vague grasp of the English language, King Dork, will rock your world."--John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars   "[No account of high school] has made me laugh more than King Dork. . . . Grade A."--Entertainment Weekly   "Impossibly brilliant."--Time "Provides a window into what it would be like if Holden Caulfield read The Catcher in the Rye."--New York Post "Loaded with sharp and offbeat humor."--USA Today   [STAR] "Original, heartfelt, and sparkling with wit and intelligence. This novel will linger long in readers' memories."--School Library Journal, Starred   [STAR] "A biting and witty high-school satire."--Kirkus Reviews, Starred   [STAR] "Tom's narration is piercingly satirical and acidly witty."--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Starred   "King Dork is smart, funny, occasionally raunchy and refreshingly clear about what it's like to be in high school."--San Francisco Chronicle   "King Dork: Best Punk Rock Book Ever."--The Village Voice   "I love this book as much as I hated high school, and that's some of the highest praise I can possibly give."--Bookslut.com