Done with Percy Jackson? Wondering what to read next?

Ahoy! My mom recently asked me to start this blog so as to have a place where you can post thoughts about the books you are reading and also find out about some other good reads. Here are just a few of my initial suggestions (I am sure many of you have already read some of these) . . .

First of all, one of the ultimate fantasies of all times is Alice's Adventure is Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. Oldie but goodie! This is especially a good time to read these books as there is a movie adaptation, directed by Tim Burton, coming out this March.

• Fablehaven by Brandon Mull
  • This is an amazing series! One of my favorites! It is about a brother and sister who encounter a series of mystifying magical events that shape who they become. Brandon Mull visited FME a couple years ago, so I am sure many of you are familiar with this series . . . the fifth book in this series will be coming out soon. Be sure to check out another book written by Brandon Mull: The Candy Shop War.
    
• Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
  • Naturally, who can go without reading Harry Potter?
    
• The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott
  • An enjoyable combination of mythology, magic, and today in a modern epic about a brother and sister. There are currently three books out in this series with the fourth due this spring. Beware how fast paced these books are as you will not want to put them down.
    
• Artemis Fowl by Eoin ColferEoin Colfer describes his new book, Artemis Fowl, as "Die Hard with fairies." He's not far wrong.

  Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is the most ingenious criminal mastermind in history. With two trusty sidekicks in tow, he hatches a cunning plot to divest the fairyfolk of their pot of gold. Of course, he isn't foolish enough to believe in all that "gold at the end of the rainbow" nonsense. Rather, he knows that the only way to separate the little people from their stash is to kidnap one of them and wait for the ransom to arrive. But when the time comes to put his plan into action, he doesn't count on the appearance of the extrasmall, pointy-eared Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police Reconnaisance) Unit--and her senior officer, Commander Root, a man (sorry, elf) who will stop at nothing to get her back.

  Fantastic stuff from beginning to end, Artemis Fowl is a rip-roaring, 21st-century romp of the highest order. The author has let his imagination run riot by combining folklore, fantasy, and a fistful of high-tech funk in an outrageously devilish book that could well do for fairies what Harry Potter has done for wizardry. But be warned: this is no gentle frolic, so don't be fooled by the fairy subject matter. Instead, what we have here is well-written, sophisticated, rough 'n' tumble storytelling with enough high-octane attitude to make it a seriously cool read for anyone over the age of 10. --Susan Harrison
• The Lost Years of Merlin by T.A. Barron
  • I have always loved this series! It is a wonderful twist off of the Merlin theories, looking at his coming-of-age.
• Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
  • Anyone who has read this book will recommend it. I don't read a lot of SciFi but I really loved this series.

Intense is the word for Ender's Game. Aliens have attacked Earth twice and almost destroyed the human species. To make sure humans win the next encounter, the world government has taken to breeding military geniuses -- and then training them in the arts of war... The early training, not surprisingly, takes the form of 'games'... Ender Wiggin is a genius among geniuses; he wins all the games... He is smart enough to know that time is running out. But is he smart enough to save the planet?

• Septimus Heap by Angie Sage
  • An enjoyable story following a boy who is becoming a wizard and a girl who is becoming a queen, each of whom did not know their future roles until a series of events brought them together.
• Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo
  • This is a pretty fun series and a very fast read about a boy who attends a special school for the gifted. He is realizing his own powers and those of both other good and bad forces.
• The Enchanted Forest Chronicles: Dealing with Dragons by Patricia Wrede
  • A wonderful series about a princess who refuses to fit the stereotype of what a princess should be. Instead of needlepoint, she wishes to fence, learn magic, and read.
• Larklight by Philip Reeve
  • A very silly tale taking place during the era of Queen Victoria, only there is a twist, England is also colonizing the planets!

• The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewert and Chris Riddell
  • An adventure that will take you to a new level of fantasy! Chris Riddell's art throughout the book is the best in current line work. Here is a review from amazon.com:
    

  An un-traditional coming-of-age story, the Edge Chronicles begins with Beyond the Deepwoods, in which our put-upon protagonist, Twig (a misplaced human boy who's being raised by woodtrolls) gets a hint of his true heritage, sheds his Deepwoods upbringing, and does the unthinkable: He strays from the path. Alone for the first time and surviving by his wits, Twig must surmount all manner of perils to pursue a destiny that is whisperingly, mysteriously promised to him "beyond the Deepwoods." From one frying pan to the next (but never quite into the fire) Twig either bests or befriends a ferocious, Carroll-esque menagerie of Deepwoods denizens--from foul-mouthed halitoads and red-faced slaughterers to galumphing banderbears and piranha-Tribble wig-wigs.

  Paul Stewart lays the foundation for some pretty terrific storytelling in this first book--only hinting at what lies ahead in this world where rocks float and sky pirates ride the sky above--but the contribution of illustrator Chris Riddell can't be overstated. Whether in the jowly cheeks of the gyle goblins' Grossmother or the menacing gaze of the supra-evil Gloazgomer, Riddell (an accomplished political cartoonist) manages to match Stewart's descriptions blow-for-blow in evocative pen-and-ink. Grownups and kids alike will rush to the store to pick up the second adventure, the tantalizingly titled Stormchaser. (Ages 9 to 12) --Paul Hughes

  
• Atherton by Patrick Carman
  
  • A sort-of modern day Frankenstein story for children. Atherton takes place in a world created outside the Earth's atmosphere in a hope to sustain Earth's future environment. There are currently three books in the series.
    
• The Land of Elyon by Patrick Carman
  • A fun story about a girl and her adventures in Elyon, meeting talking animals, criminals, and an evil politician.
    

• Leven Thumps by Obert Skye
  
  • This book is quite the goofy ride! Set in our modern world, the imagination world is trying to break free from their home that is being destroyed by the lack of dreams in Earth. While the first book can be a bit slow, the second picks up the pace and catapults the reader into a epic adventure between good and evil, dreams and reality.
    
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• The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black After finding a mysterious, handmade field guide in the attic of the ramshackle old mansion they've just moved into, Jared; his twin brother, Simon; and their older sister, Mallory, discover that there's a magical and often capricious world existing parallel to our own -- the world of faerie. "The illustrations for this series are simply fantastic. Tony DiTerlizzi is a genius and pairs well with Holly Black. I got to meet both of them recently and they were as much fun as the books. This series is a quick but worthwhile read. While you are at it . . . check out Kenny and the Dragon by Tony Diterlizzi, which is a reimagining of Kenneth Grahame's The Reluctant Dragon." - Ben Clanton
  

I'll have more book recommendations soon!

Idea for a post: try making your own story!

a few other suggestions can be found here: http://seedsoflove-ben.blogspot.com/2010/01/books-to-look-for-in-2010.html
You can ignore the picture book suggestions if you like but I like them. :)